Disk Space question

[FJC]

Hello! I'm just getting started with HTPC, and SageTV in particular. I'm working on a little "proof-of-concept" system to test this all out, but am acquiring other hardware to build this up soon.

That said, here's my plans, then my question.

My current plans are to put a small, quiet HTPC in my living room. That system will have a PVR-250 card (already in my proof-of-concept system), and an ATI 9600SE to display output to my rear-projection TV. Coolermaster 620C mini-ATX case.

I have a "house server" in my basement - that's where I'd like to put all my storage for recordings, as down there I don't care about noise/heat. My understanding is that I can easily configure SageTV to store the recordings on that server via a network share. I may also at some point add PVR-250 card(s) to that server for SageRecorder.

My question is, how much hard drive space do I need on that HPTC? Obviously I need enough for the OS and SageTV files, swap, etc...but do I need "local" disk space for the timeshift buffer, and how much?

I'm asking only because I'd prefer to put a smaller (40 or 80gb) drive in that system to save a little cash, then use that cash for more large (160/200+gb) drives for the house server.

Thanks, and any insight/tips for a newbie are definitely appreciated.

[mlbdude]

Sage does not use a local timeshift buffer. Each show you watch or record gets its own file and would be stored on the network server. You could get away with a pretty small drive on the SageTV box.

[FJC]

Excellent, thanks for the info! Sounds like I'll go with an 80gb Samsung drive (I'm told they're even quieter/cooler than the Seagates) for the HTPC drive. I'd go 40gb, but heck it appears to only be about $10 more for double the space.

[mrseidler]

My setup is similar to your concept I think. I have a server in my office with two pvr 250's with 120 gigs of storage on my sage drive and a second drive with 80 gigs to run XP and hold MP3's, other videos, etc. On my client in the bedroom I have a Via M10000 with a 6 gb 3.5" (old) drive, which is really more than I need. To get it quieter I'm gonna switch to a 6 gb laptop drive and maybe a fanless mb. On the client (in your living room) it would probably be better to take out the PVR 250 and put it in your server because of heat and because you won't really be using it if you are using the ATI for the video out.

[FJC]

Won't I need at least one PVR-250 in the living room on the HTPC in order to pause live tv, replay, etc?

[mlbdude]

Not if the living room is running SageClient. You can have full functionality of the server with that.