Ignoring the 9.0 debacle, thoughts on Shield Pro vs Win 10?

Channels DVR Server
#1

I've been running Channels DVR on a cheap 7yo Win 10 desktop I bought on ebay. This is its only job, and it works great, except that we have frequent power outages. I'm tired of Windows not coming back online afterward, so shows don't get recorded.

I bought a Shield Pro (2019) for better 4k upscaling for everything we stream in our main TV room. I also expected to migrate the Channels DVR to the Shield. It's been sitting in a box, then 9.0 came out and ruined the party. I'm past the return window, but I can still return the external hard drive I bought to go with it.

So, thoughts on Channels DVR on a 8.2.3 Shield vs Win 10? Are they effectively identical other than the Shield will come back up if the power goes out? This thread on struggles with the Shield doesn't sound promising.

#2

Do yourself a favor. Take that 7 year old PC and ditch windows and put ubuntu server on it. Install channels dvr and enjoy the happy life.

I know there are a bunch of folks on here that love running the server on the shield pro but I've always struggled to understand the appeal of that platform. I've had my server running on a 4 year old Intel NUC now for close to a year. Hasn't given me a bit of trouble...

#3

I toyed with that, but it's unclear that it solves the reboot after power loss issue. I updated the BIOS to reboot automatically but I'm not convinced it's doing so consistently.

#4

Just simulate a power loss by unplugging to test. Then to take it a step further and get a ups to take care of the short power outages... Either way ditch windows and you will be much happier in the long run...

#5

OS has nothing to do with the hardware powering back on after Power Loss.

Most computers BIOS has a setting under Power Management for Power on State.
Every desktop or mini box computers i have, old and new, have such setting.
Set it to Power On and it will always power up after a AC power loss.

Also, get a UPS. That will help alot to, as u install its management software, or use built in Windows, so that it still runs when short power cut, and if long outage, it will trigger the computer to properly shut down when the battery gets to low, to prevent data loss.

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#6

I know that the OS doesn't come into play. I was just recommending Linux over windoze in general for a better experience with channels. :blush:

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#7

I find the best Channels DVR server appliance for my needs, to be a Pi4 and USB 3.1 SSD. Overclocked a bit to help boost performance. I have multiple, since Channels does not support User profiles to separate users preferences and recordings etc.

3 Likes
#8

So respectfully, back where I started, how does the Shield Pro do as a Channels server? I realize I could buy a UPS for this Win 10 box but I've got the Shield and a hard drive ready to replace it. Any downsides to that?

#9

I would not suggest running it on Shield -- I at least had nothing but problems. So I took an old laptop and run Channels, Plex and even a small NAS and have NO issues and very good performance

#10

I also use a Windows PC to run ChannelsDVR (and PLEX). It is on a UPS, but that will only last 30 minutes. I changed the BIOS to automatically power up the PC after a power failure. But unless you are running Channels as a service, Channels only starts at login. You can search "windows 10 auto login" to fix this. (That is what I did.)

Now after a power failure, my PC restarts and logins in by itself.

#11

Don't let them pressure you. If you want to run windows for a home server. Then do it. I agree im not a fan of using client device(shield) as a server.

Get a cheap UPS (unintereuptable power supply). Set windows to auto login. Set bios to auto boot.

So here's why you should continue to use windows. You are used to the OS. That's the only reason i got. There a thousand reason to rub linux on server. But this is a home server. Use what you know.

-OR-

Get a old laptop. It has a built in UPS, lol. I love laptops for servers specifically because they have built in battery, there small, and cheap at pawn shop.

1 Like
#12

The number one reason!

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#13

What are the typical problems with using a Shield Pro as the Channels server? Does it lag? Miss recordings? Slow to process commercials? Freeze up? (I'm making stuff up here, I'm looking for real-world feedback.)

#14

I have a Win 10 NUC and a Nvidia Shield Pro, both running Channels DVR & both plugged into a 2 hr UPS. My recommendation: stick with your 7 year old Win desktop AND get a UPS & make Win BIOS changes recommended in the thread.

WHY? Because I find Channels DVR on Win 10 more reliable (besides the Nvidia 9.0 issue) AND most importantly, it does commercial detection a lot faster than the Nvidia.

BTW: I am Barry James Folsom - I accidently was logged in with my daughters account - so about that....

#15

Logged in as myself....

#16

To my knowledge (outside up new upgrade debacle) Nvidia Shield works fine as a server.

argument for server

However I (and most enthusiast) prefer to have a dedicated, always on, home server.

It allows you to isolate both sides. Also a home server provides a "playground" of sorts.

Found a random cool docker image? Wana run a pinhole? Use your server as a network load balancer? A local backup location (personal "cloud" storage). There's a lot of uses for a home server. Server just gives options/control.

argument for shield as server

You don't care about any of that. You just want simplest, most minimal ChannelsDVR / Plex setup. Nothing extra, no bells and whistles.

Then by all means run server on a Nvidia Shield. It's a fine device. It will deliver a great experience. There's no need to go overboard.

My 2 cents. By a laptop. Install windows (because your used to windows). Run Linux in a VM if you wana learn it. Tuck laptop in a quiet corner. Forget about it.

#17

If you don't need more than 1 remote transcode stream, and don't mind slower comskip speed (if you use that feature) than using a RaspberryPi4 and the dedicated Channels image is the best and easiest solution. Having a dedicated solution is always better than tacking the server onto something other full featured OS or multipurpose machine, as far as reliability goes. (And the Pi will always come back on by default after power cut.) I actually found my client devices to be more zippy and responsive after moving to the Pi as the server than a much more powerful Intel i7 NUC. it was weird, but it is just more efficient.

The Shield, has been riddled full of various bugs and issues, even before the latest OS upgrade.
It may have capable hardware, but, that does not matter if it runs shitty crap code full of bugs and that not at all tested before release. If you can take on manually reverting it back to the old software, then it should be fine to use, but you never know if they thing will force update itself at sometime.

U can just keep using the Windows machine you have, no need to change. Infact it will be some time before the Shield is even a viable option again. But you "issues" you mentioned before have already been given solutions, set BIOS to Power ON, get UPS.

#18

I have a favorable opinion concerning running Channels server on a Shield. I ran Channels server on a Shield Pro with a 1TB SSD configured as external storage for over 6 months. Before the v9 "update" the server ran rock solid. I didn't miss recordings and playback response was great -- manual commercial skipping was snappy like my TiVo's. After I foolishly upgraded to v9, Channels server on the Shield became unusable and I transferred the DVR server to my Win-10 based Media-PC server. It runs rock solid on that server also, but despite a connection link of 140Mbps between the DVR server and Shield client, manual commercial skipping is sluggish with pauses of up to 5-10 seconds after the button press before playback resumes.

I want my Channels DVR server back on the Shield Pro ASAP and as soon as the v9 mess is cleared up I will transfer it back.

#19

Thanks for all the input!

#20

I found it lags and freezes, all sorts of performance issues -- that was my experience and I suffered with it for a long time trying to work through it (a year) - I got fed up with it completely after the Shield update debacle and moved it to a windows 10 Laptop.. OMG (I hate using that acronym but it fits) It runs to smooth and fast with ZERO issues now. Again that was my experience