# Replacing my server and looking for something that can run PyTiVo



## darrena (Nov 6, 2004)

I currently run all my home server tasks off an old slug that is just getting too slow so I decided it is time to replace it . I want something that will run PyTiVO or equivalent and is low powered so it isn't a big hit on my power bill. Does anyone have any recommendations? I was looking at one of the new Atom boxes that I have seen floating around (Maybe even a really low end netbook) for a couple of hundred bucks or maybe one of the Plug Computers. I do want it to allow me to load my own install of Linux so I can customize it as I feel is appropriate.

Will PyTiVo transcode at a decent enough speed on an Atom CPU? What about some of these ARM boxes, anyone had any issues with performance there? My primary question is on transcoding performance on a device like this but any other feedback on similar devices in general is appreciated!

Sorry if this has been asked before but I didn't see anything in my searches.


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## jcthorne (Jan 28, 2002)

I can't help on the linux but the atom processors are faster than the old 1.4ghz laptop that runs my home media server and pytivo transcodes fine in windows xp on it. If it goes south, its replacement will be one of the low cost netbooks as even the cheapest ones are well above its current processing power. I do not transcode HD on the fly, rather prep mp4 files and store them on the server for pytivo to send to tivo.


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## darrena (Nov 6, 2004)

jcthorne said:


> I can't help on the linux but the atom processors are faster than the old 1.4ghz laptop that runs my home media server and pytivo transcodes fine in windows xp on it. If it goes south, its replacement will be one of the low cost netbooks as even the cheapest ones are well above its current processing power. I do not transcode HD on the fly, rather prep mp4 files and store them on the server for pytivo to send to tivo.


I must have missed that, so if I use MP4 files pytivo doesn't need to transcode them? Any specific specifications for how they are encoded? AAC Audio at a specific bitrate etc?


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

darrena said:


> I must have missed that, so if I use MP4 files pytivo doesn't need to transcode them? Any specific specifications for how they are encoded? AAC Audio at a specific bitrate etc?


 Here are specs for native pyTivo *pushes* to series 3 TiVos (not pulls, as pyTivo pulls always require mpeg2):
http://code.google.com/p/streambaby/wiki/video_compatibility


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

moyekj said:


> Here are specs for native pyTivo *pushes* to series 3 TiVos (not pulls, as pyTivo pulls always require mpeg2):
> http://code.google.com/p/streambaby/wiki/video_compatibility


I had pyTivo attempt to natively pull a VC1/WMA(x0162) WMV video just last night. I first tried to push the file without luck, and decided to let pyTivo transcode it by pulling it. The effect was the same with push or pull: 0 minute file transferred to the DVR. I'm using an "older" mcbrine - built on 11/12/2009? I haven't looked at the debug log to see what pyTivo said about this particular file, so my answer may lie there... I just though I'd mention my experience!


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## moyekj (Jan 24, 2006)

orangeboy said:


> I had pyTivo attempt to natively pull a VC1/WMA(x0162) WMV video just last night. I first tried to push the file without luck, and decided to let pyTivo transcode it by pulling it. The effect was the same with push or pull: 0 minute file transferred to the DVR. I'm using an "older" mcbrine - built on 11/12/2009? I haven't looked at the debug log to see what pyTivo said about this particular file, so my answer may lie there... I just though I'd mention my experience!


 Here is a sample wmv file that is compatible and should push natively with pyTivo. As mentioned in the video_compatibility Wiki TiVo is very picky, especially about the audio portion of wmv files. It's likely your sample doesn't meet the specific requirements.


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## fyodor (Sep 19, 2006)

orangeboy said:


> I had pyTivo attempt to natively pull a VC1/WMA(x0162) WMV video just last night. I first tried to push the file without luck, and decided to let pyTivo transcode it by pulling it. The effect was the same with push or pull: 0 minute file transferred to the DVR. I'm using an "older" mcbrine - built on 11/12/2009? I haven't looked at the debug log to see what pyTivo said about this particular file, so my answer may lie there... I just though I'd mention my experience!


Does it have interlaced content? I don't believe that FFMPEG (which handles transcoding) can handle interlaced VC-1 content.


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## orangeboy (Apr 19, 2004)

moyekj said:


> Here is a sample wmv file that is compatible and should push natively with pyTivo. As mentioned in the video_compatibility Wiki TiVo is very picky, especially about the audio portion of wmv files. It's likely your sample doesn't meet the specific requirements.


That's exactly what I thought (it does have 5.1 channels), so I thought a pyTivo _pull_ would transcode for me. The blue transfer light just flashed for a second, and I ended up with a 0 minute video on the DVR. 

I'll probably get the latest build and try again. If I still have problems getting it transferred, I'll post on the pyTivo Sourceforge forum.


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## fyodor (Sep 19, 2006)

orangeboy said:


> That's exactly what I thought (it does have 5.1 channels), so I thought a pyTivo _pull_ would transcode for me. The blue transfer light just flashed for a second, and I ended up with a 0 minute video on the DVR.
> 
> I'll probably get the latest build and try again. If I still have problems getting it transferred, I'll post on the pyTivo Sourceforge forum.


I think that it's an FFMPEG problem, rather than a pytivo problem. Generally decoding VC-1 tends to be more problematical, either because of less developed tools or inherent problems with the format. There are tons of postings on avsforum about people's problems getting VC-1 to decode correctly.


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## txporter (Sep 18, 2006)

darrena said:


> I currently run all my home server tasks off an old slug that is just getting too slow so I decided it is time to replace it . I want something that will run PyTiVO or equivalent and is low powered so it isn't a big hit on my power bill. Does anyone have any recommendations? I was looking at one of the new Atom boxes that I have seen floating around (Maybe even a really low end netbook) for a couple of hundred bucks or maybe one of the Plug Computers. I do want it to allow me to load my own install of Linux so I can customize it as I feel is appropriate.
> 
> Will PyTiVo transcode at a decent enough speed on an Atom CPU? What about some of these ARM boxes, anyone had any issues with performance there? My primary question is on transcoding performance on a device like this but any other feedback on similar devices in general is appreciated!
> 
> Sorry if this has been asked before but I didn't see anything in my searches.


I have pytivo set up on a Tonidoplug (built on Sheevaplug platform). I use it to send MPEG2 compliant video to my Tivos though, so I can't really speak to its transcoding performance. If you want to be able to install your own version of Linux on it, you are probably better off going with a standard Sheevaplug than one of the other versions out there.


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## drey (Jul 21, 2008)

I run pyTiVo on Netgear ReadyNAS. Works great, small footprint and as you asked, doesn't consume too much power. 

ReadyNAS allows to have up to 4TB of storage on Duo and 8TB of storage on NVX units.


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## darrena (Nov 6, 2004)

drey said:


> I run pyTiVo on Netgear ReadyNAS. Works great, small footprint and as you asked, doesn't consume too much power.
> 
> ReadyNAS allows to have up to 4TB of storage on Duo and 8TB of storage on NVX units.


Drey,

Does the ReadyNAS come with it's own install of Linux or can I put something on it myself?

Thank you!


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## darrena (Nov 6, 2004)

txporter said:


> I have pytivo set up on a Tonidoplug (built on Sheevaplug platform). I use it to send MPEG2 compliant video to my Tivos though, so I can't really speak to its transcoding performance. If you want to be able to install your own version of Linux on it, you are probably better off going with a standard Sheevaplug than one of the other versions out there.


Yeah the Sheevaplug is what I am thinking of now, it looks perfect for my uses.


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## txporter (Sep 18, 2006)

darrena said:


> Yeah the Sheevaplug is what I am thinking of now, it looks perfect for my uses.


I am enjoying my plug quite a bit. The installation of pytivo and ffmpeg were pretty simple. I made a post about my experience over on the pytivo forums.


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## BigJim (Jun 18, 2002)

So the transcoding performance is acceptable? I was thinking about doing something like this, but was worried it would choke. Do you keep your files on a NAS?


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## txporter (Sep 18, 2006)

BigJim said:


> So the transcoding performance is acceptable? I was thinking about doing something like this, but was worried it would choke. Do you keep your files on a NAS?


Was this one directed at me? I keep my files on a 1.5tb external drive connected to my Tonidoplug. I am only sourcing MPEG2 files (and a few H.264 that I push without transcoding), so I have not needed any transcoding.


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## txporter (Sep 18, 2006)

I went ahead and attempted a transcode with my plug. I was sourcing a 22min XVID ~1kbps 720x480 avi file. No changes to the pytivo default settings. It is slow.... Tivo is reporting 1.14 Mbps as transfer speed. Final MPEG2 size indicates ~2.5kbps for the bitrate, so it is less than half real-time (inline with time it took to upload as well). I checked cpu utilization during the transfer and it was nearly 100%. I suppose you might get slightly faster transcodes if ffmpeg was compiled on the machine, but it isn't a powerhouse. I would say the plug is good for sourcing videos that do not need to be transcoded, but would recommend a different solution if you intend to do a lot of trancoding.


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## BigJim (Jun 18, 2002)

That's what I was afraid of! Thanks for checking--


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## darrena (Nov 6, 2004)

Marvell released a new version of the Plug at CES but no info on when it will be available for purchase... I guess I can wait a week or two to make my decision on buying the Sheevaplug or waiting for 3.0


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## txporter (Sep 18, 2006)

darrena said:


> Marvell released a new version of the Plug at CES but no info on when it will be available for purchase... I guess I can wait a week or two to make my decision on buying the Sheevaplug or waiting for 3.0


I have read a bit more on the new plug. It does run a faster processor (ARMADA 300 @ 2.0GHz), but it still doesn't have a GPU from what I can find. I doubt transcoding will be much better with it. The new plug does have a slightly nicer form factor if that is important and it will have WiFi and optionally a 1.8" hard drive. Sounds like there aren't any specs out to vendors though, so it is probably _at best_ a quarter out, more likely more than that.


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