Recommend my hardware - New PVR Server

[willow]

I am so excited to discover SageTV! I've been a DirecTv TIVO subscriber for a couple of years & am tired of the erratic operation of my 3-R10's, the buggy software that causes random reboots & the high cost of DirectV.

So, I'm gonna switch to cable & build a PVR server utilizing SageTV and the wired media extender. I'll be feeding 3 standard tube TV's. I will also have one STB for the digital channels on the tv next to my server. I've got most of the HW for the server, but need to know:

1) Which tuner card(s)? I want full PVR functionality for each of the 3 tv's. HD is not in the equation know, but I should have it since it's coming. I am more concerned with quality than price.

2) How many media extenders do I need? I will have the server next to one of the tv's, so I'm assuming I can run a video-out from my video card to that set & will need an extender at each of the other sets. So 2 total...right?

3) Do I need IR remotes for all 3 tv's? If yes, which one should I get? If no, how do the remote tv's change channels of the STB?

4) What SageTV sw do I need if I buy the MVP unit(s)? Do I need the CLIENT sw?

I think that's it. Any other suggestions are welcomed. Thank you!

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by willow

1) Which tuner card(s)? I want full PVR functionality for each of the 3 tv's. HD is not in the equation know, but I should have it since it's coming. I am more concerned with quality than price.

You can check out the supported tuners on the system requirements info page. A lot of people use the Hauppauge tuners.

2) How many media extenders do I need? I will have the server next to one of the tv's, so I'm assuming I can run a video-out from my video card to that set & will need an extender at each of the other sets. So 2 total...right?

2 extenders + the server should cover those 3 TVs.

3) Do I need IR remotes for all 3 tv's? If yes, which one should I get? If no, how do the remote tv's change channels of the STB?

The MVP extenders each come with a remote.

The serer changes the channel on the STB as needed. You can control it via an IR blaster (such as the USB-UIRT or maybe the IR blaster from a Hauppauge tuner), or if it has the capability you could look into serial or firewire channel changing control.

- Andy

[CollinR]

Get a 100% intel machine hopefully 945 or better, nothing crazy fancy on the CPU. Decent RAM ~1GB, use Windows XP, have at least 500GB of storage available.

If all 3 TVs are standard definition you are better off with 3 MVPs. MVPs and headless server config is very stable.

For the SD recording stuffs, get 2 (or more depending on the function of those 3 TVs) PVR500s. If you have digital cable you will need a USBUIRT, really either way the USBUIRT is a decent deal.

You get all that and get it installed and setup and if I forget about this thread PM me and I'll get you the rest of the way home.

If you do use the server as a client get a snapstream firefly remote.

[willow]

Originally Posted by Opus4

You can check out the supported tuners on the system requirements info page. A lot of people use the Hauppauge tuners.
- Andy

THanks for your reply Andy.

I would really appreciate some feedback from users as to which cards offer the best stability & quality picture.

[willow]

Originally Posted by CollinR

If all 3 TVs are standard definition you are better off with 3 MVPs. MVPs and headless server config is very stable.

Sounds good...what's a headless server?

If you do use the server as a client get a snapstream firefly remote.

Do I ever feel like a newb... what's a client & the advantages/disadvantages? (Thanks in advance for puttin up w/me!)

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by willow

Sounds good...what's a headless server?

Headless server in its truest sense means a server that doesn't a Keyboard, Mouse, or Monitor. Those servers are put away in a server room or closet. All access to the server is via remote sessioning. In Sage-speak, A server that is only being used to record your programming, and all playback would be on other clients could be considered a headless server.

Do I ever feel like a newb... what's a client & the advantages/disadvantages? (Thanks in advance for puttin up w/me!)

A client is what you use to interact with the Sage User Interface. The client passes your requests back to the server to tell it what to schedule to record, nad the client plays back recordings that the server has made. YOu could use the hauppauge MVP as a client, or you could install SageClient to a PC to use that as a client.

The main Sage program can be run in a "split" mode, whereas it has the server portion running as a service, and a separate "psuedo-client" that you use to run the UI.