Questions about Servers, Tuners and Media Extenders

[takagari]

nice topic i am doing the same setup

I am trying to decide if I want to use a server with two extenders or just use the server on my big screen and an extender in my bedroom

[Mitch G]

Well, as part of phase 1 (see above), I have my server next to the TV, and I'm looking forward to the day when I can put it in the basement and put an HD-100 in the TV stand.
For one, it'll get rid of the fan noise. Also, the HD-100 takes out the guess work of choosing the right video card and getting the drivers just right. Plus it means I don't have to figure out how to setup remote control system on the box. Neither of which is rocket science, but I think I'll prefer the plug and play nature of the media extender. Plus I prefer the modular approach to having a server doing capture and delivery work only and the media extenders doing the video work.


Mitch

[takagari]

I think I am with you on this one. But I may place the server in the basement bellow my office so I can easily run a KVM to my office space

I am trying to figur eif its easier to just build my server as my main storage server also.

My other question is though
Under Videos
Is there a way for me to make a Movies section and a seperate TV section? instead of all my videos mixed.

[gplasky]

You'll be happier with the server seperate and away from the TV.

On each of my drives I have a folder called DVD and a folder called SageTV. If when you say Movies yo mean DVD this is how I split mine up. It's very doable. The DVD becomes an Import directory. The SageTV is a recordings directory.

Gerry

[takagari]

but if i have avi files from elsewhere under tv. is there a way to drop these into the recorded section?

[Taddeusz]

Why a KVM? Remote Desktop works great! If you don't have XP Pro you can use some type of VNC.

[takagari]

i may but remote desktop means i need to rely on the os, if theres ever an issue, its a no go

[jc1cell]

This is an excellent post....I'm thinking of building an PVR setup and networked around the house as you all are and would like your suggestions on what I'm planning.

1. Stand alone File Server that will include Media (videos, dvd, music, tv recordings) and Production files (data files for production PCs). Could be divided into two servers.

2. PC running Sage TV (was thinking Beyond TV but have decided on Sage).
- 2 Haup hd 1600 or 1800


3. Media Extenders for Four televisions including the main living tv.

4. I would also like to be able to watch tv on the production pc (at least one of them). I'm not sure if I need the sage placeshifter or any other soft.

5. All this connected to switches (one for the extenders and the other for the production PCs). The switches and the Server(s) and a cable modem connected to a router.

So am I overthinking this or am I on the right track?

jc

[BFisher]

seems like you are on the right track. Personally, I'd avoid playing videos on the PC and just go with extenders. Reliability is great this way...

[lobosrul]

jc1cell: I prefer to keep a hard drive for nothing but SageTV recordings, but I doubt you need a 2nd server machine. You will need placeshifter or SageTV Client to watch on any PC except the server. The advantage of placeshifter is it can be installed on multiple PC's, but only watched on one at a time. Disadvantage is it wont stream DVD's, and is overlay only and won't work with dshow filters.

Mitch G: Are you sure your deciding between 10/100 Gb Ethernet? 1 Gb has become more or less the high-end home user standard, 10 Gb is very expensive, I dont think 100 Gb exists. 100 Mb should be enough for your purposes, but if your buying new equipment go with Gigabit.

[Mitch G]

Hehe. I do that all the time - and I'm in the "industry."
Yeah, I meant 10/100Mbps (and I fixed it in the original post). That said, my server has Gig-E and I'm connecting everything to a Gig-E switch on "this" side of my router/firewall.

BTW, phase 2 should start on Wednesday when the HD100 arrives.
And not a moment too soon. My Nvidia PureVideo trial just ended and so the video output to my TV is not too good right now.


Mitch

[jc1cell]

Originally Posted by BFisher

seems like you are on the right track. Personally, I'd avoid playing videos on the PC and just go with extenders. Reliability is great this way...

Isn't the client specifically for PCs and the extender for TV.....I don't have a tv in the computer room although if needed I could add one.

jc

[jc1cell]

Originally Posted by lobosrul

jc1cell: I prefer to keep a hard drive for nothing but SageTV recordings, but I doubt you need a 2nd server machine.

The plan is to have several HDs specifically for Media and other HDs specifically for data files....I was thinking maybe two servers to reduce the strain on the single server specifically since the traffic will be much the same anyway....IMlimitedHO

jc

[stanger89]

Client runs on a PC, but many of us used it to drive our primary displays until the Extender came out.

[Mitch G]

Well, I'm in phase 2 now and wish I had skipped phase 1. The HD100 makes life soooo much easier. In phase 1, I spent most of my time deailing with video cards and video decoders and getting things to be useable. Although, it probably wasn't necessary since phase 1 wasn't so much about video display as it was about usability, etc. But, I found I wanted to watch what was being recorded.

Anyway, my suggestion to other neophytes, is to get the HD100 as soon as it is available and don't spend too much time futzing with a video card and decoders.

Nonetheless, my phase 2 report is
The HD100 is a fine little box that does a great job.

Once the HD100s become available again, I'll pick one up for the bedroom and be done with phase 3.
(I really hope Sage considers deploying an IR extender that plugs into the HD100's USB port. It would be nice to tuck the HD100 out of site in the bedroom.)


Mitch

[Mitch G]

And Phase 3 completed this evening with the arrival of the second HD-100.

For ethernet to the bedroom, I ended up picking up a couple NIM-100 MoCA boxes on ebay for about $110 delivered. These are nice little devices that provide ethernet over coax. So instead of running cat 6 from the basement up two floors to the bedroom, I just used the NIM-100s to carry the ethernet up the 2 floors over the coax that was already in place.
Speed is plenty fast enough - I haven't seen any issues with HD or SD or watching ripped DVDs.

Now, I go into maintenance mode, although based on my experience so far, this should be a pretty lightly loaded mode. So, maybe I'll go into wishing mode for things like an IR extender that plugs into the extender's USB port and native support for Netflix Watch Now on the extender.


Mitch

[pjpjpjpj]

Mitch,

I missed this thread before (I joined the Sage crowd at the last HD Extender release in March, but bought the living room and bedroom units both then), but my setup is basically like yours, although my server PC is even weaker. And I have had no problems.

You may find that the next "phase" is tinkering with customizations (installing them and getting them working).

[Mitch G]

That's true, but I'll lump customizations into maintenance.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by gplasky

... I have 52 favorites and I can't remember the last time I watched live tv.

Gerry

I can, last time Heroes (before that, Firefly, and before that, Babylon 5) was on. Other than those, I haven't watch live TV in about 7 or 8 years.

[-=Jeff=-]

Awesome Post..

I just need to place my order now and redo my Cat5 to Cat6 in some areas and get a couple Gig E-net switches..

Lookign forward to trying everything out