Is there a way I can record TV content and have it available in Plex (in a seamless manner) with a Mac based server in the UK? If possible what hardware/software is required.
Similarly, with services like the BBC iPlayer, you can download content onto a Sky Box or a computer, is there a way to do this within Plex so that content can be accessed through Plex?
I have seen discussions about this in the past in the forums but wondered if there has been any progress or any firm plans. I see that Kodi does this but I have invested a lot of time in Plex and it works well for me and don’t really want to start on a new platform (provided that Plex continues to evolve).
Despite lots of pleas, Plex is not TV centric. Getting TV into Plex usually requires a separate piece of software to download the required program and then the user can approprately name it and store it in the directory that Plex recognises for TV Shows. So you could use Get iplayer automator for your iplayer programmes. For online viewing you can install channels for iPlayer, ITV player etc or Filmon for a wider selection. I’ve looked at Kodi and the new Emby and both offer improved TV facilities, especially if you want to integrate a Tuner. IPTV (for which there is a channel) looks promising but it is in its infancy.
I guess the TV programme licensing restrictions are the real problem, especially for a global product. Perhaps for Europeans the proposed removal of border TV restrictions will improve things in lots of ways but it is yet to arrive.
A lot depends on the platforms you use to run Plex. The database will happily coexist with Kodi and Emby but for me it is the wide range of end devices that is attractive so I stick with Plex and run it on unRaid where other functionality can be created to provide the support systems for TV.
Thanks for the response, I had a look at Get iPlayer Automator (https://github.com/GetiPlayerAutomator/get-iplayer-automator/releases/tag/1.8.6), latest version seems to be June 2015, is ti still supported? I tried running but could not get recent ITV programmes and anything I tried to get (Pressing Process PID) just stalled (stays at processing in status field)…
Re. Channels for Plex, I can only see iPlayer? Are there channels available outside of those that Plex show as available?
I have my Plex server on a Mac Pro… Look like I will have to investigate Kodi and Emby…
@ademanuele said:
Thanks for the response, I had a look at Get iPlayer Automator (Release 1.8.6 · GetiPlayerAutomator/get-iplayer-automator · GitHub), latest version seems to be June 2015, is ti still supported? I tried running but could not get recent ITV programmes and anything I tried to get (Pressing Process PID) just stalled (stays at processing in status field)…
Re. Channels for Plex, I can only see iPlayer? Are there channels available outside of those that Plex show as available?
I have my Plex server on a Mac Pro… Look like I will have to investigate Kodi and Emby…
Have a look at cayars thread (search for it) loads of useful info in there, not sure it will help on Mac though.
OK, I have discovered WebTools to install unofficial channels into Plex. Issue of PVR remains 
ITV Player is the most obvious channel (unsupported appstore) and I guess Filmon is in there too. GetiPlayerAutomator just upped the release to 1.8.7 so I guess it is supported. However, I see that ITV made some change back in April and the Search doesn’t work. There is a workaround using the Current Webpage button that I think grabs a link from the currently selected ITV Hub page. Seems a bit messy to me and it may be simpler to grab a torrent download unless it’s something esoteric! GIPA is working as I’ve just used it for BBC Proms.
On the live TV front, the MacPro might give you an issue as far as integrating a tuner into the other solutions. I have a pair of Elgato tuners for my Macs and iPads but these don’t integrate with TVHeadend. However, I can schedule recordings (but don’t) which I could then store for Plex.
I hope Plex do develop TV capabilities given the competition from Kodi and Emby…
