[mythtv-users] wireless frontend?

[Brian Wood]

On Jul 12, 2006, at 12:30 PM, Nelson Tang wrote:

> I'd like to add a data point to this discussion.  I'm using a backend
> over wireless (a pair of WRT54 routers running OpenWRT connected to
> each other).  I transcode my SD video down to MPEG4 and end up at
> roughly 750MB/hr, which is a little artifact-y but seldom is it
> distractingly so.  I've run as many as 3 frontends simulatenously (1
> wired to the "receiving" wireless router, 2 wireless) and have very
> nearly NO hiccups at all.  This is all on 802.11g and using the
> simple-to-make parabolic antenna reflectors found at
> http://www.freeantennas.com/projects/template2/index.html (the Ez-12
> antenna, which honestly took me about 15 minutes to print, glue, cut
> out, and fold).
>
> Before I used these reflectors, I would have problems getting even one
> frontend to play flawlessly, and I would have frequent disconnections
> (especially if someone started up the microwave).  Once I put these
> reflectors onto my wireless antennas, I honestly can't even remember
> having any hiccups at all during playback.  If you're thinking about
> using wireless, I highly recommend these reflectors to boost your
> signal - especially for my situation, where my backend is down in the
> basement and there's only one direction I need to radiate my wireless
> signal.

Thanks for that info. I'd heard good reports from users of the  
"Pringles" style antennas but this is the first I'd heard of the  
easier-to-make pseudo-parabolic reflectors.

Of course it depends on several factors, if the source of your  
interference is "on-axis" to your antennas they can actually make  
things worse.

Of course going with MPEG-4 is going to help a lot as well, since you  
don't have to push as many bits as with mpeg-2.

The one thing you didn't mention is the distance between your  
antennas, I'd be curious as to what range you are getting.