Would I need a copy of client if I bought two copys of server?

[bigbill]

Is the Sagetv client built into Server? I am wondering how I would program one server from the other server?

[GKusnick]

I think you can run the full product as a client using the -client command line switch. The question is why would you want to buy a second full license just so you can use it as a client?

I'm not sure what you mean by "program one server from the other server". If you set up two separate servers, they're independent and won't communicate with each other. You could, I suppose, run Placeshifter on one server in order to connect to and administer the other. But again, what are you trying to accomplish that requires two separate servers?

[bigbill]

I have two servers now, one in the garage recording OTA and the other in the living room recording from the HDPVR. I wanted to make sure I would be able to configure the garage one from the living room without having to purchase another license. It kind of sucks having to get out of one to watch something from the other box but I guess that is all that possible.

[GKusnick]

If they're on the same LAN you can set one of them up as a network encoder (per Appendix G of the manual) so that all of your recordings appear in one list on the primary server and all of your clients can access them through that server without having to worry about which machine did the actual recording.

[bigbill]

Wow, I saw that but breezed over it as it didn't register that is what I was looking for. I set encoder property to true on the STV in the garage and started the service again, and set the discovery property true from the living room. edited the firewall on the encoder to allow 8271 in but from the living room and started that service again.
I am not seeing any difference from the living room. I shared out the show folders on the encoder pc, but it doesn't say if I need to define them on the Discovery machine or not. It kind of hints I might need to reinstall in that short appendix? I found an article on sage recorder but that seemed obselete. Thanks for pointing out network encoding, I completely missed that. I guess I will have to do some trial and error tonight to figure out how this works.

[Polypro]

The network encoding machne just hosts the tuners...you don't need to set any settings on that box at all. The main server just tells it to record a show and send the bits over the network, for local storage. I guess if you have recordings on that box, you could set the directories as recording directories on the living room PC...it should pick up the shows already there.

P

[GKusnick]

Existing recordings on the network encoder box won't be listed in the Wiz.bin on the main box. If you want to keep those recordings, you could probably do something like this:

1. Temporarily set the network encoder box back to standalone server mode.
2. Use the webserver plugin to export recording info from the Wiz.bin on that box.
3. Set it back to network encoder mode.
4. Add its recording directories to the main server's config.
5. Use the webserver to import the recording info from the encoder box.

[bigbill]

Originally Posted by Polypro

The network encoding machne just hosts the tuners...you don't need to set any settings on that box at all. The main server just tells it to record a show and send the bits over the network, for local storage. I guess if you have recordings on that box, you could set the directories as recording directories on the living room PC...it should pick up the shows already there.

P

Where is a better write up than the user guide?
How do I tell its working?
Where does it store the recorded shows?
How do I choose which box it records on or which tuner it uses?
How does the primary box decide which channels the other box can see, its not the same between my two machines, one can only see OTA and the other all Sat channels with the HDPVR? Lots of questions, is there a detailed setup manual?

[GKusnick]

Disclaimer: I don't actually have a network encoder setup myself, but here's my understanding of how it works:

Originally Posted by bigbill

How does the primary box decide which channels the other box can see, its not the same between my two machines, one can only see OTA and the other all Sat channels with the HDPVR?

Same way as for different tuners in the same box. In the Video Source Setup screen, choose the channel lineup appropriate to each tuner, local or remote.

Originally Posted by bigbill

How do I choose which box it records on or which tuner it uses?

Same way as for local tuners. Configure the lineups to tell Sage which tuners can receive which channels, and Sage will choose an appropriate tuner for each channel. If a channel is available through more than one tuner, use encoder_merit to control which one gets used first (if you care).

Originally Posted by bigbill

How do I tell its working?

Same way you tell that any tuner is working. Go to the Program Guide and try watching a program on a channel that's available only through the tuners on your network encoder box.

Originally Posted by bigbill

Where does it store the recorded shows?

In the recording directories configured on the primary server. These can be local directories or network shares. So if you want to store some recordings on the encoder box, you can do that. You can also use forced_video_storage_path_prefix to have a specific tuner record to specific directory. But this doesn't really have anything to do with network encoding; it applies to any tuner.

Originally Posted by bigbill

Lots of questions, is there a detailed setup manual?

The basic rule of thumb is that once you get the primary server to see the encoder box, setting up the individual tuners should be just the same as setting up local tuners. So all the tuner setup instructions in the manual apply to network encoders as well.

[bigbill]

Ok. Maybe my primary still can't see the encoder, I looked in the source wizard and there is nothing under "add new source". I found some old (very old) docs about sage recorder, do you think I need to copy entries from the encoders properties files (the tuners) into the primary machine from the encoder machine, sort of seems like a real kludge, but probably not that big a deal. I wonder how I tell whether the primary can see the encoder?

[gplasky]

Recorder is another older product so I would probably steer clear of that. Make sure the machines are on the same subnet. And search the forums. I think there were some posts out there when people had some issues with the network encoding setup. And always make sure to stop the Sage service before editing any .properties files.

Gerry

[Polypro]

Once you have the encoder and encoder discovery properties set respectively, on your main server (living room?) you should see the Network Encoder tuner in "Add Source". You then set it up for what it can record (OTA in your case) and the Guide data. I run no software firewalls as everything is behind my Linksys, so check that. See above for other network troubleshooting.

P

[bigbill]

I opened 8271 as TCP instead of UDP. I can see the tuners now. So I guess its working.

The Encoder box has two OTA tuners and the Primary has 1 HDPVR recording from SAT.

I see the channels listed for the encoder are for the UHF #'s so I remapped them as "logical" numbers like 6.1 where I have a 6 on the sat and 6.1 on the two OTA tuners from the encoder. I don't think that is correct as only 15.1 is showing as an extra channel in the guide. No 6.1, 8.1,10.1 etc. And when I try to record two shows at the same time its as if those new tuners aren't seen. Maybe I should have changed the OTA channels to something else or not picked "Logical" changes.

[Polypro]

You can have two of the same logical number as long as they are from different source channel setups. I have a Cable 14 and an QAM 14 listed. Try a restart of Sage.

P

Also try 8-1 instead of 8.1

[bigbill]

I am seeing the tuners from the encoder machine but nothing records. Do you think I need to reinstall Sage as I had originally set it up as a standalone server not realizing there was such a thing as an encoder? I don't remember there being a choice for being a network encoder box. I removed the defined sources from the encoder box, should they be setup on the encoder box too?
No use working on the channel line up if they won't record yet. Need to figure that out.

[Polypro]

Actually, yes...you do need to add the tuners on the encoder box. My bad with my "no config needed" statement. Add the tuners, add the OTA lineup, and make sure it will tune. That should be it though...sorry 'bout that.

P

The tuner should look something like "Fusion HDTV Capture on WHS:6969"

[bigbill]

I did a reinstall of the encoder box including removing and reinstalling the hvr-950 drivers (the hauppague way) and just did a setup of the tuners on the encoder. Then did a setup again on the Primary, it seems to see the encoder tuners but doesn't record anything from them, just the local tuner to it. I do see the other channels listed in the local guide so its picking them up. Maybe having a local tuner on the primary isn't supported?
I see that debug logging is available, should I turn that on? And which machine both? Is there any other logging besides debug. I've searched the forums and the sage pdf for logging. -Bill

[Polypro]

I don't know man. When I set mine up I added the tuner in the NE box, scanned for OTA, made sure they played, and enabled the encoding property in the settings. On my living room box, I enabled encoder discovery, found the Fusion card:6969 in my tuner setup, added the OTA lineup, scanned for channels and activated them. It all worked fine. Did you add a lineup and scan on your living room PC as well? The scan on the encoding box is just to make sure everything works...you need to do it again on the other PC.

P

Also, Sage will combine the guide...if you have a QAM WABCDT channel, and an OTA WABCDT...you will only see it once in the guide.