Recommendations for New Channels DVR Server Computer

Channels DVR Server
#1

I have the opportunity to purchase one of two machines.

Machine Number One

  • Apple Mac mini Late 2018
  1. 3.2GHz 6-Core Core i7 processor
  2. 32GB memory
  3. 512GB Solid-State Drive
  4. Intel UHD Graphics 630 with 1.5GB VRAM
  5. 10 Gigabit Ethernet

Machine Number 2

  • Apple Mac Pro Late 2013-2018
  • 2.70GHz 12-Core Xeon E5-2697v2 processor
  • 32GB memory
  • 500GB Solid-State Drive
  • AMD FirePro D500 x 2 with 3GB VRAM
  • 2.5GB ethernet

I will be using either machine exclusively for my Channels DVR server. My goal is to speed up the commercial identification process and ensure there's enough processor power to record multiple programs simultaneously while streaming a recorded program to multiple clients in the home. My current machine takes quite a while to identify commercials and seems to slow down when I recorded multiple games during the College Football season. I don't have a preference so either machine will do. If anyone has a better machine in mind, then please recommend that as well.

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#2

Pricepoints?

#3

Curious, what are you using now and how long does it take?
I built an unRAID server using an i5-13500 (20 core), with 3 cores assigned to commercial ID it takes 46 seconds, according to the log, to check a 1 hour program.

#4

Both machines are in the $500.00 plus taxes range.

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#5

$500 for a 2018 is a terrible price for a 2018 Mac Mini. It's worth $100 at best, and an n100 powered $150 Beelink mini-pc beats it in performance.

In fact, it beats even the Mac Pro in single core. But the Mac Pro comes out in multi-core due to it having a lot of cores.

#6

I have been looking this fall for a really fast PC to replace my 4yo Dell desktop (Intel(R) Core(TM) i5-10400 CPU @ 2.90GHz 2.90 GHz) and use that for my sagetv..or now my channelsdvr. There are a lot of extremely fast pc's, 16gb, 500gb ssd's, brand new for the $500 range. I would bet they would be a much better device than a 2018 Mac for recording multiple shows and comskips for a dvr. -Bill

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#7

Wow, those n100's are very slow, I bought one by mistake and had to send it back. If that's faster than a 2018 MAC i would run away from those. And I bought a new M2 Mini with 8gb ram for less than $500 last April. (in hindsight I wish I knew I couldn't upgrade the ram on it, ever!)

#8

I was incorrect about the Mac mini speeds. I had looked up the chip on that Mac Pro, and assumed it had to be faster and it isn’t.

#9

Mac mini Apple M1 chip 8GB Memory 256GB SSD MGNR3LL/A (Renewed) https://a.co/d/0GEgc82

30 minute video, commercial detection in 40 seconds

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#10

Yep. An m1 will smoke the OPs grab bag. M2 even more so, for the same price as the used kit.

#11

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A brand New Mac Mini M2 is still less than $500 Why buy a refurb. My 8gb model seems to be working very good with ChannelsDVR. It did take at least a day to index a 5TB disk.

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#12

I can’t argue with that. I should’ve done my research. At that price, buying new is the best option. Thanks for your help. I am going with the new Mac Mini

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#13

I, with a long history of Macs, would not buy any Mac with only 8 gigs and less than 16 gigs of ram or a Drive HDD or SSD less than 1TB unless they were upgradable.

#14

I, with a longer history with Mac’s, and probably most say congratulations? :person_shrugging:

#15

Good advice, I will upgrade the SSD and memory.

#16

I think some of the comments assume that the user will also be using the MAC for day to day stuff as well. That changes the suggestion quite a bit.

I have channels running on a 2013 Macbook and it runs great. Been two years now. I do not use it for anything else. I did add a 1Tb SSD external drive for storage so the actual hard drive barely runs.

I like the laptop option better cause I can just close the screen.

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#17

obviously your prerogative but just for Channels like you said in the op, 8gb of ram is plenty. save the $600 (for brand new mini) on upgrading ram and drive and use that for a good size external drive and pay your car for the month or go buy a dozen eggs.

#18

Here's my logic... If you decide to repurpose the Mac with only 8 Gigs of ram and a small Drive it will be much slower and frustrating than 12 or 16 gigs... Also if you decide to sell it, it will be much more difficult to get a decent price. Can't tell you how many non upgradable Mac's I've passed on because of that.. I rarely buy new and I've have watched many of them on CList sit for many, many months unsold.. Every Mac that I have purchased with only 8 Gigs eventually has been upgraded to at least 12 gigs making a huge difference in speed.

#19

If all you're using it for is Channels DVR Server, then 8GB is plenty.

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#20

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