Anyone using unRaid with SageTV? Comments and inputs please ...

[TechBill]

Just about everything we own now uses digital media ie camcoder camera HTPC phones

So I think we will be needing some sort of a storage server with a raid array so if drive fails nothing is lost and drive can be replaced on the fly.

We been looking into servers and we think we would rather build our own and thinking going with unRAID based on what we read and learn that it might be the best path to take.


We wonder if anyone here use SageTV with unRAID?

Do you record your shows directly on the unRaid server or record it on SageTV computer then move recorded show over to unRaid after recording is complete?

It is possible to playback shows directly from unRaid server to HD300?

We not sure how all this would work with unRaid setup so we would like your commet and inputs on this

Thank you

Bill

[SomeWhatLost]

Originally Posted by TechBill

So I think we will be needing some sort of a storage server with a raid array so if drive fails nothing is lost and drive can be replaced on the fly.

I don't know that you need RAID as such... yes its nice that if one drive fails, you can just replace and rebuild...
nice thing about unRAID is that if 2 drives fail, or the drive controller fails, all the good drives still contain all their data...

Originally Posted by TechBill

We wonder if anyone here use SageTV with unRAID?

I would bet a few people do...

Originally Posted by TechBill

Do you record your shows directly on the unRaid server or record it on SageTV computer then move recorded show over to unRaid after recording is complete?

I record onto a 1.5tb drive in my server, and then just leave it there... deleting shows as I run out of room...
although unRAID would probably be fine as a recording drive I guess? depend on how many streams and what bit rate?

Originally Posted by TechBill

It is possible to playback shows directly from unRaid server to HD300?

sure, if the HDx00 is in stand alone mode, in extender mode everything goes through the server at some point...

Originally Posted by TechBill

We not sure how all this would work with unRaid setup so we would like your commet and inputs on this

mine works fine, although at the moment I am just using it for storage of DVD's, 1 BR (I successfully ripped my first BR but I still don't get what the big deal is), 2 HD DVD's... they all play back fine on my HDx00's in extender mode (and I would guess standalone mode, but I have never used standalone mode...)

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by TechBill

We wonder if anyone here use SageTV with unRAID?

I do.

Originally Posted by TechBill

Do you record your shows directly on the unRaid server or record it on SageTV computer then move recorded show over to unRaid after recording is complete?

Record to SageTV then move to unRAID.

Originally Posted by TechBill

It is possible to playback shows directly from unRaid server to HD300?

Depends on the mode. Standalone mode on the HD300 - yes. Extender mode the stream goes first to the server and then to the HD300. Other than the extra network traffic the stream never hits a disk in extender mode - or so I believe. I'm sure if I'm wrong someone that knows more will correct me. A client PC would stream directly from unRAID.

[Spectrum]

Originally Posted by TechBill

Just about everything we own now uses digital media ie camcoder camera HTPC phones

So I think we will be needing some sort of a storage server with a raid array so if drive fails nothing is lost and drive can be replaced on the fly.

We been looking into servers and we think we would rather build our own and thinking going with unRAID based on what we read and learn that it might be the best path to take.


We wonder if anyone here use SageTV with unRAID?

Yep, there are a few of us out here that have unRAID boxes. Be sure you read up on the forums and the wiki before you start buying parts. unRAID can be temperamental with some hardware and it's best to avoid the pitfalls from the start. Also, there is a configuration tutorial that may help you get things up and running if you decide to build a box.

Originally Posted by TechBill

Do you record your shows directly on the unRaid server or record it on SageTV computer then move recorded show over to unRaid after recording is complete?

I think some have tried with mixed results. It doesn't really make sense to record out to a NAS device as you are adding a lot of complexity and potential for errors.

Originally Posted by TechBill

It is possible to playback shows directly from unRaid server to HD300?

As previously mentioned, if the HD300 is in stand alone mode it will playback directly from the unRAID device. If it is operating in extender mode everything will go through the SageTV server.

[TechBill]

So it seem to be better to recorded on SageTV then convert and move file to unRaid server for later playbacks?

Can these be done automatically after a recording ends and the rec0rded show still accessable via SageTV with fanarts and still could be deleted or set watched via Sagetv etc?

I still wanted to be able to playback using SageTV Recorded Menu



I forgot you could play HD300 standalone but my plan keeping HD300 as extender mode and doing all playback going through SageTV since it a nice looking menu and I like fanarts.


I been doing lots of filming lately and using SageTV to store all my stuffs but I am afraid at some point I am going crash SageTV with traffic going from my computer where I edit my films and storing backup stuffs losing my shows I was recording.

So I thought it would be best just invest a seperate server and use it to store all my and family stuffs on it then let sageTV coutiune to run headless without anything else on it.

My sageTV only got 750G drive on it so I am thinking to coutiune to let SageTV record to that drive and have it somehow moved to unRaid server when it done recording if it still can be accessed or deleted or set Watched from SageTV then I am all for it.


Bill

[mayamaniac]

I would leave the SageTV recordings off the UnRaid, don't bother moving it to the UnRaid unless you really want to backup the recordings. Just use UnRaid for your other media.

Personally, I don't really care if my recording drive dies, I don't plan to keep them forever anyway.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by TechBill

So it seem to be better to recorded on SageTV then convert and move file to unRaid server for later playbacks?

I think so yes.

Originally Posted by TechBill

Can these be done automatically after a recording ends and the rec0rded show still accessable via SageTV with fanarts and still could be deleted or set watched via Sagetv etc?

Check out SJQ with a little work you can move the automatically.

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

I would leave the SageTV recordings off the UnRaid, don't bother moving it to the UnRaid unless you really want to backup the recordings. Just use UnRaid for your other media.

Personally, I don't really care if my recording drive dies, I don't plan to keep them forever anyway.

Here is where I would disagree. I have 15TB from just one of my servers stored on my unRAID server - ALL recordings. Only have 3TB of BluRays and DVDs ripped so far.

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

Here is where I would disagree. I have 15TB from just one of my servers stored on my unRAID server - ALL recordings. Only have 3TB of BluRays and DVDs ripped so far.

My suggestion was for TechBill, he only has a 750GB drive for recordings. I have about 2TB. You're in a different of class in terms of storage when you have 15TB for recordings, so certainly moving recordings to UnRaid is certainly needed in your situation.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by mayamaniac

My suggestion was for TechBill, he only has a 750GB drive for recordings. I have about 2TB. You're in a different of class in terms of storage when you have 15TB for recordings, so certainly moving recordings to UnRaid is certainly needed in your situation.

True. I took his post as meaning he WANTED to keep all of his recordings too and not watch and delete like most everybody else. In that situation he might actually need more storage and the ability to have a single drive failure without losing data an added bonus.

[TechBill]

Originally Posted by BobPhoenix

True. I took his post as meaning he WANTED to keep all of his recordings too and not watch and delete like most everybody else. In that situation he might actually need more storage and the ability to have a single drive failure without losing data an added bonus.

I always delete my recordings after I watch them but with my son is starting to want to keep all the recorded show he loves and want to watch them again when he is bored and my wife want to save some of the cooking shows so it time to find a place to put them and I am running out of spaces fast.

Yes I do have 750GB space but I also use the same drive to store more than just SageTV recording, I store my PC backups in there and some other personal stuffs and media editing stuffs so my recording space is only like 400 GB

So it either buy more drive and put it in SageTV server and mine is a mirco ATX so there really no room in there for a second drive then I would probably need a new case to add more drives or get an external drive or get a server just to house datas.


I just like the idea of one server where all our family media can be stored so we don't have to worry about PC or Laptop if we wanted to sell it or it breaks and losing all of our medias (family video and pictures etc) and use to to house SageTV recordings that kids and wife want to save.



Bill

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by TechBill

I always delete my recordings after I watch them but with my son is starting to want to keep all the recorded show he loves and want to watch them again when he is bored and my wife want to save some of the cooking shows so it time to find a place to put them and I am running out of spaces fast.

Yes I do have 750GB space but I also use the same drive to store more than just SageTV recording, I store my PC backups in there and some other personal stuffs and media editing stuffs so my recording space is only like 400 GB

So it either buy more drive and put it in SageTV server and mine is a mirco ATX so there really no room in there for a second drive then I would probably need a new case to add more drives or get an external drive or get a server just to house datas.


I just like the idea of one server where all our family media can be stored so we don't have to worry about PC or Laptop if we wanted to sell it or it breaks and losing all of our medias (family video and pictures etc) and use to to house SageTV recordings that kids and wife want to save.



Bill

unRAID is a great idea but it still won't replace a good off-site backup of your important data. I would suggest you keep backups in multiple locations for your family video and pictures. Maybe even three copies. A USB offline backup that you keep elsewhere in the house and also a backup to an internet backup service. As an alternative you could burn then to CD/DVD/BluRay and give them to a relative to store for you. If they are irreplaceable then you CAN'T have too many backups.

[graywolf]

I use unRAID for storage.

Record to local drive, move/archive (using SJQ) to unRAID.

Wife has several shows that she wishes to keep (mainly old westerns - cheyenne, virginian, have gun will travel, etc). After awhile, they tend to add up.

Also use it for backups of the other PCs (crashplan), other media files, etc, etc.

Playback of files on unRAID have not been an issue.

I like the ease of expanding the storage on unRAID when I need. I keep my eye out for deals (2tb for $70-80 range) and get them. I always keep 1 as a warm spare in case need to replace a drive or need to expand my storage. Been working out well for me

[PiX64]

I am extrememly happy with my unraid setup. I have had 2 older disk fail on me and nothing has been lost...as expected!

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...773#post452773

[MacDaddy]

I will echo what people have said about unRaid. I have tried using it in a cache disk configuration to hold SageTV recordings. However the network link just added another point of failure. With the addition of SJQ and the MediaShrink utility, the reason to go directly to unRaid is removed.

A few more points to consider:
- They have an active community. The developer of unRaid is very responsive. In addition the forum support from the community is well above average.
- There are some great user customizations. Check out unMenu as one of your first utilities. And because this thing runs so reliably, make sure you add in the email alert functionality (I once ran for almost three weeks with a dead disk before realizing).
- Don't understimate the value of adding incremental storage with mixed breed disk drives (I've never been so frustrated as trying to rebuild a RAID thinking I had an identical replacment disk only to find firmware hiccups).
- While you can still access remaining disks independently in the event of a two-disk failure, it has to be done with the ReiserFS. I have an old laptop set up as my contingency, confirmed to work. I have a hard disk cradle that can take SATA or IDE and connect to USB. Not the fastest, but let's me get to data without panic in the worst case scenario.

You can't go wrong with unRaid. They run some equipment specials on occasion. Not the most incredible of deals, but it takes the headache out of the build.