SageTV HD Media Extender

[Venice310]

This is great news.

[chrisc16]

Originally Posted by HawgGuy

Here's to hoping it'll support the r5000-hd h.264 PAFF interlaced streams!

+1

This is a requirement for me; it would suck to have to keep my PC client just to play back r5000 material.

-Chris

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by chrisc16

+1

This is a requirement for me; it would suck to have to keep my PC client just to play back r5000 material.

-Chris

It's not clear you couldn't process the Dish h.264 stream into a more normal format, but this would not likely be able to be done in realtime.

Thanks,
Mike

[lobosrul]

Originally Posted by HawgGuy

Here's to hoping it'll support the r5000-hd h.264 PAFF interlaced streams!

+2'd. I do plan on getting an r5000 eventually. Here's to hoping that them getting this working is what caused the delay!

[autoboy]

From what I understand, going to record HD shows will definately consume more processing power

HD is already in Mpeg2 format. All the server needs to do is write this to disk. The processor does no processing on the data and processing will take 0% of your CPU. Writing the data to disks does take some CPU, but at the low bitrates we are talking about, the cpu useage is almost nothing. My Server, an AMD 3500+ uses 5-10% cpu when recording 2HD shows and 2 SD shows all at the same time. The most important thing for recording show is your access time for your harddrives because eventually your harddrives are completely fragmented. There is no avoiding this. The most important thing you can do for HD performance is to format your media drives to 64K clusters.

I had a PII 350 as my server for some time and it worked great. I upgraded because I got a MVP (I had the 3500+ laying around...so why the hell not? CnQ keeps the heat and power down). The MVP will require CPU only when you want to pass it a file type that it cannot decode internally. The server has to transcode the HD into SD so the MVP player can play it. This takes a pretty powerful cpu and a dual core is recomended, although my 3500+ can do it for a single MVP. The upcoming HD extender should be able to handle most of the formats out there so a powerful server is not required.

[nlancaster]

Are they going to be release in large enough quantity that we don't have to wait for ever to get our hands on one. Like what happened when the origonal MVP Extender first hit the market? I for one have needed one of these for the last year and have been holding off building a PC because SageTVs version will be a much better fit for my setup. But if I am going to have to wait until november of 08 to get one because they are always out of stock that will really suck.

[banjo]

Cool !!!!!

i'll wait for that but. tell me is it goinig to have hebrew support?
is it goinig to be able to run CC subtitles ??

Thanks

and good luck!

[HawgGuy]

Originally Posted by mikesm

It's not clear you couldn't process the Dish h.264 stream into a more normal format, but this would not likely be able to be done in realtime.

In other words - no live TV.

I can't find decent software now to process the Dish streams into more normal format for streaming over my existing PlaceShifter or MVP.

[Rob]

I'd like two or three HD extenders, but they need to replace the PC clients (or as Chris said: "It would suck to have to keep my PC client just to play back r5000 material).

Jeff, could you give us any insight on this one?

[TimmyToo]

As a user of the MVP I love the integration with SageTV. The only complaint I have about it is the analog audio volume level that others experience. I assume (hope) that won't be an issue on the HD Extender.

[Sparhawk6]

Originally Posted by MrD

Yes component is absolutely necessary in my book. HDMI is a bit of a poison pill... I was an early HDTV adopter.

Whoa. There's a question about whether there will be component? I would ASSUME this is absolutely basic and standard in any HD media extender.

[prushing]

MVP was great but to be able to have better volume control and a brigher picture, even on S-Video the MVP is too dark...

I hope it has support for DVI or component as well as HDMI or can also transcode SD and upscale to HD!

[Rob]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Here's a few more answers for you:

Q: Can it be used for SD content?

Yes. It has S-Video, Composite and Component outputs

Q: Does it have Component outputs?

Yes

Q: Does HDMI also transmit audio?

Yes it does. We'll post more information on HDMI audio formats later; but there will be compressed and uncompressed audio support over HDMI.

Jeff's already answered the component output question.

[prushing]

Thanks!!!

[valnar]

Forgive me for not looking this up, but will this fix the general issue of watching archived DVD's from a Sage Server? It's a problem with the current Hauppauge extender, but I can't remember if it's the extender's fault or Sage Server. (I don't use the Sage interface with my PC's for DVD. I use PowerDVD or TheaterTek.)

'Cuz if it won't playback DVD's correctly with menus and all options, then I still need a HTPC Sage Client near my TV just for that.

Just checking...

-Robert

[mikesm]

One thing I really hope Sage might do is to use an existing well supported IR code set for the HD extender. Supporting the MCE remote's codes for example would make practically any universal remote be able to use it without learning keys.

This is less of an issue for folks with harmony remotes etc..., but being able to use a cheap URC remote that has the MCE or other codes already programmed in it would be great.

I have to say I don't see the utility of making yet another set of IR codes just for this device...

Thanks,
mike

[jlindborg]

This is great news indeed!

I have one question though - does it come with a pony?

I heard the MSC HD extenders come with a pony - A free pony is a deal breaker for me...

[Diginerd]

Originally Posted by jlindborg

This is great news indeed!

I have one question though - does it come with a pony?

I heard the MSC HD extenders come with a pony - A free pony is a deal breaker for me...

That explains the price of the MCE extenders!

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by Diginerd

That explains the price of the MCE extenders!

Besides, horses are terrible people.

I hope or think they should price it around $200 for the HD Extender, plus $30 for the extender license. I'm sure many users will buy more than one.

[matt91]

Any comment about how the UI might look when the HD extender is connected to a HDTV?

I have a MVP connected to my HDTV now via S-video, and there is a huge difference in the quality of the UI compared with what I see when I run the placeshifter on my computer (on different monitor). (There is obvious "blocky-ness" on all the icons, lines, etc., via the MVP)

I assume that this is due to the MVP and/or the S-video connection. Might the HD extender connected via component/HDMI link produce a better UI-rendering?

Thanks
Matt