Cord Cutters

**Ortizer** · 05-12-2020, 11:36 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

I think I'm going to buy a cheap CPU with built in graphics capabilities i.e. intel QuickSync and go with Plex and HD Homerun. Apparently the picture quality is superior with that solution.

So I think I've settled on that solution with a media server to to the transcoding and DVR recording with the HDHomerun quad tuner and Plex software holding it all together.

Oh. Depending on budget and storage needs, some Nas boxes can run plex as well. Specifically the ones running Intel cpus I believe.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

**BustOfPallas** · 05-13-2020, 09:39 AM

Originally Posted by Ortizer

Oh. Depending on budget and storage needs, some Nas boxes can run plex as well. Specifically the ones running Intel cpus I believe.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

Yeah I saw that. I think you can get them for about 400 bucks or so? That's an appealing solution too.

Let me ask you something. the Dell T1700 comes in a small form factor version and a mid size tower. The mid tower has more internal expansion for hard drives and I could maybe throw another DVD in there for making "backups" etc.. I could also use all full size drives. The small form factor versiononly has room for one 3.5 inch drive or for two drives 2.5 inch drives. The small form factor one which is tiny. About a foot by a foot and 4 or 5 inches wide. It's like a thick laptop. I was thinking something small like that with an external hard drive might be nice. The small form factor one I'm looking at comes with the windows license sticker so if I want to reinstall windows I have a license.

Decisions decisions. Should I go with the larger mid tower with room you can actually expand internally or the small form factor one where I could use external drives and tuck the thing sideways away where it would take up almost no space but no room for internal expansion at all.

**Ortizer** · 05-13-2020, 09:36 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

Yeah I saw that. I think you can get them for about 400 bucks or so? That's an appealing solution too.

Let me ask you something. the Dell T1700 comes in a small form factor version and a mid size tower. The mid tower has more internal expansion for hard drives and I could maybe throw another DVD in there for making "backups" etc.. I could also use all full size drives. The small form factor versiononly has room for one 3.5 inch drive or for two drives 2.5 inch drives. The small form factor one which is tiny. About a foot by a foot and 4 or 5 inches wide. It's like a thick laptop. I was thinking something small like that with an external hard drive might be nice. The small form factor one I'm looking at comes with the windows license sticker so if I want to reinstall windows I have a license.

Decisions decisions. Should I go with the larger mid tower with room you can actually expand internally or the small form factor one where I could use external drives and tuck the thing sideways away where it would take up almost no space but no room for internal expansion at all.

I'll look that one up in the morning. Most NAS setups don't come with drives so that's another expense. If you're using an external hard drive I would take a look at the shield pro for 200.

When looking at this, how concerned are you with your electric bill? The old business machines will probably have the highest consumption, followed by the Nas, then the stream box.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

**BustOfPallas** · 05-14-2020, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by Ortizer

I'll look that one up in the morning. Most NAS setups don't come with drives so that's another expense. If you're using an external hard drive I would take a look at the shield pro for 200.

When looking at this, how concerned are you with your electric bill? The old business machines will probably have the highest consumption, followed by the Nas, then the stream box.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

The machine I found based on a youtube video uses very little power. The T1700 draws very little power. I may buy it today. It will get me started and if I want to add a NAS later I can.

**BustOfPallas** · 05-19-2020, 02:04 PM

Originally Posted by Ortizer

Oh. Depending on budget and storage needs, some Nas boxes can run plex as well. Specifically the ones running Intel cpus I believe.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

What do you run plex on?

**BustOfPallas** · 06-03-2020, 09:09 AM

I bought a 4 tuner HD Homerun which is probably overkill but I figured why not. With only two tuners if you are watching something and recording and someone wants to watch something else you're screwed. In for a penny in for a pound...

I also bought a Dell 1700 SFF server that has a chip with QuickSync capabilities which should help with decoding and encoding video. The box has a 128G SSD and 2TB of storage and 16GB or RAM. I will probably add an external hard drive. It came with the Windows sticker complete with a license so if I have to reinstall I should be okay.

I was going to add two attic antennae, one point northeast to Baltimore and the other south for DC stations.

I have one direct cat 5 run from my office routher to the entertainment center 1 floor up that I can use for at least one of the devices. I may have to add a little ethernet switch/hub but will probably just pull another cable since I don't want to clutter up my entertainment center.

The Dell CPU is unbelieveably quiet and it's very, very small. It will fit perfectly in my entertainment center and I'll just remote into it...

So I am on my way to having my OTA DVR and streaming setup done. I still have a couple months til football season so I have time. No olympics either so there is no rush.

**Ortizer** · 06-03-2020, 12:10 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

What do you run plex on?

I use a shield tv

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

**Ortizer** · 06-03-2020, 12:11 PM

Originally Posted by BustOfPallas

I bought a 4 tuner HD Homerun which is probably overkill but I figured why not. With only two tuners if you are watching something and recording and someone wants to watch something else you're screwed. In for a penny in for a pound...

I also bought a Dell 1700 SFF server that has a chip with QuickSync capabilities which should help with decoding and encoding video. The box has a 128G SSD and 2TB of storage and 16GB or RAM. I will probably add an external hard drive. It came with the Windows sticker complete with a license so if I have to reinstall I should be okay.

I was going to add two attic antennae, one point northeast to Baltimore and the other south for DC stations.

I have one direct cat 5 run from my office routher to the entertainment center 1 floor up that I can use for at least one of the devices. I may have to add a little ethernet switch/hub but will probably just pull another cable since I don't want to clutter up my entertainment center.

The Dell CPU is unbelieveably quiet and it's very, very small. It will fit perfectly in my entertainment center and I'll just remote into it...

So I am on my way to having my OTA DVR and streaming setup done. I still have a couple months til football season so I have time. No olympics either so there is no rush.

Nice. That sounds like it would work nicely.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

**BustOfPallas** · 06-03-2020, 01:08 PM

Originally Posted by Ortizer

Nice. That sounds like it would work nicely.

Sent from my LM-G820 using Tapatalk

I was surprised at how hard it was to research this and come up with an arcitecture. No one has the perfect solution yet. You either get stuck with fee's like cable (i'll have to pay 35 a year I think for a plex pass) or limited video capability, or all your smart devices are useless, or you have to buy multiple devices etc.. Too bad Tivo is so damn expensive. I had a Tivo years back and it was a pretty nice device. Their subscription is too high though.

**BustOfPallas** · 09-08-2020, 08:38 AM

I hooked up my Ebay Dell T1700 compact CPU with an intel QuickSync enabled chip, my HDHomeRun 4 channel Tuner (overkill) and a cheap antennae from Home Depot. I Installed the free Plex Server software and bought the lifetime PlexPass to get me the channel guide. I tested it on my smart TV in the living room and it seems to be working okay.

I had to move the antennae around but looks like I am now getting one CBS channel but with the weak signal the picture and stream are not great. So It's set up but I need to spend a few more bucks on a good antennae.

I don't know if it's the CPU or the weak antennae or the software but it's a little jiggy right now. I know the antennae is crap so that will be the first thing I upgrade this week to install Saturday if I go with attic mount. I'm sure there are some optimizations I could do to help the OTA streaming work as well as possible. I'm hoping at least.

**BustOfPallas** · 09-08-2020, 12:10 PM

So I bought a ClearStream 2MAX Indoor/Outdoor HDTV Antenna just now from BestBuy for pickup. Didn't want to wait for it to be shipped/online. It was actually cheaper to buy from Best Buy.

Thanks to everyone who gave me input on this. It has been a fun project.

**Vlad the lad** · 09-08-2020, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by usmccharles

I'd love to have a A-frame out in the wilderness, but not having internet is where my issue would be. Video games, movies, and football is a necessity.

I haven't had cable in years. Netflix Amazon Prime w/ hbo, showtime, Hulu is all I roll with. Plutotv is awesome for a free service as well.

Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

How much do you pay per month for all that. And you still have to pay for internet.