HD-PVR Working Hardware Setups

[Brent]

Folks, as you get your HD-PVR up and running with SageTV, it would be nice to list out any machines with their specs - especially for those that work well. I'll be contributing to this task once I get my client PC working, but for starters lets get this out there:

The HD100 Extender works great with the HD-PVR.

For anyone contributing to this task, please tell us the following:

1. OS
2. Processor Type and Speed
3. h.264 codec
4. Audio Codec
5. HD-PVR driver version
6. Type of video (1080i etc)
7. How well it worked

Thanks!

[Deacon Crusher]

My signature pretty much has all the pertinent hardware and connection info.

However, the codec questions are interesting.

Do we need to install codes? On the server (if you playback on the server) on clients, on placeshifter clients?

If so, which ones, recommendations?

I'm using the latest beta of the HD PVR driver software.

So far no playback on PCs, but great playback including very quick channel changing on Extenders.

Thanks

[attaboy]

So has anybody gotten playback from an HD PVR to work using anything other than an HD-100 media extender? I don't think I have seen anyone post that they have gotten it to work on a dedicated Sage HTPC or a client.

I have received my HD PVR and was planning on upgrading my HTPC this weekend to support HD in general. I don't use a HD-100 though, just a video card. What are my chances of getting this working???

[jrog]

1. Windows XP SP3 - 32 bit
2. Intel Q6600 Quad 2.4GHz
3. not sure on the h.264 codec, I just installed the software that came with the HD-PVR.
4. Default Audio Codec in Sage
5. HD-PVR 1.0.3.46 Driver
6. 720p Fixed from Comcast (even for SD which is incredibly good for SD)
7. Perfect on the HD100 and perfect on the local Sage Client

My only problem, is that I need another HD-PVR to handle conflicts and Live Viewing, and then I will have to rent another HD box from Comcast. Otherwise, this things a beauty.

EDIT: Also, I'm using Sage Version 6.4.3 beta, latest beta on my extenders, and using the default STV

[appelm]

Originally Posted by jrog

Also, I'm using Sage Version 10.4.3 beta,

and you're writing to us from 2012?

[jrog]

Originally Posted by appelm

and you're writing to us from 2012?

Haha, typo... sorry. 6.4.3 beta, of course!

[appelm]

Originally Posted by jrog

3. not sure on the h.264 codec, I just installed the software that came with the HD-PVR.

You installed the hd-pvr software on the client as well? does the hd-pvr software come with a codec?

[jrog]

Originally Posted by appelm

You installed the hd-pvr software on the client as well? does the hd-pvr software come with a codec?

I did a full install of the software that came with the HD-PVR, and made sure that the unit was functioning outside of Sage first. I didn't bother recording any clips with the Arcsoft app, just went right into Sage, and I had a working preview window on my Server. I didn't think it was going to work, but was pleasantly surprised.

I'm using the USBUIRT for channel changing, didn't have good luck with the Hauppauge IR blaster.

It's a brand new server, clean install to 6.4.3, and I plan to use it in my office as a local client as well. I also have a Radeon 3450 with 512MB, but I didn't install any MPEG2 codecs or anything, just the ATI CC app, and then configured it all in Sage.

All in all, it was very easy to get going, and I thought for sure it wasn't going to work on the XP Client right away.

EDIT: My server IS my only PC based Client, not sure if you were asking about a separate client from the server on the network. I did not try that, I don't have another machine that I'm interested in using as a client.

[attaboy]

Originally Posted by jrog

I did a full install of the software that came with the HD-PVR, and made sure that the unit was functioning outside of Sage first. I didn't bother recording any clips with the Arcsoft app, just went right into Sage, and I had a working preview window on my Server. I didn't think it was going to work, but was pleasantly surprised.

So you have gotten playback to work on your server with an Radeon 3450? If so that's good news.

My new video card for my new HTPC build is a 3470. Newegg was out of stock on the 3450s.

thanks

[Ktulu]

Windows XP Pro SP3
Intel Core 2 Duo E4400 2.0 GHz
Asus P5LD2 motherboard
2GB RAM
Asus 8500GT NVidia video
Hauppauge WinPVR-150
Motorola DCT-6412 Cable Box (firewire channel changing)
h.264 codec is from Arcsoft I believe (Sage set to DirectShow for MPEG4)
Audio is set to default in Sage
HD PVR driver = 1.0.3.46
Video is 1080i

Live TV is smooth in Arcsoft TME but a little jerky in Sage. Same goes for playback of HD PVR recordings, jerky in Sage but smooth in TMT. CPU Usage during recorded playback in Sage ranges from 1% to 11% so I suspect there are other forces at work here.

Haven't tried the HD100 yet.

[Brent]

SageTV Client - 6.4.3
Windows XP Home SP3
AMD Athlon 64 Dual Core 5200+ Windsor 2.6GHz
1GB Ram
SAPPHIRE Radeon X1600XT video card
Sci Atlanta 4250HDC
USBUIRT for IR blaster
h.264 codec Arcsoft (instructions here)
Sage set to DirectShow for MPEG4
HD PVR driver = 1.0.3.46
Video = 1080i

Once I added Arcsoft to my client, the clientPC worked much better. Video quality is very good on recorded h.264 1080i content as well as livetv with the same content.

The HD100 extender is perfect.....

[wado1971]

I might take the prize for the least horsepower in my client.

Server: 1)XP-Pro 2)Q6600 3-5)All from HD-PVR supplied disc 6)1080i-Great setting 7)Works great. No surprise.

Client:
1)XP-Pro
2)Athlon 3200(socket 939) UNDERclocked to 9x,1.25V
3-5)All from HD-PVR disc
6)1080i-Great setting
7)At first horrible but.... also install WMP10, new nvidia drivers for the 8600video card, & use overlay - Work great now!!

[Ktulu]

Wado you saved me! I switched to "overlay" and I get smooth playback of both live TV and HD PVR recordings.

I tried my HD100 between periods of hockey and get nothing but a black screen.

[zoop]

So I have a slightly different setup, but just wanted to chime in so if anyone else wants to try it they may feel a little more confident...

1x Sage 6.4.3 Linux Server on AMD Athlon XP 2800+, 768MB ram
2x Hauppauge PVR-150, 1x Hauppauge PVR-250

1x Sage 6.4.3 Vista Server in Network Encoder mode on Intel D945, 4GB RAM
1x Hauppauge HD PVR connected to DirecTV H10 via IR Blaster

1x SageTV STX-HD100 HD Media Extender
2x Hauppauge MVP Media Extender

1x SageTV Placeshifter on OSX
1x SageTV Placeshifter on XP

My only current issue is the lack of CPU power on the server when transcoding is required for my SD targets (MVP, placeshifter, etc)... will be fixed shortly via hardware upgrade

/jer

[B-Figgy]

Edit: I spoke to soon it seems. An hour or so after my post my PVR box showed the same symptoms that have been reported before. Looks like this unit is in the same boat.

Windows XP SP2
AMD Athlon 64 2.5Ghz
Gigabyte 780g MB
Arcsoft video codec
AC3 audio codec
HD PVR 1.03 Beta Drivers
video at 720p

Everything is working great on the recording end so far for the past three hours. The HD PVR has been stable and the picture quality is not noticably lower than my recording under firewire. My only problem now is the Hauppauge remote if you can believe it. I've done the HWClear -> reinstall from scratch route a couple of times and at some point managed to get either the HD PVR or my old PVR 150 recognized by the config program but under no circumstances has the Hauppauge remote itself worked in Sage since I installed the 6.4.3 beta. My current working configuration has the 150 removed from my box and the HD PVR IR blaster recognized by the blaster config but still no go.

It's the last problem I'd expect from this wonderful new toy and I'm only more upset because I don't know how I could begin diagnosing it. Any suggestions?

[bcjenkins]

Originally Posted by zoop

So I have a slightly different setup, but just wanted to chime in so if anyone else wants to try it they may feel a little more confident...

1x Sage 6.4.3 Linux Server on AMD Athlon XP 2800+, 768MB ram
2x Hauppauge PVR-150, 1x Hauppauge PVR-250

1x Sage 6.4.3 Vista Server in Network Encoder mode on Intel D945, 4GB RAM
1x Hauppauge HD PVR connected to DirecTV H10 via IR Blaster

1x SageTV STX-HD100 HD Media Extender
2x Hauppauge MVP Media Extender

1x SageTV Placeshifter on OSX
1x SageTV Placeshifter on XP

My only current issue is the lack of CPU power on the server when transcoding is required for my SD targets (MVP, placeshifter, etc)... will be fixed shortly via hardware upgrade

/jer

I am doing this tomorrow morning. My network encoder will be a Dell GX270 2.8Ghz. Any comments on what you had to do for network setup?

Thanks,

B

[zoop]

Originally Posted by bcjenkins

I am doing this tomorrow morning. My network encoder will be a Dell GX270 2.8Ghz. Any comments on what you had to do for network setup?

Thanks,

B

It was actually quite easy, just follow the appendix directions on setting up a network encoder.... modify the Sage.properties on the windows box to act as a NE, and modify the Sage.properties on the linux box to discover NE's on start. Done and done. I did find that both needed to be running 6.4.3, and trying to make the NE on XP under vmware server on an Ubuntu box did not prove fruitful

/jer