[mythtv-users] [may be OT] Linksys NSLU2 for streaming videos (SD and HD) ?

Mudit Wahal mwahal at gmail.com
Sat Dec 10 14:00:13 EST 2005


Steve, Great information !!

I placed an order to buy one at amazon.com. $75 after rebate.

I'm too scare to open the box for the overclocking stuff. First, I'll
try to use the stock with Unslung. My main purpose is to install the
wizd server and stream the mpeg2 (HD and DVD) and mpeg4 to the IOData
linkplayer 2. I'll move the recordings after its commercial cut and
transcoded to mpeg4 to the NSLU2. If the stock nslu2 doesn't give good
throughput, then I'll overclock it.

Will update when I receive it.

Thanks

Mudit



On 12/10/05, Steve Malenfant <smalenfant at gmail.com> wrote:
> My slug was stock, then I remove the underclocking (doesn't make much
> of a difference for file transfer).  I did see an improvment with FTP
> from 6Mbytes/sec to about 7Mbytes/sec.  I now run Unslung 5.5.
>
> I copy the program after it's recorded and this is triggered by me
> when my hard disk fills up.  My script will only list files that
> aren't linked and you have to answer y/n for each one that you want to
> copy or not.
>
> I wouldn't record directly to the slug, but it should be possible to
> record and watch a show at the same time.  The bandwidth is there, but
> there could be a latency problem on the read/write.  The slug
> performance is kind of low...  I remember that one time I was
> transferring large files from an other PC to the slug and watching an
> HD show at the same time without any glitches.  Most HD shows are
> about 12-15mbits/sec, so that's only 1Mbytes/sec.
>
> Link point are CIFS, I was using NFS before, but CIFS just worked
> better for me for some reason (not better performance, but better
> timeout handling I guess).  Also CIFS is available stock, works
> alright.  You have to install a NFS user server to get above the 2 GB
> limit (maybe not true anymore???), I used unfs3 in the past.
>
> I wish the NSLU2 could do wire speed 100mbits, it doesn't need 1
> gigabit interface.  Maybe the Kuro Box is a better application for
> this, but too damn expensive.
>
> Other questions? :)
>
> Steve M.
>
> On 12/10/05, Mudit Wahal <mwahal at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Steve,
> >
> > Is your slug stock ?  Or is it overclocked running Unslung or OpenSlug
> > ? I assume you copy the program after its finished recording. How is
> > the performance if you try to copy the program while its being
> > recorded. The link points to NFS mounted partition on the slug. What
> > read/write block sizes are you using in the nfs mount attributes ?
> >
> > Too many questions :-)
> >
> > Thanks
> >
> > Mudit
> >
> > On 12/9/05, Steve Malenfant <smalenfant at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > I've made a little script that copies my local recording to the NSLU2
> > > when I decide.  The script query's the database with some code stolen
> > > from the contrib directory and copy it to the slug and link the file
> > > back...
> > >
> > > For example, after I run the script it will look like this :
> > >
> > > lrwxrwxrwx  1 root root          56 Nov 24 19:29
> > > 1030_20051115200000_20051115210000.nuv ->
> > > /mnt/nslu2/store/11152000_Nova_Volcano_Under_the_City.ts
> > >
> > > That way, I can open the file from a Windows PC if I want to and I
> > > know exactly what I'm watching.
> > >
> > > Streaming back the file from the slug seems fine to me to date...
> > > Doing HD no problem.  The scripts works, they look really bad and
> > > needs TCL :)  It uses a modified version of mythlink.sh from the
> > > contrib directory.
> > >
> > > Steve M.
> > >
> > > On 12/8/05, Mudit Wahal <mwahal at gmail.com> wrote:
> > > > Well, I was hedging my bet. I also posted it in avsforum too :-)
> > > > Finally got a reply from someone in avsforum who is running
> > > > overclocked slug  with wizd and streaming HD (high definition)
> > > > contents to his Snazio HD dvd player.
> > > >
> > > > I saw your USB ATSC tuner post earlier. I'm currently running HD3000
> > > > and DVICO Fusion HDTV 5 Lite in my box. My main goal is to offload the
> > > > recorded programs (after they are commercial_cut and transcoded to
> > > > mpeg4) from the mythbox to the slug. There I'll run wizd and stream it
> > > > to IOData LinkPlayer2 (LP2). I don't know if slug will be able to run
> > > > complete mythbackend. It may be too big for its tiny 64mb sdram
> > > > (unless you fatten it). Presently, I run wizd on my linux box to
> > > > stream the contents to the LP2.
> > > >
> > > > With slug in picture, I can store all my programs on multiple external
> > > > hard drives and let the slug become the uPnP media server. Hopefully,
> > > > will save some wear/tear/electricity on the mythbox.
> > > >
> > > > Now I need to buy a slug and an external hard drive.
> > > >
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > On 12/8/05, Alan Hagge <ahagge at wbfa.com> wrote:
> > > > > Mudit Wahal wrote:
> > > > >
> > > > > >Hi,
> > > > > >
> > > > > >Has anyone successfully used NSLU2 stream recordings off the external
> > > > > >USB 2.0 hard drive ?
> > > > > >I'm thinking to use NSLU2 as nfs mounted external storage device to
> > > > > >keep my recordings. Then just use softlinks from machines to stream
> > > > > >the SD and HD contents.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >I'll be installing OpenSlug or UnSlung on it.
> > > > > >
> > > > > >I'm more worried that if it has enough horse power and memory to run a
> > > > > >mini http server, some perl cgi and also stream video at a sustained
> > > > > >rate of atleast 20-25Mbps at the same time. I'm willing to overclock
> > > > > >it to 266mhz (nail clipper method seems good).
> > > > > >
> > > > > >
> > > > > I noticed you'd posted a similar question on the NSLU2-Linux Yahoo
> > > > > groups; hopefully you'll get an answer there, if not here.  I too am
> > > > > interested in using a slug, but I want to take it even further, to try
> > > > > to use the slug as a mythbackend (using a USB 2.0-based ATSC tuner) to
> > > > > have it record directly to an attached external USB 2.0 disk.  I'd asked
> > > > > about USB-based ATSC tuners on this list a couple of weeks ago, but
> > > > > apparently nobody's working with them yet.  So I suspect I'm about a
> > > > > year premature.  But I can hope.
> > > > >
> > > > >  From what I've been reading, de-underclocking the CPU to 266MHz is
> > > > > definitely a good idea.  I think the biggest issue (for me, anyway) is
> > > > > the  lack of RAM in the box 32 MB isn't much, and my soldering skills
> > > > > definitely aren't up to adding piggyback RAM.  Too bad Linksys hasn't
> > > > > noticed the community support for this unit and made a more expensive
> > > > > unit that adds extra RAM and maybe gig-e and/or 802.11g wireless, just
> > > > > for the hacker community.
> > > > >
> > > > > Good luck & keep us  informed on your progress.  I'm hoping Santa has a
> > > > > slug in his bag for me...   ;-)
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