Mediaportal TV-server on Windows Server 2012 (1 Viewer)

Andreas Aronsson

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I am going to build a TV server. To day I got a linux-server as file and mediaserver. But it seams a bit overkill to have two servers. So my thought was to skip the linux-server and combine TV-server and file/mediaserver.
So then I have to choose OS for the server.

Is it possible to run mediaportal TV-server on a Windows Server 2012? Or do anyone of you have any other suggestions?

/Andreas
 

HomeY

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    Hi Andreas,

    Windows Server 2008 R2 isn't officially supported by the Team, because it lacks the DVB updates. MediaPortal can still get installed on that OS, but you'll get a warning about this. I'm running my dedicated TV/Fileserver on that OS.

    As for Windows Server 2012 (and for Windows 8), this is currently not supported. The Team is working hard to make sure everything will work as it should, so you can expect that the upcoming 1.3Beta release can be installed on both Windows 8 & Server 2012, but you'll get a warning message about an unsupported OS.

    So if you want to install the latest stable MediaPortal release (v1.2.3), you only have Server 2008 as an option. If you want to use Server 2012, you'll have to wait for the 1.3Beta release to come out. so it's either stable MediaPortal v1.2.3 + Server 2008 R2, or wait for the upcoming 1.3Beta version which gives you the option to go with Server 2012 directly.
     
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    HomeY

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    I think you can assume that the card won't work without drivers, but i can't tell you for sure.
     

    erichzann

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    Hi Andreas,

    That's interesting that you are thinking of combining your servers. I have gone through the opposite process of separating them and I am very glad I did.

    I run a HP Microserver running Ubuntu for my media and file server and this is always on 100% of the time as someone is always watching films, listening to music, doing some work etc, or the server itself is running backups.

    I reckoned that the TV Server does not need to be on that much. Therefore the TV Server just wakes up when a mp client starts up or someone asks it to wake up.

    My thinking behind keeping them separate is:

    - Run a very quiet low spec, low power machine for the file server (which can sit in a cupboard as it does not need to be close to the aerials)
    - Keep the Ubuntu install very minimal and rarely make changes so that there is less chance of breaking anything.
    - Run a more powerful TV server for transcoding when using MP Extended.
    - Not upset the family when I tinker with the TV Server and break something.
    - Be able to do a new OS install on the TV server without taking the file server down.
    etc

    I'll be interested to hear how you get on.
     

    Andreas Aronsson

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    I have been thinking in thoose terms to. I'm not sure how I will do, I would like to have AD wich I have not been successfull to configure with samba.

    What spec do you think I should have on the TV-server if it will need to serve about 4 clients and at the same time record. Let's say that I keep my ubuntu-server (just because it is easy and it is already configured and is operating.) I will be going for two TBS6981 and a SSD 80Gb that have as leftover, but what about CPU, memory and so on?

    /Andreas
     

    4Fred

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    I've been thinking about this stuff too.. and here is what I've done.

    I run everything on a Win7 machine, everything. This is my main and only hardware (look at system specs for info). I have fitted all configuration on a 60GB SSD disk that contain:
    (C:)
    Win7
    MePo, client, TVserver, and mpextended.
    Antivirus
    VMware Workstation.
    Spotify
    Winamp
    CrashPlan
    D: (2TB) All mediafiles.
    E: (2TB) Virtual machines, documents, and TV recordings.
    F: Another 60GB SSD, 35GB for timeshift and the rest for the OS disk of a vmware guest.
    NAS: For backup, WD MyBookworld something...

    Why have I done it like this?
    Before I got my sweet HDhomerun running a virtual tv-server was not possible, I had FireDTV, mapping firewire to a virtual tv-server was not possible, and still today it's a hassle mapping physical things to virtual machines unless it's done over the network. So the simplest thing I still think is build on the physical machine where you connect the tv cards unless they run on the network. And, if you in any case need a machine to run all the time, why not let it be the same machine?

    Backup/restore is really simple, once a month I run a scheduled system image backup (with the built-in software) of the OS drive, so if things go bad I can easily restore the whole machine with every app/setting/MePo and all.
    CrashPlan backup some media to my NAS and my documents/pitctures and stuff, and some stuff is also sent to a friend in case of fire or theft.
    In VMware Workstation I have a couple of machines running doing other things, but they have nothing to do with MePo.

    If you for some reason MUST run Windows Server 2012, why not run that on a virtual machine in VMware?
    If you dont want VMware, wait a little for MePo to support Win8, then you can use Hyper-V on Win8 to run your server 2012.
    But if you really really must have Windows Server 2012 installed as a server on you physical machine you can run a virtual Win7 in Hyper-V with just tv-server, just remember that mapping physical stuff to the virtual machine suck, so get a HDhomerun or some other network based tv tuner.
    The downside of that is that I think you need a separate computer running MePo (but without tv server) located next to your tv, I dont think you'll have much success running Windows Server as a MePo client but I might be wrong.
    And hey, if you don't want the server next to the TV, don't worry, you can send the HDMI signal over the network to you TV also.

    To conclude all my ramblings :p
    Build a machine connect your tv cards to it and install MePo on the hardware, that is simplest when it comes to get a good MePo with tv server and all running, also buid on a supported os, best choice right now is Win7. For all other stuff you can run that virtualized on top of that hardware.
    Placing the hardware somewhere have to do with cabling and how much noise the box makes, if network based tv tuners you can also run HDMI over network and then placement really dont matter, and still everything in just one single box.
     

    Andreas Aronsson

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    I like all the different solutions out there!
    I might go for a separeate machine as TV-server, but there is also the space a problem where shall I put the server (Maybe buy a small formfactor computer as server). The server will be a dedicated TV-server (maybe also file server) and will no have any screens attached. Then I will have to figure out some cheap and working clients (it will be 4 clients). I have some Idea of running server 2008 r2, but might as well go for Win7.

    Do you have any ideas regarding client sollutions? I was hoping for that it would work with a jailbreaked appleTV or a raspberryPI but I think they are to slow. Because I need 4 clients then the price is pretty important.
     

    HomeY

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    Before i had my dedicated Server up and running, i kinda had a simular setup as 4Fred. My desktop PC had a high tower casing and was stuffed with a RAID card + bunch of HDDs and it was running Windows 7. Since i was running out of space in my desktop casing, i decided to build a dedicated server, and i installed Server 2008 R2 on that. On Windows 7 i've had my RAID5 crash a few times (and 2 times i even lost all my data). Since i've been running the server with Server 2008, 2 RAID cards + TV Card, i've never had any issues. Somehow the Server OS seems to work better for a fileserver (at least for me!).

    Next step will be to upgrade to Server 2012, but compatibility needs to be good before i'll go that path. Especially like to go with Server 2012 because of the storage pools and the nice new RAID options.
     

    4Fred

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    I like you thought one "tv-server" also storing all files and stuff and then clients, but what I did was also put a client (standalone configuration) on the tv-server, that saved me a client computer - another of the reasons why I didn't go with a server OS, more stuff on the "one" machine. Also, I simple couldn't get my eHome receiver for my MCE remote to run on Windows Server 2008 r2. But anyway..

    If space is a consideration, why not put the "server" where you intended (where there is space) then you connect a HDMI-Ethernet connector to it and on the TV in the livingroom a Ethernet-HDMI to your TV - that way your server is where it needs to be and you can use MePo on it and thus saving you a client. Yes there are HDMI-Ethernet connectors that also repeat the IR signal from your remote to the "server" where it is located.

    Another thing many people complain about is "my wife is watching TV but I need to do something with the TV computer but I cant since there is only one logon to the Win7 computer" - well there is a fix for that also, just google "How to Enable Concurrent Sessions in Windows 7". That way someone can watch TV and just logon using another account to the "tv-server" and you can fix almost all you want.

    When it comes to clients there are a separate part of the forum for this with many different suggestions, look here.

    There is also the possibility to use Ampdroid on android based tablets devices, that may be an option for you? Just remeber that these clients are not (in my opinion) as smooth as running a computer with MePo on it and use more processor power of the tv-server.
     

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