Overview

How to configure TV and Radio for use with MediaPortal 2.

Introduction

MediaPortal 2 provides a whole-house media solution, which includes sharing TV Tuner(s) to multiple systems (clients) on a home network. Thus, the software is split into two parts:

1. Server software - MediaPortal 2 server which is a host for the TV engine that connects to the TV tuners, grabs EPG (TV Guide) data and much more. You only need one server for your whole home network. This server provides access to Live TV, recordings, schedules and all of your local stored media to all clients in your home network.
   1. TVE3 server plugin (identical as for MP1) as part of the MP2-server - default solution to provide TV support

   2. TVE3.5 server plugin (only available for MP2) as part of the MP2-server - a further developed version of TVE3 with better IPTV and SAT>IP support

   3. TVMosaic as a separate from MP2-server idependently working TV-server (not part of MP2-installer) - offers very easy and fast setup via web-browser and is OS-independent.

       
2. Client software - MediaPortal 2 client which play all your media (Live and recorded TV or Radio, Movies, Music, Online Videos, Photos, etc).. You can use as many clients as you like or need. It is possible to install a client on the same PC than the server and the server still is usable for any other client too.

Setup Scenarios

TVE3.5 as TV-provider (b)

TVMosaic as TV-provider (c)

Requirements

Make sure your system meets the Recommended Hardware Requirements. Of course you need a TV Card that supports recording installed in the computer where you install the MediaPortal 2 Server. To check which special features are supported for your TV Card, see TV Card Features 

Methodology

Depending on your system configuration, and how you installed MediaPortal 2, you will setup:

• Server and Client software on the same system (Single-seat configuration)
• Server software only if you do not use your server as a client to use MediaPortal 2 (Multi-Seat)
• Client software only on each client PC in a Multi-Seat setup

No matter which setup type you are using you first need to configure the TV engine.

Configuration

TVE3.5 as TV-provider (b)

This is done by a tool named  "MediaPortal 2 TV- Configuration" that is available on the PC where the MediaPortal 2 server part is installed. Unlike to any other MediaPortal 2 setup procedure this part only can (and must) be done on the server PC.

Read more on General Setup... 

TVMosaic as TV-provider (c)

The TV engine (TVE3.5) was developed long time before and is not state of the art any more.
Accordingly we decided to develop the TVMosaic plugin as alternative TV provider. TVMosaic CE is freeware and can be configured by web browser. Because it is not bonded to windows it may run on many platforms.

Configuration in TV settings of MP2-Client:

• Server address: <name> or IP for the device on which TVMosaic-service runs (default: "localhost", so nothing to enter, if on same device as MP2-Client). By default the port is already set to "9270"
• UserName: Can be set, if required
• Password: Can be set if required
• You need to add a new media source with the category "TVMosaic" to import recordings

Read more on TVMosaic server setup ...

Related

Topics

TV Guide Setup - EPG
How to get EPG (Electronic Program Guide) data for your TV Guide in MediaPortal 

Tutorials

• General Setup (Beginner)
• Client Setup (Beginner)
  Other
• TV Card Features