Will this work Ok?

[linuxman]

Hi All,

I have a couple of questions concerning horsepower for either the WorldBox USB, or a pci card DVB-S tuner.

I picked up a Dual Xeon 2.2Ghz with 1Gb Ram this weekend. It was a server machine, and has a server MotherBoard in it.

2-460W Redundant Power Supplies
2-36Gb 10K RPM Ultra 160 SCSI hard drives in a Raid1 (mirrored) configuration.
1-Adaptec 2110S 64Bit raid controller with 32Mb cache memory.
1-Intel 10/100/1000 Network controller card.

It does not have USB 2.0, but that is kind of trivial. Those cards are very inexpensive.

I have an Nvidia GeForce4 TI 4200 AGP video card Edit:128Mb memory with DVI and S-Video out that I can put in it.
I also have a SoundBlaster Live with Dolby 5.1 output that I could put in it.
I also have a couple of 80GB IDE hard drives that I can throw in for extra storage.
I also have a 16X Dual layer DVD+/- RW drive to put in it.

If the server MB part won't screw it up too bad, and I can quiet down the fans a little, I was thinking this might make a good DVB-S receiver and Video Lan machine/PVR.

I can install WindowsXP-Pro on it with no problems.

Can any of the DVB/Computer Tech guys with experience out there tell me if this is what I want, or should I stick with a Pentium 4, 3.0GHz Mid-Tower machine? Or I could take this mother board out and put it in a mid-tower case.

Some of the specs on the DVB cards say P4 2.6Ghz or higher.

Any suggestions, comments that any of you have, please let me hear them.

Thanks, Fred

 

[mastermesh]

I really hope that thing will work for you. All I got is a 1.5 Ghz emachine with 512 mb ram, a usb2 pci card, and an all-in-wonder card. I'm getting ready to order my dvb world usb 2 box tonight. Wife has approved the transaction - WHOO HOO!

 

[linuxman]

Hi Mastermesh,

Which DVB-S card are you using? Or are you using a DVBWorld USB? I don't see it in your signature.
Also which software?
Are you able to do 4:2:2 HD while recording at the same time with your setup?

Thanks, Fred

 

[gabshere]

hi Fred

great question yeah i wanted to know if there are any slowdowns , would like to watch the hd and maybe use the pc as a pvr.

i will be able to let you know in a few days (hopefully)

 

[dashaund]

Short answer...yeah...it should work fine. I'm not 100% (I'm about 80%) sure that the software will totally use the dual processors. It is two processors, right, and not one dual core chip? You said Dual Xeon...think that is two chips. Theoretically you have TWO 2.4GHz processors = 4.8Ghz...it's slower than that in practice but WAY better than the 2.6GHz standard for the DVB World box. And that's a server machine so it will be more reliable. Nah, leave it in the server case. That's some awesome hardware. On paper, you're killing everyone here. The only think I say to upgrade is a new graphics card. Obviously you don't have PCI Express...I bet you have AGP 4x/8x (if you've got a manual or know the model number of the motherboard, google it and see what the specs are)...so, go to newegg.com and see what the best card you can get for that. Unfortunately, this stuff is so new that it's not guaranteed what will work and what won't. Personally, my machine doesn't keep up with some of the really high bitrates for 4:2:2 HD. That machine SHOULD! Will it? Can't promise you. I'm certain XP Pro does take advantage of dual processors. Give it a shot! If one software package doesn't work great, try another. Try DVBDream. Try TSReader w/ VLC. You should find something that'll work. Let us know!

 

[linuxman]

Thanks dashaund,

That is the kind of answer I was looking for.

It is two physical processors with HT, so it shows up as 4 processors in XP Pro, but the extra two of them are virtual.

It is AGP 8x capable, but not PCI Xpress. I do have the book with all the specs on it.

Now I have a problem in being able to keep it. My wife found out how much I could sell it for, and she wants a separate FTA receiver with motorized dish for her and the family. I may have to sell it and buy her setup.

I still have the P4 3.0Ghz that I was originally planning on using. I may have to fall back on that.

I have another one of these killer machines that I will be replacing next year and will more than likely get that one when I do as well. So all is not lost, may just have to wait a little while. It is still good to have the answers beforehand .

Thanks for the insight, and I will let you guys know what I end up doing.

Fred

 

[dashaund]

I don't guess you could go wrong either way. Kinda damn if you do, damn if you don't. I would at least try it out, see just HOW good it is for reference. Does that 3.0Ghz P4 have an AGP slot? If it does, you won't be out the cash for the new video card. You might be able to test it out anyway even without a video card, I'm guessing you can. That's some serious horsepower. But, hey, gotta please the wife, right? Anyways, good luck...and let us know. Wow, you could watch the 4:2:2 feeds of Sunday Night Football with like 30% CPU usage...that'd be sick.

 

[linuxman]

I agree with you guy,

It is a catch 22, but since she is the bookkeeper, if I don't keep her happy then where will I be?

The P4 does have an AGP 8X slot but not PCI Xpress, and it has USB 2.0 if I want to go that route. I might add an SATA controller and hard drive just to speed that up a little.

Thanks for all the answers and advice.

Fred