MVP Newbie

[Lee]

1st post newbie, so please excuse the potentially dumb questions!

I have just installed GB and think it’s a fantastic system, many thanks to Sub and all the others here that created this.

On to the dumb questions;

1. I was thinking of getting an MVP and can understand how this plays files from the server, but how do you record? Are there video/audio inputs on the MVP & does the server software do the actual recording? What about controlling a STB?

2. Do people here think using an MVP & separate server is a better option than building a SFF PC and putting it under the TV?

3. Has anyone tried using the MVP using a Wireless Ethernet Bridge (802.11g)? Does it work at all and are there any restrictions such as maybe it works for playback but not recording?

Many thanks in advance,

Lee

[herbs]

Quote[/b] ]1. I was thinking of getting an MVP and can understand how this plays files from the server, but how do you record? Are there video/audio inputs on the MVP & does the server software do the actual recording? What about controlling a STB?

The server with the tv card in it does the recording but you can set the scheduling etc from the MediaMVP. I don't control a STB so can't answer that.

Quote[/b] ]2. Do people here think using an MVP & separate server is a better option than building a SFF PC and putting it under the TV?

I don't think it's as flexible but it's a lot quieter as I was going to put my pvr in the bedroom but I wouldn't have been able to sleep with the fans even modded to 7 volts.

I haven't used a wireless bridge so cant answer 3.

[sub]

As herbs said, its great in a situation where you need silence. Its also very cheap, which helps. Obviously you miss out on the other stuff you can do with a PC, but it depends what your needs are.

You can control a stb using an IR Blaster (USB-UIRT or Actisys IR200L).

[welshblob]

Hi,
Here are my tuppence's worth ...

Quote[/b] ]1. I was thinking of getting an MVP and can understand how this plays files from the server, but how do you record?  Are there video/audio inputs on the MVP & does the server software do the actual recording?  What about controlling a STB?

Think of the MVP a fairly dumb decoder box that can display things on the TV and send commands back to the pc acting as a server. There are no inputs on the MVP only outputs. As previously stated a TV tuner card would have to be in the pc server back end. As for controlling a STB yes as sub said there are IR blasters that can do this. However remember that this would have to be plugged into the pc server backend (AFAIK) and for capturing the video\audio you will also have to get these back to the pc server. If your STB is below your TV then this could be tricky and you have to question whether a SFF PC might be better i.e. with all capture cards\IR blasters in that PC.

Quote[/b] ]2. Do people here think using an MVP & separate server is a better option than building a SFF PC and putting it under the TV?

Yes for my use its better to have an MVP and separate server. Thin quiet client MVP in the living room, large powerful noisey pc acting as a server hidden in a back room somewhere. As sub said a SFF PC is more flexible but you can't beat the MVP for size, price and being so flippin' quiet. I was looking at a SFF PC myself and I know my mate had actually built one but after I bought 2 MVP's he has now also bought 2!  
However the only limitation for my use of it at the moment is that it doesn't support DivX natively which I was fully aware of when I bought it. Note to self : must raise posting about potential sw\hw DivX options with the MVP and GBPVR.

Quote[/b] ]3. Has anyone tried using the MVP using a Wireless Ethernet Bridge (802.11g)?  Does it work at all and are there any restrictions such as maybe it works for playback but not recording?

I am using mine plugged into a Belkin 54G wireless router with the current PC server having an 11b wireless network card. This appears to be adequate for my needs and streaming MPEG2 uses about 40% of the bandwidth available according to XP's network performance tab on task manager. By plugging the PC server into the router using its 100Mbit network port I noticed the speed the IR remote commands were relayed to the PC server improved. As for restrictions I haven't noticed any and as the MVP doesn't actually do the recording this isn't an issue.

FYI I'm not actually using the tv tuner\recording facility on GBPVR at the moment because I already have a Tivo. I am using the MVP for streaming video\music\radio, viewing a TV guide and viewing pictures. Having seen GBPVR I am tempted to buy some tuner\capture cards for my PC server but support for DVB (in particular freeview in the UK) would be needed first.

Cheers
Rob

[Lee]

Many thanks for to all the people who responded, the info was exactly what I was after.

I currently have a TiVo (and am very happy with it) but am looking for something to host my CD (and poss. DVD) collection & digital photo's. I also want to be able to record the occasional TV show and burn to DVD.

I like the idea of the MVP (esp. using on a 54g network) but the thought of laying Video/Audio cables back to the office (where the PC is) to enable recording is not really going to work for me I think.

So although the features & cost of the MVP look good they only provide half of the functionality I'm after so I guess I'm now looking for a SFF.

The sort of spec. I'm considering is;

Shuttle SS56L XPC Case
Intel Celeron 2.8Ghz
512MB DDR RAM
300GB IDE Disk
128MB nVidea FX5200 Personal Cinema GFX/TV Tuner
PVR350 TV Tuner

Anyone got any comments on the pro's/con's of such a setup.

Many thanks once again,

Lee