Using a Video Capture Device

[Shanajamchi 0]

Hi all, I am trying to get live TV by using a Video Capture Card and routing the signal from the HDMI Out port on the Cable Box to the HDMI In on the Capture Card and then to the computer via a USB 3.0 cable. The problem is that the Emby server software is not detecting the TV signal from the Capture Card. When I select "other" I can't connect to the capture card.  Am I trying to do something that is not possible?

The computer is a windows 10, 8 core processor with 32 GB of memory. 

Any help would be great.  Thanks in advance.

 

[Abobader 3538]

Hello Shanajamchi,

** This is an auto reply **

Please wait for someone from staff support or our members to reply to you.

It's recommended to provide more info, as it explain in this thread:

Thank you.

Emby Team

[Mibok 161]

There is a difference between capture card and TV Tunner, the capture card only records the incoming image while the TV tunner is able to changing the channel, so even if you can somehow make the capture card show on Emyb you still have the problem of how you will switch channels.

On the other side, capturing video signal from hdmi having a cable tv box or a Bluray player isn't possbile (look for info on HDCP) due the copy protection of hdmi, and get rid of that content protection isn't easy neither legal, so you will not find that info in this forum. They are some devices like the "Hauppauge 1512 HD-PVR" that have an IR blaster and HDMI input, is possible to set that device as a TV tunner, but most likely you will still have the content protection problem.

Edited March 3, 2021 by Mibok

[Sammy 795]

Get an HDHomeRun Prime or two if you're in the US. 

 

Another option is to use ChannelsDVR to feed an m3u tuner from TVE to Emby.

@cayars can assist with that. 

[Carlo 4563]

An HDHomeRun Prime would be my first choice if you can get one.
You would also want to check with your cable company to make sure you can get a cable card from them which is needed.

[Sammy 795]

The dual CableCARD HDHomeRun Prime 6 was made in very limited production. Get two Prime 3's..

https://shop.silicondust.com/shop/product/hdhomerun-prime-pn-hdhr3-cc-2/

For $100 more than a simple capture card you'll save way over $100 in frustration. I'm not saying it can't be done, but why complicate things when the solution is already there?

[Sammy 795]

I have Spectrum and have been using two Primes at now three,  going on 4, homes with them for 10 years now. It is not an issue. You do have to be persistent though.

 

https://www.spectrum.net/support/tv/about-cablecards/

Edited March 3, 2021 by Sammy

[Sammy 795]

Each Prime has 3 tuners. My Recording Schedule sometimes requires more than three tuners at a time so I have two Primes for a total of 6 tuners.

Think of this..

If you're paying $7 a month for each STB and Spectrum's bogus $19.99 DVR tax for a DVR without a whole home solution, you will save a ton of money over the course of a year.

Let's say you only have one STB and subscribe to the DVR Service. You're spending $27 a month for only TWO tuners. If you can get buy with only three tuners, you can get just one Prime and save $25 ($27-$2 CableCARD fee) a MONTH. That's $300 a year. The Prime pays for itself in  less than 6 months and you have control over your recordings.

One Caveat is going to be whether Spectrum marks a lot of content with DRM in your service area. In mine, very few channels are marked with DRM and I don't subscribe to any of the movie channels like HBO, Cinemax, Starz or Showtime (that's what Emby is for ) as most, but not all, of these channels have DRM. Unfortunately, getting the list of DRM channels in advance is not an easy task. This will depend on what you like to watch or record from your CableTV Subscription.

[Sammy 795]

An example of when six tuners are necessary:

 

Six programs overlapping at 9pm..

[Sammy 795]

Here's another..

[Sammy 795]

Instructions here:

https://support.emby.media/support/solutions/articles/44001848794-hdhomerun-setup

[clarkss12 304]

Unless I am mistaken, You can use VLC to create a stream that OBS Studio uses, then use that stream to feed Emby.  But it would take the expertise of Cayars to demonstrate on how to integrate it.......

[Carlo 4563]

1 minute ago, clarkss12 said:

Unless I am mistaken, You can use VLC to create a stream that OBS Studio uses, then use that stream to feed Emby.  But it would take the expertise of Cayars to demonstrate on how to integrate it.......

Except that he wouldn't do this because it would never be reliable long term (been there done that) and the Prime is the way to go.

The Prime 6 never materialized and was finally cancelled when the FCC removed the mandate that cable companies had to provide Cable Cards to customers.
But the original Prime (with 3 tuners) is still available usually refurbished (that is fine) or used and these devices just work. Silicon Dust actually just recently did a run of these when they came across chips needed to build them.

You don't need two of these devices unless you plan on doing a lot of recording.  Each Prime has 3 tuners built in so that means Emby would be able to tune in any 3 channels for recording or watching.  Emby can share the tuned in channel as well so for example if you had 3 TV watching Fox News in the house at the same time only 1 tuner would be needed.

Depending on your area your coverage you could also possible go for something like a HDHomeRun Quatro which is an over the air 4 tuner network device.

I use combinations of both Quatro and Prime.  So all my local channels like (ABC, CBS, NBC, PBS, Fox, etc) get recorded OTA and the Prime only gets used for channels not available OTA like CNN, Fox News, Hallmark, etc

But a single Prime if you already have cable is a great way to start and often is cheaper long run.  For example I got rid of 3 cable boxes ($10 each) plus the HD Fee (only charged when using Cable Boxes with my provider) so that's $40 plus tax and fees or roughly $50 saved each month.  Every couple of months I could purchase another Prime as still be breakeven.

[Carlo 4563]

I would say it a different way.  I'd put it like this.  Getting a Prime is going to make your life a lot easier and should just WORK and give you 3 tuners.

With a capture board you have a lot of setup to get them to work and also need additional hardware to emulate a remote in order to change the channel on the STB.  You also still have the cost of the STB itself which is likely more per year in rental fees then the cost of the Prime tuner purchased outright.

So it really doesn't make sense to try and fudge a capture board into working.  It's just not a good choice.

[Carlo 4563]

What OS are you currently running Emby on at present?

[Carlo 4563]

The first link is a 2 tuner Over the Air model so that's not what you want if you want cable channels.  It needs to be the Prime model.

The second link is for the ATSC tuner which you likely don't need as ATSC is just starting to roll out in the USA and Emby doesn't support it yet.

This is what you want:
https://www.ebay.com/itm/284200440937?chn=ps&norover=1&mkevt=1&mkrid=711-117182-37290-0&mkcid=2&itemid=284200440937&targetid=1068323859310&device=c&mktype=pla&googleloc=9003887&poi=&campaignid=11614424777&mkgroupid=118874170051&rlsatarget=pla-1068323859310&abcId=9300456&merchantid=6296724&gclid=Cj0KCQiAhP2BBhDdARIsAJEzXlFq8cwnRtcS2FeNSrZ6nVdBzu0F8IFUQMkxVg8vI-I2BCi52ZoPxuUaAhGEEALw_wcB

[Sammy 795]

5 hours ago, Michael1952 said:

Cayars, Is this the device you would suggest I get. Trying to nail down what I need and where to get it.

https://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-Connect-2-Tuner-HDHR5-2US/dp/B076FNSM6B/ref=sr_1_6?dchild=1&keywords=hdhomerun+prime+3+cable+box&qid=1614792496&sr=8-6

and whats this about a DVR service? Would the PVR Plugin serve this purpose? after looking some more I think this is the one I need.

https://www.amazon.com/SiliconDust-HDHomeRun-HDHR5-4K-Connect-NetGenTV/dp/B08MWV7YTV/ref=sr_1_3?dchild=1&keywords=hdhomerun+prime+3+cable+box&qid=1614792917&sr=8-3

Emby has a DVR.  No Plugin Required.

[Carlo 4563]

57 minutes ago, Michael1952 said:

Thanks for that info Cayars you have as always been a great help. My new computer just arrived and I have installed  ubuntu and win 10 . I will try both and see which is the best for my situation. Looks like the HDHomerun Prime will have to wait for the next stimulus... if that ever happens. Thanks again for your help.

You could always use TVEverywhere through ChannelsDVR to get many network channels.  30 days trial and is like $8/month after that.  So you could try it and if it works well for you cancel your hardware boxes at home to start saving on rental fees and create your own Live TV Stimulus.

How well this would work for you likely depends on how many STB you have and the fees on them but I wouldn't be surprised if you could save $20 to $40 per month as you won't need any DVR from the cable company either.