(another) HDHomerun, WHS and processor spec question

[buymysoul]

Hi, I'm Robin. I'm probably asking a question that has been asked many times before, but I really did search and read around and try to figure it out myself before starting a new thread...

(Actual question is in blue if you just want to skip my explanation of why I'm asking it.)

It dawned on me today that I have a HTPC and a server that are both always on. Why? well, because the server is always serving and the HTPC is always recording but surely one of them can do both, right?

My plan is to use Sage on my WHS to record TV (with my HDHR) and then just grab one of those Hauppage USB tuners for a third tuner for exclusive use with WMC on the HTPC.

I'm planning on using a non-pooled drive with the suggested formatting as a dedicated drive for TV.

My HTPC uses an Athlon 45W 2.5Ghz dual core chip (can't remember the number but there is only the one) on the 780G Gigabyte board with sideport memory running hybrid Crossfire with an appropriate video card and 2GB of DDR2. In Windows 7 when I am recording 2 HD streams while watching a 3rd (or doing anything else processor intensive) the recorded streams get choppy. Obviously MS doesn't ever do things in an efficient way but this makes me wonder if my WHS hardware is up to the task of recording 2 HD signals and hosting a 3rd (thus this long winded setup to my question).

My WHS box uses a 15W Turion (mobile AMD chip) 2.0Ghz (single core) with a Neo Nforce2 chipset (i believe) and 2GB of ram. Is this enough 'umph' for SageTV to record 2 HD streams (from an HDHR) while the server streams out an additional one (not through sage, just direct access to an HD file on the same (dedicated) drive?

If the answer is no, what would it take? I also have my old HTPC (now my new desktop) that has a 2.3Ghz 45W dual core Athlon on a 690G chipset and however much ram is necessary....is that closer? (If I'm going to get new hardware I'd prefer it was to upgrade my desktop, not my server)

If you made it this far, thank you. I am incapable of writing a short post, I'm not sure why. I always feel the need to give the WHOLE story.

Robin

[PLUCKYHD]

I don't see why not the single core worries my but if you are not running commercial skip you should be okay.

[stanger89]

My server is an Athlon XP 1800+, runs an HDHR, HD PVR, and an SD tuner, and two HD200s. I think you'll be fine.

[buymysoul]

Hey, thanks guys!

I'll check it out tonight and see how everything works. I just didn't want to start the trial and then realize I needed to upgrade my hardware before I could do anything else.

Power Pack 2 hasn't caused you guys any issues so far, has it?

Robin

[PLUCKYHD]

Nope I don't usually install updates on computers unless I know i need something from it, but with WHS I have it auto updating and pp2 didn't hurt anything that I can tell.

[buymysoul]

I used to be discriminating. It takes a lot of effort. Now I just try to go with the flow: Microsoft, you say I should use this Vista OS thing, huh? Ok, whatever. Man this UAC is annoying, oh well. Let's see, how would the average user who knows nothing use this dohicky? Ok, I'll just use it that way...
I like to think of it as Zen computing. My hardware is all very power efficient and relatively slow anyway, what does it matter if I don't need an update that fixes DST in New Zealand, might as well get it just in case, right?

I noticed your WHS configuration in your signature and deduced that you are backing up your Blu-Ray discs to your WHS. Does SageTV allow you to do that or are you just using My Movies with AnyDVD?

R

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by buymysoul

I noticed your WHS configuration in your signature and deduced that you are backing up your Blu-Ray discs to your WHS. Does SageTV allow you to do that or are you just using My Movies with AnyDVD?

R

Yes I am backing up some of them most I just play from the drive to the extenders.

I am using anydvd strictly to remove the copy protection and rip.