How to combine google cast + DVB-T2 stb with minimum remotes

by sirClogg

Hello, I live in an area with poor internet quality. So I can watch streaming services only on the good days and I'd like to keep the option of DVB-T2 from the antenna.
Is there some android smart tv box that starts fast, supports google cast and has some kind of input for antenna or set-top box? And how would you go about reducing the number of remotes?
Right now I use remote to turn on projector and another remote to operate stb and I unplug HDMI from stb to notebook when I want to watch streaming services..
I was searching for some hybrid but only found some mecool M8S Plus on aliexpress which probably won't support the Chromecast and the android won't be remote optimized.

mr1sparkle

If you have to have antenna input, you can look into vbox. Features include Chromecast built in, certified Android tv and dvbt2 antenna input. The price is close to a shield tv. https://vboxcomm.com/android-tv-gateway/

BiggussDikkuss

You need to be made aware that anything with an AMlogic chipset running any Android OS will not be able to do correct - Full Motion deinterlacing of DVB T/T2 broadcast TV streams.

Also avoid FireTV devices because they cannot deinterlace h264 TV streams properly either.

Option 1 (DIY) - downside only a Single (MUX) Tuner.

If you head over to the CoreELEC forums there are a bunch of threads that talk about Mecool KI thru KIII devices for DVB T/T2, and you run the Linux based CoreELEC OS on them and use TvHeadend to tune channels and Kodi to watch.

There is no Chromecasting though, but a TvHeadend server can stream TV thru a home network to other cheap AMLogic CoreELEC Kodi devices. You can also record with TvHeadend.

The key for DVB is using the well supported CoreELEC. There are a bunch of devs. on their forums that can advise about DVB T/T2 devices.

Next tip is buy a Plug n Play WeChip G20S or G30S wireless remote. The "S" versions also have Infra Red learning capabilities to reduce the number of remotes needed.

https://forum.kodi.tv/showthread.php?tid=252916

https://coreelec.org

BiggussDikkuss

Option 2 which is much easier is get a IP based HDHomeRun Duo:

https://www.silicondust.com/product/hdhomerun-duo/

And then use something like a Nvidia Shield Tube that deinterlaces TV properly.

You definitely want a Twin (Mux) Tuner so you can watch and record on different groups of channels simultaneously. That is why the HDHR costs more.