RAM Disk Advice (4 Viewers)

[Jay_UK]

Hi there,

I can't help you with any free RAMDisk software.

I think you will struggle finding a free version that supports over 4GB on Windows 7 x64.

I run the Dataram ramdisk, works a treat (but not free anymore)

J.

ps - The 6GB RAMdisk will soon be 9GB (going to 12GB RAM with 4 tuners)

 

[elsmandino]

Thanks for that.

I have just noted that RAM Disk is only about £10.00, so I might as well just upgrade the free version like your good self.

I like the spirit with regards to the additional RAM and additional tuners - I note you already have two Nova-S2's. What else are thinking of buying to get the additional two tuners?

Actually, you might be able to answer the question I raised above in terms of apportioning RAM between tuners for time-shifting.

As you have two Sat tuners and 6GB RAM for Time shifting, am I correct in thinking that in the TV Server configuration, you have apportioned 3GB to each of the tuners?

I so, what happens if two people in your house are watching two live programs on different multiplexes and then a third person starts using one of the tuners for a third live stream (i.e. on the same multiplex)? How is the 3GB then divided up between the two viewers using the same tuner?

Thanks again.

 

[Perls]

I use Imdisk on Win7 64 bits. Has worked without problems for me.
Tools and utilities for Windows

+ Free
+ No disk size limit on Win7 64
+ Possible to set drive letter without requiring that the disk content is saved to harddisk

 

[Jay_UK]

Hi there,

My new HTPC will be using a quad Digital Devices card (the Nova S2 will go into my spare HTPC)

I cant remember my config for time shift files... I dont think I have specified specific files/folder for each card - I think the cards share the same directory.

Perls - I'll have a look at the RAM Drive software you linked too (not that I need it, but its never a bad thing to have an alternative)

J.

 

[elsmandino]

Yes, many thanks for that Perls - that RAM Disk program seems exactly what I need. I shall give it whirl once my RAM arrives.

I really am having trouble grasping how I am going to set up time shifting with a RAM Disk - at the moment I am time shifting to a 500GB laptop hard drive, thus space has never been an issue.

According to the wiki:

Timeshifting - MediaPortal Wiki

It seems to be saying that if I have four tuners and 8GB of RAM Disk, I should make sure that the total file size for a single timeshifted file is no more than 2,048MB and that I should direct all tuner cards to the same RAM Disk folder.

I think I am starting to understand now - maybe you can record multiple streams from a single TV card but only view live TV from a single tuner. If this is the case, you could technically have four clients watching TV simultaneously and given you had 8,192MB reserved for RAM Disk and you apportioned this into four maximum files sizes of 2,048MB, there would always be enough space for time shifting.

Does that sort of make sense or am I started to get even more confused???

Btw J, I am not familar with the quad Digital Devices card. I don't suppose you could send a link for one could you please - I am more than a little intrigued by such a beast?

Thanks

 

[Perls]

Maybe the newer versions allow you to create a disk that survives reboot from the graphical UI,
otherwise you can simply drop a bat file in the windows startup directory. Somthing like this:

imdisk -a -s 4000M -t vm -m R: -p "/fs:NTFS /q /y"

This command creates an empty 4GB NTFS formated disk with drive letter R:

It is also possible to enable compression but it is of little use if the disk is used for
timeshift files with mpeg-2/4 material. (Mainly increases cpu-usage with little to none extra
compression)

 

[BillyTheFish]

Just to throw another bit of Ramdisk software into the mix, according to this: 12 RAM Disk Software Benchmarked for Fastest Read and Write Speed | Raymond.CC Blog

not all Ramdisk software is created equal and some is faster than others. I haven't tried it (and the article is a couple of years old and so things may have changed) but the fastest one on the list looks pretty good. It's (sort of) nagware so the current evaluation version expires in January 2012 but you can simply install the next evaluation version then and continue to use it for free, or pay the creator $10 to have a copy that doesn't expire:

RAMDisk for Windows

It's got 64 bit and 32 bit versions

Anyway, it looks interesting, seems to be fast and has a lot of GUI configurable options. It even has an option to automatically load an image into the ramdisk when the driver starts (although I can't see why I would want this for MePo unless I was trying to run MePo out of the Ramdisk).

I'm just waiting for another couple of sticks of RAM to arrive and then I'll give it a whirl.

Has anyone figured out the best TimeShifting settings for a 8GB Ramdisk?

 

[elsmandino]

Hi Billy the Fish (that takes me back) - as per my prior entries on this thread, I am also trying to work out the best settings for RAM Disk time shifting myself (once I get the additional RAM and set up the RAM Disk in the first place), but I think I can overcomplicating things a bit and confusing everyone.

Out of interest, what tuner cards have you got and how many of them?

A

 

[BillyTheFish]

Hi Billy the Fish (that takes me back) - as per my prior entries on this thread, I am also trying to work out the best settings for RAM Disk time shifting myself (once I get the additional RAM and set up the RAM Disk in the first place), but I think I can overcomplicating things a bit and confusing everyone.

Out of interest, what tuner cards have you got and how many of them?

A

I've always regretted registering as that -it should have been Roger Mellie (the man from the telly)!

I have a BGT3600 which is a dual DVB-T2, Dual DVB-S2, Dual DVB-C and analogue. I'll only be tuning the S2 and T2 tuners though...

Let me know if you work out settings and I'll post back when I get my extra RAM and manage to set up a Ram Disk.

 

[elsmandino]

The good thing about having Roger Mellie as your name is that you would be obliged to reply to all e-mails with which you disagree with Boll***s!

That is the exact TV Tuner that I am after - hoping to sell my HVR-2200 and Nova-S2 to help fund it.

You are going to be in a very similar situation to me then with two DVB-T2 and two DVB-S2 tuners along with 8 GB RAM Disk space for time shifting.

I'll post back here with any devlopments that might be helpful.

Thanks

A