how complicated is SageTV to use?

[kram613]

Hi,

I've been using MCE 2005 which is extremely simple to use. Because of some hardware issues I've been having, and a desire to use 4 tuners, I am thinking of switching to another software solution. After reading through what seem to be some advanced issues in this forum I have to ask, how hard is SageTV to use? I just want to use it like I'd use MCE 2005, as a DVR that can record multiple shows are once while watching another, to create a DVD and video library, use the guide, Play DVDs in high def, etc.?

Thanks in advance for your help.

[stanger89]

The best answer you'll get is by downloading the trial and trying yourself. It's really impossible to answer because simple to one person is complex to another. I know "simple" filesharing in windows is far harder to use for me than the normal (complex?) file sharing.

You can do everything via a remote, almost everything via up/down/left/right/select navigation. I think beyond that it gets into personal taste of if you like the layout/organization or not.

[CollinR]

My 8 year old does fine with it and has for at least a year.

[m1k3g]

That's good to hear. I'm going to have to see if my 8 year old can help me figure out how to make the *!$&#! remote drive mapping work.

[CollinR]

He asked about usage not installation/configuration, thats a whole seperate thread.

[kram613]

thanks for the info, I will download and install the trial I just wish it was a little longer.

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by m1k3g

That's good to hear. I'm going to have to see if my 8 year old can help me figure out how to make the *!$&#! remote drive mapping work.

Is Sage running as a service? If so, ensure that the service is running as a user that exists on the remote system as well as the local system.
Take a look at the Vista MC to SageTV Migration doc I wrote up here. I know you're migrating from MCE 2k5, but a lot of the items are the same in XP/MCE2k5. Particularly the remote setup.

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by kram613

thanks for the info, I will download and install the trial I just wish it was a little longer.

Actually, I fount 21 days to be a pretty good trial period. Just make certain you have the time to spend on it during that period.