Does anyone have HD working well???

[COLO_PVR_GUY]

OK, I have a 3.0GHz P4 with 1.5GB ram and a nVidia PCIE 7300GT vid card and I'm using PureVideo Decoders. I use this exclusively for Sage. I started with a PVR-150 card and then added a HVR-1600 when I bought an HD TV, because although the 150 looked great on my SD TV, it looks not so good on the HD, which is connected to the 7300GT. As a side note, the 150 and analog 1600 tuner still look great on my SD TV, which is now connected via MediaMVP. I set up the QAM channels without any problems, and the 1600 found many of them. I have tried all the latest 1600 drivers (beta and otherwise) without luck. Unfortunately, Sage (or the computer, or the network storage computer or something else) chokes after about 20 seconds of QAM viewing and the screen locks up, usually requiring me to restart the Sage PC. Maybe this is because I'm recording to a network IDE drive array, though I have tried lowering the quality to rediculously low, so I'm not actually trying to write data at a very high rate. Maybe this is because my CPU can't handle it. Maybe it's something else.

The bottom line though is that I really think Sage TV is a great tool and offers some great features. I really want to make it work for me and my HD TV. My real question is whether or not people have achieved really good HD quality with their Sage PVR's. If I need to invest a few hundred in a new mobo and a dual core CPU, I would love to if it meant that I could reliably use Sage in HD. I'm not afraid to spend a few bucks, but I'm not a huge fan of throwing good money after bad. Any thoughts? As a side note, I see Sage has a sale on the AverMedia A180. Anyone using the HD tuner on this card?

Thanks in advance,
Brady

[Opus4]

I can't really say what isn't working right on your system, but I just thought I would mentioned that, yes, HD is working well for me so far. I recently added an HDHomeRun configured with one tuner for OTA and one for QAM. The only issue I had at first was that the version of ZoneAlarm interfered with it, but after uninstalling ZA, it has recorded quite well. The PC is from 2004: a 2.8 Ghz P4 w/2GB RAM and a few 500GB IDE drives.

Almost all of my playback is done via HD100s.

I have a Hauppauge 1600 too, but I haven't had a chance to install it & try it out.

- Andy

[toricred]

I have tried using network drives for HD and always ran into problems. It should work fine on a gigabit network, but the only success I've ever had was when the HDD was in my server.

I also don't think a 7300GT is really up to displaying HD, but I'm using HD extenders.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by COLO_PVR_GUY

...I have tried lowering the quality to rediculously low...

Encoding quality settings have no effect on HD, which is already encoded by the broadcaster at a quality chosen by them.

As toricred says, the weakest link in your setup from an HD perspective is probably the 7300GT.

[COLO_PVR_GUY]

Andy or others,
Is the Sage app configured to take advantage of dual core processors? I run some engineering apps that are great at dividing the load between multiple processors, but in general I have found that most programs only utilize one processor well and the dual processor advantage only really comes into play when the computer is running a couple of different programs at once. This really isn't the case with a dedicated Sage server since it's only running the Sage app or am I confused?

Thanks to the guys for the feedback so far on the network storage and video card. What are most people (that aren't running HD extenders) using? 8600's, 8800's?

Any input would be greatly appreciated.

[Olias]

Originally Posted by COLO_PVR_GUY

My real question is whether or not people have achieved really good HD quality with their Sage PVR's. ...As a side note, I see Sage has a sale on the AverMedia A180. Anyone using the HD tuner on this card?

Yes to both of these questions. I am using the A180 and it is a very solid tuner for my purposes. I did notice that it was just a bit weaker picking up distant stations than my TVs ATSC tuner. All of the HD material recorded with it looks great.

I'm also one of the crazy fools who capture component HD from a sat box and encode it on the fly to SageTV. Image quality is not exactly the same as the source, but it is very, very good.

[Polypro]

HD is fine, see sig below. I have a GigE network, but still record TV (only, all other media is on WHS) to local disks. I *do* network encode one OTA channel though. If Vista, disable ReadyBoost, Superfetch and change NetworkThrottlingIndex reg key.

P

[MrD]

You do not mention what MB you have, but using a P4 I suspect it is an older board.

Check how your ethernet hardware is attached to the system. Is it on the PCI bus (older P4 MBs sometimes attached their gigabit ethernet port to the PCI bus!)? If it is then I suspect either the PCI bus is saturated or a buggy driver (i.e. IRQs are not being shared well).

[sic0048]

HD works great for me. Of course I am using a HDHomeRun to record the HD stream, and a Sage HD extender to view it. So my HD is basically independant of my computer's processing speed (which is a 3.0 P4).

[Razillian]

I just updated my Sage client/server box last weekend to a core 2 duo. Prior to that I had a P4 3GHz, 1GB RAM and an AGP 6600GT video card. I used the Purevideo decoders (audio and video set as default default in sage). VRM9 with FSE enabled. I ran HD from an HDHomerun day and night, playback and recording on the same box and it worked without a hitch. Even while it was recording one HD show, I had no problems watching a second HD recording.

I think the secret for me was a combination of SPDIF audio out to a receiver on a good sound card, and the purevideo decoders being the system default decoders (as opposed to selecting them in Sage specifically). If the purevideo decoders are not the default, you don't get all the options to tweak them.

Also, everyone focuses on the video aspects of things, but neglect the sound side which can eat up CPU cycles. Even on my new system, which is quite the upgrade, using the audio built into the motherboard (REALTEK with optical SPDIF out) and I had stuttering playing back the HD video. I disabled the onboard sound, dropped in my Turtlebeach Montego and *poof* the video stuttering went away.

[COLO_PVR_GUY]

It looks like most of the people that have replied are either using an HD100 for playback or HDHR to capture or both, taking a lot of load off the Sage PC. Maybe instead of building a better computer, I should opt for an HD100 and keep my HVR-1600. If I go that route, do I need an additional Placeshifter license to use the HD100 and my MediaMVP at the same time?

Thanks for the replies so far.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by COLO_PVR_GUY

do I need an additional Placeshifter license to use the HD100 and my MediaMVP at the same time?

The HD100 comes with its own license, so if you already have one license, you would still be able to use both at the same time.

- Andy

[r00st3r]

I am using 2 HD Homeruns and have only 1 computer (server\client) for recording and viewing. I bought a referbished Dell Inspiron 530s (see sig for specs) for $319 from their outlet. I can record HD QAM locals in HD no problem and comskip them as well. I also have a NAS box that holds backed up bluray .mk4 files that play beautifully as well.

[dgeezer]

I am running an HP 8200 Media center PC with intel coreduo and an 8500gt video card and Vista Home Premium.
My tuners are:
HVR-1600 analogue cable and QAM
HVR-1800 analogue cable and Over the Air

I get good HD recordings on both cards. The 1800 however will not tune any QAM stations no matter what I've tried.
I get good playback of recordings and live TV on this PC attached to a Vizio 42" lcd. I also have an HD100 attached to the living room TV which gives great playback and live TV viewing.

[MrD]

My wife can not tell the difference between live (i.e. the DirecTV HD box) or recordings via the HD-PVR (hooked to another DirecTV HD box) through an HD100 connected to the same Mitsubishi Diamond 55" HDTV.

As soon as the BETA goes live, I will be pulling the DirecTV HD box off of that TV (and save $5 a month )

As far as processor goes, I have a Core 2 1.8 GHz processor with 2Gb memory. I have never had an issue with CPU load, and I run the Comskip application via SJQ.

[waynedunham]

Sage Server: Upstairs in computer room

P4-2.8Ghz HyperThreaded Socket 478
1 Gig Ram (2 512mb sticks in Dual Channel mode)
Aopen AX4C Max II Mobo
2x 320gb SATA I drives non raid (2 recording dirs set up in Sage. 1 on each drive, Win XP SP2 OS on first drive)
Gigabit lan on mobo
2 Hauppauge PVR 500s (2 tuners on each for a total of 4 sd hardware capture devices)
1 Hauppauge HD PVR 1 HD capture device hooked to Comcast Motorola DCT 6200 using Hauppauge IR blaster Hooked to CPU via USB2

Sage TV, latest Beta version. Stock STV with Comskip for stock STV import

In basement by the network/cable/phone rack

1 HD HomeRun = 2 HD tuners using QAM cable Located in basement tied into gigabit switch

Future plans are to move the entire system to the basement, get a 2nd gigabit NIC and hook the HDHR direct to the server. May get a 2nd HDHR and/or 2nd HD PVR

Stress test on first full evening of recording with the new HD PVR in the system:

9pm

1 SD recording Analog cable direct into tuner
1 HDHR recording HD QAM source
Watching SD recording on HD Extender as it records, 1/2 hr behind realtime
CPU 7%
Network 7% max


10:10pm

3 SD recording Analog cable direct into tuners
2 HDHR recording HD QAM source
1 HD PVR recording HD source from Motorola cable box
1 instance of Showanalyzer running (Commercial marking program) NOTE: I have it throttled in the settings to not use more than 10% cpu max

Watching HD PVR recording on Sage HD Extender as the program records. A few minutes behind real time

CPU 15-25% (Showanalyzer causes CPU to jump up/down 5% or so as it throttles itself)
Network 10-12%


10:45pm

4 SD recordings Analog cable direct into tuners
2 HDHR recordings HD QAM sources
1 HD PVR recording HD source from Motorola cable box
1 instance of Showanalyzer running

Watching HD PVR recording on HD Extender as it records. A few minutes behind real time

CPU 35-40%
Network 5% (not sure why it was lower than 9pm and 10:10pm unless my main computer was fetching Email and/or my ReplayTVs (2) were doing something over the net at 9pm and 10:10pm although those shouldn't show up on the Sage Servers net usage)

I did notice some blur on motion on the HD PVR over the HD Extender during the test. Not sure if it was the source material having that in it already, an issue with the HD PVR or the load on my pitiful SageTV Server. I also noticed a couple instances of audio being a slight bit behind (very slight). Again not sure where that issue lies.
The verdict on those issues will have to wait until I have a larger sample of recordings from various channels. We know that some channels compress more than others and this might be the motion blur I was seeing.

Overall though I'm VERY pleased at the results so far.

Oh, I didn't have anything on the computer to gauge Hard Drive usage/throughput/stress and didn't have time to hunt something up before I started the testing.

[waynedunham]

Well after I logged off last night I figured out why the network load was so low. Comcast in their infinite PITAitude decided to shuffle the QAM channel locations around.

The first 9pm HDHR recording was a valid channel although not the one the old lineup had.

One of the 2 10:10pm HDHR also was a valid channel, but the wrong one, but the other one ended up stopping because there was no signal.

Both of the 10:45 ended up doa because there was no signal.

So this morning I installed the latest firmware/software for the HDHR and rescanned/edited the channels.
Since the change just happened the Silicone Dust lineup had many stations misidentified so I had to view a channel in VLC, run to the other room and scan the channels to find the program if it wasn't obvious, then run back and edit the channel name.

Then I went into Sage and had to remap all those QAM channels.
I just tested and they all work (for now).

I'll try another full stress test this weekend.

I guess I shouldn't complain, Comcast hadn't moved them in probably over a year, at least in my area.

[orrd]

It sounds like a lot of people are using HDHR. Is there an advantage to using HDHR over a PCI TV card? It sounds like the CPU usage is less with HDHR, is that right?

dave.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by orrd

Is there an advantage to using HDHR over a PCI TV card?

I like the fact that I don't need to open the PC and deal with installing a new card -- my PC is pretty full anyway.

I also like that it is a dual digital OTA/QAM tuner -- I don't know if any PCI cards can do that too, but they often seem to be 1 analog + 1 digital. I've got enough analog tuners.

- Andy

[bcjenkins]

FWIW - I have a slightly different view. I replaced 1 single OTA card, 2 PVR-500s and pulled out an HVR-1800 to drop in 3 HVR-1600s. I like the fact that I don't have a different device, power cord, network cable to contend with and I increased my OTA cards by 1. I also dropped from 4 analog down to 3, but that's ok because I also added a HD-PVR.

B