Completed My Ongoing Hobby - SIGH (3 Viewers)

[charli181]

Just thought I would post what I have completed so far. This setup is working without any major problems and Wife and kids can drive it.

Media Server
Intel 2150 CPU -$90
1 GB Ram - $35
1x 500GB Sata HDD - $135
OS Windows 2003 Server
1 Leadtek 1000T PCI DTV Card -$45
1 Twinhan PCI DTV card -$70
MSSQL Express Server

Server Operations :-
* TV Engine 3 for SD/HD TV – No MP Client loaded on server
* Server also runs 602Lan Suite with Email Server, Proxy Server with content filtering to stop the kids getting to those interesting sites
* Windows IIS & Apache for ftp and website (not much traffic though)
* My home automation kit (parallel port interface kit from Jaycar K2805). This runs the outdoor lights, garden watering system, outdoor water feature & security monitoring outside the house.
* Logitec USB webcam for video security linked into home automation and rtp streamed across the network using VLC.

CPU useage for the server hovers around the 15-40% mark. This server is never turned off.

Storage Units
500GB My World External Drive. Connected to 100Mb Network (Ripped DVD Storage). This unit does come with software for NAS but found could map drive through explorer without the software. This unit is its own PC running a locked down LINUX. There are hacks available to gain full control of the unit. Have not done that yet as there is no need to.

250GB Welland External Drive. Connected to Server via USB(MP3 Collection). NAS is also available with this unit but software required on each client to gain access hence the USB to server. Just share the drive through explorer. Also found that when I had my DVD collection on this, when watching a DVD and tried to access the Webcam stream, the DVD would stutter. I put this down to the load on the USB bus.

Lounge Room Client
40” Sony Bravia LCD V series – KLV40xxx - $2500 1 year ago
Motherboard – Asus M2A-VM HDMI - $ 110 AUS
AMD AM2 +64 X4800 Dual Core - $ 140
1 GB Rambo Memory 800Mhz - $ 60 AUS
Generic Tower (To get me Going) - $ 45 AUS
40GB HDD (used from Spares) -
CDROM (used from spares, DVD to come) -
3m HDMI Cable - $ 35
3m Coaxial Cable (Digital Sound) - $ 5
OS Windows XP Pro SP2
Globlink RF 2.4 Ghz Keyboard with Track ball - $ 100
Numerous bottles of Bourbon during testing - $ ??????????
IR Server Suite for keyboard key strokes to access Home Automation kit on server via HTTP commands


Client machine usage is for everything MP is capable off. The codecs I ended up using are the following

• PowerDVD 7.3 for DVD, TV
• FFDSHOW for all the rest of video
• AC3 for SPDIF out to Kenwood AMP
NOTE:- Still cannot get AVIVO Hardware decoding to work but CPU load does not go past 40% on average across both CPU cores, but when using ffdshow, one core hits the 80-90% mark depending on processing.

CPU temp is only running at 35 degrees after it has been running SD TV for 14 hours straight (even when the wife has the air conditioner set to middle of desert mode.)

Also have written an application that pops up a screen over the top of MP for 10 seconds when the home automation detects movement outside which will display video from the webcam (streamed via rtp and VLC).

Some bugs I have at moment.
* Need to run customised xface skin due to known 690G chipset problem with reflections. Damn you ATI and your slackness on drivers.
• TV does not switch off when connected via HDMI when PC shutdown at end of night. One extra remote to find.

Next plans are to increase number of TV Cards, new case for lounge room and then more clients for each of the bedrooms. In between that, more storage units for the every growing DVD collection.


Some pictures have now been attached.

 

[Ciruz]

Sounds Nice Pictures ?

 

[Gixxer]

really impresive !! i mean you are using basically all what i would like to do. this post is going to my favourites to check if u update with the tv cards you are going to get, the bugs, pictures.

one question, is it very difficult to setup what u have done with the security camera? when you have time, could you explain it?

ok, two more questions if u dont mind.

1)what tv tuners are you thinking to get, i am probably buying the same motherboard so it would be nice to know.
2) for the homeautomation, where did u get the kit from? and do you control it with any MP plugin?

sorry for so many question, but thats because i am impressed with your setup.

please answer if u have time. thanks

 

[charli181]

really impresive !! i mean you are using basically all what i would like to do. this post is going to my favourites to check if u update with the tv cards you are going to get, the bugs, pictures.

one question, is it very difficult to setup what u have done with the security camera? when you have time, could you explain it?

ok, two more questions if u dont mind.

1)what tv tuners are you thinking to get, i am probably buying the same motherboard so it would be nice to know.
2) for the homeautomation, where did u get the kit from? and do you control it with any MP plugin?

sorry for so many question, but thats because i am impressed with your setup.

please answer if u have time. thanks

Thanks Gixxer & Ciruz

I am about to go out and by a Leadtek 1000T only $45 in aus which gives a DVB-T tuner (HD&SD) and also a composite in so I can convert my old videos to a digital file. Not going to great quality but at least I can view them via MP then.
The twinhann I have now gave me grief with the drivers and kept giving me a blue screen of death with the latest drivers so had to stay with the one's that shipped with it. No problems though.
PLEASE NOTE that these are not in the machine pictured above. The TV Cards sit on a DELL PowerEdge 4300 "MEDIA SERVER"in my garage.

As for the homeautomation, It communicates with an application I wrote in VB6 via the parallel port. The kit available is http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KV3590&CATID=25&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=432
this is about $60 aus and I think they have an alternative with USB controls instead of parallel but then extra relays need to be purchased and the limitations with USB can be a hinderence. (i.e. cable length 5m Max unless you spend big money per extra meter on powered extension cables). These things you ahve to build yourself, but does not take more than 4 hours to complete.

I might get around to integrating it all and updating my software code, possibly building a plugin for MP but I dont think you can display video in a NotifyDialog.

PM me if you want me to sit down and give you a full setup description of the homeauto and if you can decifer my Visual Basic source - Very messy , your more than welcome to how I have set things up.

 

[Gixxer]

really impresive !! i mean you are using basically all what i would like to do. this post is going to my favourites to check if u update with the tv cards you are going to get, the bugs, pictures.

one question, is it very difficult to setup what u have done with the security camera? when you have time, could you explain it?

ok, two more questions if u dont mind.

1)what tv tuners are you thinking to get, i am probably buying the same motherboard so it would be nice to know.
2) for the homeautomation, where did u get the kit from? and do you control it with any MP plugin?

sorry for so many question, but thats because i am impressed with your setup.

please answer if u have time. thanks

Thanks Gixxer & Ciruz

I am about to go out and by a Leadtek 1000T only $45 in aus which gives a DVB-T tuner (HD&SD) and also a composite in so I can convert my old videos to a digital file. Not going to great quality but at least I can view them via MP then.
The twinhann I have now gave me grief with the drivers and kept giving me a blue screen of death with the latest drivers so had to stay with the one's that shipped with it. No problems though.
PLEASE NOTE that these are not in the machine pictured above. The TV Cards sit on a DELL PowerEdge 4300 "MEDIA SERVER"in my garage.

As for the homeautomation, It communicates with an application I wrote in VB6 via the parallel port. The kit available is http://www.jaycar.com.au/productView.asp?ID=KV3590&CATID=25&keywords=&SPECIAL=&form=CAT&ProdCodeOnly=&Keyword1=&Keyword2=&pageNumber=&priceMin=&priceMax=&SUBCATID=432
this is about $60 aus and I think they have an alternative with USB controls instead of parallel but then extra relays need to be purchased and the limitations with USB can be a hinderence. (i.e. cable length 5m Max unless you spend big money per extra meter on powered extension cables). These things you ahve to build yourself, but does not take more than 4 hours to complete.

I might get around to integrating it all and updating my software code, possibly building a plugin for MP but I dont think you can display video in a NotifyDialog.

PM me if you want me to sit down and give you a full setup description of the homeauto and if you can decifer my Visual Basic source - Very messy , your more than welcome to how I have set things up.

Hi Charli !! Thanks for that answer, the kit looks good, and if u say it works good for you thats enough. I would really appreciate that whenever you have enough time to sit down and guide us a little on your setup. I mean there is no hurry so dont worry, but if u ever get around to do it, please share it cause it will help me a lot.

a MP plugin would be great, i know there is one available but dont know if it will communicate with whatever u connect (ie jaycar kit). also, i suppose vista is not accepted for such things,right.

oh, and same for the security camera, is it that dificult to set it up? cause it would be great to set it up in the server and make it work during the night

once again, thanks alot for any information, and as i said, no hurries.

 

[Ciruz]

Pics look great thanks