Explain SageTV Recorder and SageTV please

[StylinLP]

Could someone please explain why I would need SageTV recorder when I just bought SageTV and SageTV client?

Im planning on having 2 Hauapauge 350 cards and 1 HDTC PCI card in my main media server computer. RAID0 500gig outputing to CRT Projector on 8' wide screen. Using Radeon 9600 Pro, THeatre Tek all controlled by Main Lobby
Pentium4 2.8 1 gig Dual 3200 RAM.

If I had one Satelitte set top box with 1 S-Video out and 2 sets of Composites outs with respective RCA audio outs. Can I connect the S-Video cable and pair of coresponding Audio outputs to one of the Haupauge 350 cards. Then connect the composite output with its 2 RCA audio outputs to the 2nd Haupauge 350 card. I assume Satelitte boxs stream video out of its many ports at the same time? Or do i have to use a splitter. Are there Sat Boxes that have dual outputs? Perferably s-video outputs.

The HDTV tuner card would just have to hooked up to an antanae I guess.

Im also planning on using the SageTV client in the bedroom with a one harddrive computer to a Plasma screen. From there I would like to watch live satellite tv and watch recorded tv from the main media servers RAID0. The LAN will be all be wireless router/cards

Assistance on this is most appreciated. Any suggestions how to make the best of this setup to.

[StylinLP]

I see they sell Satelitte Set top boxes that have DVI and Componant outputs. Also for audio TOSLINK optical output. How can I use these with SageTV and the Haupauge 350 cards?

[jmeeks]

You really won't need SageRecorder unless you plan on setting up some cards as network encoders.......

Does your satellite box have the capability to output 2 or more different channels simultaneously? I thought all the satellite boxes only output 1 channel at a time, hence why you need multiple satellite boxes for multiple tv's.

I think you'll just be getting the same show from the single satellite box out of each output you mention. To get multi-channel capability with satellite you'll need that many different satellite boxes.

The cards you have do not have any capability to input the optical output (audio) from your satellite box. (as far as I know) The cards (PVR350's) also do not have DVI or component inputs either.

You may be able to play back the HD files generated by your HD card in Sage, but Sage currently doesn't have any capability to control HD cards in a similar way like it controls the Hauppauges PVR350's. I would be interested to hear whether you get the 2 PVR350 cards operating in the same computer correctly, as others have made comments that they were unsucessful with 2 PVR350 cards in the same computer.

[StylinLP]

jmeeks I'm not sure what you mean by network encoders. I plan for this system to be able to do anything and everything.

I can't find the users manual for SageTV on this website. Am I missing something?

[dkardatzke]

The manuals are available here: http://www.sage.tv/download.html and network encoding is explained more here http://www.sage.tv/NetworkEncoderSetup.txt.

Network encoding is used when you are using multiple encoding cards across multiple PCs. It sounds like you will have all the appropriate cards in one system so SageRecorder is not necessary for your setup.

[StylinLP]

Dan
Thank you! I will start ready that today