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  • Home Media Centers.

    From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to All on Fri Dec 2 22:24:55 2011
    Was wondering how many people here have some type of home media center setup? If so, what are you using?

    I'm in the process of adding more functionality to my setup. Currently, I Am using (2) AsRock Ion systems running XBMC Live.

    The new configuration will be running the same hardware, but Windows 7 using Windows Media Center (for Live TV), and XBMC for recorded shows. I am also using EventGhost to program my Media Center remotes to be used for many of the functions in the programs.

    The setup will boot to Windows Media Center, with a menu option to run XBMC. I
    can switch back and forth on the remote.

    I have a media server for recorded content and an HD Homerun Prime (with cable card) which provides up to (3) simultaneous TV streams.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org
  • From Diamond Dave@VERT/DMINE to Mark Hofmann on Sat Dec 3 14:02:04 2011
    Re: Home Media Centers.
    By: Mark Hofmann to All on Fri Dec 02 2011 04:24 pm

    Was wondering how many people here have some type of home media center setup If so, what are you using?


    That's similar to what I plan on using in the near future.

    I have a co-worker that currently uses the Ceton InfiniTV 4 PCIe 4 turner PC card and will be adding three more tuners (yes, a total of SEVEN) with a networked based tuner card (I think the one you said you were using). All being recorded using Windows 7 Media Center.

    He uses Xbox 360 game consoles as the playback device for all his TVs. (He buys them used off of eBay) and runs HDMI from each of them to the TV.

    He says it works really well for what he wants. He can record and watch TV all from the Xbox 360 consoles. No need for a cable box on ANY of his TVs. The InfiniTV card handles a "Cable Card" and so will th new network device.

    The problem he's now seeing is throughput issues. He's wondering if it's the network card in the server is too slow or the MB and CPU are too slow to handl it all. He's upgading the MB and getting a new 6 core AMD CPU and 8 GB of RAM.

    But overall he is pleased with his setup. I might replicate it to a limited extent to record and watch TV shows to replace my aging analog tuner based DVR.


    *** Diamond Dave ***

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Diamond Mine Online BBS - bbs.dmine.net
  • From Rastus@VERT/EWBBS to Mark Hofmann on Sun Dec 4 18:15:23 2011
    Mark Hofmann wrote:

    Was wondering how many people here have some type of home media center
    setup? If so, what are you using?

    I'm running XBMC on a Linux Box for recorded media and store my media on external USB drives. I do not subscribe to any television service because they are way to expensive, present an ungawdly number of advertizements and
    I can do without their social programming.. (by that I mean the programming
    of our minds using media - not social event viewing)...not to mention that many (most) of the new television shows SUCK! I use the TV to view HD broadcasts via the antenna for local news and weather events.

    --
    Fat Rastus

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    þ Synchronet þ Electronic Warfare BBS | telnet://ewbbs.synchro.net
  • From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to Diamond Dave on Mon Dec 5 21:35:23 2011
    That's similar to what I plan on using in the near future.

    I have a co-worker that currently uses the Ceton InfiniTV 4 PCIe 4 turner PC
    card and will be adding three more tuners (yes, a total of SEVEN) with a networked based tuner card (I think the one you said you were using). All being
    recorded using Windows 7 Media Center.

    He uses Xbox 360 game consoles as the playback device for all his TVs.
    (He buys
    them used off of eBay) and runs HDMI from each of them to the TV.

    The main difference between the Ceton and the SiliconDust HD Homerun Prime is the Ceton is a PCIe card that needs to be installed in a PC. The HD Homerun Prime is a standalone device that takes the cable card directly.

    The HDHomerun Prime has a gig nic. From what I have seen, each HD stream can use up to 35mbps, but typically around 25mbps. Best to be connected at 1-gig just in case.

    I'm probably going to add a second HDHomerun Prime next year, for a total of 6-tuners. I'm building media center PCs. Just old small form factor systems adding a $30 512meg Nvidia video card + $25 remote, and you are good to go.

    Mine boot to Windows Media Center for Live TV, etc. I use XBMC for everything else and can switch between the two on the menu and/or remote.

    All can record, also if needed.

    Much better than having a cable box. I will be cable box free soon, once I build another one of these.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org
  • From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to Rastus on Mon Dec 5 21:39:03 2011
    I'm running XBMC on a Linux Box for recorded media and store my media on external USB drives. I do not subscribe to any television service because they are way to expensive, present an ungawdly number of advertizements
    and
    I can do without their social programming.. (by that I mean the
    programming
    of our minds using media - not social event viewing)...not to mention that many (most) of the new television shows SUCK! I use the TV to view HD broadcasts via the antenna for local news and weather events.

    I use a central "data server" that is basically a PC with loads of hard drives in it (internal and external). I have setup DFS on Windows 2008R2 to combine multiple shares to one drive letter.

    Other than cartoons for the kids, live football, and my wife's DIY/HGTV, we could do without Live TV. The rest is crap or available in other methods.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org
  • From Diamond Dave@VERT/DMINE to Mark Hofmann on Wed Dec 7 23:09:20 2011
    Re: Re: Home Media Centers.
    By: Mark Hofmann to Diamond Dave on Mon Dec 05 2011 03:35 pm

    The main difference between the Ceton and the SiliconDust HD Homerun Prime i the Ceton is a PCIe card that needs to be installed in a PC. The HD Homerun Prime is a standalone device that takes the cable card directly.

    Yup. That's the major difference. And yes, my co-worker will be using BOTH! For a total of 7 tuners!

    Mine boot to Windows Media Center for Live TV, etc. I use XBMC for everythi else and can switch between the two on the menu and/or remote.

    What kind of remote do you plan on using? I am in the market for one that will directly control Windows Media Center on a PC that will be directly driving a TV via HDMI

    Much better than having a cable box. I will be cable box free soon, once I build another one of these.


    I will try to do that as well. My co-worker says "what cable box?" :)


    *** Diamond Dave ***

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Diamond Mine Online BBS - bbs.dmine.net
  • From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to Diamond Dave on Wed Dec 14 02:30:25 2011
    Yup. That's the major difference. And yes, my co-worker will be using
    BOTH! For
    a total of 7 tuners!

    Did he say which one he likes better (if he has a preference)?

    I have had a few bumps in the road with my HDHomerun Prime, but that is expected when you are on the bleeding edge.

    I'm finally at a point where everything works very well.

    What kind of remote do you plan on using? I am in the market for one that will
    directly control Windows Media Center on a PC that will be directly
    driving a
    TV via HDMI

    I'm using a RC6 Media Center remote. It was around $20 something on NewEgg. Using that with EventGhost to get all the extra features programmed on the remote. There are XBMC programs for Windows that you can run to do all this in
    one swoop.

    I will try to do that as well. My co-worker says "what cable box?" :)

    Soon, I will be the same way. My goal was to get rid of one of them by Christmas. That will happen. The other one will go away once I upgrade my other media center with the same configuration.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org
  • From Diamond Dave@VERT/DMINE to Mark Hofmann on Wed Dec 14 23:50:37 2011
    Re: Re: Home Media Centers.
    By: Mark Hofmann to Diamond Dave on Tue Dec 13 2011 08:30 pm

    Did he say which one he likes better (if he has a preference)?

    Not yet, but I will ask him tomorrow.

    I have had a few bumps in the road with my HDHomerun Prime, but that is expected when you are on the bleeding edge.

    What sort of problems? Dropouts?

    I'm using a RC6 Media Center remote. It was around $20 something on NewEgg. Using that with EventGhost to get all the extra features programmed on the remote. There are XBMC programs for Windows that you can run to do all this one swoop.

    OK, I bought one from Newegg but it wasn't that one.


    Soon, I will be the same way. My goal was to get rid of one of them by Christmas. That will happen. The other one will go away once I upgrade my other media center with the same configuration.

    I may go that way soon... I ordered a CableCard from Cox (my cable/ISP). It should be in a few days so i can complete the Ceton card installation.


    *** Diamond Dave ***

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Diamond Mine Online BBS - bbs.dmine.net
  • From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to Diamond Dave on Sun Dec 18 23:35:14 2011
    Did he say which one he likes better (if he has a preference)?

    Not yet, but I will ask him tomorrow.

    Did you get a chance to ask him?

    I have had a few bumps in the road with my HDHomerun Prime, but that
    is
    expected when you are on the bleeding edge.

    What sort of problems? Dropouts?

    Yes, there was one version of firmware that was causing the Windows Media Center to crash. They have since corrected that problem. I also had another issue with channel drops, but that was a setting on my video card.

    It has been a learning experience, but well worth the effort.

    I may go that way soon... I ordered a CableCard from Cox (my cable/ISP).
    It
    should be in a few days so i can complete the Ceton card installation.

    As I type this, I'm building another media center with LiveTV. I want to get rid of both of the HD cableboxes.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org
  • From Diamond Dave@VERT/DMINE to Mark Hofmann on Mon Dec 19 11:03:59 2011
    Re: Re: Home Media Centers.
    By: Mark Hofmann to Diamond Dave on Sun Dec 18 2011 05:35 pm

    I may go that way soon... I ordered a CableCard from Cox (my cable/ISP). It
    should be in a few days so i can complete the Ceton card installation.

    As I type this, I'm building another media center with LiveTV. I want to ge rid of both of the HD cableboxes.

    Good for you. I installed the Ceton InfiniTV card, installed and paired the CableCARD and got WMC to work.

    But I found out I have very few channels. Yes - my cable company has gone mostly SDV (Switched Digital Video) and I need to get a Tuning Adapter. Ugh.

    So that's next on my list.


    *** Diamond Dave ***

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Diamond Mine Online BBS - bbs.dmine.net
  • From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to Diamond Dave on Fri Dec 30 15:26:15 2011
    Good for you. I installed the Ceton InfiniTV card, installed and paired
    the
    CableCARD and got WMC to work.

    But I found out I have very few channels. Yes - my cable company has gone mostly SDV (Switched Digital Video) and I need to get a Tuning Adapter. Ugh.

    So that's next on my list.

    Just wanted to let you know that I am now "Cable Box Free"! I returned them yesterday and it was a happy moment!!!

    I have built (2) dedicated media centers and several other computers in the house can also tune in and watch live TV. I will be building a few more dedicated media centers - for a few of the kids.

    I may have to order another HDHomerun Prime and pickup another multi-stream cable card to add an additional 3 tuners to the home network. So far we have been able to get by with one HDHomerun Prime with it's 3 tuners. Lots of activity is on the recorded side using XBMC, too.

    The way I configured them was the systems boot to WMC for LiveTV. You can then
    select XBMC from the menu to all the non-live content. You can switch back and
    forth. Using Event Ghost for all the remote functions.

    I'm really pleased with the setup. Still doing fine tuning now and then - mainly with the remote programming.

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org
  • From Diamond Dave@VERT/DMINE to Mark Hofmann on Sat Dec 31 04:13:22 2011
    Re: Re: Home Media Centers.
    By: Mark Hofmann to Diamond Dave on Fri Dec 30 2011 09:26 am

    Just wanted to let you know that I am now "Cable Box Free"! I returned them yesterday and it was a happy moment!!!

    Sad part for me is that 95% of the time the system I have works fine. But once in a while the sync between WMC, the Ceton card and the Cisco tuning adapter fails. It can't tune the channel it needs to record some of the time. Not happy about it. I think it's the fault of the tuning adapter.


    *** Diamond Dave ***

    ---
    þ Synchronet þ Diamond Mine Online BBS - bbs.dmine.net
  • From Mark Hofmann@VERT/TCP to Diamond Dave on Fri Jan 6 23:03:50 2012
    Sad part for me is that 95% of the time the system I have works fine. But once
    in a while the sync between WMC, the Ceton card and the Cisco tuning adapter
    fails. It can't tune the channel it needs to record some of the time. Not happy
    about it. I think it's the fault of the tuning adapter.

    I have worked through the vast majority of problems with my setup. One of the main ones where the Live TV picture would cut in and out randomly on certain channels ended up being an NVideo driver/configuration setting. Once I adjusted the setting, the problem went away.

    The other main task was getting the remote programed properly for all the functions in WMC and XBMC - and make it family proof. I have a nice setup now using Event Ghost.

    I'm just happy that things are stable now and no one in the family is complaining. :)

    - Mark

    --- WWIVToss v.1.50
    * Origin: http://www.weather-station.org * Bel Air, MD -USA (33:1/3.0)
    þ Synchronet þ curmudge.hopto.org