Setting up a new system, coming from ReplayTV

[phelme]

OK, so I'd like to set up a new SageTV system and I'm coming from a ReplayTV mindset so bear with me.

Currently, I have 3 ReplayTV's in various parts of the house. 2 are connected to DirecTV RCA DTC-100's and the other to some old Hughes DirecTV box. We've become use to setting up each ReplayTV individually for recording since they don't share program guides across boxes. But since they can easily stream shows from one to another, we just jump between their show guides when watching recorded stuff. Works for us.

Now, when setting up the SageTV system, the satellite boxes are going to have to stay put in their respective rooms for the time being so there can be no single server with 3 tuners (plus I can run the HDTV out to each TV directly via VGA, yes I'm living in the year 2000 ).

Originally I thought I could set up 3 HTPC's, each running a full copy of SageTV, they would coalesce their EPG/show info and I could select what I want to see. Then I read more about SageTV and find out it doesn't work this way; one central server is best.

So what's the best configuration for me for 3 boxes?
-3 full copies of SageTV, 1 running on each HTPC
OR
-1 full copy of SageTV (as a server/client), 2 additional SageTV Clients and 2 SageTV Recorders?
OR
-something else!?!

Help!

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by phelme

Originally I thought I could set up 3 HTPC's, each running a full copy of SageTV, they would coalesce their EPG/show info and I could select what I want to see. Then I read more about SageTV and find out it doesn't work this way; one central server is best.

Well it can see below.

So what's the best configuration for me for 3 boxes?
-3 full copies of SageTV, 1 running on each HTPC

First off, cudos for searching !!!

Anyhoo, this (3 copes of SageTV) is what you're going to need to do since you can't move your sat boxes. Now, here's the confusing part, and you need to realize the distinction I'm about to make.

It's true, you can't setup multiple SageTV systems and have them colaborate like your replay TVs. SageTV systems can't share guide/database info between them

However, what can be done, is to setup multiple SageTV installations into a single SageTV system. What's the difference you ask?

Well the difference is in the later you have one SageTV server (doesn't matter which PC), and then you configure the rest as encoding servers, think of it like master/slave vs peer/peer. Basically SageTV has two modes of operation, SageTV server + pseudoclient, or encoding server+true client.

As I read it appears this post isn't flowing well.... What you'll need to do is:

Install SageTV and a tuner(s) on a PC near each Sat box.
Next choose one to be the master SageTV system.
Then check out Appendix G of the SageTV manual and setup all the other SageTV installs to be encoding servers.

That should do it for you, all the HTPCs will then be able to access the unified guide and record from any of the sat boxes.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Well it can see below.

First off, cudos for searching !!!

well, I try.

Originally Posted by stanger89

Anyhoo, this (3 copes of SageTV) is what you're going to need to do since you can't move your sat boxes. Now, here's the confusing part, and you need to realize the distinction I'm about to make.

It's true, you can't setup multiple SageTV systems and have them colaborate like your replay TVs. SageTV systems can't share guide/database info between them

However, what can be done, is to setup multiple SageTV installations into a single SageTV system. What's the difference you ask?

Well the difference is in the later you have one SageTV server (doesn't matter which PC), and then you configure the rest as encoding servers, think of it like master/slave vs peer/peer. Basically SageTV has two modes of operation, SageTV server + pseudoclient, or encoding server+true client.

As I read it appears this post isn't flowing well.... What you'll need to do is:

Install SageTV and a tuner(s) on a PC near each Sat box.
Next choose one to be the master SageTV system.
Then check out Appendix G of the SageTV manual and setup all the other SageTV installs to be encoding servers.

That should do it for you, all the HTPCs will then be able to access the unified guide and record from any of the sat boxes.

Great! I looked over the Appendix G and it seems pretty straightforward, I need to run 2 copies of Sage, 1 for encoding, 1 for client, on the network encoding boxes. Do these guidelines go for the Gentoo Linux release as well (you know... in case I decide to be cheap )?

Now I just need to get the hardware ordered and I'll probably try the latest incarnation of the Asus Pundits. Thanks!

[stanger89]

Well, one copy of Sage on the client, you just start it twice.

I'm not sure if Linux supports being a Network encoder yet or not, I remember there being a thread about it though.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Well, one copy of Sage on the client, you just start it twice.

er right, I should have said "instance."