Build a hd dvr but

[Hunter69]

I want a windows home server. I have tested Sagetv and got it working before. SO I plan to setup a Sage server on WHS. I know very soon I will be watching HD (I have it in my bedroom, all I have to do is switch out receivers from the cable company). In my bedroom I have a dvr from the local cable company. In my living room I have been using a vista media center for my tv. Currently it is SDTV. I am on the verge of switching to Sagetv. I was about to purchase a HD200. If I want to switch to have HDTV DVR (not over the air, but from a cable company HDTV box) sage box and I did not want a computer in my living room, what would I need to do to set this up.

My current setup
Athlon 3700+
2 gig ram
2 x 1.5 tb drives
hauppage pvr150 mce

My main thought is:
Do I need to have both the HD PVR and the HD200 in order to setup a HD DVR, and not have a computer in my living room.

Thanks

Hopefully I will get a quick responce because I am ready to make the purchase.

[gplasky]

You need the HD-PVR because that will do the capturing and creating your TV recording. You need a HD200 because that will allow you to watch the recording in the lving room without having a computer in there. And you need a computer somewhere with the HD-PVR connectoed to it and your STB (cable box) close enough so SageTV can change the channels on it. But you'll probably find out soon only having one tuner can be very limiting in a household.

Gerry

[QueOnda]

If you cable company has un-encrypted QAM (nomally local channels) you can use a HDHR. If you want to get from the cable box component (red, blue, green) then the HDPVR.

I would recommend the HD200 instead of the computer.

[Hunter69]

So unless I upgrade the entire system I am stuck with pci (no pci x). I do want at least a dual tuner. What should i buy. My area is just transitioning to digital broadcast locals but for now my thought is to get an extra cable box. Say two hd boxes. it will cost just an xtra 5.99 a month USD. SHould I upgrade to say a PVR 500
My plan is for a headless system. I am going to automate backups using WHS. For now I want to record and watch TV, distribute music, dvd and maybe put photos into the mix.

[QueOnda]

PVR500 does not get you HD. Don't know what you mean about upgrading the entire system. See what was suggested in the above post. Do your homework.

[Hunter69]

ok so I guess i need suggestions. If I maintain what I have now, and purchase a HD PVR with a HD200. What would I need to add to watch HDTV, and record HDTV simultaneously(different channel). I will also want to record sdtv and view it.

Thanks

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by Hunter69

So unless I upgrade the entire system I am stuck with pci (no pci x). I do want at least a dual tuner. What should i buy. My area is just transitioning to digital broadcast locals but for now my thought is to get an extra cable box. Say two hd boxes. it will cost just an xtra 5.99 a month USD. SHould I upgrade to say a PVR 500
My plan is for a headless system. I am going to automate backups using WHS. For now I want to record and watch TV, distribute music, dvd and maybe put photos into the mix.

Okay, so let's go thru everything. If you just plug a coax into your PVR150, can you get the lower 100 channels (meaning can you get 2-80ish)? If so, you can use your PVR150 to capture SD of your basic channels. Then if you pick up an HDPVR, you can use that to capture all the HD channels (such as Discovery, ESPN, etc) and any channel that is above the lower 100 (aka needs a Set Top Box to receive).

Now if you can also get your locals in HD via ClearQAM (that is the cable coming out of your wall may carry your locals in HD without encryption), then you may also want to consider an HDHomerun or an HVR1600. This will allow you to record your locals without having to hog your HDPVR (so it can be used to capture other shows).

All of this is just for capturing the video. Your current box should be more than powerful enough to handle just capturing (I can't guarentee about playback). This is where the HD200 comes in. Completely silent and will allow you to watch anything from your Sage server (most of us have ours in the basement, but whatever works for you) with plug and place ease of use. It just works. No hassling with video cards / drivers / other software, just to get playback to work.

[Hunter69]

So right now I use the 150 with svideo and can record while viewing the same channel (pause etc). I wouldn't mind setting it up to record HDTV + svideo (or whatever) on one tuner and watch a show on a different channel. For now no OTA HDTV, just tv from the cable company. Digital cable plus HDTV

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by Hunter69

ok so I guess i need suggestions. If I maintain what I have now, and purchase a HD PVR with a HD200. What would I need to add to watch HDTV, and record HDTV simultaneously(different channel). I will also want to record sdtv and view it.

Thanks

HDPVR + Cablebox = 1 channel (could be SD or HD)
HDHR = Dual tuner card, uses Clear QAM only (HD or SD digital)
PVR150 = SD analog

Pick and choose your config. What type of HD channels are you trying to record?

If you want local channels then I will go with the HDHR. If you are wanting discovery and such, then I will go with a HDPVR, 2 if you want to record one and watch live tv.

[Clift]

Originally Posted by Hunter69

So right now I use the 150 with svideo and can record while viewing the same channel (pause etc). I wouldn't mind setting it up to record HDTV + svideo (or whatever) on one tuner and watch a show on a different channel. For now no OTA HDTV, just tv from the cable company. Digital cable plus HDTV

Here I have made a diagram for you. Hope this helps.

[Hunter69]

Thank you can't get much clearer than that. I am now thinking of a HD PVR, HD200 and a HDhomerun (it looks as though I have 3 of the 4 local stations in hd) Questions
Can I split the signal coming from a the HD antenna?

I see people talking about some cable companies encrypting their ota hd. Is this correct or am I misunderstanding. If this is true how do i find out (other than buying an antenna etc) if mine are encrypted or unencrypted in my area??

Do you have a suggestion for an external HD antenna??

Thanks for all your guys help

[QueOnda]

Originally Posted by Hunter69

Questions
Can I split the signal coming from a the HD antenna?

I think you can use a splitter.

Originally Posted by Hunter69

I see people talking about some cable companies encrypting their ota hd. Is this correct or am I misunderstanding. If this is true how do i find out (other than buying an antenna etc) if mine are encrypted or unencrypted in my area??

Some people are saying but by law they are suppose to give you unencrypted qam for locals. Go to http://www.silicondust.com/hdhomerun/channels to see what's available. Or if you have a QAM tuner on your tv then you can see for yourself.

[Hunter69]

I am understanding this correctly about the need for an external antenna for the hd ota. How do you get qam??

[QueOnda]

QAM is what Cable uses. Reading material: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/QAM_tuner

[Hunter69]

Thank you for your help

[JCassey]

Hi everyone..

I have a similar situation as the OP and wanted to jump in and ask for some help/advice.

This is what I am running currently:

PC
======
P4 2.53 Ghz
2 GB RAM
FX5200 512MB
SageTV 6.3.10
Hauppage PVR-150

- Cable from the wall going into digital cable box.
- Cable box connected to PVR-150 via S-Vid
- MediaMVP connected to ethernet network
- MVP to 1080 LCD TV via S-Vid and composite audio (RCA red/white)


What I am able to currently do is record all channels (lower 100, upper 100's) that are not in HD and watch them on my TV. Has been working great for years, wife loves it. (Yaaayyyyy!!!)

Next step is I want to incorporate the recording and watching of HD in the scheme of things. The wife has even started asking about it, she's getting spolied with watching her shows in HD and is complaining when I have to record them and she has to watch them in SD.

I've been doing my homework, or at least trying to, and I think I have a workable solution (thanks in part to following/reading this thread).

In the simplest scheme of things will the following setup allow me to do what I want???

1) replace the PVR150 with a HDPVR
2) replace the MVP with a Sage HD Theater

I'm assuming that the Sage software will "control" the cable box and change channels for the recordings. The HDPVR does the actual recording, storing the recorded video to the PC. From here I can watch the SD or HD recordings on the PC throught Sage. I can also watch the SD or HD recordings on my LCD TV through the HD Theater. Are these correct assumptions and conclusions??

Is this the correct connection scheme?

- Cable from wall to HD cable box
- HD cable box to HDPVR via component and optical audio
- HDPVR to PC via USB

- HD Theater to ethernet network
- HD Theater to LCD TV via component
- HD Theater to stereo receiver via optical

Need any clarification in my setup or questions, please ask.

Thanks in advance for any help/advice/assistance, etc..

Peace out..
Jason

[QueOnda]

Your assumptions are correct. You don't have to take your 150 off-line and you can move your MVP to another tv if you like. The only thing the MVP won't be able to play is the HDpvr recordings but will continue to play the 150 recordings. Just use your 150 for channels lower than 100 and don't use the cable box for the 150.

[JCassey]

Thanks for the response and info.

Pretty solid idea, keeping the 150 in place for SD lower 100 recordings.

Much appreciated!
Jason

[JCassey]

Ok... now you really have me thinking about the logistics of keeping the PVR150 and adding the HDPVR.

How does Sage handle having multiple tuners? Forgive my ignorance but I am having trouble getting my head around this.

Say I want to keep my PVR150 and add the HDPVR to the mix. Do you need to setup multiple channel listings, one for each tuner? Or do you have one channel listing that you can "assign" the tuners to specific channels (to restrict the 150 from trying to record any HD or upper 100's channel)?

Also, how well does Sage handle the issue of favorites with the multiple tuners? Obviously I'd want all my favorites that are available in HD to record from the HD channel and not an SD one. Can you restrict each favorite to a specific tuner or channel?

I apologize again for kind of heading off-track. Just trying to get my thoughts straightened out.

Thanks again for any info/help!
Jason

[QueOnda]

Look in my sig. I have 3 different types of tuners (11 in all). You can assign different lineups to different tuners or you can copy the existing lineup (thus creating a new lineup) so you can can tell what channels you want and don't want. You an also give your turners merit, so the higher merit tuners have higher priority.

But when you look at the guide it looks like you only have one lineup.

Along with merit you can specify a favorite to a certain channel. I do this with Heroes and my HD channel is 703. So my favorite will only record on channel 703. But sage does a good job in recording HD over SD if it is specified in the guide data.