Booting up old box... whats new?

[Brett]

So... I just booted up my old PVR (its been awhile since i touched it)...

Pentium 4 3.0Ghz
1GB Ram
1TB Space (Spread across 2x160gb and 3x200gb)
256GB Radeon 9800 Pro
2x PVR500s

I am planning to toss the RAM and Harddrive in favor of new, larger capacities, but keep the rest to save (a little) money.

Specifically, I am thinking 4GB of RAM and 2 or 3 TB of Data (Spread across 1TB drives with SATA connections)

My question: Should I upgrade the rest, or will it be acceptable? And is cablecard access ready yet?

I have also considered putting a license of WinServer 2008 (I get them for free because I am private MS beta tester - might as well use them) on the system and putting it upstairs in the attic. In this scenario I would get the additional benefit of having roaming profiles through the house. Anyone else tried it?

Thanks!

[paulbeers]

What are you looking to do with your PVR?

Based on your comment about putting it in the attic, I assume you are thinking Server/client setup? Are you going to use full clients? Extenders? Are you going to switch to HD or stay SD?

If you are looking at solely using the box as a server, you are fine (although upgrading the hard drives would probably save you some energy and headaches as they are usually the first to go). I would recommend keeping one of the small drives as the OS only drive.

As far as cable card, no. And probalby never will be with Sage. The only reason VMC can use them is that they encrypt all recordings so that they can only be played back on the local VMC server/extenders. Sage records in un-encrypted formats so the cable co's, MPAA, etc. will never go for it. The alternative is the HD-PVR. It records HD content by taking advantage of the "analog hole" (it records off of an STB's component output).

[Brent]

Brett,
Up until the last month (motherboard went out) I used a PC powered about like the one you mention P4 3.0Ghz etc. I know it would work as a server but more power never hurts. Should require about the same power as any other HTPC software.

As mentioned by paul, CableCard is only available to people who purchase a PC that already has VMC and CableCard pre-built & installed on it. You can't DIY it and can't have CableCard with any non-VMC HTPC. You can still record and watch liveTV on all digital channels though with the hauppauge HD-PVR which is supported by SageTV, BTV and GBPVR.

New stuff in SageTV - lots of stuff to catch up on. Take a look around. Lots of extra functionality with the SageMC UI too - don't miss that and the many plugins available.

[Brett]

Thanks guys...

Paul as you guessed, I am leaning towards the client/server setup. My entire home is hardwired for network access. I figured I would probably go with the PC/SageTV Client license that I have had for years in my office. The rest would be the HD extenders. Ofcourse if I put the server in my office, I could save that client license and use it in my wifes office. Ohh.. decisions...

Brent the PC was a powerhorse in the past, so I was expecting it to be powerful enough today. Thanks for the confirmation.

I could do 2xPVR500's and 1xHD PVR for a pretty nice setup. It absolutely sucks that there is no other way to access anything beyond channel 100.

I would probably go with 3 TB's of data since I would have 5 tuners installed. As mentioned already, I was planning to keep one harddrive for just the OS.

That should be enough for 3-4 HD extenders. Although... since I insisted on moving only the 2 flat panel TVs when we purchased the house, I would have to go buy some new TVs

Estimated Total Cost: $650 PC Upgrades + $200/Extender

A little more than I wanted to spend, but is that a decent plan of action? I may have to make this a two phase approach, with the HD tuner (and 3rd TB) being installed later on...

[Taddeusz]

I think people have been having problems getting SageTV to run on Server 2008. You may check around before you go that route. Server 2003 is a safer choice if you're going to go with a server OS.

[CollinR]

Originally Posted by Brett

I could do 2xPVR500's and 1xHD PVR for a pretty nice setup. It absolutely sucks that there is no other way to access anything beyond channel 100.

1. Analog channels stop at 125.
2. If you connect the Svideo from the PVR500s to a cable box it can use as many channels as the box supports.

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by CollinR

2. If you connect the Svideo from the PVR500s to a cable box it can use as many channels as the box supports.

Very true. Only need the HDPVR for HD channels. I have 3 STB's for Dishnetwork. 2 are 311's that are only capable of SD and 1 is the 211 which is the HD. I have Sage only mapped to use the 211 for HD channels and the 311's are used for the SD channels. Works perfectly. The same could be done with STB's from the cable co.

[Brett]

Originally Posted by CollinR

If you connect the Svideo from the PVR500s to a cable box it can use as many channels as the box supports.

I actually thought about that after I had posted. Still I am no fan of the cable companies, should work straight out of the wall.

Thanks!

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Brett

I actually thought about that after I had posted. Still I am no fan of the cable companies, should work straight out of the wall.

Thanks!

Unfortunately no matter what system you go with, VMC, Sage, Beyond, etc. there isn't a way to get anything above 125 without a device (whether that be cablecard or using an STB). 99% of cableco's encrypt their digital channels (other than locals). Even if you pay for digital cable, you can't pull it in directly from the wall into a QAM tuner. Trust me, I have an HDHomerun with two Clear QAM (meaning it can only capture unecrypted signals) and two tv's with built in QAM tuners. When I was with my cableco and paid for Digital programming, I STILL had to have cable boxes. Its a bit of the cableco's "dirty" little secret. They have inessence taken the only thing they had over satellite (that is all tvs in your house could access cable without the need of an STB at each tv) and forced you to go the route of STB's (if you want all your channels and not just the analog). This is why I have jumped ship.

Did I mention I also pay less on Satellite?

[Brent]

Originally Posted by paulbeers

...I have an HDHomerun with two Clear QAM (meaning it can only capture unecrypted signals) and two tv's with built in QAM tuners....
Did I mention I also pay less on Satellite?

So Paul, I'm guessing you no longer use your HDHR tuner?

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Brent

So Paul, I'm guessing you no longer use your HDHR tuner?

I still use it, but now it is solely regulated to ATSC capture and not QAM.