SageTV Service Area Coverage

[UserName]

So I finally decide to try out SageTV. I go out and purchase two WinTV-PVR-USB2.0's and an ATI AIW Radeon 9800 Pro (Expensive, yes, but it was what I needed for my particular setup). After the time-consuming tasks of installing the hardware and drivers and testing it all out, then getting everything set up at my entertainment center, I proceed to install SageTV. Everything goes fine until I reach the part where I select my TV provider and download the listings, except that there is no listing for my local cable provider. I do some searching on the SageTV website and discover that my area is not covered, and that I will have to wait until November 1st for service in my area!

I know this is old news to everyone else, but imagine my anguish after spending the time and money to get my system set up specifically for SageTV, only to find out that my area is not covered! Yes, I know that the coverage area is listed on the website, but it is not in a conspicuous location. This is a commercial product; the coverage area should be made known to the customer BEFORE he/she downloads the trial or purchases(!) the software. What do you do before you purchase software? You check the sytem requirements. Once you know that your system meets the requirements, don't you assume that the software will work with your system? And, yes, I do know (after the fact) about the XMLTV plug-in. The problem with that is that it requires extra setup beyond the initial SageTV setup program, the setup is complicated and time-consuming, and it is not supported by Frey. Also, the listings are (supposedly) not as good a quality as SageTV's.

The worst part of all this is that I still want to (and probably will) use SageTV. Neither Snapstream nor ShowShifter currently supports multiple tuners, which is the main reason I wanted to try SageTV. Also, neither Snapstream nor ShowShifter supports the WinTV-PVR-USB2.0's that I purchased specifically for use with SageTV. Frey Technologies has a reputation for respecting and listening to it's customers, so I think it very odd for them to show so much oversight in this matter.

[jmeeks]

You can pick a cable provider for a city close to you and match (hopefully) the majority of the show schedule and channel selections and then manually modify/map the EPG listings until the EPG gets nationwide coverage in November. (See page 27 of the SageTV Guide.)

At least that way you won't have to do the XMLTV plugin.

Or, you can do this:
Can I use SageTV without using the SageTV Service?

You can still use SageTV without the SageTV service, but you will receive no programming data unless you use a third-party EPG plugin discussed in our Customizations section. Without EPG data, every recording you set must be adjusted manually based on time.

This was extracted from the FAQ: http://www.freytechnologies.com/stvfaqs.html

[UserName]

jmeeks,
I appreciate the suggestions. Like I said before, I will probably still use SageTV even with my current issues. I know I can use SageTV without the program guide, but that would make the program near useless to me. I consider the EPG an integral part of any PVR program.
As for using the listings for a nearby city: With hundreds of channels, it would be very tedious to have to re-map all those channels manually. Also, would not most (if not all) of the program listings for my local channels be wrong, because the local station programing is specific to each area? I may end up going this route, though.

Just in case anyone from Chesterfield, VA is reading this: Care to share your custom-made SageTV EPG files for Comcast premium digital cable with me?

[UserName]

See http://www.freytechnologies.com/service.html
"The Integrated Programming Guide data for the SageTV service is provided by Zap2it, a Tribune Media Services company"

I just checked out the Zap2it web site, and was able to get the listings for my local cable tv service. So why am I not able to get the listings in SageTV?

[mikbro]

I am using XMLTV for complete lineups of my cable company C-Band satellite and Starchoice (Canadian Satellite). Stick with Sage. It is jam packed with incredible features unavailable anywhere else. I am still shaking my head at some of the things it does, and I have had PVR's (Tivo, Replay Dishnetwork) since 1999.

I am also a software engineer and I really appreciate the effort they must have taken to make it as foolproof as it is in a windows environment.

[dkardatzke]

We only support the areas listed on our website at http://www.sage.tv/service.html and we will support every possible lineup in the US November 1st. This was a business decision made when we launched SageTV back on March due to the cost of the data for Tribune.

[UserName]

dkardatzke,
Could you give us any more details? Will SageTV start using a different EPG provider in November? If so, what provider?
Thank you!

[mlbdude]

I would assume they will use the same provider, just purchase more of the data. It was a cost decision to limit it to the most popular and largest locations first. Buying program information from Zap2it is not an all or nothing situation.

[dkardatzke]

The data will still come from Zap2it, just with a broader coverage area being the entire US, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands. Every possible lineup and provider for the US will be covered.

[KJake]

Thank you!!