Benefits of HD200 over MediaMVP for SD Recording Playback & Online Services

[rmellor]

I currently have a Hauppauge MediaMVP. I just got the latest SageTV Software (6.6.2 for Windows). Simply running my MediaMVP with the latest SageTV software is already a big improvement for me so far (I previously had connection issues and the UI seems faster).

Anyhow, I bought the 'HD200 & SageTV for Windows' bundle.

In my current setup, I only record SD and watch SD playback (s-video) out of my MediaMVP. Unfortunately my TV is old and has Component inputs but no HDMI inputs so I'm just recording/playing back in SD.

My question is - if I primarily do everything in SD (s-video out), will using the HD200 provide many benefits over my current MediaMVP? I realize the HD200 is much more powerful than the MediaMVP, but I won't be taking advantage of its HD abilities at all.

I did try out the SageTV Online Services and I tried out a Diggnation HD Quicktime feed and noticed stutter during playback. I assume that was my PC transcoding the HD Quicktime to SD and passing SD to my MediaMVP? Or, perhaps it stuttered due to the downloading time of the actual content off the web. (It seemed like if I let it sit to buffer for a bit, it would have eventually played back fine).

Does the HD200 help out here w/ processing in any way (that may prevent the stuttering)?

I just read the other thread about Is It Doing the Heavy Lifting and it seems like the MediaMVP can only process the standard SD MPEG-2 so everything else falls on the SageTV Server. I think I also read that the opposite is true with the HD200, in that it will process EVERYTHING on its own (and offload processing from the SageTV Server) (including the Online Services processing?).

I should receive the HD200 soon in the mail so I can try it out for myself & answer some of my questions, but I figured I'd ask around too. I'm very pleased so far in general with SageTV 6.6 and my current MediaMVP. I'm debating on keeping the newly purchased HD200 or returning it and just using the MediaMVP as I do now.

Are there other benefits of using the HD200 over the MediaMVP for mainly SD use (and occasional online videos)?

Perhaps when OLED TVs come out in 2011/2012 - I'll finally upgrade my TV

Thanks
Rob

[rmellor]

Actually I just stumbled upon this thread which has some very useful info:

MVP vs HD200 user experience

[freedml]

that's right, HD200 will take a big processing load off your server

[rmellor]

An update - I have the HD200 up & running. Definitely a big improvement over my old MediaMVP. Menu selection is much smoother now and in general more responsive. Also I tried the "Diggnation HD-Quicktime" feed and it works perfectly (I imagine the HD200 is doing the transcoding instead of my slower PC?). Or at least the HD200 can play back the video & buffer much better than the MediaMVP did.

All in all, I'm very pleased with the HD200. Only complaint is the bright super active LED lights on the front of the unit. I ended up taping some cellophane over the green light and now it is much less noticeable.