HDHR Recorder installation tips

Rev  G (see Notes)

HDHomeRun Recorder is a program which can turn the combination of an HD Homerun (an external tuner which contains two or three silicon tuner ICs and some logic to wrap their outputs in a network protocol to allow them to be placed on a computer network or fed into a computer's ethernet port) and a computer running Ubuntu, into a DVR. It's the only program I've seen (besides Microshaft's Windows Media Center) that delivers on the promise of turning a PC into a DVR. Because it's written for a specific tuner (the only one worth having, in my opinion, although overpriced and poorly documented due to lack of competition), and it requires the user to program recordings like a VCR would be programmed, it is far smaller than those that supposedly try to cover all tuners and automate the programming. I've used it with a single HDHR with two tuners to perform timer-type recordings of two channels simultaneously, so you can rest assured that if you install and use it properly, your efforts will not be wasted. Just be sure to download it from the official site, which contains a README file with installation/use instructions.

Before HDHR Recorder can be used, the HDHR and its software must be installed, and this is covered in the blog-entry below this one. However, the easiest way to install the HDHR's software is to install the hdhomerun software package offered by  Ubuntu Software Center (USC). I believe that the VLC player is included with this package, although if not, it is included with the packages provided by the Synaptic Package Manager (assuming there are any differences, which I doubt). Synaptic PM, which has functions which the USC doesn't have as of this writing (such as the ability to generate download scripts to allow software packages to be downloaded on other computers, which is handy if your computer has a slow internet connection) would have to be installed via the Software Center since it doesn't come with Ubuntu.

The HDHR's software consists of hdhomerun_config and hdhomerun_config-gui.  The _config program allows the HDHR to be controlled, and its outputs to be saved to a hard drive, by entering instructions into a terminal-window (see entry below for details).  The _config-gui program provides a control panel to make it convenient for the typical computer user to perform some basic functions with the HDHomeRun, but not to record.  The VLC Player can record the program being viewed by pressing its record button, which doesn't appear unless the "advanced controls" option is chosen. To record two (or more) programs simultaneously, you can enter appropriate commands into terminal-windows (one for each tuner), or program the HDHR Recorder to do so.

The latest version of HDHR Recorder is a major upgrade, and the installation and use has been drastically simplified. So, the original impetus for this entry has been largely eliminated, but some people might still need to have the README file's first couple of installation instructions translated, so I retained the relevant portion of the previous revision, as follows:

1. Install python if you don't have it already

Translation: If you have a recent version of Ubuntu, you already have a recent version of Python. To find it, and its version, open a terminal-window by pressing Ctrl-Alt-t, and entering "whereis python" (without the quotes).

2. Install apscheduler from here. The old version of apscheduler has some issues, so be sure to install the latest V2 version. (https://bitbucket.org/agronholm/apscheduler)

Translation: The easiest way to install apscheduler is with a python installation-utility known as pip, which is the replacement for EasyInstall, which based on something I've read has problems and isn't being maintained any more. To learn whether you have pip, just open a terminal-window (Ctrl-Alt-T), type pip on the command line, and follow the instructions which then appear in the window.

To install any software, you have to give yourself Administator powers by starting the command with "sudo." It will ask for your password, assuming you specified one when you installed the operating system. It will automatically install the latest appropriate version and any other components required.

Then, once you get pip installed, enter the following into the command line:

sudo pip install apscheduler

and follow the Terminal's instructions.

The rest of the installation, and the setup, have been automated, and I assume that they've been tested and that they work properly.  (I haven't had time to try it yet.)


Notes

Rev G: Eliminated the majority of the entry because HDHR Recorder and its documentation have undergone a major upgrade which drastically simplifies its installation and use.