Server Version#: plexmediaserver_1.19.3.2764-ef515a800_amd64
Player Version#: Plex-1.0.0.792-d4adb056-x86_64
Tuner Make/Model: None yet
Guide/Lineup name: None yet
Using XMLTV?:
Channel number/Name: ABC and Fox
I’m not really sure what you are asking but
For LiveTV&DVR a compatible tuner is connected to the server. This might be a USB or network tuner which the server connects to. The server then adds the program data that matches where you live and lists what is on when. The server then takes that and streams it to the various supported Plex players and transcodes if the particular player cannot natively play the type of signal provided by the tuner.
I am sorry – I guess I am a novice at this forum. My question was not listed – apparently I fumbled.
If there was a better explanation of how it works, maybe I would not be asking this question.
My question is fairly simple – does PLEX actually stream the live TV shows over the Internet?
We have reasonably slow Internet – modest amounts of streaming work occasionally.
We live in rural America and have to use satellite TV service like DirecTV. An antenna will not work
So, if the info is streamed over the Internet is there a packet received/acknowledgement process for data so it is not lost and in turn is recorded on my PLEX server? Buffering does not matter if the data is there – i.e. three hours to download an hour program is OK if it can be watched latter.
When that data is recorded on the PLEX server can it then be managed like other PLEX data – Movies, TV Shows, etc?
Our Free LiveTV is over the internet
The LiveTV/DVR requires a compatible tuner which connects directly to an Antenna or there are a few that are compatibile with Cable services. I don’t believe any are compatible with Satellite. That tuner device that is at your house the server connects to and gets the Tv streams from. The server then takes the streams and sends them to the various supported Plex players.
EPG data to know what is actually on those streams comes from the internet. Your Plex server will need to be connected to the internet to know what is on and actually tune to the channels.
Sorry, but the engineering mind is getting involved – trying to make sure we have the basics to try.
First, apparently I need real ‘over the air’ TV signal.
Next I need a DVR/Tuner to receive the ‘over the air’ data.
Next my PLEX server needs access to the Internet to ‘understand’ what programs the tuner is receiving.
The received data from the ‘over the air’ source is then written to my PLEX server for latter access within the LAN environment with my PLEX player(s).
Is that the gist of the assembly/protocol?
to clear some confusion perhaps;
there are TWO different ‘live tv’ features of plex.
there is the live tv & dvr functionality, which has been around awhile, and it requires a compatible OTA tv tuner.
the TV tuner tunes to local channels, and plex server connects to the tuner to redistribute those channels either via live streaming, or to record to the server hard drive (dvr).
there is a brand new feature from plex itself, plex free live tv which is essentially streaming tv (like netflix etc) but is a ‘broadcast’ in a manner like OTA tv (IE there is no pause/fastforward/rewind/dvr).
whatever is on the channel is what you get.
the tv+dvr requires plexpass and a plex server
the free live tv does NOT require a server or plex pass, and is accessed directly from the plex player/clients, and connects to PLEX (the company) server (not yours).
both features require internet.
the plex free live tv, requires real time streaming, probably not suitable for satellite data
the live tv/dvr, which uses a tv tuner, needs internet to download the guide data (to display what shows are on what channel at what time).
live tv/dvr should work fine on satellite, but of course you need local tv stations in range.
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Thank you for taking the time to reply. Your post is very helpful – my suggestion to whomever is listening at PLEX – GET A MARKETING DEPARTMENT! New customers, and existing customers, need to understand your products and how they will benefit from them.
I have a Lifetime PLEX Pass and the server established on a fairly robust Netgear NAS.
Sounds like I might want plex free live tv. You said it was ‘broadcast’ like OTA – does that mean over the air and requiring an antenna or instead via the Internet?
If it is over the Internet can the data be directed to (my) PLELX Server? Once on the PLEX Server it can be made available to local LAN users via Ethernet cabling or the equivalent.
It is over the internet like i mentioned in my post. It has absolutely nothing to do with your Plex Media Server you do not need a Plex Media Server at all. It is not local channels like you might get over an antenna. It is more like continuous category streams. Like if you wanted to watch Bob Ross all day. or Cartoons, or the music channels. You can’t tune to NBC, CBS or whatever main networks you might listen to in whatever country you are in.
If you are use app.plex.tv is it on by default and you can just see what is there. didn’t sound like that is what you were after so I did not get into it.
it sounds like you want to ‘buffer’ the ‘free live tv’ streams through your server.
unfortunately it just does not work like that.
the free live tv streams, go directly to the player apps, not through the server at all.
this means your player apps/devices must have fast and stable enough internet to stream the video without buffering (again, probably not well suited for satellite internet).
If netflix etc do not work well for you, then neither will plex free live tv.
unfortunately for you, neither feature sounds like a good solution for your situation.
You are absolutely correct – I need to ‘buffer’ the content to accommodate slow Internet.
Thank you so much for helping me understand the logistics and implementation. No use for me to waste my money on these solutions.
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