Please review installation plan

[tahoebob]

I’ve been running an old version of SageTV on a XP box, recording standard def TV from both the wall and from a cable box. I am completely upgrading everything. My lineup will be:

1. New i5 Win7 x64 box almost solely dedicated to Sage for both recording and playback.
2. HDTV – only place I will view recorded programs – connected to the box.
3. Two new (HD capable) Motorola DCT6200 from the cable provider
4. HVR-2250 connected to cable from the “wall” for basic channels
5. Two HDPVRs, each connected to a separate Motorola DCT6200 for encrypted and premium channels
6. USB-UIRT to control the 2 HDPVRs
7. SageTV v7

I’ve reviewed the posts in detail. I posted my original plans and received some great advice. Everything is in place except the Win7 box which arrives today. Based on what I have read I have come up with the following installation plan:

1. Get the Win7 box up and running. Turn off UAC and built in SW firewall (I am running behind a HW firewall).
2. Install the HVR-2250
3. Install the USB-UIRT (it will not be controlling the 2250). Configure the USB-UIRT for 2 zones
4. Install the 1st HDPVR using the 1.05.301 drivers. I do not plan to install the Arcsoft SW.
5. Install the 2nd HDPVR. One of the HDPVRs will be connected to a USB in the front, the other to a USB in the rear of the PC
6. Install SageTV v7 into C://SageTV folder. Install the Native Recording Patch
7. Configure Sage adding the HVR-2250, 1st HDPVR, 2nd HDPVR in that order. Turn off Service Mode.
8. Back up wiz.bin and copy my old wiz.bin file from a SageTV v2 on the old computer.

I would appreciate any advice anyone has on this plan. I have read of problems connecting/using the 2nd HDPVR. I recall reading one post giving a step by step process for doing so but can’t seem to find it again.

Thanks for your help.

[mr_lore]

I dont think step 6 is necessary with beta 7, it does that dirty work for you and if you already have UAC off the directory shouldn't matter either. I have done neither on my setup without issues.

If you run v6 however, the native recording patch is a good idea.

[scat]

tahoebob

I don't know if you have seen this tread: Single best move you can make to get a stable HD-PVR is to install a NEC USB card.

Newegg has it here for $11.99 : Rosewill NEC 4+1 Port USB2.0 PCI CARD Model RC-101

I have been watching the HD-PVR requirements other users are reporting so I just wanted to pass this along.

I don't have one but I am thinking about getting one.

Scat

[tahoebob]

Mr Lore and Scat,

Thank you very much for your advice. I will skip the Native recording patch and I've ordered the Rosewill card.

[bulaman]

I went with the PCIe card made by BYTECC

It is PCIe 2x, it will work on any 2x or high slot. If you did not know the small cards work in the bigger slots.

Using this has helped a lot. IR blaster stopped working but it was never very good. I switched to USBUIRT at the same time. Much better!

I still manually restart everything once a week just to reset everything, but so far it works pretty solid. The Bandwidth should be more than enough for the HD-PVR and many claim that the NEC chips are stable when compared to the VIA (which is very common).

Originally Posted by scat

tahoebob

I don't know if you have seen this tread: Single best move you can make to get a stable HD-PVR is to install a NEC USB card.

Newegg has it here for $11.99 : Rosewill NEC 4+1 Port USB2.0 PCI CARD Model RC-101

I have been watching the HD-PVR requirements other users are reporting so I just wanted to pass this along.

I don't have one but I am thinking about getting one.

Scat