Out of touch on recording from online channels - what's the best way?

[tvmaster2]

I'm using SageTV on W10, 64 bit, pretty conventional. No Channels DVR etc.

What's the best way, if possible at all, to record from streaming services or channels like Pluto, FreeTeeVee, Roku Channel, Speedvision etc.

Like I said, I'm a luddite with this concept.

I do use PLEX and have a PlayOn Desktop account (worthless?), but other than that, it's mainly tuners and satellite and cable.

Thanks

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

I'm using SageTV on W10, 64 bit, pretty conventional. No Channels DVR etc.

What's the best way, if possible at all, to record from streaming services or channels like Pluto, FreeTeeVee, Roku Channel, Speedvision etc.

Like I said, I'm a luddite with this concept.

I do use PLEX and have a PlayOn Desktop account (worthless?), but other than that, it's mainly tuners and satellite and cable.

Thanks

The only way I know is through Channels DVR or NEXTPVR feeding OPENDCT ...

[KeithAbbott]

Not a free option, but StreamFab has Pluto and Roku Channel listed, along with quite a few other streaming services.

[VCRUser]

In order of preference: PlayOn Home (replaced "lifetime" Playon Desktop), Audials. Various kludges using screen recorder like Obs to capture from the web or to capture from an hdmi-to-usb or composite-to-usb dongle connected to a Roku or Fire stick. Sage recordings are easiest, but somethings stuff happens, so I use the above as backups, or to record streams that I can't record with Sage (like Netflix).

[UgaData]

Like NYPlayer stated - Channels DVR (thru OpenDCT) works well to get the live tv streams from several streaming services.
Possible downside is stereo only audio, no surround sound.

You can also use Anystream to download series and movies from AS supported streaming providers and then import into Sage.

[tvmaster2]

Okay, thanks folks for the suggestions. I guess nobody has updated the PlayOn / Online services from the main menu of Sage over the years? Or has it been updated with newer services and I don't understand it? If I select "Playon/Browse PlayOn", I just get a UPnP Browser Error.

It's been a long time since I even messed with PlayOn.

But since so much is streaming now, even access to Pluto or FreeTeeVee or PLEX via Sage would be nice.

I haven't set up OpenDCT

[KeithAbbott]

In order to "seamlessly" integrate a streaming service into Sage, you not only need a way to pass the video/audio stream into Sage, but it also needs EPG information to make it usable. nyplayer has figured out how to share EPG data between Channels DVR and Sage, but I'm not sure if any other options readily exist out there. Without EPG information, it's going to look a lot like the early days of programming your VCR...

[nyplayer]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

In order to "seamlessly" integrate a streaming service into Sage, you not only need a way to pass the video/audio stream into Sage, but it also needs EPG information to make it usable. nyplayer has figured out how to share EPG data between Channels DVR and Sage, but I'm not sure if any other options readily exist out there. Without EPG information, it's going to look a lot like the early days of programming your VCR...

You can do the same with NEXPVR(free) and Pluto M3U and Pluto XMLTV... all free . to OPENDCT.

[tvmaster2]

I guess I need to sit down one day and figure out OpenDCT. lol

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by tvmaster2

I guess I need to sit down one day and figure out OpenDCT. lol

I'm right there with you. Life has gotten in the way and I have not added or changed anything with Sage in quite a while (~3 to 5 years?). I briefly had the Sage app working outside my house on my phone, but I record OTA only and at the time it (and maybe now, I dunno) it could not stream those files, or, more specifically, I had hoped for the ability to watch live TV. Since then I changed ISPs and have not even bothered to set up my router to let Sage through at all.

I was very mad that I once paid for PlayOn Desktop lifetime and then they found their "profit workaround" by changing it to PlayOn Cloud, forcing you to buy credits to record stuff, and charging various amounts of credits for the quality you want it recorded. I have actually used it (I bought a nominal amount of credits on sale once) and it works fine, but as someone said above, it's stereo only (though it always was).

Some day when my life is easier (kids gone??), maybe I'll sit down and figure out the whole OpenDCT/Channels DVR thing.

[Thomas Wischgol]

Originally Posted by pjpjpjpj

I'm right there with you. Life has gotten in the way and I have not added or changed anything with Sage in quite a while (~3 to 5 years?). I briefly had the Sage app working outside my house on my phone, but I record OTA only and at the time it (and maybe now, I dunno) it could not stream those files, or, more specifically, I had hoped for the ability to watch live TV. Since then I changed ISPs and have not even bothered to set up my router to let Sage through at all.

I was very mad that I once paid for PlayOn Desktop lifetime and then they found their "profit workaround" by changing it to PlayOn Cloud, forcing you to buy credits to record stuff, and charging various amounts of credits for the quality you want it recorded. I have actually used it (I bought a nominal amount of credits on sale once) and it works fine, but as someone said above, it's stereo only (though it always was).

Some day when my life is easier (kids gone??), maybe I'll sit down and figure out the whole OpenDCT/Channels DVR thing.

Same here, Sage is running fine for years with little to no maintenance. I was just as upset about my PlayOn lifetime license turning completely useless. It annoyed me enough to try AnyStream so I did not have to support PlayOn. The quality is so much better with AnyStream as it is a straight download. So you get full video quality with surround sound. The video with PlayOn was always a little studdery due to the frame-grabbing and reencoding. So I like it a lot better. Since it is downloading the videos, AnyStream does not have to capture the videos in realtime but instead can download it much faster.

[wayner]

But you have to wonder if lifetime licenses make sense, either for services like this or for apps. You either need to keep selling new memberships or have a recurring revenue stream.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by wayner

But you have to wonder if lifetime licenses make sense, either for services like this or for apps. You either need to keep selling new memberships or have a recurring revenue stream.

Fill in the blank: this license/product/service is good for the lifetime of _____________________. I wonder if there is a single correct answer to that? In the past, I would have said it is good for the lifetime of the product/service, but I'm not sure that is still true. I can't think of anything recently that I spent extra dollars on for a "lifetime" guarantee, due to past history.

[wayner]

At times, companies like Playon had lifetime deals that looked too good to be true. And they were.

It is kind of like buying apps in the early days of the iPhone/iPad. They couldn't survive without new revenue so instead of upgrading the app they would create a new app or new version that you had to pay for.