SageTV Client and XP SP2 Firewall

[tannebil]

I'm using the trial versions of 2.2.8 SageTV and SageTV Client. The client would wouldn't connect with a "server not found" error. After a bit of testing, I discovered that I needed to add SageTVService.exe to the exception list in the SP2 firewall on the server.

I'm not 100% sure, but I think the install added SageTV to the firewall exception list.

In my first use of the client over my 802.1g connection (about 5' from the access point to the notebook), I got a connection failed after about 5 minutes of watching a recorded show. The connection automatically recovered after 15-20 seconds but the show started replaying from the beginning rather than the point of failure.

I'm comparing Sage 2.2.8 and BTV 3.5. It doesn't look like a clear winner will emerge nor is there any chance that either will beat out my Tivos.

[GTwannabe]

Download NetStumbler and determine the ideal channel for your wireless network. There are only 3 non-overlapping channels in 802.11b/g: 1, 6, and 11. Most wireless routers come preset at 6, and few people bother to change them.

Also, microwaves and 2.4ghz cordless phones will wreck your WLAN connection.

[stanger89]

Firstly, I don't care how close you are, Wireless just isn't good for media. Wireless is very inconsistent, you can get lots of small dropouts and such that you wouldn't notice while surfing/copying files, but will cause studders and such when streaming high-bitrate media.

At 5' you really should just get a wire.

Originally Posted by tannebil

I'm comparing Sage 2.2.8 and BTV 3.5. It doesn't look like a clear winner will emerge nor is there any chance that either will beat out my Tivos.

In what way will it not beat your Tivo?

[tannebil]

Wireless has its drawbacks but so does spending thousands of dollars to install a wired network throughout my house (I'm not handy at that sort of thing). I was only testing at a distance of 5'. I'd normally be using the client on the other side of the house. I just wanted to make sure that the strength of the signal was not an issue.

I'm pretty sure that I will be able to configure a solution using BTV or Sage that is better than Tivo in some ways but the result will definitely be more work to maintain and easier to break compared to a Tivo. It might turn out to be a good solution for me but there's zero chance that my wife will want to use it (she loves Tivo). I just paid $100 for a second 80 hour Tivo and, even accounting for the cost of a lifetime subscription, there's no way to build a dedicated HTC for that price.

Tivo's interface is much better than anything else I've seen. Take a look at the difference in the "Live TV" interface as an example. Tivo has a beautiful transparent overlay that shows details for the show being browsed, the current shows on 8 channels, and the next 8 shows on the currently browsed channel. Interface preference is personal but I find Tivo far superior in organization, information density, and navigation to the alternatives I've seen. For example, Sage shows 5 channels, a 90 minute horizon, and the current show in a small window. The "grid" interface works well for the static listings in USA Today but Tivo recogized that the computer made possible a better interface organization.

Is there a "control pad" for the client? I'm not big on having to memorize things like ctrl-F to jump forward 10 seconds and there's lots of room on my computer screen.

Right now, I'm across the house and, while recorded shows play OK, Live TV just shows a black screen. Also, Sage didn't record shows that I thought I'd set it to record last night. These are OK as they are problems that will be fun to diagnose and fix. But for something as important as "production TV" (which is what my wife expects), it doesn't cut it.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by tannebil

Wireless has its drawbacks but so does spending thousands of dollars to install a wired network throughout my house (I'm not handy at that sort of thing). I was only testing at a distance of 5'. I'd normally be using the client on the other side of the house. I just wanted to make sure that the strength of the signal was not an issue.

It's only $20 for 100ft of Cat5e (finished even):
http://www.l-com.com/jump.jsp?lGen=d...ProductID=6914

I'm sure you could find someone willing to help run some wires. If you've got an unfinished basement, it's easy to just run it through the floor joists. And even if you do have a finished basement, it just takes some creativity and you can run it without cutting into walls:
http://www.cableorganizer.com/surface-raceways/#A

I'm pretty sure that I will be able to configure a solution using BTV or Sage that is better than Tivo in some ways but the result will definitely be more work to maintain and easier to break compared to a Tivo.

You might want to look at this:
http://forums.sage.tv/forums/showthread.php?t=11580

It might turn out to be a good solution for me but there's zero chance that my wife will want to use it (she loves Tivo). I just paid $100 for a second 80 hour Tivo and, even accounting for the cost of a lifetime subscription, there's no way to build a dedicated HTC for that price.

Can't build a computer for $400? I know I priced a really nice PC for $500 recently (Athlon 64 3000+), par that down a bit and I'm sure you could get it under $400. But that's neither here nor there, you already have the Tivo.

Tivo's interface is much better than anything else I've seen. Take a look at the difference in the "Live TV" interface as an example. Tivo has a beautiful transparent overlay that shows details for the show being browsed, the current shows on 8 channels, and the next 8 shows on the currently browsed channel. Interface preference is personal but I find Tivo far superior in organization, information density, and navigation to the alternatives I've seen.

Personally I never liked the Tivo interface.

For example, Sage shows 5 channels, a 90 minute horizon, and the current show in a small window. The "grid" interface works well for the static listings in USA Today but Tivo recogized that the computer made possible a better interface organization.

You should check out some of the custom STVs, specifically mlbdude's SageMC 169 STV, it's quite different from Sage, and has the onscreen miniguide.

Is there a "control pad" for the client? I'm not big on having to memorize things like ctrl-F to jump forward 10 seconds and there's lots of room on my computer screen.

Sage is really designed to be run by remote, there's only minimal "PC type" controls.

Right now, I'm across the house and, while recorded shows play OK, Live TV just shows a black screen. Also, Sage didn't record shows that I thought I'd set it to record last night. These are OK as they are problems that will be fun to diagnose and fix. But for something as important as "production TV" (which is what my wife expects), it doesn't cut it.

[tannebil]

It's the labor, not the cable, that costs. I've got a big, 2-story house and my wife is going to demand a neat installation. I talked to a home installer outfit and they gave me a rough estimate of $3-5K to wire the house.

My 2nd Tivo actually cost me $100+$6.95/month. Any HTPC that I'd want to go to the trouble to build is going to cost a lot more than that. A Hauppage PVR-500 alone runs $200.

I'd read the thread from the guy thinking about going from Tivo to Sage. The responses were pretty consistent that Sage took a lot of time to get setup the way you wanted and was at risk of breaking whenever you made a change. Fine for a hobby but I've got a demanding customer in my house and a broken PVR is a major crisis that I don't need.

I want to run Sage Client on my notebook while it's sitting in my lap. A remote isn't really a practical option.

Uninstall, delete the Program Files\Frey Technologies folder, and reinstall seems to have cleared my problem with the client not showing the program being recorded. it also cleared a problem where Sage was losing evey recording after it completed it (the files were on disk but not listed in Sage).

[mc2wheels]

You don't have to have a dedicated HTPC in each room -- you only need one somewhere in your house. You can use a MediaMVP 1000 in every other room and it's only ~$80. It comes with its own remote, and is very easy to use. It does have to be wired, but whoever quoted you 3-5K to wire your house is not someone you should be talking to. Also, why would you buy a PVR-500 unless you only have one slot in your machine. If you have more than one pci slot, you can get pvr-150mce for $65 each. BTW, I have two computers that run the sage client wirelessly. With sage on "Best", I only get stutters if using both of them. I did have to change the channel I was using -- I think my neighbors must have gotten a wireless g or a new cordless phone -- but now it works great.

I was a TiVo user. TiVo is very cool, and easy to use. My own HTPC is better. I have one media center pc in my family room with two tuners. It can record two shows at once -- TiVo cannot. I can easily add more drive space -- not so with TiVo. I can add my own home movies -- can't with TiVo. And when the game is on, and my wife is watching some horrible made for tv mini-series, I can watch the game on my laptop while still spending time with her :-), again, TiVo cannot do this. Oh, did I mention automatic skipping of commercials, sorry TiVo. My media center also has MAME on it, and I can play any arcade game ever made -- again, TiVo cannot.

TiVo can share among multiple rooms, but you are paying 7 bucks a month on top of the 13 for the first TiVo (unless you bought the lifetime), and they put those annoying little adds in your menus. With one sage client running on my media center, I have two MediaMVPs -- one in my basement, and one in my bedroom -- able to access all my shows. The desktop computer in my office, and my laptop both run sage clients. From any of those machines, I can actually use the cable box in my family room to tune the pay channels without having to have another box.

Yes it was a pain setting up the main PC, and tweaking it to get the picture right. And it was an adventure wiring my router to my mediaMVPs. But in the end, it was worth it. I would still recommend TiVo for those who are not at all computer literate. As a matter of fact, I gave mine to my mom.

[thatdude90210]

Maybe try a third party software Firewall.

I watch via client on my laptop all the time. Here's my setup that has no issues: Netgear WGR614, Netgear WG511 card, latest version of Sage and client, Kerio firewall (free for personal use), and SageMC 16x9 STV.

I've been using my laptop as my bedroom tv for about a year now, the distance to the router is about 20' through 2 walls. This setup has been working well for me.