Network Storage

[ben_gb]

Hi,

I mentioned this a previous thread but it was hidden away amongst a load of other questions so was overlooked I think....

I'm thinking of having all my media files stored on a device like a Snapserver (http://www.snapappliance.com/)...basically a dedicated network storage device.

My Sage encoder PC and the decoder clients would talk to it over a 100Mbit ethernet.

Is anyone out there using Sage TV with a network storage system? (or any configuration where you are saving the encoded files on a network drive, rather than on a local disk).

I would be interested to hear how well it works or if you ran into any problems?

(Also any comments from the Sage guys about whether this should work would be great!).

Regards,
Ben

[videogeek]

A few month ago I bought a ReplayTV and used DVArchive to store my files on a raid 5 array on a PC (3Ware Escalade 7500-8 ATA controller with 8 120GB Maxtor drives in a cube case)
It worked to play back files stored on the PC with my ReplayTV but not when I tried to fast forward, backwards, etc. Also, DVArchive crashed a few times and I lost all stored files. I sold the ReplayTV and use the box now with SageTV.

I think it's much cheaper to get a cube case and 3Ware raid controller than a NAS solution and it works solid. You can use an 8 or 12 drive controller with up to 250GB drives with raid 5 - do the math yourselves

This will also work when multi speed fast forward and reverse is built in the software

[videogeek]

Cost is irrelevant for me. I got plenty of money since I have no longer to deal with the WF (wife factor)

My main concern with NAS is functionality ones applications like SageTV can do what a Tivo does so smooth - fast forward and fast rewind at different speeds. This is when I started to hate the ReplayTV/DVArchive solution. I think the Tivo ff/fr with it's 3 steps is beautiful and the closest to a tape decks ff/fr. So easy to find a spot and you can always see where you are. With my ReplayTV/DVArchive solution the picture would jump all over the place and gone was a smooth fast ff/fr when I played back clips stored on the PC (and the PC was nothing else then a NAS storage for the ReplayTV).
As long as you just keep movies that you play back without fast forwarding over commercials, etc. on a NAS, it's a great solution. But I am almost 100% certain when SageTV get's something like Tivo's or ReplayTV's ff/fr NAS solutions can't keep up with it and instead of having a smooth ff/fr motion, you will get an irregular, jumpy slideshow of images.

[pocketmoon]

Originally posted by videogeek
A few month ago I bought a ReplayTV and used DVArchive to store my files on a raid 5 array on a PC (3Ware Escalade 7500-8 ATA controller with 8 120GB Maxtor drives in a cube case)

How was it sqeezing 8 drives into a cube case ? Did you have to do any case modding ?

[videogeek]

Nope, there are 4 drive holders above the power supply in the back of the drive compartment, each one can hold 2 drives.

If I would build it today I would use serial ATA drives - makes cabeling easier

In front of them I have my system drive in a mobile rack and a second mobile rack for a slave drive (I often make clones of the system drive with Acronis Migrate Easy before installing new stuff). Also DVD burner and slot DVD/CD drive are in front. Powersupply is 600W.

Yeong Yang Cube Case

[jmeeks]

I now understand too. For some reason I was thinking "cube"=small.

Pretty nice.

[Ralphjb]

I am not sure I entirely understand your needs with fast forward, but I can tell you that I am successfully using a network connection to record and playback video files with the SageTV software. I have a computer, my "media server," which houses hard drives. I have mapped these as network drives to my SageTV computer. I then have identified these drives as storage areas for SageTV to record and store video files. I also use the Library directory import function so I can watch files I recorded prior to installing SageTV.

I can tell you this setup works very well. I perceive no loss of PQ, or feature performance.

One more thing, though. You must upload the latest Beta version. At least I had to. 1.3v did not work smoothly with network drives. 1.4v beta does.