Is it possible to avoid multiple transcodes of the same live stream?

[jcp 0]

I'm looking at the best way to distribute a TV feed across a number of identical smart devices in my home. 

 

I have a dual TV tuner hooked up to TVHeadend, using the relevant plugin to provide TV Guide and Live Streaming.

 

My question relates to how best to keep hardware utilization down - transcoding the stream is CPU intensive, each stream using up to 25% of all available CPU time on the retired i7 2nd gen laptop I've put in place to run this.

 

Assuming 2 or more of the devices want to watch the same live channel - is there a way that each can receive the same transcoded 'chunk' of data? Latency differences between the devices would be minimal, and in different rooms, I don't see this being an issue anyway if it meant they went out of sync.

 

I'd quite like to put this forward at my workplace - they have recently gone through the process of licensing us for TV and relevant performance rights etc. and have put Roku's on each TV so we can stream sporting events such as the Euros, Wimbledon and the Olympics etc. but to feed the 12 screens would require some serious CPU horsepower. The network is up to it, but I'm not sure I'd have the compute to cope.

 

I look forward to your insight.

 

James

[JeremyFr79 228]

What you're looking for is a multicast stream instead of unicast.  Presently this is not supported in Emby, though from my understanding it is something being looked at for the future.

[jcp 0]

In recognition of the formats I know the Roku to support, I think it would probably dictate the use of a HLS stream owing to limited compatibility.

 

If that's the case, the transcoded chunks and .m3u8 file would exist somewhere to be served by HTTP(S).

 

I'll do a little digging in the meantime, but equally, welcome any further ideas on the subject.

 

Thanks,

 

James

[pir8radio 1292]

http://www.zeevee.com/products/zvpro.html

 

I use a 2 channel model in my home, all TV's remain in sync. They sell different versions.. Might be a little more than you want to spend, but it uses the built in HD CATV tuner of the TV.   It can be fed by a single device...

Edited July 24, 2016 by pir8radio