How to: How to migrate from GBPVR

[gexi]

This will be a collection of helpful tips for people migrating their systems from GBPVR. I hope to expand this over time to include equivalent plugins, XML recording file differences, and other differences between the software. Hopefully over time this can become a central place for people to refer to when they are ready to make the switch.

If this proves useful, maybe this can be a future template for converting from other products such as MythTV, Media Portal, Tivo, etc.

1) Things to do before you uninstall GBPVR

- running addepisode to add the episode names to the files
- exporting the XML list of recordings for later import into Sage
- generating .my and .properties files for exported recordings
- Reimporting show information through webserver or using .properties files

2) Shared utilities

- comskip/showanalyzer and comskip
- Channel logo tool
- Stattik Mencoder Automation Script
- mencoder
- Zprocess/ffmpeg


3) Equivalent plugins and replacements

GBPVR built in replacements
- Built in comskip processing -> Comskip Playback by JREkiwi
- Post/parallel processing batch files -> Dirmon2 by Jere Jones

GBPVR Plugin replacements
- BurnDVD -> SageMC and Sage Video Edit tools by evilpenguin (thanks gplasky!)
- Calendar -> Google Calendar by MeInMaui and flachbar
- CallerID -> CallerID/Message popup plugin by nielm
- Cinema Listing and Theater Listing -> MovieTimes by aperry
- ComTweak -> Video Edit tools by BobPhoenix
- Enhanced Web Admin -> Webserver for SageTV by neilm
- Gmail -> Simple Email checker by koelec
- MVP Tray Icon and SlimmGBPVR-> SageTray by k10ck3r
- SleepTimer -> Sleep Timer by flachbar
- RSSReader -> RSS News Reader
- Shutdown -> Exit MenuItemLet by neilm
- Weather -> Weather Report Suite by salsbst (and modifications by nielm)

Sage built in or partially built in replacements for GBPVR plugins
- MVPScreenPosition -> Built in function (during setup the position of the screen on the Extender can be set)
- SearchWiz / ShowSearch -> Built in function plus IMDB Search by neilm
- SystemStatus -> Built in function / malore menus
- Tuner Status -> Built in function
- Volume -> Built in function (enhanced in SageMC)
- XRecord/CDK Scheduler/Video Archive -> Built in function
- XDVD for MVP -> Built in function


4) Differences between GBPVR and Sage

- Folders vs no folders for recordings
- SQLite database vs wiz.bin
- plugins vs stvis
- skins vs stvis
- Terminology
- processing

- Servers, clients, and MVPs are all managed with separate property files


5) Helpful settings and configuration options



Please feel free to add any tips you have found helpful in converting over. I have a lot of experience using GBPVR but I did not use all of the utilities.

Many many many thanks to Opus4 for maintaining the plugin list here: List of available customizations that made this easy to put together

I apologize for the skeleton for now, I hope to fill this out over time.

[gexi]

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[gexi]

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[tipstir]

You left GBPVR I guess you know what I know already about SAGETV - Good tip above though! Have fun.. Welcome aboard!

[gexi]

Originally Posted by tipstir

You left GBPVR I guess you know what I know already about SAGETV - Good tip above though! Have fun.. Welcome aboard!

Thanks, I remember you from the GBPVR forums. Thought about taking a crack at designing some themes/stvis for Sage?

It was sad to leave, I still think GBPVR is a great product but after trying SageTV for a few weeks the wife was ready to dump the even the Tivo in the trash. She never quite got the hang of GBPVR but SageTV seemed to be easy for her.

Please feel free to add any suggestions for helping people move over. I've figured out several of the customization to move over but I never installed all of the available plugins.

[tipstir]

Skins on SAGE are coded differently than on GBPVR (PVRX2) and Hauppauge MediaMVP which skin for also. I really don't know? I can look into the idea. I guess you left as you wanted something easier to use. I just wanted my recordings setup and forget. SAGETV can be setup to remember what record! Either first-run or re-run. GBPVR doesn't seem to be able to do that. I've been testing SAGETV for along time now and more since the version has updated on my HTPC running Windows XP Media Center Pro Edition SP2. Even left to go on vacation last month to find the HTPC running SAGETV still going and recording correctly downloading EPG data, recording and saving shows I've pre-schedule as favorite first-runs. Now with the SAGETV WebServer makes it easier to see what's happening or make new schedule changes remotely anywhere in the world (hope so?) without touching the SAGETV Server or SAGETV Clients.

I don't use Comskip as the wife hates it. My recordings were not coming out correctly with 3 PVR-150 tuner cards. Well anyway. This is another reason why I had to move on. I still skin for GBPVR crowd as I do run the software on test PC with 4th PVR-150 card. I also skin for Hauppauge MediaMVP crowd, I kind of like using the Hauppauge MediaMVP software though as you can see by my latest skin designs below also can be found on http://hosted.filefront.com/tipstir/ I've tried SAGETV MediaMVP GUI, maybe if I reskin it I'll use it more?

Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin (CMSS Black Raptor) Main Menu


Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin (CMSS Black Raptor) Videos with SAGETV Recordings


Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin (CMSS Black Raptor) OSD with SAGETV Recordings


Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin (CMSS Blue Bubble) Main Menu


Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin (CMSS Blue Bubble) Videos with SAGETV Recordings)


Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin (CMSS Blue Bubble) OSD with SAGETV Recordings)


I look at it this way, I can choose to run and use whatever I want to use to get things done... As you have!

[gexi]

Originally Posted by tipstir

I just wanted my recordings setup and forget. SAGETV can be setup to remember what record! Either first-run or re-run. GBPVR doesn't seem to be able to do that.

That right there nailed why I left GBPVR and now Tivo for Sage.

Tivo had short term memory, after 30 days it would start recording programs I had already seen. In addition if I ever cancelled a Season Pass or had one set for first runs it would keep recording all other episodes as suggestions. I had to Thumbs down several programs not because I didn't like them, but because I had already seen all episodes of them.

GBPVR with XRecord and Video Archive worked okay for remembering my old programs but once they made the switch to Schedules Direct/Yahoo/XML TV, all the show IDs stopped matching and it started recording everything over again. That was the final straw that ended the careful tiptoe upgrading of plugins and versions of GBPVR.

Nothing drives my wife nuts more than thinking she has a new program to watch only to discover it is just one she had seen before.

[limiter]

I left GBPVR in April and I am very happy with Sage. I loved that GBPVR was free, and the community was great, but it never worked reliably (especially with HD video playback) even though SageTV and GBPVR were running on the same hardware. The combination of stable software, remembering shows I watched, and EPG listings included in the price (now that there is no free option for GBPVR) means I won't be going back to GBPVR.

[tipstir]

Originally Posted by gexi

That right there nailed why I left GBPVR and now Tivo for Sage.

Tivo had short term memory, after 30 days it would start recording programs I had already seen. In addition if I ever cancelled a Season Pass or had one set for first runs it would keep recording all other episodes as suggestions. I had to Thumbs down several programs not because I didn't like them, but because I had already seen all episodes of them.

GBPVR with XRecord and Video Archive worked okay for remembering my old programs but once they made the switch to Schedules Direct/Yahoo/XML TV, all the show IDs stopped matching and it started recording everything over again. That was the final straw that ended the careful tiptoe upgrading of plugins and versions of GBPVR.

Nothing drives my wife nuts more than thinking she has a new program to watch only to discover it is just one she had seen before.

XRecord was good but the author left GBPVR for his family and Video Archive well it had it's moments when it worked. I ended up using the default plugins that came with the GBPVR. Now that PVRX2 is out still if that was around first would be great, but I know a lot of left there to come there or the other PVR software out there. SAGETV is wonderful the recordings it does comes out so great as you see with the one above post from the show "House Hunters". Well I got to make the wife happen otherwise why did I spend so much just to record off the cable. Prior to this was the VCR then GBPVR changed that for me. With SAGETV it's like you go promoted to the next level. I still use two SD/HDTV Digital DVR from cable company as they have yet to release Digital channels without the box. I can't even tap into the digital non HDTV boxes to get premuim channels to record on SAGETV through S-Video. Oh well.. All I know is that all my Star Trek Voyager series on SPIKE TV are recorded correctly with the title of the show - telling me which is which.

One thing about this software that you didn't mention was that the MediaMVP was all dark with GBPVR, with SAGETV default settings I don't have the problem on TV. So the recordings with SAGETV are better even at 5,252 bits compared to GBPVR High Quality 9,000 bit which uses more HDD space at MPEG2. The was okay but it uses more space.

[tipstir]

Originally Posted by limiter

I left GBPVR in April and I am very happy with Sage. I loved that GBPVR was free, and the community was great, but it never worked reliably (especially with HD video playback) even though SageTV and GBPVR were running on the same hardware. The combination of stable software, remembering shows I watched, and EPG listings included in the price (now that there is no free option for GBPVR) means I won't be going back to GBPVR.

GBPVR couldn't handle HD content unless you convert it. Yes the EPG listings has been a problem for GBPVR but the third parties have come up with some neat ideas. 1. To use MCE 2005 EPG data which is free for those who have MCE 2005. But the problem with that is the data doesn't see to be the correct or something is missing. 2. XML using Yahoo TV well I don't know how that one is working out for them. There was a lot of problems with the Zap2it with GBPVR at times it worked then it didn't. SAGETV it downloads perfect.

I like the SAGETV WebServer the best than with GBPVR WebAdmin which I always couldn't connect to it. I feel Sagetv version is easier to use.. This is my opinion. For those who want to use GBPVR it works just have to be more of a steam locomotive engineer.

[tipstir]

With Hauppauge MediaMVP Skin Replacement..
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...53&postcount=6

[tipstir]

I've dropped that PVR software for SAGETV 100%..