non-dedicated PVR

[LG_SW]

Hello,

I'm replacing my aging PC and would like some advice from those who've been there before. I'd like to build the new PC as a PVR but continue to use it as a PC as well. PC use would be limited to email, web browsing and MS Office-type apps; not into gaming or anything that would drain resources too much.

I have a few specific concerns I'd appreciate help with:

1) Is it viable to use a non-dedicated PVR. Assuming one output is to the TV (direct , not MVP) and the other is to PC monitor, can one person watch media output while the other uses the PC without affecting one another?

2) If the above can be done, can anyone recommend a card to handle the dual output. I'm thinking that the PC monitor can run off the motherboard and a separate card would handle the TV side of things but I've not run two displays before so I'm not really sure if it's better to get one card that will do both. Also, realistically how long can a cable to the TV be?

3) Is my proposed config up to the job? I'm still finalising the components (and am open to suggestions) but for now I'm planning to use:
Antec Aria quiet cube case
Asus KV8-MX motherboard (or similar. Would like to try the AMD Cool'n'Quiet technology and have at least 3 free PCI slots - the antec case will accommodate 4 PCI cards).
AMD Athlon 64 3000
Some form of quiet heatsink/fan (possibly one of Zalman products)
Samsung spinpoint 200Gb HDD
1Gb RAM
NEC ND-3550A DVD/RW (or similar)
2x Twinhan D&A PCI tuners
Windows XP
and last but not least, GBPVR

Any thoughts on the proposed setup?

4) I'd like to use a RF remote. Firefly looks a possible but I'm having trouble finding a UK distributer. Can anyone offer advice on an RF remote control?

There may well be other things I haven't considered. Am more than happy for people to point out if it looks like I'm going wrong somewhere!

Thanks!

[tkgafs]

I am using a non dedicated pc with gbpvr with no real problems.

My setup is very similar to what you are proposing

I use Antec Sonata case [very quiet but not silent]
AMD Athlon 64 3000
MSI RS480 motherboard which has svhs, spdif and tvout on board

1gb ram
200gb seagate sata drive for recordings and 80 gb ide drive for everything else

PVR350 tuner and Nova-T usb2 tuner

I use an MVP via a crossover cable for playback, although I have tried output from the motherboard and from pvr350 both of which worked fine.

My system is used by myself and my wife and three teenage children as the home computer which is connected to the internet and I have to say that I don't see any problems running gbpvr in this way at all now, older versions of gbpvr could be a bit choppy at times but since Sub has put in the options to run the mvp and the recording service at above normal priority all those problems have disappeared.

hope that helps

tkgafs

[gruskada]

I've got a lesser PC, running GBPVR and tons of other apps simultaneously. I use the PC (occaisionally doing some processer-intensive things) while my wife uses the DVR, and we've yet to have a problem.

My setup is:
2.24 GHz P4
768MB RAM
(2) 80GB ATA/100 hard drives @7,200RPM
Hauppauge PVR-150 MCE
some sort of fancy Intel NIC that allows TCP/IP processing to be offloaded to it
Windows XP
latest GBPVR build
-->
802.11g wireless router
-->
802.11g Ethernet Bridge (Netgear Game Adapter)
-->
Media MVP 1000

The only thing that really brings it to it's knees is when we have our microwave on for more than 10 seconds, since microwaves apparently wreak havoc on the 2.4GHz bandwidth that 802.11g uses.

EDIT: just saw that you don't want to use the MVP. If you have a dedicated MPEG decoder, I assume (based on my specs), that your setup would be fine, and it may be fine without one as well... In any case, if cost is an issue for you with the MVP - I got mine on eBay for $70, and you might be able to pick up a MVP 1000 cheaper now, since the wireless version is coming out.

gruskada

[reboot]

Any GeForce card with TV out, in "dualmode" will do 1 and 2, without any second device of any sort.

[LG_SW]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful. I think you've convinced me to go ahead with this. I 'll have a think about MVP versus direct output.

gruskada / tkgafs, what do you use to change channel and control recordings? Keyboard and mouse or a remote of some kind?

[tkgafs]

Thanks for the replies. Very helpful. I think you've convinced me to go ahead with this. I 'll have a think about MVP versus direct output.

gruskada / tkgafs, what do you use to change channel and control recordings? Keyboard and mouse or a remote of some kind?

The whole of gbpvr can be controlled from the remote using the mvp so I just use the tv guide and press the record button on the remote

I actually use a telewest cable box as the source for my pvr350 as this uses some strange protocol for its own remote you need to buy something called a red rat serial to make it change channels, I dont have one and just have to remember to set the box to auto switch at the correct time.

this is my biggest problem since I got the 2nd tuner, it automatically changes channel under gbpvrs control, so I need to know which tuner has been chosen to record a particular program, in case I need to manually change the telewest box

tkgafs

tkgafs

[User]

Running two mvp's here. Primary use of the computer is stock trading using some heavy duty processor intensive software:

http://www.quotetracker.com

as well as running Folding@home software which keeps the cpu usage at 100% 24/7:

http://folding.stanford.edu/

2.8 Ghz Pentium 4 Hyperthreading turned off
1Gig ram
Hauppauge 150
dual MVP's
Matrox Parhelia 650 graphics for two monitors
dual 120 gig drives
onboard AC97 audio
Windows 2000
Home made serial cable to control a Directv Box

Works perfectly

[gruskada]

The MVP comes with a Hauppauge 34-button IR remote that interfaces with the MVP, which send the commands back to the PC via Ethernet cable / wireless.

I set up most of my recordings via the Web interface, but if I'm just browsing for a show, I'll use the XSearch plugin via the MVP, and schedule the show that way.

gruskada

[ejeffers]

For Tv on the one monitor (which is a TV) and basic PC usage on the other, You should get an Athlon 64 X2, as the dual core performance will give you an EXTREME increase in usability. One core will be used for GB-PVR, which usually takes up 40-70% processor while playing, and the other core will be used for E-mail, word, etc. Also, I would get another HD, like an 80gb, and use that as the sytem drive in which you install windows, and applications, and use the 200gb as a recordings/buffer drive.

These two modifications caombined will make the computer like 2 different PC's, with great performance on each display.

[gEd]

on the subject of the Antec Aria case, I have one which I am reasonably happy with but it does have it's faults.

1. Airflow is sucked by the 12cm power supply fan from the front of the case,through the power supply and out the back. The fan is temp controlled which means that if your components generate a lot of heat, the fan is running flat out and is not a quiet as it could be.

Late at night when it is reasonably quiet, I can hear the pc from 4 metres away but when watching tv, it is inaudible.

I have added 2 x 8cm fans on the sides at the front, which somewhat spoils the otherwise ok looks. Also, I swapped the power supply fan out for quieter one.

Due to the close proximity of the power supply to the cpu socket, you are restricted in what heatsinks you can use. The last generation Zalman round HS fits apparently but requires mounting holes on the mobo which I don;t have.

hth