MediaPortal should drop Microsoft SQL

[pinguy]

Microsoft SQL is such a memory hog. I had my PC turned on for two days and it started to get really slow, after checking running services Microsoft SQL Server was using 1.5GB of ram out of 2GB, 1.5GB OF RAM!!! for a background service.

So after that I decided to use MySQL instead. MySQL is so much better then Microsoft SQL for memory usage, it only uses 15mb, thats less then TvService uses.

I just think it would be better for the default install to use MySQL instead of Microsoft SQL Server, or you could drop Microsoft SQL Server completely and just concentrate on getting MediaPortal TV-Server to work with MySQL (what it does really well already).

[Guzzi]

pinguy - I think you did not consider, how databaseengines do work - they even SHOULD use as much resources as possible to improve performance - exchange is doing the same. but you can configure the behaviour of the db-engine - also in mssql - and limit the max memory to be used, e.g. 64 MB.
I personally would never limit it to 15mb (don't even know, if this would work), because I prefer the db-engine does some caching in the ram - the latter is cheap and usually there is enough evailable ;-)

[craigparris1]

Hi Pinguy,

Guzzi is correct - you can definitely configure the maximum memory used by SQL Server, if you do have concerns about the amount of memory used. However, as Guzzi also points out, SQL will endeavour to use as much memory as is available to ensure data is cached, to minimise the need to go to the page file/disk. To be honest, I'm only just starting on my journey with MediaPortal, so can't speak from experience about how much memory SQL would ordinarily be using on a HTPC (it is very much dependant on the number and size of databases), however I do work with SQL every day, and SQL 2005 is definitely a reliable (and very configurable) database engine.

I'd suggest - if you haven't done so already - that you install the latest SQL 2005 service pack to get the most out of it.

Overall, though, for those of us who are happy to continue using SQL, I'd hate them to take it away as an option from MediaPortal.

Cheers,
Craig

[petsa]

Hi pinguy,

Check out the docs for TVServer and it will guide you how to set max memory for MSSQL.

/Peter

[tourettes]

Originally Posted by craigparris1

Overall, though, for those of us who are happy to continue using SQL, I'd hate them to take it away as an option from MediaPortal.

Its pretty likely that the MSSQL support is not going to be removed as there are even devs that are "supid" enough to use it. Me including .

craigparris1 already told why the MSSQL is using so much memory.

[mcraenz]

@Pinguy: You might do a little research before you launch a post declaring that developers should do this or that. SQL server will release memory if the system needs it. This article might help you understand it. SQL Rocks: Memory Use in SQL Server

Thing is SQL Server and .NET are like a hand in a glove. IMHO supporting MySql is an unnecessary overhead and a luxury, but hey that's my opinion I won't tell the developers what to do especially since they've probably given it a lot more discussion and thought than I have!

[pinguy]

MediaPortal TV-Server doesn't need to use something as complex as MSSQL, MySQL is a better choice IMHO plus MySQL is open source.

I am not sure if you lot know but you can choose to use MySQL instead of MSSQL when installing MediaPortal, this isn't a feature I am asking for them to do, its already used in the program. All I am saying is I think that MySQL should be used as the default install instead of MSSQL.

Originally Posted by Guzzi

I personally would never limit it to 15mb (don't even know, if this would work), because I prefer the db-engine does some caching in the ram - the latter is cheap and usually there is enough evailable ;-)

I didn't limit it to 15mb that's just what it uses, it actually uses less the longer its running.

Originally Posted by mcraenz

Thing is SQL Server and .NET are like a hand in a glove.

????
You need .NET for programs written in C#, VB.NET and JScript.NET, it has nothing to do with Microsoft SQL.

.NET is used because MediaPortal is written in C#, that's why there isn't a version of MediaPortal for Linux or Mac because you can only run .NET on Windows.

[mcraenz]

I'm just saying that .NET has very tight native classes for handling SQL which means less work to support it.

plus MySQL is open source.

By that logic MediaPortal should be ported to Mono!!!

Anyways not much point arguing about it! You say MySql I say MS Sql, We get both!

[midju]

Originally Posted by mcraenz

I'm just saying that .NET has very tight native classes for handling SQL which means less work to support it.

By that logic MediaPortal should be ported to Mono!!!

Anyways not much point arguing about it! You say MySql I say MS Sql, We get both!

Mono !! YES!!!!!

[chemelli]

Nothing would change about database support, at least for MP1.

Simone