Timeshift still always on in TV Server? (3 Viewers)

[geov]

Hi

To be honest, I also don’t like the fact the time-shifting is on all the time writing to the HD. The idea of cashing to memory and then switching over to HD when pausing or recording makes far more sense, that’s to say if you have enough memory.

Cheers
GeoV

 

[revs]

Hmm well now I have something to do with my old hard drive - a dedicated timeshift partition

 

[mrkaras]

as long as your old HDD is not too slow and noisy.


I have an old HDD too... but it is only 250Mb (and slow and noisy)

 

[revs]

I have a couple of old 80Gigers... but yes - its "old" because its noisy! its not actually old old..

 

[dekkers]

I like the idea of creating an option where to store the timeshift buffer. Also the capacity of the buffer becouse not everyone is using mediaportal in multi seat setup. I fact, i think the single seat setup is most used.

On the other hand, the dev's are really working hard on mediaportal getting it stable wich is far more needed then "some options" getting the timeshift buffer into RAM. Don't get me wrong, but a simple options like this would be an enormous amount of code work for the devs.

Greetz to all MP users

dekkers

 

[infinite.loop]

I like the idea of creating an option where to store the timeshift buffer. Also the capacity of the buffer becouse not everyone is using mediaportal in multi seat setup. I fact, i think the single seat setup is most used.

1. in my opinion, there is no difference in timeshift usage between multiseat and singleseat setups. everyone i know personaly who is using TVE3 in the livingroom in singleseat setup wants timeshift.
   why?:
   • because you can pause LiveTV when "something" imterupts
   • because you can go back a few seconds if you want to see something again
   • because you can go back if you havent understood something correctly
   • because you can tune a channel when the movie starts -> do something else -> when you start to watch the Movie 15 minutes later you can go to the start of the move and then skip all commercials (thats the favorite for my parents-in-law)
2. if i understood you correctly, then you want to specifiy the "size" of the timeshiftbuffer and the location where the files are stored. thats possible since the very beginning of TV-Server
   View attachment 8377 View attachment 8378

@all i understand that the "noise" of the HDD can be annoying when watching a "silent" movie.
but there are no plans to add a option to turn off the timeshift feature in TV-Server.

if i would be in the same situation ( iam not because my HTPC-Clients are stored in the basement ), then i would consider the following "solutions" to store the timeshiftbuffer files:

• using a solid-state disk (quite expensive atm.)
• creating a RAM drive (i would suggest at least 2GB of RAM then, where ~1GB could be adressed for timeshiftbuffer. i wouldnt use more than 1GB )
• using a fast USB2 Stick
• using a external USB-HDD which is located somewhere where i do not "hear" it (max USB2 cable lengt between ~6 meters)
• looking for a "silent" HDD, the noise is usaly messured too by hardware magazines when testing HDDs
• tweaking the "sound" mode of HDDs (there are several tools around to make a disk "silent". however thats not good for waranty afaik
• buy a silent HTPC case / modify it. HDDs are then mounted vibration-free and the case is "noise-isolated" (bit problematic for the heat....)

Maybe one of my ideas above helps you further.
If anyone of you manages to "get rid of HDD noise" then it would be nice if he could share his solution (a small tutorial)

 

[pastimer]

TV-server design

The disadvantages are permanent harddisc acivity, fragmentation and slow system if not used exclusively as a media system. Furthermore i could imagine that the lifetime of the hd gets decreased too.

backslash

Ok, you got me there Didnt even waste a thought about the HDD since I'm using an old 40 GB one for that. But anyway, even if it was a new one I really wouldnt bother thinking about it's life time, specially not since you said it's not exclusively used as a media station so it's not permanently writing to the HDD either. If fragmentation is really an issue for you, I'd suggest creating a (small) partition to be used for timeshifting/buffering only.
Fragmentation has never been an issue here, even when I wasn't using the seperate disk yet.

You have to look at the advantages that buffering in the new Tv-engine makes possible, atleast in a multiseat enviroment, and the problems it would cause to change the behavior. All that beside the immense amount of work it would take to change it since - saying this again - it is what the new Tv-engine is based on by design.

I don't see it being changed.

Kind Regards,
Muldini

Hi Muldini,


What ís the idea behind the design of TVserver? Obviously much more than just be able to use dvb sources from other computers. But why?

Maybe you want to contribute on the thread 'Is this the right approach'?

Regards, Eppo

 

[dekkers]

Muldini,

Your right about all the points. By adjusting the buffer amount i meant it for RAM-usage. But your ideas are good. Right now im thinking of a RAM-drive becouse my hardisk sounds like "tic, tic, tic" when watching tv.

Maybe i'll try tonight how this is working...

 

[infinite.loop]

@muldini,

Your right about all the points. By adjusting the buffer amount i meant it for RAM-usage. But your ideas are good. Right now im thinking of a RAM-drive becouse my hardisk sounds like "tic, tic, tic" when watching tv.

Maybe i'll try tonight how this is working...

erm... could it be that you refer to my post?

 

[kenwonders]

I have my front room hard drive suspended on elaborate bits of foam. It is no longer attached to the case at all, and I find that it makes a world of a difference.

The little 'clicks' are barely audible even up close, despite being obvious before when the hard drive was fixed in its bay with screws.