Install order for Windows Home Server?

[olrist234]

Hi,
Sorry for the noob question, but want to make sure I have this right since it doesn't seem to be documented anywhere.

To get the sage experience working, I'm:

Installing the SageTV Media Server software on a windows pc
Installing the SageTV Media plug-in for WHS on the WHS box
Setting up a Sage HD Media Extender connected to the TV
And making sure that all three see each other on the home network.

Is that right, or do I need placeshifter in there for some reason?

Any help much appreciated.

--ol.

[ke6guj]

are you running the server on a regular PC or on the WHS? If on the PC, what is the WHS box for, file server or client?

If the WHS box is only used as a fileserver, you shouldn't need to install Sage on it.

WIth your setup, you don't need placeshifter unless you want to install it on another PC so that you can watch Sage over the internet.

[Djc208]

Sage server should be installed on the PC with the tuner cards installed, ideally that would be the WHS box.
To watch content on a computer on your network you would install Sage Client which would connect to the server for media like the extender.
To watch content on a computer over the internet you want placeshifter installed.

[rlvogel322]

I use WHS with a tuner card and the HDHR. The way you stated it is correct assuming WHS has the tuner cards installed as previously mentioned.

One thing to keep in mind, do not put the Sage recordings onto a WHS managed drive. I've tried it both ways and having the recordings go to a drive that is not managed by WHS is much better (more responsive with less hangs and stuttering). This is on a E6600 runnning at 3.6Ghz. Your videos, music and picutres can come from the managed dirves though.

I've got two 320G in the WHS pool and two 160G drives in the WHS box that aren't managed for Sage recordings.

[jm9843]

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

I use WHS with a tuner card and the HDHR. The way you stated it is correct assuming WHS has the tuner cards installed as previously mentioned.

I am considering a similar setup, that is running SageTV on a Windows Home Server and let it be accessed by the new HD extender.

My question is, can I get away with just using an HDHR with Sage? Or will I need a tuner card installed in the server as well? I have Comcast digital cable and would like all of the non-encrypted channels available in Sage.

The reason that I'd rather only have the HDHR is because it is a network tuner and my Home Server isn't anywhere near where the cable TV comes in.

Thanks!

[rlvogel322]

Originally Posted by jm9843

My question is, can I get away with just using an HDHR with Sage? Or will I need a tuner card installed in the server as well? I have Comcast digital cable and would like all of the non-encrypted channels available in Sage.

You'll only be able to get the digital channels that are provided in your area with the HDHR. Minus the exncrypted ones, I highly doubt you will get all of the other digital cable channels you subscribe to.

There are quite a few channels I can get with the HDHR but I only use it for the HD channels. I have an additional tuner card in the WHS box that tunes the standard cable channels.

[jm9843]

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

You'll only be able to get the digital channels that are provided in your area with the HDHR. Minus the exncrypted ones, I highly doubt you will get all of the other digital cable channels you subscribe to.

That's what I was afriad of.

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

There are quite a few channels I can get with the HDHR but I only use it for the HD channels. I have an additional tuner card in the WHS box that tunes the standard cable channels.

Do you run the cable direct to the tuner card in the WHS box, or is there a digital cable box in the mix? (i.e. svideo/analog audio out to the card with an ir blaster, etc.)

Currently I have a motorolla HD cable box with the firewire enabled. In your estimation, could I get the cable box with firewire playing nice with an hdhr? In this scenario the hdhr would handle whatever it can and the cable box (via firewire) would pick up the rest. The goal being to forego a tuner card in the WHS, not have to deal with an ir blaster, and only having to run a firewire cable from the set-top box to the WHS.

Alternatively, would the better option be to throw my Hauppauge 250 PVR card into the WHS box and run coax to it in addition to an hdhr on the network? No set-top box involved at all..

Thanks for the guidance!

[rlvogel322]

I only have a PVR 150 in the WHS with cable going directly to it.

I have thought about getting firewire going but haven't had the time. If I could get all the additional channels I subscribe to over firewire I might give it a go. I also have a Mot 6200.

I think the easiest approach would be to install your 250 into the WHS box if you're not using it someplace else.

BTW, the install for Sage on WHS is really easy. I have some additional difficulty because I also use the WHS to playback to a projector. The new HD extender may just replace all of that after the first of the year .

[Djc208]

Originally Posted by jm9843

Do you run the cable direct to the tuner card in the WHS box, or is there a digital cable box in the mix? (i.e. svideo/analog audio out to the card with an ir blaster, etc.)

Currently I have a motorolla HD cable box with the firewire enabled. In your estimation, could I get the cable box with firewire playing nice with an hdhr? In this scenario the hdhr would handle whatever it can and the cable box (via firewire) would pick up the rest. The goal being to forego a tuner card in the WHS, not have to deal with an ir blaster, and only having to run a firewire cable from the set-top box to the WHS.

Alternatively, would the better option be to throw my Hauppauge 250 PVR card into the WHS box and run coax to it in addition to an hdhr on the network? No set-top box involved at all.

How or what you hook up depends on what channels you want to get. The HDHR will give you unscrambled digital channels (usually the local networks in HD, maybe a few others). The 250 will give you all the analog channels you can get now without your cable box. The firewire connection will let you record anything the cable box can tune in but if the 5C encryption is enabled it won't be a watchable recording. Connecting the cable box to the coax or svideo input of the 250 will give you all your channels but only in SD.

Don't know why the HDHR and firewire cable box wouldn't play together, Sage should see them all as separate tuners. You could do all three, then you'd have a total of 4 tuners, 3 HD tuners (2 HDHR, and firewire STB) and 2 SD (250 and firewire STB).

[lukeduf]

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

I use WHS with a tuner card and the HDHR. The way you stated it is correct assuming WHS has the tuner cards installed as previously mentioned.

I'm wondering how the HDHomerun Manager software runs on WHS. Do you have to have a user logged into the desktop to run the HDHomerun software? Or do you have it running as a service somehow?

[rlvogel322]

I just installed it per the instructions and have had no issues. I was logged on as admin at the time and didn't need to worry about setting up permissions for the service. It just worked.

[stevemahon]

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

One thing to keep in mind, do not put the Sage recordings onto a WHS managed drive. I've tried it both ways and having the recordings go to a drive that is not managed by WHS is much better (more responsive with less hangs and stuttering). This is on a E6600 runnning at 3.6Ghz. Your videos, music and picutres can come from the managed dirves though.

How do you specify the location?

[jm9843]

Originally Posted by stevemahon

How do you specify the location?

When you install the disk in your WHS, don't add it to the storage pool from the console. Instead, remote desktop into the WHS, format it, and assign a drive letter as if it were a normal disk.

I haven't actually done this myself yet so someone correct me if I am mistaken.

[rlvogel322]

Originally Posted by jm9843

When you install the disk in your WHS, don't add it to the storage pool from the console. Instead, remote desktop into the WHS, format it, and assign a drive letter as if it were a normal disk.

I haven't actually done this myself yet so someone correct me if I am mistaken.

Overall, that's the method you want to use. However, when you format the drives use 64k blocks and then set them up as shares with full access. I always use UNC paths and it helps with other things.

[stevemahon]

How do you specify the storage location in SageTV WHS? I don't see anywhere in the add-in tab, and the applicaiton doesn't launch when connected via RDC. It is my understanding that only the service will run on WHS.

[stevemahon]

Originally Posted by rlvogel322

I just installed it per the instructions and have had no issues. I was logged on as admin at the time and didn't need to worry about setting up permissions for the service. It just worked.

Where did you find these instructions. I'm having trouble finding any documentation for the WHS PlugIn. -Thanks, Steve

[rlvogel322]

Originally Posted by stevemahon

How do you specify the storage location in SageTV WHS? I don't see anywhere in the add-in tab, and the applicaiton doesn't launch when connected via RDC. It is my understanding that only the service will run on WHS.

This is done through the client. If you don't use the client on the WHS machine it will have to be done through another client. Just run the Sage client on WHS to get it setup correctly. The client works fine on WHS. I use my WHS box as the server and client (projecting). The service runs all the time and the client only when I start it.

Originally Posted by stevemahon

Where did you find these instructions. I'm having trouble finding any documentation for the WHS PlugIn. -Thanks, Steve

I'm assuming you're referring to the HDHomeRun instructions. Those can be found on Silicon's site. They're not specifically for WHS. You need to be logged onto the WHS with administrator privelages and things should go just fine.

[oaamaas]

Originally Posted by stevemahon

How do you specify the storage location in SageTV WHS? I don't see anywhere in the add-in tab, and the applicaiton doesn't launch when connected via RDC. It is my understanding that only the service will run on WHS.

Using the WHS console your abilities to manage SageTV is limited to starting/stopping the service and to add license keys.
To fully manage Sage on WHS, use the sagetv.exe. SageTV app need java to be installed on the WHS machine - once you've taken care of that there is no problem to use the SageTV app over a RDC.