Apple TV app (tvOS)

[mcewinter]

Amazon netted 178 Billion last year with that approach. As retail dies, it’s the new norm. Every local retailer appreciates your conviction. I wish I was able to try the Silicon Dust tuner before I bought.

Amazon definitely lets you try out apps before purchasing them. Your statement is not relevant.

Of course it’s relevant. All day long people sell and buy things from eggs to software without a trial, knowing they can take it back.

But you are aware in 2018 that it's common that you can try software before you buy it. Let's not muddy the waters here.

[GGRussell]

But you are aware in 2018 that it's common that you can try software before you buy it.

Sure and usually with limited time, reduced capabilities, watermarks, or combos of those. Silicon Dust already allows free use of their software for LIVE TV with 24hr of FREE Guide just for purchasing the hardware. No subscription. That allows anyone to get acquainted with how the software/hardware works.

[shiz]

Ok it’s been almost 2 months since the last post here, so has there been any progress as far as the HDHomeRun app for the Apple TV yet?

I am running a HDHomeRun Prime and have the HDHomeRun DVR app running on my iPhone, iPad, Android tablet along with my Windows computer and I must say it runs very well on all of those! The only thing missing for me is being able to run it on the Apple TV. I would be ecstatic if I could get it running on my Apple TV! I don’t think I’d ever touch the actual TV remote ever again!

[nickk]

Apple TV is an interesting and popular platform... we don't support it today but it is a platform we want to support.

Nick

[DebbieFL33]

Apple TV is an interesting and popular platform... we don't support it today but it is a platform we want to support.

Nick

Although tvOS is different than iOS, I am very hopeful for a tvOS client based on SD’s ability to provide protected content playback for an Apple platform, i.e., the recent addition of iOS DRM playback...which is working fantastically. Many kudos to SD for this accomplishment.

[shiz]

Apple TV is an interesting and popular platform... we don't support it today but it is a platform we want to support.

Nick

Is there anything in the works for making this happen? And if so, when might that be?

[JYC]

New user. New to HD HomeRun. Cut the cord in like 24 years or something.

As far as the Apple TV app is concerned, I just gave in and bought the Channels app for $25. I'm holding out on getting the HD HomeRun DVR service until SiliconDust has a HD HomeRun app for Apple TV since Apple TV is how I consume TV most of the time. C'mon, SiliconDust. That's $25 that I could have given to you rather than Channels. There is also $35 a year that I'm willing to pay. I'll also run around and convince everyone to cut the cord and get HD HomeRun as soon as you make the Apple TV app.

[JYC]

I was hard-wired through Ethernet. The channels with the stuttering were local stations that are MPEG2. As I recall, it appeared as if it was dropping a frame on a consistent basis. And it was at times, random.

I also didn't like the idea that you have buy the product before you can even try it out. If it's been improved I may try it again but the fact that the DVR portion costs $8 per month, more than 3 times what SD charges, on top of the initial $25 doesn't excite me at all. I'm comfortable waiting for a solution from SD.

I was having a stuttering issue, too, but mine was consistent across all devices so I bought a Winegard XT Boost Preamplifier and installed it by my antenna. Now, all of my channels are crystal clear, including watching the TV via the Channels app on Apple TV.

My Apple TV is also hardwired (1 GB Ethernet), but all of my wireless devices (iPhone and iPad) seem to get crystal clear pictures as well.

[escott7275]

Just purchased my first HDHomeRun, mainly for the DVR functionality, and secondly to view live OTA TV on multiple TVs in the house without having to run a cable. I didn't do enough homework and am disappointed to find out there is not a native Apple TV app. I personally will not spend $25 for a third-party app to perform this service. In my humble opinion, an Apple TV app is essential if I am going to use the device for any length of time. Most of our live TV viewing is on our TVs, so for me, it is just easier and simpler to run the antennae directly to my TV. I do have the luxury that most of our TV locations are wired for the antennae. I would appreciate SD providing some information on whether or not an Apple TV is in the works. Thank you.

[Keenan]

I was hard-wired through Ethernet. The channels with the stuttering were local stations that are MPEG2. As I recall, it appeared as if it was dropping a frame on a consistent basis. And it was at times, random.

I also didn't like the idea that you have buy the product before you can even try it out. If it's been improved I may try it again but the fact that the DVR portion costs $8 per month, more than 3 times what SD charges, on top of the initial $25 doesn't excite me at all. I'm comfortable waiting for a solution from SD.

I was having a stuttering issue, too, but mine was consistent across all devices so I bought a Winegard XT Boost Preamplifier and installed it by my antenna. Now, all of my channels are crystal clear, including watching the TV via the Channels app on Apple TV.

My Apple TV is also hardwired (1 GB Ethernet), but all of my wireless devices (iPhone and iPad) seem to get crystal clear pictures as well.

I think I figured out what my stuttering problem was, or rather what was causing it. It seems that when I ran the signal through my Oppo 103D I would get the stuttering but when bypassing the 103D it ran smoothly. Why it does that I have no idea. At the time I had stopped playing around with it as I had canceled the program. As it turns out I received an email from the company with a link to a TestFlight download and I've been trying the app again. I probably got the email by mistake, but it does give me a chance to evaluate the program again.

Bottom line, I'd much prefer a solution directly from SD.

[Joe Lighty]

Bottom line, I'd much prefer a solution directly from SD.

Me too! Any updates on the progress towards a native Apple TV app? Waiting with baited breath!!

[epee4fun]

Bottom line, I'd much prefer a solution directly from SD.

Me too! Any updates on the progress towards a native Apple TV app? Waiting with baited breath!!

+1. Really looking forward to a tvOS app.

[Beerman]

[removed by moderator]

[Beerman]

Sorry if I offended anyone but while what I said was negative, I don't think it untruthful even it if were non factual.
My bad!

[pdxTVfan]

In case it helps anyone who got here through Google: here is what I've found to work / not work on my Apple TV 4K for streaming and watching DVR recordings with my two HDHR boxes, in order of best to worst.

1. MrMC. This app is essentially a stripped down version of Kodi for the Apple TV. It's ~$7, one-time fee only. If you enable the HDHR PVR client, it will play Live TV streams natively, complete with Closed Captioning support. MrMC is most often used as a Plex direct-stream integration client (and it does that very well), but I use the non-plex parts to manage my HDHR playback / recordings / etc. and it performs admirably. (Backend is a Synology running the HDHomeRun DVR app, also I have a subscription to SiliconDust, which is key to all of this working too, I believe.) MrMC uses the Apple TV's API (meaning the same engine that powers iTunes videos), and not surprisingly, picture quality is outstanding and noticeably better than apps like Infuse.

2. VLC. I don't know why more people don't talk about this -- the VLC Apple TV app is free, and it can handle playback of MPG-2 streams from HDHR boxes easily. It's great for streaming live TV, and it can playback DVR recordings on the network -- but it's unfortunately knee-capped by missing features like, oh, I don't know... resuming a file at the time where you paused, one-button channel-changing, and so on. I used VLC as a baseline for testing my "best case" signal strength / picture quality / etc., so I would know what I could expect from other apps in terms of video from my local HDHR boxes.

3. Plex DVR. The Plex app for Apple TV can stream live TV from a Plex DVR backend (DVR / live TV powered by HDHR hardware). This is great, it has excellent captioning support, and a terrific "lean back" interface... it just requires a Plex back-end, and it forces transcoding, which is a pretty spendy prerequisite for a second-generation transcode. Also, it's worth noting that Plex generally requires a lot of care-and-feeding.

4. Channels. Channels is $25 (oof) for the app, and $8/month for DVR functionality. Slick interface, but the subscription was a deal-breaker for me, so I can't speak to their service.

5. InstaTV. InstaTV is $15, but holy crackers its interface is HORRIBLE (just my opinion). Also, it doesn't support Closed Captioning, which in our house is a big deal.

Hope this helps. Cheers!