Is the client/server setup what I need?

[vorius]

So I have been happily using SageTV for approx. 5 years now and it's always been on one HTPC, one TV, just a simple client setup.

Now I am wondering if I could use it to "feed" another computer for another TV in my house.

I am wondering how this could work, if at all, and if the client/server relationship is what I need or something else?

Ok so I have HTPC 1 on TV 1 which has a regular TV tuner card being fed from a Satellite STB (to obtain signal from a paid European satellite channel) and a R5000 modded STB via USB for HDTV from my Verizon FIOS package.

Now I would like to have HTPC 2 hooked up to a TV 2 but I would like to be able for someone on HTPC 2 to be able to view the same content from the Satellite receive as someone on HTPC 1 is. Is that possible?

The only solution I can come up with is set something to record on HTPC 1 and then have HTPC 2 add HTPC 1's recording folder as imported media, and then just playing it like that. But if I could control feed from HTPC 2 to say setup recordings or perhaps even watch live feed that would be awesome.

Can a client/server setup do that?

[Spectrum]

Yep. You can use Sage Client on HTPC 2 and have full interacton just like you were at the main PC. You can also use an HD300 to do the same thing and not even have to build a 2nd system if you don't have one just lying around.

There is no trial for the HD300 of course, but if you have a 2nd system and want to try it out, Client has a 21 day trial so you can download and five it a whirl before you make up your mind.

[vorius]

Originally Posted by Spectrum

Yep. You can use Sage Client on HTPC 2 and have full interacton just like you were at the main PC. You can also use an HD300 to do the same thing and not even have to build a 2nd system if you don't have one just lying around.

There is no trial for the HD300 of course, but if you have a 2nd system and want to try it out, Client has a 21 day trial so you can download and five it a whirl before you make up your mind.

Thanks for the reply!

Ok so if I went and setup another HTPC and installed the client how does it work if someone using HTPC 1 is currently watching a show and then someone with HTPC 2 wants to change the channel?

The HD300 sounds very interesting! So it would basically behave the same way as if it was a client htpc right?

How many video sources do you think a server can handle before it becomes overloaded? If I have a client/server setup I'd like to add another video source for a 2nd digital set top box - for htpc 2 to watch separate standard definition shows (right now my HTPC is hooked up to a R5000 modded HDTV STB).

So I think I would make my current HTPC 1 my server - it has an Intel Core i7 cpu w/ a nVidia GTX 450 video card. It also has a separate 1.5 TB hard drive which I formatted in 64K blocks which is devoted to video recordings. It currently has the R5000 modded HDTV box as Video source 1, and standard definition into a PVR 500 card from a satellite receiver (hopefully can replace it with an internal PC card when SageTV supports it) as video source 2. Would this PC be able to handle a third video source - a standard definition source from another STB?

Then maybe even both my clients I could buy HD300's for -- on TV1 and TV2 and place the new server in the basement where it's cooler temps and safer. That would be nice

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by vorius

Then maybe even both my clients I could buy HD300's for -- on TV1 and TV2 and place the new server in the basement where it's cooler temps and safer. That would be nice

That's how I have mine setup. SageTV servers in basement and HD200's by each TV.

[vorius]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

That's how I have mine setup. SageTV servers in basement and HD200's by each TV.

Nice! How many video sources do you have setup on the server? Do you use HDTV? If so, what is your HDTV solution?

[gplasky]

I'm setup the same way. Server in basement with 2 x HDHomeruns (4 total tuners-OTA and QAM) and 1 x HD-PVR connected to Comcast digital setbox. I have 1 x hd100, 2 x hd200 and 1 x hd300 with 2 PC clients. 42" Panasonic plasma HDTV in living room connected over HDMI to the hd300. Optical out of the hd300 into my Sony 5.1 receiver.

Gerry

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by vorius

Nice! How many video sources do you have setup on the server? Do you use HDTV? If so, what is your HDTV solution?

I have two servers in my basement. One for HDTV using 2 HD-PVRs (DirectTV with 20TB storage 16TB used - I'm a packrat) also have 2 OTA using HVR-2250. Original SageTV server is SDTV using nVidia Dual TV (DirectTV again with 10TB storage 5TB used) also have 2 OTA using HDHR (get lousy reception so record same OTA on both boxes and usually get a good recording on one or the other). 3 HD200s upstairs.

[vorius]

Originally Posted by gplasky

I'm setup the same way. Server in basement with 2 x HDHomeruns (4 total tuners-OTA and QAM) and 1 x HD-PVR connected to Comcast digital setbox. I have 1 x hd100, 2 x hd200 and 1 x hd300 with 2 PC clients. 42" Panasonic plasma HDTV in living room connected over HDMI to the hd300. Optical out of the hd300 into my Sony 5.1 receiver.

Gerry

Wow that server handle alot of stuff - what processor and video card?

[vorius]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

I have two servers in my basement. One for HDTV using 2 HD-PVRs (DirectTV with 20TB storage 16TB used - I'm a packrat) also have 2 OTA using HVR-2250. Original SageTV server is SDTV using nVidia Dual TV (DirectTV again with 10TB storage 5TB used) also have 2 OTA using HDHR (get lousy reception so record same OTA on both boxes and usually get a good recording on one or the other). 3 HD200s upstairs.

How you like those HD-PVRs? They stream clear picture quality and no problem with any of your HD channels?

Yeah you are a packrat! 16TB of videos!

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by vorius

Wow that server handle alot of stuff - what processor and video card?

See my signature. It's a Windows Home Server so I don't use the video on the server.

Gerry

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by vorius

How you like those HD-PVRs? They stream clear picture quality and no problem with any of your HD channels?

Yeah you are a packrat! 16TB of videos!

I have the typical lockups on the HD-PVRs but otherwise I like them. I use the default maximum quality and 5.1 audio on all recordings. They look just like I get from the actual DirectTV STB as far as I can tell.

As to the lockups - my boxes are not locked to a single resolution. The HD-PVRs are on a single HUB on my server. I'm using 5.1 to record. etc... basically doing it all wrong with them so lockups are expected. I plan on remedying most of what I'm doing wrong when I get the time which is rather short right now. Specifically - locking the STBs to a single resolution (they keep resetting at every power outage which has been frequent lately). Buying a USB card to put the HD-PVRs on. I've already updated to the latest driver and SageTV7. All of which I expect to make them (HD-PVRs) very solid. Currently I only get a lockup once every 2 weeks to 2 months. It varies but probably averages a little over a month between.