New Sage Server Setup --- Any Commments

[kirkb]

This is what I am looking to build to power two DirecTV boxes and 2 OTA HD feeds. I'd like some input / suggestions before I flip the bill (<$1000 newegg). BTW, this will also be driving my 42" plasma and up to 3 clients. I'll be adding to it a 300gb SATA HD as the primary OS / File Server and configure the 750GB sata drive for DVR/Videos.

-GIGABYTE GA-MA770-DS3 AM2+/AM2 AMD 770 ATX AMD Motherboard
-AMD Phenom 9500 Agena 2.2GHz Socket AM2+ 95W Quad-Core Processor
-EVGA 256-P2-N741-LR GeForce 8500GT 256MB 128-bit GDDR2 PCI Express
-Crucial Ballistix Tracer 2GB (2 x 1GB) 240-Pin DDR2 SDRAM DDR2 1066
-Athenatech A3712BB.450 Black SECC Steel ATX Desktop / Tower
-Western Digital Caviar WD7500AAKS 750GB 7200 RPM SATA 3.0Gb/s HD
-LG Electronics Black LG Super Multi 18x SATA DVD Burner GSA-H62NK
-AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe MCE ATSC/NTSC/QAM Tuner Card w/MCE Remote
-AVerMedia AVerTV Combo PCIe ATSC/NTSC/QAM TV Tuner Card (White Box)
-BTC 9116URF BLACK Black USB RF Wireless Mini Wireless Keyboard

[BFisher]

I can't comment on your CPU choice (I chose Intel), but I have a couple other comments:

- I love Gigabyte boards. All my PCs are now going with Giga. I really like the Ultra boards (ultra durable, ultra cool).

- if you use an extender to drive the Plasma, you can make this a headless server. The extenders work very well and eliminate a lot of tweaking problems. Stability is very good this way.

- I'd put in 2 750G HDs. They are pretty cheap, and you know how hard disks always fill up. Also, I think it's easier on the system if you have 2 HDs for it to record to (if you record multiple shows at the same time). Finally, more hard drive space makes it nice to put your DVDs on it. I've put my kids DVDs on it - HUGE WAF. I even put my netflix DVDs on it (and take it right back off when done watching it - I have no interest in stealing anything) because now I don't need a DVD player anywhere (1 less box!)

- I hate to admit it, but if I was to do it again, I'd stay away from the Avermedia boards. I have 2 (the M780s) and have had a few minor issues (usually with the analog signal from a STB). Nothing huge... (won't delete some of the watched recordings unless I delete it several times; about once a week or every 2-3 weeks, a recording is unwatchable where the recording is totally pixelated). I also put in a Hauppauge 1800 and have been happy with it and am considering replacing my M780s with more 1800s.

Good luck.

[kirkb]

Looks like those HP 1800's are only $10 more than the AverTVs. Are they that superior?

I'll probably add more HD down the line. Like when the 1TB drive drop to a reasonable price. For now, my 300gb+750gb will do. We are DVD freaks. I just need enough room to record the wife TV shows in HD. Oh and one or two of mine.

Been around for a while .... but .... what was WAF again? Sorry.

[kirkb]

BTW, I just noticed the latest RC for sage fixes your file lock issue on the m780:

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...highlight=m780

[BFisher]

WAF = Wife Acceptance Factor

I don't know about the M780s... the picture quality is very good, but I just seem to have a couple niggling little issues that have never made me convinced they were perfect. Fixing the delete problem will help... and I haven't had any bad videos in a few weeks... To date, I don't' think I've had any issues with the 1800.