Brainstorm suggestions for new set up plan (1 Viewer)

[Methos]

I need to redo my setup due to losing my office to a new child.

Current Setup:

My desktop is my DVR. I get my signals from an HD antenna. I record to the harddrive, edit videos, then connect to my MVIX by USB (due to transfer time only). USB goes through the wall as the computer is against the same wall as my entertainment center in the living room. I do have WIFI set up at home already.

Moving the computer out of this room leaves me with very few choices that I can come up with. First thought is to run more wires. I don't really want even more plugs in the walls and running the wires poses other problems of even being able to do it.

I considered getting rid of the desktop for a laptop. BUT, my computer has a teraflop of hard drive space and I need it on at all times to record when needed. So the desktop is still needed.

One consideration is using a small plain computer with an external hard drive that I can hook up and try to hide in the entertainment center. Remove the hard drive, hook up to the lap top and edit videos and rehook to MVIX yadda, yadda.

There is also the issue of setting the XP Media center on this small computer when not having the computer connected to a key board, a mouse or a monitor poses problems. I could set it up for WIFI and use my VPN to connect but again, I think I may have other issues in this plan.

Any other suggestions that people have would be great!

Thanks for reading

Eddie

 

[Robert_J]

A FLOP is a measure of computer work, not storage.

I suggest that you drop the MVIX since it is USB only and use a Popcornhour Media Tank and a wireless access point. Put your desktop PC/DVR/editing PC anywhere in the house and send your edited videos wirelessly to the Popcornhour since it is also a NAS.

-Robert

 

[Methos]

The MVIX isn't USB only. Since my video files are in high def, the file size is usually 3-4 gigs for an hour long show and that is after I edit out the commercials. The hours it takes to transfer wirelessly is the issue. With the USB, I can transfer in about 2-3 minutes.

 

[Robert_J]

Set up a wireless N access point. Your wirless will be faster than the 100Mb wired connection to your media player. Yes, it would be a little more than 2 or 3 minutes but you have to plan ahead. Just set it up to move a bunch of files nightly.

-Robert

 

[Methos]

Thanks Robert, that is a great suggestion on how to handle the transfer issue.

There are still two issues that I have. 1 of course is the Coax Cable that I have to deal with and the second was the idea of getting a laptop yet still somehow having my desktop as my DVR. I might be reaching out a little farther than reality. I know if I solved my coax issue and even just put it in the garage, I would still have the issue of video editing. It is really difficult to do it remotely (using logmein), otherwise I would have just set this computer up as a home server and called it good.

Keep the suggestions coming, I really do appreciate it.

Ed

 

[Robert_J]

Are you talking about the coax for the antenna? Then that is entirely based on your house and your skill with running wires. Check out Wayne's signature for tips on in-wall wiring. He covers everything except the nerve to cut open the walls of your house. My wife had to leave the room the first time I did something like this. But after seeing the end results, I can run as many wires as I need.

Is the editing for long term archival and saving space? Because in an hour show, you are really only saving about 14 minutes. Set up a batch program to move all of your new files at night and you will never notice the larger file size.

About the MVIX. Where can I learn a little about it? I'm looking for more a media player that can act like a DVD server. I just want to pull up a menu and see my entire list of movies and choose one at the touch of a button. I already have 3 DirecTV DVR's so I'm set there.

-Robert

 

[Methos]

Hi Robert,

Thanks for the link, I will check it out.

I can run the cables as I have a few times before moving things throughout the house. But that really is the issue. At this point, I have 5 coax cable wall mounts in the house already. My real thought was to come up with something I can hook up and hide on top of the entertainment center, using existing plug locations. Like a cheap computer with MS MCE that I keep hidden and access it when I edit down the movies and transfer them to the MVIX. I will probably end up just running the cables and dealing with more plug covers. UGH

Because I record using MCE and it is a DVR-MS file, and because I use the MVIX, I have to resave the file anyhow so the MVIX recognizes it. ISO and VOB depending on what I am putting on there. Since I have to resave television files, I edit out the commercials and frankly enjoy not fastforwarding through them.

I purchased my MVIX at Newegg. I put in a 250gb hard drive into the MVIX. If I had to do it over again, I would put in a larger hard drive so I could keep far more movies on there.

Lots of people praise and fault the MVIX. There are always two sides to the issue I guess. There are only two things I had issues with. First is the wireless transfer rate and that isn't the MVIX's fault. The second issue is when fast forwarding a Hi Def Television show, the faster I go, the more likely it will freeze up. Then I have to shut down and start in again. That to me is frustrating. In a movie at least if it does that, I can jump ahead to different chapters and get back to where I left off. But on a television show, there isn't that ability.

I have the MX 760 (newer one out is the MX 780). I have had it for a year now. Like I said, it plays just fine for me. I am not a huge music fan so I don't have any comments in that regards, let alone, I have a nice Bose system anyhow and use it for the music.

Check out mvixusa dot com I don't have URL rights yet.

Thanks again for the link.

Ed