User Experience w/HD200

[Diego Garcia]

I'm in the process of migrating my home networked media environment to HD and am interested in how well the HD200 works connected to a Sage server.

I won't be using the HD200 in standalone mode. But I will be running three HDTVs off of HD200s over a gigabit ethernet network. Most of the time the actual load will be no more than two HD200s. I believe the HD200 uses a 10/100 ethernet connection, so I presume the additional bandwidth available on gigabit ethernet is irrelevant? Have people run into bandwidth problems running three HD200s?

On a related issue, how powerful a server would I need to handle three HD200s? Right now I'm running Sage on an Athlon 64X2 3800+ dual core with 2GB of RAM under Vista Ultimate 32 bit. That Athlon is "only" a 2 GHz CPU.

[Taddeusz]

Shouldn't be an issue. My server is as listed in my sig. It's an X2 4200+ (2.2Ghz). It is connected to the network via gigabit. I run an HD100 and an HD200 and it serves up Blu-ray rips just fine. Very little processing is actually needed for the HD extenders since they are capable of decoding almost anything themselves. No transcoding is required on the server as with the MVP.

[Diego Garcia]

Good point about not needing to transcode, I'd forgotten about that. Thanks for the feedback!

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Diego Garcia

I'm in the process of migrating my home networked media environment to HD and am interested in how well the HD200 works connected to a Sage server.

I won't be using the HD200 in standalone mode. But I will be running three HDTVs off of HD200s over a gigabit ethernet network. Most of the time the actual load will be no more than two HD200s. I believe the HD200 uses a 10/100 ethernet connection, so I presume the additional bandwidth available on gigabit ethernet is irrelevant?

Not exactly, it won't help a particular extender, that is true, but it will help in the case where you've got two or three extenders going at a time. It allows the server a bigger pipe, so where a completely 100Mbps network would probably run into trouble with two extenders playing high bitrate BD rips (upwards of 50Mbps a piece), a gigabit connection between server/switch means it can feed multiple extenders at their full 100Mbps.

Of course this assumes you have a switch and not a hub. Hubs will downgrade your whole network to the least common denominator, where a switch will allow the server a gig connection to the network, even if the extenders can't pull that fast individually.

[MattHelm]

Originally Posted by Diego Garcia

On a related issue, how powerful a server would I need to handle three HD200s? Right now I'm running Sage on an Athlon 64X2 3800+ dual core with 2GB of RAM under Vista Ultimate 32 bit. That Athlon is "only" a 2 GHz CPU.

See my sigs. Even "my" (first one) server handles 1 HD easy, and "dad's" (second one) handled 4 recordings and 2 playbacks easy. With the HD200, all the computer does is stream files, so the server can be VERY light.

[stanger89]

Heck, I've got you beat, my server is an Athlon XP 1800+, and has handled 2 HD200s, an HDPVR, and an HDHR.

[Diego Garcia]

Thanks, everyone, for the helpful feedback and commentary.

[comet48]

My experience over the last 8 months is that it's a pretty flakey product. Alpha level code at best.

[toricred]

What problems have you been having? I certainly wouldn't consider it Alpha. I personally wouldn't consider it even Beta, but I know some would.

I'm not trying to pick a fight. I'm just curious what you consider to be Alpha?

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by toricred

What problems have you been having? I certainly wouldn't consider it Alpha. I personally wouldn't consider it even Beta, but I know some would.

I think it's mostly stable, but I've had some problems. At various times I had problems with stuttering playback and aspect ratios mix-ups (particularly on DVD rips). As far as I can tell, those things have been fixed in recent firmware. I'm still having a couple issues though. I'm having the problem described here, where the HD200 won't find my server, though it happens very infrequently. I've also had the HD200 lock up a few times, but that's also very infrequent.

[freedml]

I have had 3 HD200s for about 8 months.

Had an issue for months where all 3 would lockup at the same time. Turned out to be one bad HD200. So, removing and then replacing that box removed that issue. But Sage can't duplicate the problem in house, so they now think that it's all in my head. Of course, they didn't diagnose the problem during months of ultra frustrating back and forth, I did.

I still have daily lockups on one or more HD200s. Cold boot gets them going again.

No issues from running 3 at a time. I have a gigabit network also.

I think the software/firmware is 'beta' level. It may work, it may not. It doesn't yet have the built-in 'watchdogs', support or troubleshooting tools to be a stable retail product.

[Tiki]

So far, my experience has been flawless. I haven't encountered any recordings that wouldn't play, haven't had a single hiccup during playback, incorrect aspect ratio, etc. It always connects quickly when I turn it on.

Now, having said that, I don't use the HD-200 as my primary playback device. I do most of my TV watching on a TV that is directly connected to the server PC. The HD-200 is on a TV in another room that doesn't get as much use.

I bought my HD-200 about 5 months ago. I upgraded to the latest firmware on the day I received it (not sure of the version since I'm not at home to check it right now, but it would have been from Feb 2009), but haven't upgraded the firmware since. I've been running SageTV 6.5.9 on the server PC the whole time.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Diego Garcia

interested in how well the HD200 works connected to a Sage server.

It's a great device. I use 3 in my home all as extenders. Zero problems with any of them for playback. If you have problems with them it's likely due to a problem with the SageTV server PC or your home network.

so I presume the additional bandwidth available on gigabit ethernet is irrelevant? Have people run into bandwidth problems running three HD200s?

Not at all. I run 3 HD200s, 1 MediaMVP (lightly used) and an HTPC along with 2 HDHRs all on the same network. Zero network problems.

On a related issue, how powerful a server would I need to handle three HD200s? Right now I'm running Sage on an Athlon 64X2 3800+ dual core with 2GB of RAM under Vista Ultimate 32 bit. That Athlon is "only" a 2 GHz CPU.

You should be fine with that as a server although you might plan on a heftier server IF you plan on doing any transcoding or much commercial skipping during recording of shows. My server is a bit of overkill with a quad-core, but comskip, some transcoding & some other tasks keep it busy anyway.