new SageTV user with HD100 Question

[jelentz@gmail.c]

Hi,

I'm new to the SageTV world and I'm trying to get myself straight with the operation of the HD100. Is it correct that the HD100 is just a "view" into the SageTV server? I have WHS with SageTV installed and I'd like to add the SageMC plugin. However, if I do that, do I need to do anything to the HD100? Will it just automatically show any changes I make to the sage server box? Is the only thing you do to it is update the firmware occasionally?

Thanks for any education,

John

[Mitch G]

If you install SageMC on the server and have it configured and operating the way you like before you install/add an HD100, then the HD100 will magically use the same SageMC settings you installed on the server.
If you add the HD100 before installing SageMC, then you need to import the applicable STV file from the HD100's interface as well as do any customizations.

To answer your second question, yes, once the HD100 has been added to your system and it's configured the way you like it, you pretty much only have to worry about updating the firmware - and that's only if you are having some problem addressed by new firmware.


Mitch

[jelentz@gmail.c]

Originally Posted by Mitch G

If you install SageMC on the server and have it configured and operating the way you like before you install/add an HD100, then the HD100 will magically use the same SageMC settings you installed on the server.
If you add the HD100 before installing SageMC, then you need to import the applicable STV file from the HD100's interface as well as do any customizations.

To answer your second question, yes, once the HD100 has been added to your system and it's configured the way you like it, you pretty much only have to worry about updating the firmware - and that's only if you are having some problem addressed by new firmware.


Mitch

It is possible to "unadd" the HD100 - then install SageMC then add it back? Or does the sage manual describe how to import the applicable STV to the HD100? Because I've already turned on the HD100 and had it connect to my Sage system.

Thanks,

John

[CyRex]

Originally Posted by jelentz@gmail.c

It is possible to "unadd" the HD100 - then install SageMC then add it back? Or does the sage manual describe how to import the applicable STV to the HD100? Because I've already turned on the HD100 and had it connect to my Sage system.

The process for selecting SageMC (or any custom STV, for that matter) is the same whether you are doing it on the server or on the HD100. On the HD100, just go into Detailed Settings > Advanced and select the STV that you want.

A unique properties file is created on your server for every extender that you connect to your system. When an extender connects to the server for the first time, the server's properties are used as the default for the extender. This is why if you select SageMC on your server before connecting your extender, the extender will default to using SageMC (along with any other custom settings on the server). After this first connection, the properties for the extender are managed independently of the server properties.

Since you have already connected your HD100 to the server, your options are:

1) On the HD100, go into Detailed Settings and select the STV you wish to use.

2) On the server, browse to the "Clients" folder within the SageTV installation directory. This is the directory that contains the property files for the extenders. The property file for your extender will have the MAC address of the HD100 somewhere in the file name. If you aren't worried about losing any custom settings you may have applied on the extender, you can delete the properties file. The next time the HD100 connects to the server, a new properties file will be created using the settings from the server's properties file. Note that it if you use this method, be sure to shut down Sage on the server and stop the service (if you are using it) before proceeding.

Hope that helps,
Dan

[jelentz@gmail.c]

Originally Posted by CyRex

The process for selecting SageMC (or any custom STV, for that matter) is the same whether you are doing it on the server or on the HD100. On the HD100, just go into Detailed Settings > Advanced and select the STV that you want.


Hope that helps,
Dan

Thanks for all the good info. So if I got it right, the easiest thing is to just use the settings menu to choose SageMC. Any/all STVs will be at that menu. Can I select more than one STV? I've seen references to quite a few to choose from.

Thanks for the education.

John

[CyRex]

Originally Posted by jelentz@gmail.c

Thanks for all the good info. So if I got it right, the easiest thing is to just use the settings menu to choose SageMC. Any/all STVs will be at that menu. Can I select more than one STV? I've seen references to quite a few to choose from.

When you are selecting a new STV on you HD100, the directory you are choosing the STV from is actually the STV directory on your server. You will be able to select any STV you have installed on the server.

You can only load a single STV at a time, however there are also STVi (imports) that can be loaded on top of a full STV.

-Dan

[jelentz@gmail.c]

Thank you. One final question before I go play with it. Are you aware of any issues with running SageMC on Windows Home Server. I really like the organizational stuff I've seen with SageMC, that I don't think SageTV can do, such as hierarchies of CDs or DVDs - plus the IMDB database search for DVD covers, etc.

Thanks so much,

John

[CyRex]

Originally Posted by jelentz@gmail.c

Are you aware of any issues with running SageMC on Windows Home Server.

Although I don't use WHS myself, I have not heard anyone mention any issues relating to using SageMC on that platform. The only platform specific issues I have heard of with SageMC were from users running the Mac version of SageTV.

One very important thing is to make sure that you have the latest version of Java installed on your server. A lot of people run into problems because they are either running an outdated version of Java, or they have multiple versions of Java installed.

From the sounds of it, it seems like you are already using SageMC on your server? If that is the case, then you shouldn't have any trouble with it on the extender.

Good luck, and enjoy!
-Dan

[jelentz@gmail.c]

I don't have it installed right now. Based on a review of it, it seems to have the features that I was looking for (and somewhat disappointed that SageTV didn't have) - namely the cd and dvd stuff. I plan on trying the SageMC plug-in this weekend.

Thanks again for all the info.

John