Sage TV4 and DirecTV HDTV

[stanger89]

The problem for you, is the S-Video outs of video cards does not work well, because the card isn't operating natively at the TV-out resolution/timing, which causes all manner of trouble. With an HDTV, the card is working just like it's connected to a monitor, it's working internally at the resoltion/timing of the output.

[Fluffdaddy]

Originally Posted by msmith8228

The 169Time Firewire upgrades for Sat receivers (DirectTV) works perfectly with SageTV -- check out the Firewire recording thread in the hardware section.

MJS

Does the R5000 upgrade work with Sagetv firewire recording?

thanks

[Fluffdaddy]

Originally Posted by ikarus79m

So this 169Time Firewire upgrade, can I do it myself or is that something really expansive some company has to do for you?

And really, isn't HDTV support kinda useless if you won't be able to record it from your DirecTV and Cable company? I mean OTA is fine, but there are other HDTV stations.

I'm so lost on this topic hehehe ;-)

All your questions will be answered with the links below

http://www.nextcomwireless.com/r5000/products.htm

http://169time.com/

[ikarus79m]

Hey Stanger,

what software decoders are you using and which stv? Do you know if the regular SageTV 4 STV already supports 16:9 menus? Because that would be the best to use with a HDTV correct?

Also, would you suggest using the Component output of my graphic card or the HDMI output of my graphic card to connect to my Sony 34 CRT HDTV?

Is there a big quality difference?

Thank you!!!!!

[sleonard]

Originally Posted by stanger89

With an HDTV, the card is working just like it's connected to a monitor, it's working internally at the resoltion/timing of the output.

More so for fixed pixel displays than CRT HDTV's. I haven't personally seen a computer hooked up to one but I understand CRT TV's to work less reliably for picture quality, timing, and resolution. A component connection is often the best or only way. YMMV as this is just what I've heard.

I use the built in Sage decoder for recorded shows. It works just fine. DVD's require an third-party decoder that is licensed to decrypt them. Hence the Sonic, nVidia, etc. decoders. Nvidia is reputed to be the best esp. when used with a newer nVidia card. I use it with an ATI 9600 pro and it looks pretty good to me. One problem w/ the nVidia decoder is it's audio decoder. There's something purposely screwed up with it's AC3 playback via analog outs or something like that. I just output analog stereo to my TV and I have to use the Sonic decoder for DVD audio.

Oh, and Sage works great on a 16x9 display.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by ikarus79m

Hey Stanger,

what software decoders are you using and which stv?

I run nVidia all the way around, and this minute I'm using the stock STV, but I've also used mlbdude's SageMC 16x9.

Do you know if the regular SageTV 4 STV already supports 16:9 menus?

It works just fine (the menues are stretched) but it isn't really optomized for it.

Because that would be the best to use with a HDTV correct?

Not sure what you mean exactly, I suppose yes, a 16x9 optomized STV would be ideal, but the stock one works fine as well.

Also, would you suggest using the Component output of my graphic card or the HDMI output of my graphic card to connect to my Sony 34 CRT HDTV?

I'd try component and see if you're happy.

Is there a big quality difference?

Thank you!!!!![/QUOTE]

[Ralphjb]

Originally Posted by Fluffdaddy

Does the R5000 upgrade work with Sagetv firewire recording?

thanks

I believe the answer remains no, though I hope one day it becomes a yes.

[Commodore 64]

One reason I don't like the stock STV GUI is that the white lines flicker like crazy at 1080i. I'm going to try the Media Portal knockoff skin tonight, since I have always felt that Media Portal Blue 2 was a far superior skin than the default SageTV one.

[dbfresh23]

timmmoore over at the green button is working on an app to use the R5k with MCE. It can already control the receiver via the usb connection and records the ts streams. I'm wondering how hard it would be to get this same functionality with SageTV.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...&&#post6320245

Really, with cablecard on the horizon this is becoming less important to me...

[Fluffdaddy]

Originally Posted by Ralphjb

I believe the answer remains no, though I hope one day it becomes a yes.

Thank you for your reply. To bad R5000 seem like the better deal

[Ralphjb]

Originally Posted by Fluffdaddy

Thank you for your reply. To bad R5000 seem like the better deal

I agree with you. When I purchased the R5000 (back when it was first introduced), the plan was for it to interface with programs like SageTV. Nextcom changed their minds however. Having something to do with avoiding DirectX. Not being a programmer, I don't pretend to understand the issues.

I sure would love to use SageTV to schedule recordings with the R5000. So like you, I am hoping somebody with programming skills will develop something.

[phenixdragon]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's kind of hard to say, in principal, nothing need happen because the firewire port is just a data sink, it just pipes data from box to PC, doesn't care if it's MPEG-2 or MPEG-4. However I think the biggest issue is probably that the MPEG-4 conversion will require new boxen, and I don't think anyone is quite sure if the new boxen will be as modable.

I don’t think it will require a new box. DirecTV did have plans at CES this year to come out with their own media server, which also used MP4. With that, they planned on using existing receivers (not DVRs like DirecTiVo) to feed from the media server. It wouldn’t have worked with certain models but any receiver in the past couple of years would work which would have received MP4 and MP2. So that it should be able to still do MP4 but then again, it was supposed to read off of their own media center so it could be different. And the media center I guess is dead now since it was supposed to be out by no and its still not and no news since CES.

[phenixdragon]

I shouls also add that some cable boxes can be used via FireWire in MCE. The Green Button has a mod for MCE that will allow it and some models are also controlled through the port. If Sage could do that then I would be in heaven with Sage, along with using Xbox 360 as an extender.