Network encoder questions

[nettech_gt]

After reading Appendix G in the manual and through many posts on network encoders I’m still unclear on a few things…

1.To set up a network encoder you need a “master server” with Sage TV installed and another PC, “client” which has at least one capture/TV card, has another copy of Sage TV and is configured as a network encoder. Is this correct?

2.Can I schedule recordings from any of the client PCs?

3.Does the “master server” store all the recorded files? And can they be viewed from any PC regardless of what PC recorded it?

4.If the “master server” doesn’t have any capture cards and the client PC (which does a capture card) is in standby mode (S3) and a recording is about to start will the client PC be woken to record the show?

5.If the capture card in client PC A is in use and I want to watch something on client PC A can the capture card in client PC B be used? What if client PC B is in (S3) standby mode?

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by nettech_gt

After reading Appendix G in the manual and through many posts on network encoders I’m still unclear on a few things…

1.To set up a network encoder you need a “master server” with Sage TV installed and another PC, “client” which has at least one capture/TV card, has another copy of Sage TV and is configured as a network encoder. Is this correct?

Almost correct, the "client" would need to be running the full version of Sage, not SageClient

2.Can I schedule recordings from any of the client PCs?

Yes, any Sage client (SageClient, Placeshifter client, MVP client) can schedule upcoming recordings.

3.Does the “master server” store all the recorded files? And can they be viewed from any PC regardless of what PC recorded it?

The master could store all the files, if you wanted it to. Or you could have the files stored on the server that recorded them. Or you could specify that certain tuners store files in different places all over your network.

If Sage controlled the recording, then any Sage client could view them.

4.If the “master server” doesn’t have any capture cards and the client PC (which does a capture card) is in standby mode (S3) and a recording is about to start will the client PC be woken to record the show?

If the master doesn't have any capture cards, then why make it the master? If the master didn't have any capture cards, then all it would do as a server is control the schedule, dictate that schedule to the network encoder servers, and be the server for any placeshifter or MVP's. The only reason I could think to do that is if the master had a lot more CPU horsepower for transcoding to those placeshifter/mvp clients.

5.If the capture card in client PC A is in use and I want to watch something on client PC A can the capture card in client PC B be used? What if client PC B is in (S3) standby mode?

Yes, Sage should be able to use the capture card in PC B for a recording that A wants to use.

As for S3 issues, I dunno, I don't do any standby on my server.



How many tuners you planning on doing? The network encoder solution adds complexity and $$$ to the mix, that most people don't need. If it is due to STBs being in different rooms, I'd run more coax to consolidate all the STBs in a single location.

[nettech_gt]

I currently have a server in one room running Sage TV and a client PC in the bedroom running Sage client. The coax that feeds the STB comes into the bedroom. So I have a 50' s-video cable from the bedroom going into the server room to connect the STB to the capture card in the server. Now I could put all for of my STBs in the server room and run coax to the server room and continue to use Sage TV on the server and Sage client on the "client" PCs. HOWEVER..... I can't for the life of me convince the wife to use Sage TV at all. She insists on watching TV directly from the STB. If all the STBs are in the server room she wont be able to control any of the STBs with the Dish Network remote. Also I'd rather not have extra coax and s-video cables running all over the house. So... this why I'm thinking of doing the "network encoder" setup.

My goal is to have two capture cards in each client PC. (one in bedroom and one in Living room). Then there will be two STBs in the bedroom and two in the living room. I can then "locally" connect the capture cards to the STBs (without running extra cable through out the house) Since the the STBs will be next to the TVs in each room. The wife can tune to video 1 and watch TV directly from the STB using the composite connection and I can connect the s-video connection from the STB to the capture card. Then the server will act as the "puppet master" and control the clients (hopefully) waking them (from S3) for recordings when needed and putting them back asleep (in S3) when not active. I will have a RAID 5 setup in the server for movies,pics,music and TV recordings. The server will not have capture cards to prevent the need to run extra cables. The server would be on all the time only the "clients" would be in S3 standby when not in use.

[ke6guj]

Ok, if you cant move the STBs then, yes, you will need to run those PCs as network encoders. And they will need to use the full version of SageTV, that copy of SageTVClient will not be usable as a network encoder.

I understand that you have a server room and a server there that will be doing the storage, but I don't know if I'd set that server up as the "master" Sage server. IF you are using it just for storage of the recordings, you don't need to install Sage on it. You could have either the living room or bedroom PC be the master server, and have the other be the network encoder.

I don't know if the master server can be S3'd and wake up whenever the network encoder is in use.

You may run into issues with IR blasting on the network encoders, I dunno if that works exactly the same as IR blasting on the main server.

Also be aware, that the network encoder PC's won't default to using the STB plugged directly into it when being used to watch "live" TV. Sage will manage the STBs as it sees fit, and you may be at one PC watching programming being captured from the other PC.


You will probably run into problems in the future if both Sage and your wife are controlling the STB. There will be times that Sage is using that STB, and your wife will sit down to watch something on the STB Live. She will grab the remote, change the channel, and mess up your Sage recording. Or the oposite will happen, your wife will be watching something Live on the STB, and Sage will need that STB and change the channel on your wife.

[nettech_gt]

Originally Posted by ke6guj

Ok, if you cant move the STBs then, yes, you will need to run those PCs as network encoders. And they will need to use the full version of SageTV, that copy of SageTVClient will not be usable as a network encoder.

I understand that you have a server room and a server there that will be doing the storage, but I don't know if I'd set that server up as the "master" Sage server. IF you are using it just for storage of the recordings, you don't need to install Sage on it. You could have either the living room or bedroom PC be the master server, and have the other be the network encoder.

I don't know if the master server can be S3'd and wake up whenever the network encoder is in use.

You may run into issues with IR blasting on the network encoders, I dunno if that works exactly the same as IR blasting on the main server.

Also be aware, that the network encoder PC's won't default to using the STB plugged directly into it when being used to watch "live" TV. Sage will manage the STBs as it sees fit, and you may be at one PC watching programming being captured from the other PC.


You will probably run into problems in the future if both Sage and your wife are controlling the STB. There will be times that Sage is using that STB, and your wife will sit down to watch something on the STB Live. She will grab the remote, change the channel, and mess up your Sage recording. Or the oposite will happen, your wife will be watching something Live on the STB, and Sage will need that STB and change the channel on your wife.

Is there a way to configure capture card A and B to only record and capture card C and D to only watch live TV? That way I can record two different things at once with Sage TV and my wife and I watch live TV in either the Bedroom and/or the Living room at the same using either Sage TV or directly from the STB.

Also please correct me if I'm wrong but with Dish Network STBs you can configure the remote addresses to 1-16 to accept different sets of IR codes meaning my wife watching in the Bedroom changing the channels on STB C won't affect the capture card connected to STB B (in the bedroom) recording with Sage TV.

Just to clarify I want the "master server" to be running Sage TV in the server room and be on 24/7, it will NOT need to be S3'd. The two "client PCs" will be configured as network encoders and will be running Sage TV only (not Sage client) and will need to be S3'd when not active. But will also need to wake when recordings are due.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by nettech_gt

Is there a way to configure capture card A and B to only record and capture card C and D to only watch live TV? That way I can record two different things at once with Sage TV and my wife and I watch live TV in either the Bedroom and/or the Living room at the same using either Sage TV or directly from the STB.

Nope, you can't specify "live TV" tuners. You can rank the tuners via "encoder_merit" so that Sage knows what order you would prefer the tuners to be used, but that is for all usage, scheduled recordings and live tv recordings.

You could set the merit of the tuners that have the STBs that you will manually control to be the lowest number, to be used the least often, and hopefully you'll never run into a situation where Sage needs to use that STB that you are currently watching Live.

Also please correct me if I'm wrong but with Dish Network STBs you can configure the remote addresses to 1-16 to accept different sets of IR codes meaning my wife watching in the Bedroom changing the channels on STB C won't affect the capture card connected to STB B (in the bedroom) recording with Sage TV.

Correct, you can set the Dish STB so that your manually controlling STB C won't affect STB B. But aren't you planning on hooking up B & C to the PC so that Sage can use them? Sage may need to be, or is already using B when your wife changes the channel. And then you just messed up the recordings.

Just to clarify I want the "master server" to be running Sage TV in the server room and be on 24/7, it will NOT need to be S3'd. The two "client PCs" will be configured as network encoders and will be running Sage TV only (not Sage client) and will need to be S3'd when not active. But will also need to wake when recordings are due.

OK, no big deal to have the master server in the server room running 24/7 with no S3. I just saw you having to buy 3 copies of Sage, when you could get by with less, but that is what you need to set it up the way you want.

YOu will still also need 2 UIRTs, one for each network encoder, unless you can get it set up to use the MCE blaster. And I'm guessing if the network encoders will use the UIRT properly, or if they have to be hooked up to the master server.

And like I said, I don't know if the network encoders will properly S3 when not needed and wake when needed. And with the way the encoder_merit works, you could be on one PC watching TV, and Sage decides to use a tuner on the other PC, so that the second PC would need to wake up to record the show for the first PC. I don't know if it works that well. I'd hoped that Opus4 would jump in with any info he may have, and to correct any misstatements on my part.

[nettech_gt]

THANK YOU! ke6guj you have been extremely help full. It sounds like the network encoder setup isn't going to work the way I want....I guess I'll have to "twist the wife's arm a little more"

[ke6guj]

Yup, network encoders have their place, but that place is limited. I think most people are best served by biting the bullet and running the cable to get everything consolidated in the server room, and then running straight clients for the viewing.

Yes, I can understand wanting an STB that is controlled manually, since Sage doesn't do PPV or On-Demand, but with 4 STBs feeding you content, you will have plenty to watch already And if you can't tear that STB remote from your wife, perhaps you could run 3 STBs for Sage, and 1 Live STB for your wife. Connect both TVs to the one STB and get an IR extender so that you can control the STB from both rooms.