SageTV HD Extender Update

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Rob

Then you should not claim to support it without stating the limitations or your selling something that does not do what you claimed.

Rob,
I understand you being unhappy since you were expecting something to work one way and it isn't doing that.

Sounds like you're unhappy with the HD100. I'm thinking you could sell it pretty easily right now as there are a lot of people wanting one... Just a thought.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by Brent

Rob,
I understand you being unhappy since you were expecting something to work one way and it isn't doing that.

Sounds like you're unhappy with the HD100. I'm thinking you could sell it pretty easily right now as there are a lot of people wanting one... Just a thought.

Nope, I'm not unhappy with the extender. I'm bummed that what I thought would get resolved is likely going to cost me an upgrade to a newer box. Besides if I sell the ones I have, there is no guarantee I'll be able to replace them any time soon. With the current extender March 2007 availablity turned out to be December and then only a few got the box, then it was February and then...

The current extender does everything I want from it except playing blu ray rips that have not been re-encoded and except playing subtitles from blu ray rips. Hopefully the subtitles will still get resolved and if the non re-encoded rips does not get resolved, I'll live with re-encodes until I know the newer box is really available and delivers on its advertised specifications.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Rob

Nope, I'm not unhappy with the extender. I'm bummed that what I thought would get resolved is likely going to cost me an upgrade to a newer box. Besides if I sell the ones I have, there is no guarantee I'll be able to replace them any time soon. With the current extender March 2007 availablity turned out to be December and then only a few got the box, then it was February and then...

Have you reported your problems to SageTV? Sent them samples that are causing trouble?

[dravenone]

In regards to support for the HD-100, since none of us knows the product lifecycle Sage has determined for it, it has been my experience that most vendors provide a 12 - 18 month support cycle (maintenance updates and problem resolution) after the next generation is released. After that we either have to upgrade to the current release or pay for support.

Now not all vendors are the same and the only way to know for sure is if Sage makes an announcement. I think we have been spoiled by the support Sage offers (and I hope it continues) but keep in mind that as their product offerings expand the more likely it may become that they will have to start retiring support for older products in order to keep moving forward.

[Brent]

My opinion on the HD100 support comment: There is no way SageTV will drop support for the HD100 any time in the next few years. It is arguably the most successful extender on the market today and its continued success is very important to the SageTV image. A newer model may require a little different support, but in no way means they would drop support for the HD100. As mentioned above in a comparison to the iPod. There is still support for all of those old iPods - some of the older ones don't have all of the new features as the newer ones, but all are still supported.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Have you reported your problems to SageTV? Sent them samples that are causing trouble?

No I haven't. I had assumed (I know, bad thing to make assumptions, just begs for you to make a mistake, or as the bad guy in Under Siege Dark Territory said: Assumtion is the mother of all....) based on the blu ray playback improvements that were made in the last few firmware releases that they were aware and working on it. Only when this thread came out did I start wondering if it was not possible to fix it with the current hardware. Maybe I should send them some examples.

Earlier in the thread someone implied it might not be possible for the current hardware to handle the high bitrate blu rays. Since you are typically up on such things, what are your thoughts? Can the current hardware handle it? Should I send them some examples?

[valnar]

OK, I'll be the bad guy.


Can we keep the non-new HD extender chatter to a minimum? Many of us are subscribed to this thread awaiting informational updates on the new extender.

Thanks.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Rob

Should I send them some examples?

I would definitely submit a trouble ticket and offer to send some examples. They may already know about it, but they might not. It just never hurts to check.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Rob

No I haven't. I had assumed (I know, bad thing to make assumptions, just begs for you to make a mistake, or as the bad guy in Under Siege Dark Territory said: Assumtion is the mother of all....) based on the blu ray playback improvements that were made in the last few firmware releases that they were aware and working on it. Only when this thread came out did I start wondering if it was not possible to fix it with the current hardware. Maybe I should send them some examples.

It's always a good idea to ask support if you're having trouble with something.

Earlier in the thread someone implied it might not be possible for the current hardware to handle the high bitrate blu rays. Since you are typically up on such things, what are your thoughts? Can the current hardware handle it?

I think it's possible it can't, but seems like I've run some pretty high bitrate H.264 stuff through it. We haven't heard an official bitrate ceiling on the HD100. The best guess is it's based on the Sigma 8620, which according to Sigma only supports High Profile @ Level 4.0, but I think I've run H.264 beyond that through the HD100. Seems like I've seen it decode 30-40Mbps H.264, so it "looks" like the chip is capable of HP@L4.1 (which is the profile Blu-ray supports), but it seemed like the whole Sage system had trouble with bitrates that high. Some containers seem to work better than others.

I'm on 100% on that though, due to my (lack of enough) storage situation, I haven't been able to play with BD rips as much as I like. I have had better luck if I remuxed the BD into an MKV container though (no transcoding of video).

Should I send them some examples?

I'd email them, tell them you're having some trouble and see if they want you to upload some examples.

[Rob]

Thanks for you input.

Now I think I'll respect Valnar's request.

[Deacon Crusher]

Just wanted to alert you guys, before we close this thread that TS does know about and does acknowledge the blu ray issues and has said they need no more samples. Believe me, I've worked on this a lot, on my own and with them.

thanks

Originally Posted by Rob

Thanks for you input.

Now I think I'll respect Valnar's request.

[bjkiller]

may be SageTV move HD extender hardware from chip EM8623L to SMP8635.
all new hardware players released with SMP8635 chip.
table of comparison
http://www.sigmadesigns.com/public/P...ion_guide.html

[sleonard]

December is getting close. Any possibility of some juicy tidbits concerning the new & improved extender?

S

[wayner]

Any possibility of there being a wireless option for the improved extender? Even just having a PCMCIA slot where you could put in a wireless n card would be a nice option for those that have trouble getting cabling to part of their house.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by wayner

Any possibility of there being a wireless option for the improved extender? Even just having a PCMCIA slot where you could put in a wireless n card would be a nice option for those that have trouble getting cabling to part of their house.

I wouldn't count on that. I don't blame them for not wanting to be in the business of trying to support people's wireless networks.

[bjkiller]

Originally Posted by valnar

I wouldn't count on that. I don't blame them for not wanting to be in the business of trying to support people's wireless networks.

you always can use wireless game adapters for convert wired to wireless access.

check Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter

http://www.linksys.com/servlet/Satel...=1546633147B01

I do have both at home (3 floors home, i have AP (at 70mW) at each floor, but it's not realiable enought to do anything for sure.

[RedCoat999]

Originally Posted by wayner

Any possibility of there being a wireless option for the improved extender? Even just having a PCMCIA slot where you could put in a wireless n card would be a nice option for those that have trouble getting cabling to part of their house.

I went with a powerline wired ethernet option. Wherever you have electricity you have ethernet.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by bjkiller

you always can use wireless game adapters for convert wired to wireless access.

check Linksys Wireless-G Game Adapter

Yes, but I wonder how successful you would be with streaming HD over a wireless N network? MPEG-2 HD is about 19 Mbps. Theoretically G gives you 54Mbps but in practice you get much less.

I believe this issue is why MS/Linksys built wireless N into their Vista Media Center Extenders.

The powerline option may be what I end up using for the 1 or 2 places in my house where it is prohibitively expensive to run ethernet cabling. But even that is somewhat more expensive than having an option to add wireless to your extender which shouldn't add more than, at most, $50 to the price.

[bjkiller]

Originally Posted by wayner

Yes, but I wonder how successful you would be with streaming HD over a wireless N network? MPEG-2 HD is about 19 Mbps. Theoretically G gives you 54Mbps but in practice you get much less.

I believe this issue is why MS/Linksys built wireless N into their Vista Media Center Extenders.

The powerline option may be what I end up using for the 1 or 2 places in my house where it is prohibitively expensive to run ethernet cabling. But even that is somewhat more expensive than having an option to add wireless to your extender which shouldn't add more than, at most, $50 to the price.

from my expirience Wireless is very unrealible. somebody making a call with 2.4Ghz phoneset, it's broke-up wifi link. My wife even to see SD content from her notebook, use cable. to browse the web she use wireless connection.

[reggie14]

For what it's worth, wireless N has been very reliable for me, although I'm using 5GHz radios specifically to move away from all the interference in the 2.4Ghz band. Considering I can see more than 20 wireless-G networks from my apartment I really don't think I'd have very good luck in the 2.4Ghz band.