laptop end external PCI closure via USB/expresscard - anyone used it? will it work?

[jasjol]

I am going to use a laptop for other purposes 24/7 and thought of how to use it for NPVR also.

Today I have DVB- C: 2 cards Technotrend Budget C-1501+CI and CAM/CI from Cryptoguard in my XP desktop which works fine.

To use Laptop and my PCI cards I would need an external PCI solution connected to laptop.

I found these:
PCI Express to 2 PCI & 2 PCIe Expansion Enclosure System
this has 2 PCI and 2 PCIexpress ports (also a version with 4 PCI ports exists)
it is supposed to be connected to an PCI express card in a PC. but you can use this

ExpressCard Connection Cable For PEX2PCI4

if you have a laptop with expresscard.

also there exists

USB to ExpressCard Adapter

and I thought of using USB to expresscard / expresscard connector/ PCI expansion enclosure.

Now the question is if this will work with NPVR?

some possible problems I see:

1) it technically does not work so that PCI card is not recognized by laptop ( I chatted with supplier who believedit would work but at USB2 speed.)

2) NPVR does not recognize this kind of solution so card is not used by NVPR.

3) USB2 is to slow for handling the data flow from 2 PCI recording cards when they transfer to harddrive etc. (But there are USB recording devices on the market so maybe there is not need for more than USB2 speed?)



Anyone who has tried this?

comments in general?

[johnsonx42]

I doubt anyone has tried this. Nothing in NPVR would stop it from working though: NPVR just talks to Windows and the device drivers for the tuner cards. If the device drivers for the tuners can talk to the cards, then it ought to work. As to the speed, while 480mbps USB is less than half the speed of the PCI bus, in practice it's still fast enough for the data flow from a couple of tuner cards. In the end it's just a question whether all these bridges, busses, devices and drivers will all actually work together AND be reliable.

What really boggles the mind though is that expansion chassis with the two extra cables costs about $500! And it's enormous! Why are you even considering this when you could just buy a couple of USB tuners that you know will work for far less money?

(oh, I just thought of a better response... "Yes, Startech sells a lot of crazy stuff, that doesn't mean you should actually use it unless there's NO OTHER WAY!")

[jasjol]

Yes :-) it cost a bit and I am thinking of using USB devices also.

But I have not found any working USB tuner cards with CI module - although I have not checked that much yet.

I could not find any USB devices with CI module when I bought my Technotrend cards some years ago.

[HarryH3]

Here in the US you could purchase a very nice PC for $500. Are prices in Sweden so high that it is actually reasonable to spend the same amount just to add some PCI slots to your laptop? :eek:

[stustunz]

Why do you have I use a laptop ? Just curious

[jasjol]

I will use a laptop 24/7 for controlling the house - lamp on/off, temperatures, barbecue termometer to phone etc.

I will use a laptop in order to get automatic UPC function (laptopbattery) with hours of on even if Power is cut off. Also the laptop consumes a low amount of kWh.

This laptop will never go into sleep mode and then it would be nice to use it also for GBPVR.

I could get a new Desktop pc - which is my second choice - but then Another box to maintain and check and more kWh.

I have already got the laptop - but I could change to only use desktop and UPS.

But it would be nice to use the laptop.

[stustunz]

For the amount of extra hassle/money its going to cost a pc would be better
A New pc if chosen correctly will not use any more power than a laptop

Ive been down the path you are trying to go and laptops just dont cut it the lack of pci/pcie just becomes expensive as soon as you try to add anything
Usb is unreliable when the computer/laptop comes out of sleep they dont always hook up again(drivers are rubbish normally)

[johnsonx42]

the laptop would be great if a network tuner were an option, but I think the need for a CI module eliminates that possibility.

[jasjol]

yeah still thinking of the alternative of using DesktopPC for NPVR but have not yet understood how to choose Power unit to keep energy consumption down.

if Desktop I would use Intel I5, no graphical card but using the motherboard Graphics - but as I understand it I will end up with 100w or more Power usage.

But maybe it is me who do not know how to choose Power unit and/or how to estimate correctly Power usage

[stustunz]

How did you come to the 100 watts?