Best application for downloading TV shows


wsume99

Recommended Posts

Ok I'm a complete noob so you'll need to go s l o w l y (but not too slow because I have mild ADHD ;D) - well not really.

 

I've been reading around the forms here and other places about applications that will automatically find content (i.e. recorded TV shows) on the internet and download it for me to my unRAID server.  I've seen lots of discussion about Sickbeard, torrent clients, and Flexget RSS.  Can someone here help me sort all this out?  I'm trying to migrate away from using MC7 for recording and towards mythtv but my tuner (HVR-2250) has no NTSC support in linux.  This is a problem since most of what I record is NTSC. But after reading about all these applications I'm wondering if I even need a tuner ???.  There are ATSC/QAM linux drivers available for my tuner so I'm thinking I could record some of my own content and get the rest off the net.  I've looked around a lot using google and haven't found a good how-to guide/discussion that answers my questions.  I'm betting that there are lots of smart people on this forum that have already done something like this.  So can anyone give me some advice on how to go about doing this or where to find more info?  I'd also like some feedback on the pros/cons of the different applications that are available so I can figure out which ones work with unRAID and would be the best fit for me.  Then I can setup a mITX box w/ xbmc live and I'll be ready for couch potato duty.

Link to comment

I'm trying out Sickbeard with SABnzbd http://www.lockstockmods.net/2010/06/03/unraid-with-sabnzbd-and-sickbeard/ which is working out pretty well.

I found that article in my searching and it is a good guide on how to install those applications. I'm considering do it as well but it does not give a lot of info about how these apps work.  I'd like to understand what they are doing before I install them.
Link to comment

I've been doing more searching then reading, searching then reading, searching then reading, etc.  You get the point.

 

Ok so SABnzbd is an app that downloads the shows but requires something/someone to tell it where to get the different parts of the file.  And Sick Beard is an app that finds .nfo files corresponding to the shows you want and then feeds that .nfo file to SABnzbd so that the show can be downloaded.  I'm sure this is way oversimplified but is that the jist of it?

 

I think I'm just going to install this on my win7 machine to try it out and if I like it then add it to unRAID.

Link to comment

So I set up sickbeard & sabnzbd today, all seemed to go well except Sickbeard cannot find any episodes of any shows I set up.

 

It looks like the available NZB search providers only link to current episodes? (And even at that they're not picking up, say Stargate Universe current season).

 

Any hints of setting up these search providers?

 

Peter

Link to comment

I think we are stepping into a territory Tom has asked us to stay away from before.

 

Instructions how to get this content best done in PM or even better away from this forum.

 

No offense meant but remember Limetech is a company with certain responsibilitys

Link to comment

Agreed, NAS.

 

We can help out with explaining the software, setting it up, and troubleshooting, as well as pointing out new software or features that's useful. I think discussion of that is within reason.

 

We should not mention explicit means of obtaining specific content. I think discussion of that is not within reason.

Link to comment

Agreed, NAS.

 

We can help out with explaining the software, setting it up, and troubleshooting, as well as pointing out new software or features that's useful. I think discussion of that is within reason.

 

We should not mention explicit means of obtaining specific content. I think discussion of that is not within reason.

 

That would be my take as well. Basically nothing that can get Tom into trouble.

Link to comment

 

Any hints of setting up these search providers?

 

Peter

From those available at Sickbeard, NZBMatrix.com need registration (10£ if I remember) or it only allows searching recently added nzbs. NZBs.org need registration too, but it's free. These are the best services available.

Link to comment

NZBs.org is not accepting new users.

 

I created a free NZBMatrix.com account.  The two restrictions are that it only allows you to download zipped nzbs that have been posted in the last 20 days.  Got SB and SAB installed and configured but I was getting errors when SAB was trying to get nzb files and I think it was because you can only download the zipped versions.  I got a VIP account (~$11), entered my API into SAB and everything worked.

Link to comment

Well, thanks to inspiration from this thread, I now have another use for my unRaid server. Tricky enough to set up but works well now it's up and running.

 

Any hope of me switching off the server for a few hours each night to save some juice is now well and truly gone!

 

Thanks all

 

P

Link to comment
  • 4 weeks later...

Sorry for Hijacking the thread but I'm having problems with my set up at home.

 

I followed the guide at - http://www.lockstockmods.net/2010/06/03/unraid-with-sabnzbd-and-sickbeard/

 

Set up an account with MZBMatrix and Usenetserver.com

 

I have tried using the versions in the guide as well as the latest versions, have tried it with a cache drive and without a cache drive but I get the same thing.

 

I snatch the NZB from MZBMatrix okay, Sabnzbd downloads the file fine but as soon as the sabToSickBeard.py script tries to run I loose the connection to the web interface for both Sabnzbd and Sickbeard.  I have to reboot the unRAID server to get into it again.  The powerdown or reboot commands don't work, either through putty or on the machine it's self.  I have to hold the power button down to turn it off. 

 

Is there anything I am missing?

 

Do I need to do anything with python, like put it in the GO file?

 

Any input would be greatly appreciated.  I can give you more details (like log files) if you need when I get home after work.

Thanks in advance.

Link to comment

McKettle - maybe if you give us a better description of what you did to get these running. I'd start again with putting the stock install from the tgz files onto the cache drive and then running them. Make sure they work and you get a valid file downloaded. Then, try the sabtosickbeard script. Make sure you follow the Sickbeard site directions for editing the config file and setting it up. I personally just pointed Sab to the sickbeard script location instead of moving it.

 

shimeixiaoxiao - Yes, that's the simplified version. Sickbeard will track and list your series you want and then automatically find new episodes and then sort and rename the downloaded files. I think they are actually nzb files.

 

Peter

 

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Restore formatting

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.