Networked recording Farm

[mobiusnz]

Ok - Recording farm is a slight exageration but a way to have two pc's with recording sources share a single recording destination, a single database and a single guide so from one interface you could schedule recordings and it would queue things to recording sources in multiple pc's.

I have a Shuttle with a PVR500mce that does the job pretty damb well currently, but occaisionally I'd like more tuners - unfortunately I only have 1 pci slot and I don't want a USB Device hanging around messing the place up. I've just scored a second PVR500mce and I'm about to run ethernet under the carport out to my Garage to put in a server (too may 'humming' pc's in the house already - don't want another one!). I could put another pc out there with the PVR500mce in it (already have an aerial on the Garage for watching sport and playing pool) and have four tuners available.

I plan to install GBPVR out there and access it with VNC (or web) to use as a backup recorder but it would be real nice for it to share the Database (SQlite??) and guide etc and to be able to schedule 3 or 4 channels and it sort it out between the two machines would be a dream!

I'll probably just flog off the Shuttle and get a slightly larger SFF pc with two pci slots sooner or later but I haven't seen one thats as quiet as the shuttle yet. With an Athlon 64 (which run cooler than P4's) with heatpipes up to the rare fan and fan speed/noise control this baby purs.

[reboot]

Being that you can only watch one channel at a time, the rest will be recording, set up your most used box to have a free tuner at all times, for watching live TV.
Set up gbpvr on the other system(s), and have each record what you want to record, and simply share the recordings over the LAN with all other systems.
Unfortunately, gbpvr won't detect and use tuners in remote systems directly.

I have 3 tuners in my main box (with output to the main TV), and schedule most recordings from there, which usually leaves at least 1 tuner free at all times for live tv.
The other systems (4 of them) each have tuners (some multiple), output to local TV's, and record to local drives, which are shared on the lan with all other systems.
This allows any client to watch any recorded show, on any local TV, from any of the 5 systems (11 tuners) no special software needed.
The only thing it won't do, is allow the single tuner systems to watch live TV while recording a show, as there is no local source tuner, however they can watch any recorded show, from any source, while recording locally.
Clear as mud?

[mobiusnz]

I don't bother watching "live" tv ever with the exception of Rugby (can't wait) or when there are 3 channels to watch so I can only tape two of them. The main reason I want more than two tuners is to solve the overlap issues. Its rare I tape more than two things at once but when you tape consecutive shows on two channels you get the last minute of a show at the start of the next show - sometimes you forget and delete the second recording loosing the end of a show and also it means wasting 2gb of space storing 1 minute of a show, fustrating when space is getting tight. It would be nice to be able to just queue the shows and have the pre/post padding work on every show as there was always a free tuner.

I know the real answer is simply putting more tuners in the one pc - I just thought I'd mention it. Imagine being able to build a massive GBPVR farm with more tuners than possible with any other PVR - The publicity alone would be cool - Might even get mentioned in a few print mags-

"Monster PVR Farm - 24 tuners" (3 pc's - 4 PVR500's each!)

I figured if anyone could see the "need" (?desire?) it would be sub as it sounds like he has a bunch of pc's and a nice big collection of tuners - the downside being in NZ we don't have enough quality channels to ever need to tape more than 3 - and even then its very rare!

[GoodGuys]

@reboot: How do you share the recordings, though? Simple networked drive with Video Library or MyVideos accesing it?

GGF

[reboot]

All recording drives on all systems are shared on the LAN, then simply added to the config/directories/video library section. They don't even have to be mapped drives, providing all systems are on 24/7.

[GoodGuys]

Thanks for the info reboot.

GGF

[nv40]

Not to get off topic, but this brings up a question for me. I only have 1 tuner right now, if i add another tuner...how does gbpvr handle that. I record a LOT of back to back shows, and i want to eleminate the mentioned problem of not having my pre/post padding honored. Will this solve the problem?

[dgeezer]

Yes, you will use both tuners when recording back to back shows.

Setup for multiple tuners is simple enough - just follow the wiki.

[wtg]

...from any of the 5 systems (11 tuners) no special software needed...

Reboot, 11 tuners?!? You're insane!

[reboot]

Yeah, quite possibly! :eek: