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Hardware Support Discussions related to using various hardware setups with SageTV products. Anything relating to capture cards, remotes, infrared receivers/transmitters, system compatibility or other hardware related problems or suggestions should be posted here. |
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#1
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Network encoder questions
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? |
#2
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If Sage controlled the recording, then any Sage client could view them. Quote:
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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.
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- Jack __________________________________________ Server: AMD Phenom 9750, 2GB RAM, 2 Hauppauge PVR500, 1 Firewired DCT6200, 1 HDHomerun tuning 2 QAM channels, Vizio 37" HDTV LCD, 1 USB-UIRT Clients: 1 MediaMVP, 1 Placeshifter Client, & 1 SageTV Client. |
#3
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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. Last edited by nettech_gt; 07-05-2007 at 03:53 PM. |
#4
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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.
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- Jack __________________________________________ Server: AMD Phenom 9750, 2GB RAM, 2 Hauppauge PVR500, 1 Firewired DCT6200, 1 HDHomerun tuning 2 QAM channels, Vizio 37" HDTV LCD, 1 USB-UIRT Clients: 1 MediaMVP, 1 Placeshifter Client, & 1 SageTV Client. |
#5
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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. |
#6
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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. Quote:
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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.
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- Jack __________________________________________ Server: AMD Phenom 9750, 2GB RAM, 2 Hauppauge PVR500, 1 Firewired DCT6200, 1 HDHomerun tuning 2 QAM channels, Vizio 37" HDTV LCD, 1 USB-UIRT Clients: 1 MediaMVP, 1 Placeshifter Client, & 1 SageTV Client. Last edited by ke6guj; 07-05-2007 at 11:36 PM. |
#7
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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"
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#8
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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 ![]()
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- Jack __________________________________________ Server: AMD Phenom 9750, 2GB RAM, 2 Hauppauge PVR500, 1 Firewired DCT6200, 1 HDHomerun tuning 2 QAM channels, Vizio 37" HDTV LCD, 1 USB-UIRT Clients: 1 MediaMVP, 1 Placeshifter Client, & 1 SageTV Client. |
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