Base Function Questions

[W54J04S07T]

Ignore this if there are licensing issues... or complexity issues...

Is it possible to implement base functions similar to the free package SiliconDust issues for KODI and other packages?

Can some sort of EPG capabilities linked to other KODI EPG dedicated packages be used?
How about record functions, again linked to other KODI addons ( kodi-pvr-iptvsimple, inputstream-ffmpegdirect, etc... ) ?

Thoughts?

[djp952]

I'd like to maybe better understand the question?

SiliconDust used to provide a Script-based Addon for Kodi that they abandoned a while back, I think during Kodi 18 "Leia", but at the time it was functional and, generally speaking, obeyed SD's particular Design Language pretty well.

Team Kodi does have an HDHomeRun addon that implements a subset of what this addon provides but does not currently have any "HDHomeRun DVR" ecosystem capabilities.

As I understand it, Kodi has a long-standing desire to separate EPG from "PVR", but it has never been implemented. I have no insight into "Record" functions outside of you may be better served by a Kodi PVR addon that treats HDHomeRun devices as nothing more than an input source and does everything else on its own?

If I were you, I might look into "Plex"? :)

[W54J04S07T]

I guess what I'm looking for is to avoid things like Plex, DVR and TVheadend.
Seems like using a sledgehammer to drive a pin with those apps.

It seems to me that HDHomerun_DVR is somewhat ( to put it mildly ) lighter than those other apps and except for the fact that it seems to require a subscription to SD tools could likely do much better with much less weight than ( for e.g. ) DVR or PLEX. Certainly, KODI seems to already have EPG and recorder type modules that could potentially serve the purpose???

Or am I missing something here?

[djp952]

I get where you're coming from, I do.

Kodi's current support for EPG relies solely on the installed PVR addon to provide, it does not (yet?) have an ability to support any form of generic "EPG addon" that would be able to provide listings from something like Schedules Direct that could somehow tie into the installed PVR addons.

I think where this falls apart is that Kodi PVR addons can support Recordings, and that support (currently) relies on a PVR addon specific implementation. The addon's ability to record (or not) is something that needs to be reported to Kodi when the addon is created, along with any other capabilities. Given the current environment, I understand why generic EPG is not possible yet; the Kodi GUI makes a lot of decisions based on the capabilities of the PVR addon that is serving it data.

I am in agreement that there is a potential option forward here; this addon could possibly use an optional third-party EPG source when an HDHomeRun DVR account is not available, but I'm kind of stuck on the "why isn't Kodi able to do this instead?". I'm of the opinion that this is a rabbit-hole of sorts for Kodi; if they provide generic EPG functionality, that would quickly spiral into generic DVR/Recording functionality, right? ("It's in the guide, why can't I record it?")

This addon is aligned with the HDHomeRun ecosystem. There are arbitrary data points that a generic service like Schedules Direct is unable to provide that are needed to interoperate with that ecosystem. I did look into it, and for this addon at least, it cannot be made to work; sorry.

In my opinion, there needs to be a much stricter and more standardized XMLTV implementation put in place that forces data providers to decide upon and expose a common approach to how that data is exposed. For now, any Kodi addons will be limited to being able to accept the data they are given and so the best they can with it?

To me, this is all fairly "so go get your shit together!?!" from your perspective, and I totally agree with you if so. The pain point is that there is no rigid standard for XMLTV/EPG data to follow, and as of today, Kodi PVR addons are still restricted into being the source of any/all EPG data.

[W54J04S07T]

Understood.

Guess that means a sledgehammer named DVR... LOL

[djp952]

Agreed, and I truly hope this mentality someday comes to fruition in Kodi. I'll continue to do what I can to keep this working, but to that end there "is only so much I can do" without becoming reinvested in Kodi itself, which is a bridge I'm no longer willing to cross :(