A Linux version for the TV-Server

[jfma]

Started on: 2006-12-31
last update: 2006-12-31

Summary:
A Linux version for TV-Server. I don't think there's a need for Linux on the client side.

Description:
First of all, a big thanks to the developers for their great work.
Let me explain the reasoning for my request:
I'm in the early stages of designing my multimedia infrastructure. I've planned for a separate server and three clients. One of my goals is to have some degree of protection for my files and for that reason I have thought of RAID. But normally if you use RAID you are supposed to have all your disks identical !! What will I do when I need more space and disks of the size I have are no longer sold? What can I do with the five disks I already have, all of them with different sizes?
I have learned that under Linux I can use software RAID, and the only requirement for software RAID is to define same size partitions. So, with an adequate partitioning scheme I can use almost 100% of my available disks and improve my multimedia files protection through RAID 5 or RAID 1. In fact, I already managed to set up a Gentoo Linux working this way. I have used EVMS to manage the partitions and RAID configuration. Performance penalty is minimum.
As far as I know, you can´t do this with Windows XP (at least with home or professional editions). I think this file system flexibility is the main reason that justifies the need of a Linux version for the TV-Server.
On the contrary, the client is where I will play HD-DVDs (or perhaps Blue Ray). And those new formats have so many protections (DRM, AACS, HDCP) that I don't think there will be an open solution to play them in the short term. But we already have HD-DVD and Blue Ray software players that run under Windows XP and Vista. This is why I think that my client PCs must remain under Windows.

Sorry for the long explanation. Thank you and Happy 2007.

[Khris]

Search the forums for "Linux" and you should get more than enough information as to why this won't be supported.

[jfma]

I've already done the search. What I found is some people trying to port the whole MediaPortal to Linux. I understand there are three key issues in this task:
Directshow: very difficult
.NET: not so difficult
TV Card support: I don't think it's so bad under Linux though my experience is very limited.

I wouldn't suggest to fully port MediaPortal to Linux. But porting TV-Server to Linux is only affected by the last two items, you will only have to capture, record and send streams. Nothing is played on the TV-Server so you can skip the whole Directshow issue.

Am I missing something?

[mPod]

The TV server also relies on DirectShow, of course... Just mentioning.

[jfma]

I'm sorry. I assumed no DirectX or Directshow was needed in the server because every display related code would be in the clients. I was thinking of hardware encoding and just recording and playing the card's output. I forgot the use of Directshow filter for stream encoding or re-encoding.

[mPod]

DirectShow is not only about displaying stuff, it's more about building filter graphs. Both, MediaPortal & the TV server are based on this technology.

[jfma]

Alternative proposal:
If developing a Linux version of the TV-Server is too complex, perhaps a MediaPortal client plugin to transparently communicate with a MythTV backend/server should be easier to make.
Perhaps not the most user-friendly solution, but installing MythTV shouldn't be harder than installing any Linux distro. A small sacrifice for those of us who are crazy enough to take this dual OS path.

[garry]

XP does support striping & mirroring (RAID).

[jfma]

But, can you do it on different size disks? How? On Linux I only have to make same size partitions to enable RAID. For example, I can have 4 disks with these sizes: 40GB, 80GB, 120GB and 120GB and I can do the following:
1 partition for the whole 40GB disk (let's call it disk A)
1 partition for the 80GB disk (disk B)
2 partitions for each 120GB disk (disks C and D), one partition with 40GB and another with 80GB.
Then I can have RAID 5 with disk A and the 40GB partitions in disks C and D. And with the 80GB disk B and the other two 80GB partitions (disks C and D) I can have another RAID 5. Any disk may fail and the array can be rebuilt.

Can you do that with Windows XP?

[infinityloop]

Originally Posted by jfma

But, can you do it on different size disks? How? On Linux I only have to make same size partitions to enable RAID. For example, I can have 4 disks with these sizes: 40GB, 80GB, 120GB and 120GB and I can do the following:
1 partition for the whole 40GB disk (let's call it disk A)
1 partition for the 80GB disk (disk B)
2 partitions for each 120GB disk (disks C and D), one partition with 40GB and another with 80GB.
Then I can have RAID 5 with disk A and the 40GB partitions in disks C and D. And with the 80GB disk B and the other two 80GB partitions (disks C and D) I can have another RAID 5. Any disk may fail and the array can be rebuilt.

Can you do that with Windows XP?

at first, i hope that this does not (again) drift to a Windows :vs: Linux War !


about the Raid (Redundant Array of Inexpensive Disks):
::RAID-wikipedia::

generally speaking, forgett these software raid "solutions" (Windows/Linux doesnt matter).
better buy a decent RAID-Conroller.

you should also be aware of the fact that a high performance RAID, requires HDDs with equal capacity.

::RAID-Levels::
please do not use JBOD, use RAID1, 5 or 6.