Can Placeshifter efficiently transcode/stream HD-PVR H.264 recordings?

[CanadianEh]

I was curious if a typical-powered server PC can transcode the HD-PVR H.264 recordings for display on a remote PC over the Internet through the Placeshifter ap?

[Brent]

I would say no. It's going to take a very powerful processor just to transcode the h.264 files at all and doing it on-the-fly would be even more difficult.

I'm betting we'll need a quad-core to do this sort of thing. A dual-core could probably transcode also, but it would be slower of course.

[reggie14]

We'll also need a multi-threaded transcoder. I still don't think Sage has that working yet.

[scoob101]

Does that mean that you cannot watch HDTV recordings or live HDTV using Placeshifter on a wireless (G) LAN connection ?

I am looking at the WHS version of sageTV, so all my HDTV viewing will be on clients (Wired Extenders and Wireless Laptops using placeshifter)

[Ryokurin]

If its on a lan, then its not going to be transcoded and is a direct stream. Then it becomes a issue of your overall bandwidth. Wireless G usually has trouble with high bandwidth streams, as even though its rated for 54 Mbit/s in practice its 20Mbit/s or less. Consider upgrading to N or using 802.11a if you have problems.

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by scoob101

Does that mean that you cannot watch HDTV recordings or live HDTV using Placeshifter on a wireless (G) LAN connection ?

I am looking at the WHS version of sageTV, so all my HDTV viewing will be on clients (Wired Extenders and Wireless Laptops using placeshifter)

It can transcode HD files in MPEG2 format just fine. What it can't currently transcode are HD files in H.264 format (.TS), which is what the HD-PVR produces.

It's not even about CPU power, it doesn't even trancode when I tried, the video is just black.

[Fuzzy]

The current version of ffmpeg used in SageTranscoder does not support the HD-PVR's H.264 files. current versions of ffmpeg DO support them, so it shouldn't be long before SageTranscoder is updated. ;-)

[Slipshod]

I could have sworn I got H.264 from the R5000 working from work by setting the streaming to "manually specify bitrate and settings" and then dropping it down to like 384/20fps.

Try fiddling with that and see if it helps. I know the HD-PVR recordings are exactly like the R5000, but the main difference is audio codec and bitrate. The video is more or less the same.

Cheers,
Slipshod

[Fuzzy]

The major difference in the HD-PVR is it's use of PAFF interlaced flagging.. It may work fine in 720p, but not in the interlaced modes, as PAFF is not currently supported by the SageTVTranscoder.

[phelme]

it's not a solution to on-the-fly transcoded Placeshifting, but I've started to convert those programs that I might be watching with PS using ArcSoft's MediaConverter. I use the AppleTV MP4 conversion method and am quite happy with the quality. Plus the files end up being much smaller too. Takes about 3.5 hours per hour long show to convert on a dual 3800+ CPU.

[Slipshod]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

The major difference in the HD-PVR is it's use of PAFF interlaced flagging.. It may work fine in 720p, but not in the interlaced modes, as PAFF is not currently supported by the SageTVTranscoder.

I thought Dish Network's H.264 used PAFF as well...

[jgourd]

Does this mean that the Media Extender 100 isn't going to be able to play back HD-PVR content?

[gplasky]

The STX 100 Media extender plays those back natively. It does it all in hardware.

Gerry

[wayner]

Originally Posted by Brent

I would say no. It's going to take a very powerful processor just to transcode the h.264 files at all and doing it on-the-fly would be even more difficult.

I'm betting we'll need a quad-core to do this sort of thing. A dual-core could probably transcode also, but it would be slower of course.

I am thinking of switching to WHS for my main Sage server and will likely be buying new hardware. Any idea how much processor I would need to transcode HD-PVR files? Other than that I don't think I would need much processor. Should I buy something really fast right now or should I get a cheaper more modest CPU for now and upgrade in the future when/if transcoding of HD-PVR files is feasible.

[jgourd]

Originally Posted by wayner

Should I buy something really fast right now or should I get a cheaper more modest CPU for now and upgrade in the future when/if transcoding of HD-PVR files is feasible.

In another thread someone mentioned that Sage can't transcode HD-PVR files at all

[Brent]

Originally Posted by jgourd

In another thread someone mentioned that Sage can't transcode HD-PVR files at all

Can't yet transcode. But when the feature is added, it will take a very hefty CPU...

[wayner]

Originally Posted by Brent

Can't yet transcode. But when the feature is added, it will take a very hefty CPU...

Can we define "very hefty" yet or is this to be determined and does it depend on well the software is written to take advantage of multiple cores - i.e. have one core decode the H.264 and another core re-encode to a lower bitrate H.264 or other format.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by wayner

Can we define "very hefty" yet or is this to be determined and does it depend on well the software is written to take advantage of multiple cores - i.e. have one core decode the H.264 and another core re-encode to a lower bitrate H.264 or other format.

Sorry for being kind of vague, but I don't know for sure since there's no way of trying it. I base my "very hefty CPU" comment on the fact that it takes at least a dual-core processor for decent H.264 playback and comskip processing on h.264 files requires a pretty fast (dual or quad-core) processor to process the commercial detection on h.264 at any decent speed. I just don't know for sure since there isn't currently a way to do it in SageTV yet.

[Corbay]

Is there a way to use the placeshifter with the Hauppauge HD-PVR?

If that could happen that would sure be the shiznit.

A all in one box that would record, and placeshift.

Thanks

* merged; see above *

[CollinR]

As noted above someone is transcoding and it's a 3.5:1 ratio on an AMD 3800, so that tells me you would need a CPU roughtly x4-5 that of an AMD3800.

Or you could be okay with it taking 3.5 hours to watch a 1 hour show, thats alot of skipping.


Also you have your internet pipe, it's unrealistic to try and stream HD video from your home internet connection today. The 20mbps wifi G has enough troubles your 1mpbs internet pipe is a complete joke.

IF you get an OC30 placeshifter will work fine, just turn transcoding off and have it send it as though you were on a LAN.