EPG Download Schedule

[ldavis]

I am just beginning to test SageTV and have one problem with the EPG download. I only have dial-up service and unfortunately autodial will not work and the internet must be accessed via the ISP's program. This is a problem since the download time seem to be random. Reading through some of the post, it seems that I could create a .bat file that executed a girder event every 2 or 3 days. This event could tirgger an internet logon and then (if I understood the post correctly) I could have girder go into channel setup, select and deselect a channel to force an EPG download. This seems like a long way around this problem. My question is:

1. Is there a way to put SageTV on a regular schedule of updates
2. If I cannot do #1 then does SageTV automatically update the EPG whenever it is overdue and the internet connection is active

Lain

[Narflex]

It does #2. If it can't connect and update on its own, it'll do it when you're connected.

[ldavis]

Jeffrey,

One other question. I am in the process of building a computer to be used in my family room and as my main SageTV interface. But, the problem that I asked about above is even worse here because I do not have a phone line in this area and this would be a difficult wire pull. I know that DSL and Cable modem can be shared across a network, but I've never thought I was possible with dial-up. (Obviously, that is not a Sage question so anyone chime in to tell me how, if possible) If it is not possible then I might be interested in installing SageTV on the computer that does have an internet connection already and install SageClient on the family room computer. This question is does Sage Client need an internet connection or does it get EPG info from the server.

Lain

[edmc]

I can answer the "does the Sage Client need an internet connection or does it get EPG info from the server?" question. It's the server which is doing all the recording, EPG intelligence, and what not. Think of Sage Client as the means to proxy over to the Sage Server and control that machine. Sage Client also, of course, presents a display for videos to be played upon.

But it seems to me that pulling an Ethernet cable would be at least as difficult as pulling a phone line. And going wireless (802.11) better be the 54Mb/s variety - 802.11b isn't fast enough :-(.

I would suggest another option. I assume you have power plugs near your HTPC. And another power plug near a phone jack somewhere in the household. Why not get one of those phone line extenders which works over the power line? I've used this for years with my ReplayTV 2000 (predates the Ethernet models and requires a phone line to download its EPG data).

[ldavis]

I have already pulled ethernet cable and I do not want to go through that again hence my question about phone line. I do have a wireless phone jack but it is just for a connection to a DirecTV receiver. As I recall when I flirted with TIVO when it first came out, these types of jacks did not have sufficient bandwith for the TIVO connection. I had thought that this would not be enough for an internet connection. I sounds like you are telling me that it is.

Lain

[edmc]

> I had thought that this would not be enough for an internet connection. I sounds like you are telling me that it is.

A noisy one, I'm sure, but it does work. My Replay seems to be happy enough with it. My Sage/HTPC uses a real Cable Modem method however - certainly more convenient and speedy.

As for the speed of modem connections over these phone line extenders, I believe there are various qualities. The particular pair I purchased claimed to be able to support V.90 (54kbps). Others had no such claim so I stayed away from them.

I have noticed that there is a lot of noise on the line. And, sure enough, Replay occassionally claims to not be able to hear a dialtone (over the noise). But then the next night it succeeds. Odd, but it works well enough.

But who needs Replay/TIVO when you've got SageTV? :-)

[Narflex]

ldavis,

You can do either of these:

1. Run SageTV as a server on the PC connected to your phone line. Run SageTVClient on the PC in your living room. The one connected to your phone line will handle all of the EPG downloading and updating.

2. Setup SageTV on your family room PC. Then setup Internet Connection Sharing in Windows with on demand dialing for the PC that's connected to the phone line.....and a whole bunch of other Windows network configuration....and then you've got dialup shared just like DSL or Cable.