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Server/Client software for Windows XP

F

farscapesg1

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Aug 4, 2004
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I love SageTV. I have been using it now for about 2 years at home. Recently, I was requested to make the boardroom computer at my work be able to play TV via the projector for emergency situations (after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, all of the Gulf Coast is a little paranoid).

I've sent an email to SageTV to see about buying a commercial license, but unless we can purchase the software with a PO or check, then I won't be able to go that direction.

Unfortunately, I am under a couple restrictions to get this set up...

1) Must be purchased with a PO or check
2) Must run on Windows XP (no linux or even Windows MCE allowed on our network)
3) Need a server/client setup so we can easily expand to other conference rooms by installing software and adding hardware to the server

Anyone got any suggests? I don't think BeyondTV can do this can it? What about MediaPortal or some other "free" software? If it wasn't for the fact they need Windows, I'd even think about going with MythTV, but they have to have Windows for other applications :(

Another question... does anyone know where I could purchase the NVIDIA DualTV cards or VistaView Saber 2020 cards with the same constraint of taking a PO or check? I would love to order all of this from PCAlchemy (great company) but they don't list check or PO as an option for payment. I've sent them an email in hopes that they can work something out though ;)
 
Another quick question...
Is the Avermedia Purity 500 card supported in SageTV or BeyondTV? It isn't listed in the supported cards, but it uses the same VIXS chips that the DualTV does (which is supported).

-nevermind. Just checked the SageTV forums and it appears to be working but is listed under a different device name in the supported tuners.
 
I'd say this would be a perfect setup for VideoLAN

http://www.videolan.org/

plus the best part is its free.

I've set this up multiple times for offices wanting to stream a CO speech or tv or what not to everyone in the company or remote offices.

Diagram of how it can be used:
http://www.videolan.org/vlc/streaming.html

if you really don't need PVR type features, and such, then VideoLan is perfect.

- Josh
 
Thanks for the links. I will check it out.

Part of the problem is it has to be easy to use, as these administration-type people are clueless when it comes to technology ;)

I don't think the PVR is necessarily required, but it may become a "want" as soon as they start getting TV. I also need something that they can tune the channels as they see fit, even if that means a different channel in each conference room. We don't have the staff to worry about firing up VLC up in the server room and setting up the channel that they want to watch.

For example, during Hurricane Rita, they moved a mobile TV into the administration board room (which acts as the Control Center during emergencies) and were flipping back and forth between the Weather Channel and local news channels.

Edit - I've been looking at the Avermedia Purity 500 more, and it appears to have been suffering from the same "limit of 1 card" issue that the DualTV did. They released a new driver on 1/15/07. Does anyone know if this corrected the problem and would allow 2 cards (4 tuners) in one system? If so I can jump on these cards because they can be ordered from Dell. I would hate to take a chance on the new Hauppauge PVR-500 cards with all the issues concerning their newer Samsung tuners.
 
i usee beyondtv and link to run a BT server with 3 tv tuners cards and then 2 link(client) machines... one in my bedroom and on in the living room and it streams to multiple clients fine at SD with my 3200+ if you got a X2 or opteron with 2gb of RAM and some god harware tuners I am sure you could stream many more but what is your network at work? gigabyte or 100mb? if it is 100mb i dont think you will be able to stream more than 3 at a time due to bandwidth saturation... but with gigabyte you should be good for more than you need.....

JMO
 
Hmm, somehow I completely missed BeyondTV Link :eek: That may be the route we need to go. Thanks!!!
 
farscapesg1 said:
Edit - I've been looking at the Avermedia Purity 500 more,
Click to expand...
I wouldn't touch that tuner, it still suffers from really bad drivers. I would rather go with an NV DualTV, Saber VistaView or two Purity 250 tuners/two 550 based tuners, etc.

I'd rather pick up one of the crappy Samsung tuner PVR500s then go with the Purity 500.
 
CrimandEvil said:
I wouldn't touch that tuner, it still suffers from really bad drivers. I would rather go with an NV DualTV, Saber VistaView or two Purity 250 tuners/two 550 based tuners, etc.

I'd rather pick up one of the crappy Samsung tuner PVR500s then go with the Purity 500.
Click to expand...

Hmm, okay. Guess I will have to take my chance on the PVR500s because I can't find anywhere to order the NVIDIA or VistaView cards that will accept a PO or check. Damn company restrictions :mad: I really want to use dual-tuner cards because they need a minimum of 4 tuners at this point, possibly more. I'm just worried about the quality of the PVR-500s, and also the fact they need to use 2 IRQs for each card.
 
just call PCAlchemy and i'm sure they would accomodate your purchasing needs of a Check..

the other route to go would be to ask if you can purchase it and just be re-embursed for the cost.

SageTV is a very flexible solution...

you can run a server and then just buy a few place shifter clients (which work almost exactly like SageTV Clients)..

the best part is the flexiblity of hte place shifter license, its based on connects.. not installations..

or in other words you could have a server and buy 5 place shifter licences (and that would accomodate upto 5 simulaneous connections)..
 
Well, I'm still waiting to hear back from PCAlchemy ;)

I would love to be able to use SageTV. I'm checking into a commercial license from SageTV, and hopefully PCAlchemy will get back with me. I won't put it on my credit because the company I work for can take awhile to re-imburse. Not to mention, if stuff is purchased from a "non-approved" vendor (i.e. - internet retailers). I don't feel like having several hundred dollars of hardware and software on my credit for anywhere between 1 and 2 months :mad:

Personally, I would love to give PCAlchemy the business (SageTV and 4 Placeshifter or Client licenses for $200 and another $300 or so for two Nvidia DualTV cards).

Still got my fingers crossed that they get back with me :)
 
good luck, i'd be very suprised if a business turned down someone's money..
 
Well, ordering SageTV directly is a no go. They want $400 for the server software, and $99 for each client/placeshifter license :eek: No functionality difference that I can figure out and they wouldn't give me a reason for the dramatic price increase.

Still waiting to hear from PCAlchemy. I'll give them a call when they open to see if they can help me out. Otherwise it will be BeyondTV and BeyondLink for me ;)

I did manage to confiscate a server to use for this though :D

It's an old Dell Powervault 750N with a 1.13 Ghz P3 processor, 1 GB RAM, and about 350 GB storage (RAID5 SCSI). Not the fastest system, but it should be adequate for using hardware tuners like the PVR-500 or the NVIDIA DUALTV. Just as long as it is safe to use standard PCI cards in server PCI 64-bit slots :confused:
 
farscapesg1 said:
Well, ordering SageTV directly is a no go. They want $400 for the server software, and $99 for each client/placeshifter license :eek: No functionality difference that I can figure out and they wouldn't give me a reason for the dramatic price increase.
Click to expand...

:eek: What a load of crap!

Can you order it yourself and just get reimbursed from the company?
 
What about the HD Homerun? Two tuners, uses a network interface (no PCI slots, no conflicts), and is compatible with just about everything under the sun.

Give it a look. It's an awesome device.
 
Asgorath said:
What about the HD Homerun? Two tuners, uses a network interface (no PCI slots, no conflicts), and is compatible with just about everything under the sun.

Give it a look. It's an awesome device.
Click to expand...

Oh, believe me I know ;) Got one at home and absolutely love being able to watch Heroes in HD without paying to digital service (not to mention LOST when it comes back on). I've actually been trying to talk the wife into letting me buy another :p

The main concern is that the facility currently only has Analog cable at the moment (to my knowledge). I will check the cable situation out and maybe bring my HDHomeRun into work to test the cable and see what it available. I just wish that they would make a model that supports analog cable as well as digital. Then I could drop all my internal tuners and never look back!!!!
 
Crap... PCAlchemy can't accept PO's or checks :mad:

Guess I am stuck with BeyondTV unless I pay with a credit card and get re-imbursed, which can take up to a month resulting in interest fees on :(

Damn, why is it so hard to get everything set up the way I want!!!
 
farscapesg1 said:
Crap... PCAlchemy can't accept PO's or checks :mad:

Guess I am stuck with BeyondTV unless I pay with a credit card and get re-imbursed, which can take up to a month resulting in interest fees on :(

Damn, why is it so hard to get everything set up the way I want!!!
Click to expand...



Every year I get a couple credit cards for just such a purpose. I look for a 6 month no interest period followed by a good rate. By the 6 months I either pay it off or move the balance to another 6 month no interest card at a low transfer rate.

Beat the CC companies at their own game. Use your credit card as free capital to make money with.
 
Well, it may not matter anyways. I'm probably going to be stuck with BeyondTV.

I downloaded the trial of SageTV and installed it. I don't have a tuner in the system yet, but I can't get it to pull down any Weather or Google Video information. I have a feeling the ports are blocked at our corporate level, so if the weather doesn't work I don't have a lot of hope for the EPG data.

BeyondTV seems to work with the firewalls though. Guess I will have to grab the tuner from the system running the trial of BeyondTV and see if the EPG data downloads.
 
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