HDTV Upgrade Plans

[wengg]

I'm ready to make the jump to HDTV and get an Aquos LC52D64 but I have a few concerns. My current setup has been rock solid and I can't give up the great flexiblity and features of GBPVR.

1. What changes can I expect between my current setup and the new one (Aside from HDTV resolution of course)?
   
2. Will I be able to run the new HDTV epuipment off of my current server?
   
3. Has anyone had troubles setting up the IR Blaster with either:
   • Motorolla DCT6200 (Shaw Cable)
     
   • Bell ExpressVu S6141
     
4. Any other supprizes I should be aware of or will the new HD equipment function pretty much like my current standard definition setup?
   

Current Setup:
-Server is an old P4 1.6GHz, 512MB RAM, Windows 2000 box which sits in the basement
- Hauppauge PVR150 for capture and all playback is done through MVP.

New Setup:
- Add Hauppauge HD PVR to existing server.
- Add Popcorn Hour A-100 NMT at HDTV location.
- Keep running the PVR150 and MVP for the old TV.

I don't want to get all of this hardware ordered and find out I only get have the functionality of my current setup. Any insight from those with experience would be appreciated.

[zehd]

I'm ready to make the jump to HDTV and get an Aquos LC52D64 but I have a few concerns. My current setup has been rock solid and I can't give up the great flexiblity and features of GBPVR.

1. What changes can I expect between my current setup and the new one (Aside from HDTV resolution of course)?
   
2. Will I be able to run the new HDTV epuipment off of my current server?
   
3. Has anyone had troubles setting up the IR Blaster with either:
   • Motorolla DCT6200 (Shaw Cable)
     
   • Bell ExpressVu S6141
     
4. Any other supprizes I should be aware of or will the new HD equipment function pretty much like my current standard definition setup?
   

Current Setup:
-Server is an old P4 1.6GHz, 512MB RAM, Windows 2000 box which sits in the basement
- Hauppauge PVR150 for capture and all playback is done through MVP.

New Setup:
- Add Hauppauge HD PVR to existing server.
- Add Popcorn Hour A-100 NMT at HDTV location.
- Keep running the PVR150 and MVP for the old TV.

I don't want to get all of this hardware ordered and find out I only get have the functionality of my current setup. Any insight from those with experience would be appreciated.

I'm very interested in this too as I'm wanting to move up. From what I understand, so long as you aren't using your server AS a client too, it's not going to need much grunt.

So you're going to record the few HD channels with the PVR-1000 and play it through the PCH onto the HDTV? I believe that's what many are already doing. I know that one thing that is holding me back is that the PCH won't do comskip yet. (I believe that our guys are having trouble with the PCH firware writers, Syabas)

Are you planning on having your HD content downsized to play on the MVP on your SD TVs? I've been thinking that some people will want to do that, and I'm going to be looking at ZProcess helping with that...

[topperdude]

I'm ready to make the jump to HDTV and get an Aquos LC52D64 but I have a few concerns. My current setup has been rock solid and I can't give up the great flexiblity and features of GBPVR.

1. What changes can I expect between my current setup and the new one (Aside from HDTV resolution of course)?
   
2. Will I be able to run the new HDTV epuipment off of my current server?
   
3. Has anyone had troubles setting up the IR Blaster with either:
   • Motorolla DCT6200 (Shaw Cable)
     
   • Bell ExpressVu S6141
     
4. Any other supprizes I should be aware of or will the new HD equipment function pretty much like my current standard definition setup?
   

Current Setup:
-Server is an old P4 1.6GHz, 512MB RAM, Windows 2000 box which sits in the basement
- Hauppauge PVR150 for capture and all playback is done through MVP.

New Setup:
- Add Hauppauge HD PVR to existing server.
- Add Popcorn Hour A-100 NMT at HDTV location.
- Keep running the PVR150 and MVP for the old TV.

I don't want to get all of this hardware ordered and find out I only get have the functionality of my current setup. Any insight from those with experience would be appreciated.

wengg - I also started off with planning something similar for my setup (checkout this post for more details if you'd like).

I had also considered using a HD-PVR at the server to capture HD channels (e.g. Discovery HD etc that my HVR 1600 cannot capture using QAM) through the HD cable box. However based on user feedback and reviews on various forums, it seems like HD-PVR DOES require a dual core processor as stated on Hauppauge's website.

I was a bit surprized to learn this because my understanding was that the HD-PVR had a built-in encoder and just streams the encoded data to the server over the USB interface - so I had assumed my current server should be able handle the encoded data from the HD-PVR. Maybe someone here who has more experience with the HDPVR can chime in as well on this aspect as to whether it does require dual core or whether it would be OK with our current setups.

Just something to keep in mind.
-Topper

[zed]

I believe the dual core requirement relates to playback with the supplied software. If you're just recording, using GB-PVR, I don't think a dual core is necessary. Recording HD is not a big deal...playback is the killer. Using a PCH is a good approach.

I use a dual core system for recording because that's what I had but it runs only 3-5% CPU during recordings. I think any decent single core could handle that. Make sure you have plenty of disk, tho, HD recordings can get pretty big.

[mvallevand]

I know that one thing that is holding me back is that the PCH won't do comskip yet. (I believe that our guys are having trouble with the PCH firware writers, Syabas)

The relationship with Syabas is progressing, but that is not the only thing stopping comskip. Sub has to do quite a bit of work that might not even be worth it because the NMT player keeps getting better and better, and it would be very difficult for sub and I to keep up with the innovations in the NMT. As an example I already prefer the soon to be released crop function for SD 16:9 material which completely surpasses comskip, and since the 30 second skip key on the PCH is working nicely, I think you have to look at the total solution.

Martin

[zehd]

The relationship with Syabas is progressing, but that is not the only thing stopping comskip. Sub has to do quite a bit of work that might not even be worth it because the NMT player keeps getting better and better, and it would be very difficult for sub and I to keep up with the innovations in the NMT. As an example I already prefer the soon to be released crop function for SD 16:9 material which completely surpasses comskip, and since the 30 second skip key on the PCH is working nicely, I think you have to look at the total solution.

Martin

Maybe I'm missing something. Do you guys implement the NMT player with the nmt dongle or is that being developed separately and keeping ahead of you in innovations. And why would cropping even be related to comskipping?

[Jaggy]

I think what he is saying is by making the changes to allow comskip to work will impede other developments in the future.

I have read enough comments in the forums from different users about how the skip works really well with the PCH to trust them & accept that comskip isn't necessary any more.
But for me the lack of 'resume' is something I just couldn't live without as I use it all the time at the moment. Martin any news on that front?

[mvallevand]

The way the interface to the PCH works is quite a bit different then the way the MVP works. On the MVP you get the GBPVR interface and sub basically figured out how the Hauppauge dongle functions and manipulates it to pass media using files. There is no actual player on the MVP just a video "device" for mpeg video and two audio "devices", mpeg and pcm audio. The stream that GBPVR sends goes directly to the device(s) that are needed.

On the PCH we don't have access to these devices. Instead you get the same GBPVR screens as the MVP except they rendered faster and in HD (and I think they are more vibrant too) when media is not playing. Pictures ie jpegs are treated as screens and not media). When media is to play GBPVR passes the file name and to the native standalone NMT player. This play is for the most part independent we can't overlay OSD graphics do comskip, or navigate the way you are used to with the MVP but we do still access the remote when necessary.

I am working with Syabas to get more knowledge of their hardware. What this means is that I can get access to the devices but I would have to build an mpeg player, an avi player, an mkv player, a wmv player, and more. In addition in each of these players we'd have to implement current functionality. When I made the comparison with cropping what I meant was we'd have to figure out how to crop using the NMT hardware and software and then sub and I would have to figure out how to implement it. This is a waste of time for me since it already works quite well.

The same thing applies to all the functions, up and downconverting, audio and video track selection, toggling subtitles on and off. This doesn't even get into the technicalities of decoding, demuxing and remuxing that might be necessary. Or the fact that I would have to do this 4 times.

As for resume, it is probably the most requested feature on the NMT and Syabas have indicated it is coming and I have had a couple of preliminary discussions with Syabas on this and they are certainly aware how important this is for GBPVR users. Once it is available, sub and I are then going to have to do some work to integrate it and to get to work properly.

Martin

[martint123]

Thanks for the update Martin, it's good to hear of your (improving?) relations with Syabas and the behind the scenes work you and sub are doing.
Thanks.

[wengg]

Thanks for all of the feed back. I'm glad to hear the consensus is that my existing server should be adequate as it doesn't have to do any of the encoding or playback.
One thing I am going to try out which might be of interest to some people is replacing the blu-ray player and A-100 with a PS3. I just read that the latest beta software for the HDPVR allows for direct recording to a compatible format.

http://www.hauppauge.com/site/support/su...hdpvr.html

Still don't have confirmation if there is an issue with recordings over 4GB.

This setup should save me a couple bucks, Improve the WAF factor (Only 1 input device being the PS3), and I get a free gaming console out of it. Major downside is losing the GBPVR interface on the HDTV. I don't watch live TV and I always schedule my recordings through the web admin so this might be okay.

Any thoughts on blu-ray playback quality and functionality when comparing the PS3 and something like a Sony BDPS350?