SageTV Client - Setup - Extender? - Success Stories?

[DRM2PVR]

Now that I've been completely spoiled by Sage, I need to do something about my other rooms with the 'old style' regular tv. I would like to extend my livingrooom installation of SageTV to the other rooms so I'm looking for slick options of how to do this. I'd like to expand my tuner and cable box over wireless to the other room using Sage.

Media MVP - I almost bought this the other day but the limitations had me on the fence. Being a linux embedded os, it cant do a lot of what I'm doing in the livingroom. Also, I was hoping to support 802.11G rather than run cables. Anyone have any usage on this with pro's and cons?

Setup another PC - I have a few low powered PC's hanging around which I suppose I could get creative with. Can I get an eval version SageTV client to test this out? Do I need to run my livingroom in Service mode?

Other options?

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by DRM2PVR

Setup another PC - I have a few low powered PC's hanging around which I suppose I could get creative with. Can I get an eval version SageTV client to test this out? Do I need to run my livingroom in Service mode?

If you set up a PC to test, all you have to do is download the client software -- the server & client both have a 15 day trial period, after which it won't work w/o a license key. (The trial time is based on the PC where it is installed.)

The server doesn't have to run in service mode for the client to connect to it.

- Andy

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by DRM2PVR

Media MVP - I almost bought this the other day but the limitations had me on the fence. Being a linux embedded os, it cant do a lot of what I'm doing in the livingroom. Also, I was hoping to support 802.11G rather than run cables. Anyone have any usage on this with pro's and cons?

I have the Media MVP in the bedroom. The only thing I can't do is play the ripped DVDs. But I also have a DVD player in there too so it doesn't matter. Everything else I do in Sage I can do on the Media MVP.

Gerry

[GbrNole]

how about the mce extender workaound for ripped dvd's? ie. rip the dvd to one large vob file and then rename it as an .mpg file?

also what was the spdif out mvp hack - was that just pcm audio or was it capable of passing ac3?

the ultimate letdown for the mvp is lack of component out for me though. i really hope sage announces something different because i really have a hankering for an xbox 360 and if that happens i'll likely end up with mce to boot.

c'mon sage - hurry up and tell us you have something very much better pending!!!

[JUC]

Originally Posted by GbrNole

how about the mce extender workaound for ripped dvd's? ie. rip the dvd to one large vob file and then rename it as an .mpg file?

c'mon sage - hurry up and tell us you have something very much better pending!!!

Would that work with one large vob renamed as .mpg--wouldn't it still have the AC3 sound which the MVP won't play? I am currently struggling with a way to somehow play ripped DVD's over the MVP --reencoding to MPEG maybe
JUC

[GbrNole]

yes it would still have the ac3 sound but some people have been successful in retaining the ac3 sound and the nvidia decoder has kicked in and down sampled to 2 channel stereo.

if you use tmp editor then you can edit the ac3 and have it convert to mp3 inside the .mpg wrapper or in a better scenario you could use headac3 to convert the ac3 to stereo since it includes a process where it allows dolby prologicII receivers to accurately seperate the rear channels - i'd be pretty content if there was a one click solution for that.

[DRM2PVR]

I ended up using spare parts to put together a set top Client. This was bottom of the barrel junk and I'm am quite supprised and how well SagetTV Client performs. It is just like having the full blown version on the good hardware in the next room. But, I do not have a remote.

Anyones experience with add-on remotes and ease of SageClient integration is welcomed! I am currently using USB-UIRT for cable box control and the Hauppauge 45 button remote with my pvr-250 on the server. I would like to avoid Girder if possible. Thoughts?


SageTV Client:
Intel P3 800MHz on 250W power supply
2 x 128MB 100Mhz Ram (256)
Barracude 8GB SCSI HD (sounds like a jet engine!)
GForce 2 Siluro w 32Mb ram (bad SVGA, s-video works nicely)

[Jason]

Originally Posted by DRM2PVR

Anyones experience with add-on remotes and ease of SageClient integration is welcomed! I am currently using USB-UIRT for cable box control and the Hauppauge 45 button remote with my pvr-250 on the server. I would like to avoid Girder if possible. Thoughts?

I personally went with using the Harmony 659 remote (http://www.logitech.com/index.cfm/pr...CONTENTID=8865), although there are much better Harmony remotes out there. I use it to control everything on my server (PC/TV/Stereo/VHS etc) and I love it's ability to 'chain' events. I just use the internal ability of Sage to control the usb-uirt.

As far as my client use goes, I use the MVP along with it's remote. With the MVP there is always a 'slight' delay, but it almost normal to me by now.

To work on the server, I use UltraVNC from my office since the TV is only a 36" SD. You will need something to update/work on your bedroom unit...

-Jason

[GbrNole]

i really wish sage would announce their true future extender capabilities. the 360 is out now and i have an itchy trigger finger!

if there was some way the buffalo link theater or similar could be used with the sage interface i'd be extremely happy and would quell those xbox 360 desires!

[JasonJoel]

Yeah, it is going to get dicey.

I already have my XBOX 360, and I just keep thinking how that would make a perfect extender... And I alread have an XBOX 1 on my other (SD) television...

I am not running out and ordering MCE 2005 YET, though. I really want to see what Sage announces.

But I'm not waiting past Christmas.

Jason

[Jason]

Originally Posted by JasonJoel

I already have my XBOX 360, and I just keep thinking how that would make a perfect extender... And I alread have an XBOX 1 on my other (SD) television... I really want to see what Sage announces.

Jason

I agree... Most of use Matt's plugin to utilize the MVP and it is great! However, we are all waiting to see what Sage has instore for their extender!

While I know that the XBox360 was just released today, I can't help but think that it is the perfect extender already... Unfortunately, MS has deemed that it can only work with MCE2005 (MS products in general...). I also can't help but think that the 360 'simply' loads it's extender software from the MCE server, so Sage 'could' simply provide the data that the 360 is looking for... I am referrring to the actaul data (EPG, Videos, MP3's, etc) as opposed to the software running on the 360.

Sage would simply be reformatting/outputting the data to match that required by the 360... Wow... how simple ?

-Jason

[naln]

Originally Posted by JasonJoel

I already have my XBOX 360, and I just keep thinking how that would make a perfect extender... And I alread have an XBOX 1 on my other (SD) television...

The Xbox media center (xbmc) works well as an extender if the show control etc is overlooked.
After using the Sage Interface- going back to the file list view on my Xbox extender- without any control on shows etc is the downside of this setup for me. Though for MCE users this may not be an issue.

Wish someone would write a Sage interface for xbox or something similar to the MVP client. Does Sage have a linux version that can be run off Xbox linux?