What's possible?

[John@TunerUK]

First of all let me introduce myself. I'm John, and I'm an electrical contractor looking for options for both my own house and future clients of mine.

I'm currently very interested in the field of TV and media distribution, and I've been testing out a couple of Linux based options (LinuxMCE, and MythTV). Whilst they both do exactly what I'm after, both have proven to be full of bugs, and since I take pride in my work, I wouldn't be happy supplying a system that I knew to be somewhat of a trouble maker.

So my question is this, what is gbpvr capable of?

Using Linux I can have a hefty backend machine, which has all of the capture devices and storage, and in each room a basic machine acting as a portal to the data on the backend.
So for instance using MythV I can rip a DVD to the backends hard drive in perfect quality, complete with menus, dolby 5.1, and DTS where available, then watch it in any room with a front end machine.
It also goes without saying that I can also watch an actual DVD in any room with a frontend machine.
I can also watch DVB-t and DVB-s in any room with a frontend machine, without having to have a capture card in that machine. The data is simply retrieved from the backend machine.
I can also pause, rewind, and record TV in any room.
And depending on the performance of the backend machine, it can supply several frontends with data at once.

I have browsed the features page of the main website, but it doesn't really go into the physical layout possibilities, so I've turned to you guys for some info.

Thanks in advance for any help

[sub]

First of all let me introduce myself. I'm John, and I'm an electrical contractor looking for options for both my own house and future clients of mine.

I'm currently very interested in the field of TV and media distribution, and I've been testing out a couple of Linux based options (LinuxMCE, and MythTV). Whilst they both do exactly what I'm after, both have proven to be full of bugs, and since I take pride in my work, I wouldn't be happy supplying a system that I knew to be somewhat of a trouble maker.

So my question is this, what is gbpvr capable of?

Sorry, but the first thing I must mention is that GB-PVR is free for your own personal use. It's not to be used in commercial situations where you are supplying it to customers, whether you're charging money for it or not.

Whilst they both do exactly what I'm after, both have proven to be full of bugs

Trust me, GB-PVR has its own share of bugs , its up to you to decide who's bugs you can live with.

Using Linux I can have a hefty backend machine, which has all of the capture devices and storage, and in each room a basic machine acting as a portal to the data on the backend.

Yes, you can do this. Including using cheap/silent Hauppauge MediaMVP clients in each room. (the MediaMVP cant be used for DVDs though)

So for instance using MythV I can rip a DVD to the backends hard drive in perfect quality, complete with menus, dolby 5.1, and DTS where available, then watch it in any room with a front end machine.

There is a DVD Ripper plugin that does this.

It also goes without saying that I can also watch an actual DVD in any room with a frontend machine.

Yes, it can watch DVDs from network shares.

I can also watch DVB-t and DVB-s in any room with a frontend machine, without having to have a capture card in that machine. The data is simply retrieved from the backend machine

Yes, you can do that. Its pretty slow for changing channels compared with the performance on the server, but you can do it.

And depending on the performance of the backend machine, it can supply several frontends with data at once.

Yes, but if the clients are watching live tv, then only one client can use one tuner. You'd need multiple tuners in the server if multiple clients needed simultaneous live tv. The clients can all be watching recordings made earlier though.

[nia]

Trust me, GB-PVR has its own share of bugs , its up to you to decide who's bugs you can live with.

Trust me - GBPVR are at a very stable place compared to the others. Plugins are mostly the source of any issues nowadays. I think GBPVRs bugs are much easier to live with than most others out there.

Give it a go - you'll probably not look back

And the MVP-concept is simply brilliant. Very high WAF at a low cost.

[John@TunerUK]

Sorry, but the first thing I must mention is that GB-PVR is free for your own personal use. It's not to be used in commercial situations where you are supplying it to customers, whether you're charging money for it or not.

I see. perhaps it isn't the sollution I'm looking for then. Surely some form of informal understanding would generate what what I presume would be welcomed 'Donations'?
I know that I for one would be willing to assist a project if possible, if I were benefiting from it myself.

To be honest I've looked at several options, both free and commercial, and so far the free options seem to do what I require, whereas the commercial one's seem to be based around one hefty fully featured PC per TV.:confused:

[sub]

I see. perhaps it isn't the sollution I'm looking for then. Surely some form of informal understanding would generate what what I presume would be welcomed 'Donations'?
I know that I for one would be willing to assist a project if possible, if I were benefiting from it myself.

Sorry, but there is already commercial agreements with other parties that makes GB-PVR not an option for this sort of use.

To be honest I've looked at several options, both free and commercial, and so far the free options seem to do what I require, whereas the commercial one's seem to be based around one hefty fully featured PC per TV.

I'm fairly sure SageTV allows for client PC without tuners etc.

[John@TunerUK]

:oUnderstood. It would seem that unless I try this in my own home, this is goodbye for now.
Thank you for your replies however