Re: Media Servers

["Andy Laurence <andy@xxxxxxx>" <andy@xxxxxxx>]

--- In ukha_d@xxxxxxx, "David Anumudu" <david.anumudu@= d...>
wrote:
> My thoughts here are again that everything broadcast should be
captured and
> streamed on the LAN as MPEG (using capture cards for Sky/Tivo/games > consoles, DVBs card for non sky satellite, DVBt cards for
freeview), and
> existing personal DVD/music collections ripped on to hard disc and simply
> shared across a network filesystem
>
> this gives the best quality, and the greatest flexibility, allowing any
> connected device to either pull the stream off the LAN (giving a
true
> 'matrix / kat5 switcher solution), plus each device can also do its own
> thing locally..

I have a couple of points to raise about this.  Firstly, how would you control these boxes?  A simple UI is key to a good system.  <= BR> Secondly, you'll need a pretty hot machine for each source to encode
on the fly.  Not only will this cost a few quid, but it'll eat
electricity.  You will have 250w used by each encoder, plus at least <= BR> 100w for each display device.  For 5 TVs and 4 inputs, that's 1.5kW constantly in use.  Off peak for me is about 4p/kwh, so that's
6p/hour all the time, or about =A3525 a year.  Bear in mind that's at =
an off-peak rate...

Andy (budget conscious)
--
http://ha.andylaurence.co.uk

http://www.automatedhome.co.uk 
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