Where is the internet love for the HD extender?

[autoboy]

Seriously guys, I am wholly disappointed in the response from the internet community about the release of the HD extender. IMO, this is the greatest thing to be released on the HTPC crowd since the HD tuner and I have seen almost no love for the HD extender, or SageTV, on any significant online publication!

WTF! Come on, what is going on? Why is SageTV so universally ignored by the general community? Even on AVSforum the HD extender thread is only 35 posts long, and most of those are ignorant rants about how BTV is better?! Message to the SageTV management: Hire a good PR firm!

[evilpenguin]

I haven't seen Sage's press release anywhere yet.

[Fluffdaddy]

Originally Posted by autoboy

WTF! Come on, what is going on? Why is SageTV so universally ignored by the general community?

Microsoft Windows Media Center Edition aka MCE. Now if the SageTV STX-HD100 Extender was compatible...........................

[dvd_maniac]

I agree that SageTV is one of the best kept secrets.

Does SageTV have a bad rep for being too hard to setup? This is the reason I "BRIEFLY" went with BTV when I first started with PVRs. Ultimately, it's complexity is the reason I switched to Sage. Or is it just bad PR practices?

[Fluffdaddy]

I just lucked into Sage, back when I purchase a pre-built HTPC that just happened too came with Sagetv ver 1.4.
Sold my 3 Replaytv's and I never looked back.

[reboot_this]

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

I agree that SageTV is one of the best kept secrets.

I have to agree, without a doubt!

Originally Posted by dvd_maniac

Does SageTV have a bad rep for being to hard too setup? "snip"

I think lots of people looking for a "pvr" solution, usually are only wanting to buy a device, plug it in, turn it on, enter their zip code, and start watch/recording tv... Well at least most of the people that I talk to about my setup (which I always bring up if they talk about Tivo or MCE) feel the way described above. So maybe there is a degree of complexity that is too much for some.

The main points of... "I built a computer", "installed tv tuners", "installed software", "installed multiple harddrives" are the ones that scare the people I tell about SageTV. So maybe they're all intimidated by technology??

About SageTV being ignored by the general community, my guess is...

• Competing pvr software users are just jealous of how good SageTV really is so they just slam it
• Not sure about the other forums, but there is lots of buzz on this forum...
• I have read some online reviews about the SageTV software, most were good, some not so good.
• Give it enough time for the HD Extender to get into some reviewer's hands, I think the "love" will grow!

Also... just looked over at the BTV forum (my first visit there) and compared it with SageTV's forum, currently (at the time this was posted)...

1. Members
   • SageTV: 9,819
   • BTV: 23,986
2. Most users online
   • SageTV: 599
   • BTV: 636
3. Posts
   • SageTV: 247,346
   • BTV: 247,023

What does all that useless info mean? With well under half the members, the SageTV forum has almost the same "most users online" count and a similar post count.... I would say SageTV has LOTS of love (just fewer lovers )

[Venice310]

I just want to jump in a say I love my Sage TV. It's a great product. I don't know all the answers to why Sage isn't more popular, but a big part of it is that it is a video tech hobbiest product.

Along these lines, I don't understand why everyone doesn't use Firefox... there really isn't a better choice (please no flame). I'm just using that as an example of a great product that although popular isn't dominate.

Then there's M A R K E T I N G. That's the only tool that sells fat pills, erection creams, slicers, dicer's, tummycisors..... these products don't even work, but they sell, because there is a lot of money behind the sell, selling. Tech just isn't marketed beyond tech people.

Those user stats are interesting. General community population isn't very compelling, but the active posting is. Good research.

Lastly... HD is still in it's infancy. Late model SD TV's were built quite well and will continue to work for years. Did everyone see how the government is going to subsidize Walmart profits when they start to sell these DTV converters for people who still don't want to part with their analogue reception sets? (http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/.../5370592.html). Apple TV is basically an HD extender for the iTunes product and it's generally been considered a failure. The luke warm (cold) reception regarding the HD Extender is because it's a niche product in a niche business.

This is all not to say the future isn't bright. I am certain it is, especially as online distribution models grow. I hope now that HD is a mature product (although not fully adopted) Sage TV starts to concentrate on being the best media center instead of just the best aircheck recording device.

BTW I need to get the HD extender.

I L O V E M Y S A G E.

[GbrNole]

Originally Posted by reboot_this

I have to agree, without a doubt!



I think lots of people looking for a "pvr" solution, usually are only wanting to buy a device, plug it in, turn it on, enter their zip code, and start watch/recording tv... Well at least most of the people that I talk to about my setup (which I always bring up if they talk about Tivo or MCE) feel the way described above. So maybe there is a degree of complexity that is too much for some.

The main points of... "I built a computer", "installed tv tuners", "installed software", "installed multiple harddrives" are the ones that scare the people I tell about SageTV. So maybe they're all intimidated by technology??

About SageTV being ignored by the general community, my guess is...

• Competing pvr software users are just jealous of how good SageTV really is so they just slam it
• Not sure about the other forums, but there is lots of buzz on this forum...
• I have read some online reviews about the SageTV software, most were good, some not so good.
• Give it enough time for the HD Extender to get into some reviewer's hands, I think the "love" will grow!

Also... just looked over at the BTV forum (my first visit there) and compared it with SageTV's forum, currently (at the time this was posted)...

1. Members
   • SageTV: 9,819
   • BTV: 23,986
2. Most users online
   • SageTV: 599
   • BTV: 636
3. Posts
   • SageTV: 247,346
   • BTV: 247,023

What does all that useless info mean? With well under half the members, the SageTV forum has almost the same "most users online" count and a similar post count.... I would say SageTV has LOTS of love (just fewer lovers )

there would be a whole lot more posts over at the BTV forums if they didn't sensor them...

[scm]

Originally Posted by reboot_this

....
Also... just looked over at the BTV forum (my first visit there) and compared it with SageTV's forum, currently (at the time this was posted)...

1. Members
   • SageTV: 9,819
   • BTV: 23,986
2. Most users online
   • SageTV: 599
   • BTV: 636
3. Posts
   • SageTV: 247,346
   • BTV: 247,023

...... )

These numbers may also indicate the type of people who are buying each product. Sage is being purchased by tech savy/forum lovin' HTPC nerds (I put myself in the nerd catagory) and BTV is being purchased by folks who just want to watch tv. They only go to the forum if they need an answer, but we enjoy the "community" that the forum offers. Two different groups of people--but there are far more of them than there are of "us". Unfortunately, this other group is also easily swayed by a pretty, slick looking default GUI.

[malbec]

I agree as well. I don't get it either, although I can see the marketing and setup issues being slight hurdles. For what it is worth, more interesting to me is the Silicondust (i.e. HD Homerun) forum..

MCE - 58% of the topics, 46% of the posts
Sage - 11% of the topics, 10% of the posts
BTV - 8% of the topics, 8% of the posts
MythTV - 17% of the topics, 16% of the posts
Apple/EyeTV - 6% of the topics, 19% of the posts

Linux and Apple I think an be somewhat discounted because of the platform in my mind, but I was rather disheartened (I am proud of my Sage setup!!!)to see MCE have so much of the Windows market.

I will make the call right now. You may stick a fork in BTV, they are done, they just don't know it yet. However, it sure seems like some positioning against MCE is needed. And yeah, I hate to say it, but it is the average user for which the system probably needs a rebuild. All of us will hate it because we like to tinker, but I have yet to see the Sage Server released (we don't care), and there would need to be a good chunk of resources spent on making it a lot more plug and play. Of course, while that would likely result in a larger share market share for Sage, personally, I like them spending their time on the stuff we want instead.

[reboot_this]

Originally Posted by scm

(I put myself in the nerd catagory)

I second this!

Originally Posted by scm

Two different groups of people--but there are far more of them than there are of "us".

I all of a sudden feel like a member of "The Others" (think Lost, the tv show)

Originally Posted by malbec

...personally, I like them spending their time on the stuff we want instead.

very WELL said, I have to agree

[Brent]

Originally Posted by GbrNole

there would be a whole lot more posts over at the BTV forums if they didn't sensor them...

They don't sensor posts on the SS forums and haven't for about a year (maybe longer) now. If you want proof, just do a search for the word "integration" in the SS forums and its pretty obvious that they let it all hang out now.... Those SS forum numbers are slowing down in a big way though - I think Khris and some of the others who have switched over to SageTV help keep the numbers up . Just look at any given day at the number of users online between SageTV vs. SS and you'll see what I mean.

I have both BTV and SageTV installed on my PC right now. I've been a loyal Beyond TV and Beyond Media user for over two years and arguably could be labeled a SS fanboy, advocate, fan or whatever because I've always preferred Beyond TV's easy to setup, easy to use and most everything you need installed in the standard install (webadmin, commercial skipping file compression etc).
Anybody who says SageTV is better in all respects isn't being honest imho. Still, SageTV has made some serious advances, feature improvements, hardware support additions and even UI improvements and these things have made me take a VERY serious look at SageTV. Matter of fact I even reviewed the HD extender on my blog (and liked it very much by the way). I guess what I'm saying is SageTV is ahead of SS in so many areas (although not all areas) that I've taken the time to get things set up the way I want them. I'm not finished yet - still have some issues to iron out - but I'm 95% sure I'll stay with SageTV and even buy an HD extender early next year (since I'm giving the review extender away on the blog).

I think SageTV still has some work to do, but they have worked hard to get a product this good and they will be rewarded for that. Listening to their customers will continue to help business for them and I see SageTV as THE main HTPC contender for Microsoft. Make setup a little easier and they will win over even the less tech-savvy people.

As far as the original topic of this thread, comments like Brad Linder's at TVSquad might be why it hasn't taken the internet by storm, but give it time. It has hit EngadgetHD, ZatzNotFunny, TVSquad and many other places already & I expect it to be discussed more. I hope SageTV sells a ton of these HD extenders as their worth every penny.

[reboot_this]

Originally Posted by Brent

... but I'm 95% sure I'll stay with SageTV and even buy an HD extender early next year (since I'm giving the review extender away on the blog).

I read your review on the HD extender (I give it an A+) and want to be the first to offer my mailing address to you, I wouldn't want you to have to stress over who to give it away to!!! hehe

[tmiranda]

I wonder how long before somebody figures out a way to hack the HD extender to get it to work with Myth and MCE.

[waynedunham]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

I wonder how long before somebody figures out a way to hack the HD extender to get it to work with Myth and MCE.

Hopefully not before all the SageTv loyal get all of them they want/need. Once someone comes up with an easy way to make it work with those "other" media center's they will get hard to find in stock.

[mikesm]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

I wonder how long before somebody figures out a way to hack the HD extender to get it to work with Myth and MCE.

:-) There is no good reason to try and hack the sage extender to support MCE and Myth. There are tons of devices out there already that have almost identical hardware to the Sage extender. Anyone could work with the Chinese oems to integrate them into myth and MCE. Sage's extender is not at all unqiue in that way.

Sage's extenders are cool because of the software and architecture of Sage itself. For example, MCE extenders could easily play back ripped DVD's, but because the MCE architecture doesn't support that, MCE extenders don't have that fucntionality. It's not an issue with the linksys hardware, it's MCE that has the problem.

Myth is better, but there is no developer working on integrating the devices in the same way, and it's architecture to support "extenders" is non-existant. So don't expect progress there any time soon.

The thing that makes the extender so powerful is Sage itself, not the extender. So therefore there is no incentive to hack it to support anything else because there is no magic in the extender hardware or software.

Thanks,
Mike

[stanger89]

Yeah, if you look at network media players, the HD100 is pretty pedestrian by hardware standards. But it's the first solution to really have a good, integrated software/server package to go with that capable hardware.

[autoboy]

To all those BTV users out there that are thinking about switching to Sage, please post your requests in the Sage 7.0 wishlist.

[sleonard]

Originally Posted by stanger89

... the HD100 is pretty pedestrian by hardware standards. ...

Wow, I was pretty impressed by it. The top of the line extender hardware must be out of this world good!

S

[stanger89]

What I mean is there's quite a few media players with similar hardware.