Wetek Play PVR functionality

Tractorboy · Feb 2nd 2016

I recently purchased a Wetek Openelec Dvb s2 box with the intention of using for Kodi and as a replacement for my ageing Freeview recorder. The Kodi side is working well but I'm disappointed with the PVR functionality under Openelec which is basic to say the least and lacks functionality which my Free view PVR has had for over 5 years.

Before I start experimenting with various pbnigma images could someone please advise me if I can replicate the following PVR functions on my Wetek Play with Freesat in the UK.

1. Accurate record. The recording uses actual start and end times of the program rather than what is in the EPG so if a program is late starting I don't lose the end. I know I can use padding but it causes a knock effect if you are recording several programs one after another and is no good when a program is very late starting such as a when a football match goes into extra time.

2. Proper series link. By proper I mean not record every repeated episode of a series.

3. Chase play. Start watching a recording after it has started whilst it is still in progress.

Thanks in advance for your replies.

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Tractorboy · May 1st 2016

For those who are interested in my progress I tried various pbnigma images with limited success. The images worked ok for live TV and for basic recording (no accurate recording unfortunately) but all had major issues with Kodi. Entering Kodi would mean that the auto timers would stop working until I exited Kodi. Most images would crash as soon as I started an HD stream in Kodi.
I have ended up back where I started in Openelec using TVHeadend. It's far from perfect but at least I do have a PVR setup which works 95% of the time. Series Link works and I can record two programs whilst stream an HD source in Kodi. One major downside with the Wetek Play is that there is no suspend option so if you turn it off via the remote it does re-start to record a program. Therefore I have to remember to leave it on and keep reminding the kids not switch it off. The only thing which is stopping me ditching my 6 year old Freeview+ PVR is the lack of accurate recording. Most of the time it's not a problem but on the odd occasion where a live sport event or news program over runs it results in me missing the end of a recording. I therefore use my Freeview+ PVR as a back up in case the Openelec let's me down. On the plus side it's great having recordings on the server that can be viewed from a Kodi box in the bedroom, on the laptop or download to my phone to watch during my lunch hour.

**TH3-J0K3R** · May 1st 2016

you can set the recording to start befpre and stop after so many mins ie 15 mins before and 30 mins after for example
via TVH webif on yourIP:9981 then config tab then recording tab you can set it up in there .

hope this helps :)

Tractorboy · May 1st 2016

Thank Honcho. I was aware of that functionality and do make use of it some of the time. Unfortunate it isn't practical if you record lots of programs on different channels which overlap or follow on immediately from one another. It also don't help when you want to record something after a sporting event such as a football match which ends up going to extra time and penalties.

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**dale094** · May 1st 2016

I'm afraid what your looking for is a SKY+ BOX .

Tractorboy · May 2nd 2016

Thanks for the suggestion Dale but I don't want a Sly+ box for a number of reasons. I only want to record FTA channels so don't want to pay a subscription, I want to record to my NAS and I want K0di on the same box. The Wetek is aimed at the PVR market (why else would it have two tuners) but doesn't deliver basic functionality such as accurate record which has been around for years on other boxes.

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**dale094** · May 2nd 2016

Quote from Tractorboy

Thanks for the suggestion Dale but I don't want a Sly+ box for a number of reasons. I only want to record FTA channels so don't want to pay a subscription, I want to record to my NAS and I want K0di on the same box. The Wetek is aimed at the PVR market (why else would it have two tuners) but doesn't deliver basic functionality such as accurate record which has been around for years on other boxes.

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If all you want to do is record some programs then stick to what you have, wetek is relatively new on the market hence progress is slow where as e2 boxes have been out for years, with Kodi & such programs i can't for the life of me understand why anybody would record anything, you have all the films, catchup, boxsets etc.
SLY & FREESAT is just a bunch of programs and films that are repeated on different platforms or channels year on year, month on month. so i don't seee the need.

As for the wetek if you have a good epg then i see no reason why recording cannot be done, although not one of my priorities if you folllow some devs working on the recording then maybe you might get somewhere, but wetek is not out of the box PVR stb as you would expect, neither were E2 boxes when they came out.

**TH3-J0K3R** · May 2nd 2016

Quote from dale094

If all you want to do is record some programs then stick to what you have, wetek is relatively new on the market hence progress is slow where as e2 boxes have been out for years, with Kodi & such programs i can't for the life of me understand why anybody would record anything, you have all the films, catchup, boxsets etc.
SLY & FREESAT is just a bunch of programs and films that are repeated on different platforms or channels year on year, month on month. so i don't seee the need.

As for the wetek if you have a good epg then i see no reason why recording cannot be done, although not one of my priorities if you folllow some devs working on the recording then maybe you might get somewhere, but wetek is not out of the box PVR stb as you would expect, neither were E2 boxes when they came out.

for the life of me it to build up a catalog of titles that can be accessed anywhere any time on any platform one would imagine dont think that everything you have just now will stay alive forever
and when you build a working catalog of titles its there 24/7 in network and not constrained to on the line :) the simple fix is to modify the setting in TVH webif when you are recording any football match
not ideal but workable all the same without to much hassle just mind to set record to finnish say 60min if its a game that can go to pen's and if just league game then 15 mins over at end and if only xtra time then say 40 mins this would resolve the issue that he has :) with just every other recording say 5mins each side , if to catalog the titles i owuld then splice the xtra mins not used off n remove the adds same way to then resize the files :)

Tractorboy · May 3rd 2016

I am informed that accurate recording is to be included in the forthcoming 4.2 release of Tvheadend, which is great news.

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**TH3-J0K3R** · May 3rd 2016

from where ? any links to thread with info ?

Tractorboy · May 3rd 2016

tvheadend.org/projects/tvheadend/roadmap scroll down to version 4.2 - "added possibility to do precise recordings based on the EPG running status"

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Tractorboy · May 3rd 2016

Further update - libreelec already has TVH 4.2. libreelec.tv/2016/04/libreelec-jarvis-v7-0-0-release/

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**TH3-J0K3R** · May 3rd 2016

Quote from Tractorboy

Further update - libreelec already has TVH 4.2. libreelec.tv/2016/04/libreelec-jarvis-v7-0-0-release/

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theres a libreElec backup posted by myself for msd you are able to update it to 7.0 without issues :)
once updated look at system apps my apps then go and update the TVH in services and pvr if it needs to be updated to latest
I'll be posting a new LibreElec backup hopefully in next cpl of days, just gota recover some data from my l8est HDD failer oh the joys lol

ive ask the question for you over on LibreElec as after reading the TVH page yah gave it made more sense :) i dont record much anymore and never ever did matches of sport :)
i am however acquiring a NAS so this feature will come in handy for the reverse of your wants i would not be impressed if i missed half a program i was after because of over running match day :)

Tractorboy · May 4th 2016

I installed libreelec 7.0 and TVH 4.2 last night. I ran a quick test using News night on BBC2 which usually starts a few minutes late and overruns. It was schedule to start at 22:30 and run for 45 minutes. The recording started at 22:32 just as the opening titles started and ran for 47 minutes. I will run some further tests but it looks like accurate/precise recording works :-)

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**TH3-J0K3R** · May 4th 2016

sweet thats good to know its playing ball :)

Wetek Play PVR functionality

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