new setup opinions please

[mazakmaster]

I am setting up a computer to run Sage in service mode. The computer is a Dell pentium4 3.2 / 1.5 gb ram running XP Pro-sp2. I have one PVR-150(no ir port) 1 PVR 150(with ir port) and 1 PVR-500(still to be purchased). I would like to use the 1 PVR-150 with ir port with a motorola cable box. The other 3 will just tune the regular cable. I will have 4 total MVP's. No other client connections, just the MVP's. I will run the server in service mode only. How does this setup look to you guys? I want to setup a very stable system that just works. From the cpu and network load that I have seen on the 1 PVR-150, 4 tuners and 4 MVP's should be no problem. Any other input and opinions is greatly appreciated as I have not bought the additional MVP's or PVR-500.

[paulbeers]

I can't speak to the cable box issue as I am still just basic expanded cable here (to go upto Digital cable was another 25 bucks or so and all I really wanted was the movie channels so I went with Blockbuster online sweet deal by the way). I run 2 mvp's and a full client with 2 avermedia PVR150s (very comparible to the PVR150 by hauppauge) and 1 PVR500 and never have an issue with running out of tuners. In fact I rarely use more than 2. If I can run both my mvp clients and on my full client handle HDTV, you shouldn't have a problem. You won't be able to transcode to all 4 MVP's at once (meaning if you switch all your mpeg2 shows to Mpeg4 and then want to play them on the MVP's), it won't be able to handle the load but just recording and playing to the MVP's you will have more than enough power. I am even thinking about switching my server to an old AMD XP 2200+ (runs at 1.8 gig) to be my server as my AMD athlon64 3000+ never gets pushed to more than maybe 30% CPU (I am one of those Lame-O's that still don't have comskip setup and do not transcode my videos to mpeg4). That reminds me. I need to go restart my server when I get home. I haven't done so in a looonnggg time and it probably wouldn't hurt (I like to every month or so just to clean everything out).

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by mazakmaster

I have one PVR-150(no ir port) 1 PVR 150(with ir port) and 1 PVR-500(still to be purchased). I would like to use the 1 PVR-150 with ir port with a motorola cable box.

There is a possibility of a problem using the IR port on the one card that has it when there are other cards that don't -- Here's the latest discussion about that.

- Andy