ISO non-OTA HD advice

[MrVining]

What I have now:
Quad Core Intel CPU
Vista Business
5x HVR-1600
Hand fulls of 1.5TB drives
5x HD200 hooked up to the TVs

Right now I just get OTA TV. I would like to get HD: HBO, TBS, USA, HGTV and w/e other channels my wife would watch. I want to be able to record 2-4 shows at once.

It looks like most are using the HD-PVR? I have read several times that there is an issue if you use the built in IR device. If this is the way to go, then what are people using to change channels?

I could care less about file size or service provider (cable, direct tv, w/e), would LOVE to not be able to capture the actual stream not re-encoding it if possible.

I'm also considering switching OS to Linux to reduce the number of computers I have serving for just our family. NAS & Sage should not need to be in different boxes IMO.

[stanger89]

For channel changing, the best option IMO is the USB-UIRT, it can control up to three zones (boxes) at once, it's what I use. Works great.

As far as not re-encoing, really your only option for "premium" channels is the R5000-HD mod, and that basically limits you to Dish Network.

But frankly I think the HD PVR is a better solution. The recordings seem to be more compatible, oddly tuning has been more reliable, and the quality is, as far as I can tell, indistinguishable, even on my Planar FP (1080p DLP, 110" wide screen).

[MrVining]

I'll have to take a look at one of these USB-UIRT. I have not looked into it at all yet, but TY for your response.

I seem to remember a post saying you were running WHS? Maybe that was someone else. I guess my biggest concern off the bat is going to be Windows / Linux compatibility of the thing.

[stanger89]

My server is actually running Windows Server 2003.

[MrVining]

Now there's a thought, I wonder how much it would cost to get a 2008 version that supports roaming users... Every time I even think about doing that and hop on newegg or w/e site I get so turned off by the number of versions, I just know I'll end up wanting something off of some different more expensive version. Then I just give up.

That would free up physical space AND I could proly sell my ReadyNAS to lower the out of pocket cost even more.

[MrVining]

If I were to switch to Windows 7 Professional, do I still need/want a USB-UIRT?

If I wanted to use more then 3x HD PVRs can I use more then 1 USB-UIRT without driver errors?

[MrVining]

I'm only seeing one external port on this "USB-UIRT". Did they change it? I'm guessing I have to be on the right site:
http://www.usbuirt.com/overview.htm

It's been a while since I have worked on my SageTV server it's been great I haven't needed to touch the thing in about a year! But now I'm thinking I want some Disney Channel once the kids are out of school.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by MrVining

I'm only seeing one external port on this "USB-UIRT". Did they change it? I'm guessing I have to be on the right site:
http://www.usbuirt.com/overview.htm

You're on the right site. Check out this thread: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5291

[MrVining]

So I finally got around to buying a couple of HD PVRs I also ordered the USB-URT. I started with just two. I'll be expanding by another two pretty soon, but I wanted to see how complicated this was going to be.

I'm running W7 Professional N as my sage server. Every once in a while I connect a monitor & keyboard to it and run updates. It has been rock solid and I've gone well over 6 months at a time without even touching it. WAF has been sky high, and that's great because I spend more time playing WarCraft then I do watching TV; she's the one that has to have all of the reality TV shows recording.

Anyway I started looking for guides & how tos for getting the HD PVR up and recording with Sage, but I'm mostly finding stuff from 2003 or 2005. At least one of them suggested that I uninstall SageTV and then install the HD PVR, then reinstall SageTV. Is this still the standard of practice? Any thing else I should know before taking down my SageTV 7 server?