TV on MAC

GPap1981

Vu+ Newbie
Hello, I’m looking to watch TV on iMac. What do I need ? Let me explain my setup :
I have a Satellite dish with my TV provider (paid subscription-Hotbird 13). Also I have a decoder (set top-box) with a card (Irdeto 2).
If I hook up the dish cable to VU+ , I’ll be able to watch TV ?
I have an app for Sat IP Servers (Eye TV 3).
Thanks !
 

AlexWilMac

Moderator
You can stream from your VU+ to your Mac, Watching TV on your Mac (or whatever else computer) has nothing to do with VU+: it requires a DVB-T or DVB/S tuner. But, as you own a VU+, is much easier to stream from it.
Only, if you have only one tuner or only one cable, if you are watching a channel in your VU+, you cannot watch a channel on different transponders.
Instead, if you have two tuners and two cables or a SCR Lnb on your dish, you can stream to your computer also while watching on VU+.
 

GPap1981

Vu+ Newbie
Thank you very much, now I think I got the idea how it works.
I have one cable hooked up in my set top-box at Sat-In port and one other cable comes from the wall also, which is hooked up in set top-box at RF-Out port of set top-box.
I'm not sure what kind of LNB it is :)
I'm interested only for computer watching by streaming, not for watching on TV and computer simultaneously.
So, I'm able to do that ? If so, the quality will be HD ? The software is iDreamX only, at Macs ?
Thanks again.
 

AlexWilMac

Moderator
Well, knowing you have one cable might not be enough because if it was a SCR you'll be able to watch multiple channel. But I don't think so.
Anyway, if you say you don't need to use VU+ and streaming at the same time, it doesn't matter what LNB you've got.
About streaming, yes, iDreamX was, at first, my choice but also OpenWebIf interface, which opens using your VU+ IP address in your browser, is also able to do that.
But my favourite way for streaming, now, is to use the plugin Tuner Server: it creates a folder named Tuner in your VU+ HDD (/media/hdd/tuner). In this folder youl'll find folders named after the bouquets of channels found in your VU+.
You can copy this folder Tuner in your Mac and you can just double click the .m3u files to start streaming.
I recommend VLC for the streaming, but you probably already have it (just associate .m3u files to VLC).
With VLC you can also select all .m3u files at the same time and save it as Playlist for VLC: this allow to have them shown in the playlist itself so that you can go to the next or previous pressing CMD-(left/right).
Almost has having a remote for zapping ;)
 

GPap1981

Vu+ Newbie
Big thanks. Allow me few more queries please ;
VU+ uses Internet or Wi-Fi only for streaming ? In other words if I disable Internet is it still streaming ?
To use a smart card as Irdeto 2 it needs a CAM module (purchased separately) ?
When I stream and changing the channel, I'll experience a big delay ? I'm planning to use Wi-Fi because LNB cable and my Router they are in different rooms.
The picture quality will be good (High Definition) on iMac or SD ?
 

AlexWilMac

Moderator
The streaming from VU+ is not made by Internet but involves the fact that VU+ must be connected to your router.
Your router, then, creates a local network (LAN). Two or more devices on the same LAN can interact (in this case you can stream from VU+ to your computer).
So, if your router is actually a modem router, as most of the times is, theoretically you could disable the Internet connection in your modem router and use it as a pure router. This would prevent VU+ and Mac from connecting to the Internet but the streaming will still work.
The delay in changing channel (but it's not a real zap, is a choice of another stream source in the playlist) is surely acceptable (about 2 seconds) considering how it is performed. Surely, it also depends on your router type and on wifi signal strength.

Finally, about Irdeto 2 smart card I can't know. I know only about my Tivusat smartcard used by its C.A.M. but I suppose it's possible.
 

GPap1981

Vu+ Newbie
If VU+ acts like a server then I think I can use Elgato EyeTV 3 for watching instead of VLC.
For recordings I will use a Hard Drive hooked up in the VU+ USB port as I understand. Can I view and download the files stored in this Hard Drive via Wi-Fi from iMac ?
 
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