Getting rid of Cable: Minimum streaming computer requirements

[TKRIS]

Since the vast majority of the TV I watch is either downloaded or PVR'd, I want to just get rid of my cable.
The best way to go seems to be with software like PlayOn, and a VPN so I can access Hulu and other U.S. content, then using sickbeard to get whatever other shows I want that aren't easily accessible from the standard online sources.
Simple enough, but my computers aren't up to the task (old Mac desktop and a little netbook PC). I'm thinking of getting a PC to use as a dedicated machine to stream video and movies, but I'm not sure what the cheapest route is. Anyone have any recommendations on minimum requirements?
I am going to use my PS3 and Xbox as media players connected to the TVs. I will have 2 TVs that will need to stream content, and I need to be able to stream HD. My main "theater" TV in the basement can be connected directly to the router, but the TV upstairs needs to stream over wifi. Ideally, I'd be able to have both TVs on, but with different programs, but I don't know if that's possible with only 1 computer.

Any advice would be appreciated. I'm not totally computertarded, but ever since I quit working in an office I've kind of lost interest in even pretending to be able to keep up with technology.

[ExtraSlow]

It's not a full solution, but Netflix, or even better Netflix USA, could come in pretty handy for you.

I suspect you'll also need something to supplement that.

[TKRIS]

Yeah, I already have Netflix. It's OK for me to watch movies, and for the kids to watch cartoons, but there isn't enough new content rotating through to be a catch all. I need something where I can get shows in a relatively timely manner, and I need it to be simple so i'm not constantly trouble shooting so that my family can watch TV.

[spike98]

My setup:

HTPC
-e7200
-4 gb ddr2 ram
-64gb SSD sata2
-GeForce GT 430 1gb ddr3 video card
-IR/usb sensor

Storage
- DNS-323 w/ 2x1TB 7200rpm drives

2 x WD Live Plus for the bedrooms

Sonicview FTA Satellite

I use sickbeard and newsgroups for TV. USA netflix and newsgroups for movies. And the SAT for random surfing. I rarely ever use the sat however.

Everything is automated with the exception of downloading movies. Sickbeard handles everything and newsleacher downloads, joins, unzips and transfers everything to the NAS to be accessible anywhere in the house.

[benyl]

I have a WHS and a ReadyNas (that I am having issues with stabily).

I just ordered WHS 2011. We'll see how that goes.

I don't steam anything. I just let my WDTV read the file off a shared folder on the ReadyNas or the WHS.

I have yet to encounter a file that the WDTV can't play.

You just need something fast enough to share the data.

The problem is the PS3. I gave up on that due to having to run transcoding for anything the PS3 couldn't read natively. Solved that problem with $100 and bought the WDTV.

[ipeefreely]

You'll want something with a good amount of power and fast drives (7200 rpm) if you want to stream in HD to multiple TVs at the same time. Transcoding to the PS3 also takes alot of CPU power.

I mostly stream in HD (720p/1080p) to one tv (Acer Revo & HTPC) from my WHS at once. So I'm not sure how much streaming to 2 or more tvs stress the system but you will need something decent.

I'd also recommend a wired giabit network as it can be real frustrating using wifi to stream HD content.

If you're just looking at SD content the system requirements are a lot less obviously. ;)



Originally posted by benyl
I just ordered WHS 2011. We'll see how that goes.

What are your plans with WHS 2011 benyl? I picked up a copy last week and have been playing around with it in a VM... It seems really different from WHS v1! :/

Not too sure what my plans are right now but I don't see as a replacement for my original WHS. I might build a small server with it and take advantage of some of the streaming options from work! :)

It really has been a slow start for add ins as well and that they decied to kill of the drive extender function.... :cry:

[benyl]

Well, I have issues with slow transfer speeds with WHS that I can't seem to resolve.

I have a 1GB network, yet some transfers can take an hour for a 1GB file.

I bought a ReadyNas in hopes that I could replace the WHS, but it sucks. I am not sure if my drives are corrupt, but with sabnzb+ I get CRC errors all the time. When I DL the same nzb on my WHS, no CRC errors. Over the last week, my ReadyNAS gets total unstable to the point where I have to hard reboot it everyday. Fuck that POS. haha. I basically tossed $600 in the toilet.


WHS for me is a file repository for files and TV epidsodes. I don't really need add-ins for anything.

I am going to try WHS 2011 and see if it resolves my transfer speeds. I think I will run hardware RAID as 2GB drives are so cheap now. I have 1.2 TB with 5 drives on WHS. With RAID, I don't need DE and replication as it does it on it's own.

Plus, WHS 2011 is so cheap ($50) that I thought, why not?

I might rebuild and repurpose the ReadyNAS into a backup solution for the WHS2011.

[ipeefreely]

Sorry TKRIS small :hijack: but might help you decide what might work for you...


Originally posted by benyl
Plus, WHS 2011 is so cheap ($50) that I thought, why not?
After I saw that drop in price I figured I should grab a copy before they decide to dump it! :rofl:

WHS is a nice product (for the home user) but MS doesn't promote it at all! :banghead:

I like that with DE you didn't have to plan to far ahead! :rofl:

I started with 4 1.5TB drives and now I've added & replaced to 14 2TB drives very easily in 2 years! :nut:

I do find my transfer speed aren't consistent but nothing as bad you're describing.

My SABNzbs downloads go to a non-pooled drive then I transfer to the pool (what I want to keep). If they're large I do it in the remote desktop other wise it takes forever.... :cry:

Let me know how WHS 2010 works out for you. :)

[TKRIS]

Thanks for the advice fellas.
Athalon II X4
4GB ram
1GB video card (GT210?)
1TB 7200rpm Drive

I'll add drives as I need them. This should get me going fairly well right?

[codetrap]

http://www.memoryexpress.com/Products/PID-MX29920%28ME%29.aspx

[anarchy]

I strongly recommend against cutting your cable television service.



:D

[TKRIS]

I don't think the Atom processors are powerful enough to stream HD content at an acceptable rate. PlayOn's system requirements say minimum 500 rating from PassMark, and suggest at least 1000. The Atoms are ~600-700. I'm thinking that since I would like to be able to stream 2 sources simultaneously, I'm going to need some reasonably significant processing capability. Unless I'm missing something? Like I said, I'm not much of a computer guy...

Anarchy: Why not? I rarely use it except as background noise, and I can get all the same content for a fraction of the cost with a minimal inconvenience.

[SmAcKpOo]

I am running Windows Server 2008 on a Hexacore AMD processor. I have 6x1.5TB 7200RPM Seagates in RAID 5 as well.

With this setup I can stream/transcode multiple 1080p sources. I have had the Array streaming to 2 TV's, 1 Desktop and 1 Laptop at the same time.

Sustained read rates of my array are around 225MB/sec.


If you want to be able to stream to multiple sources you need an i/o card that can handle it. WHS and software raid blows.