Suggestions for What to Buy

[Merlix]

Hi,

I just purchased Samsung 61" HL61A750 rear projection HDTV which will be here on Monday. It is coming with a Logitech 670 universal remote too.

Background Information
Dish Network is going to charge me an extra $5 per month to switch to HD and put me in a 2 year contract, so I have decided to get rid of them. I have cable modem service from Time Warner and just found out that all of the major networks (ABC, CBS, NBC, Fox) are available in HD through that connection unencrypted and for free, but I don't want to give up my guide and DVR and everything I have read on the net seems to point to SageTV as being the route to go.
I have two computers I can use. A Dell with Windows XP and a Gateway with Windows Vista. The Dell has 2gb or RAM and the Gateway has 3gb. Both have around 500+gb of HDD. Both have Intel Dual Core CPU's.
All of my other TV's are old tube standard definitions.

1. Should I use the Vista or XP machine?
2. How much RAM should I use?
3. I would like at least 2 HD tuners, maybe more. What should I buy?
4. Is it safe to assume that I can open a web browser and surf the net on part of the screen while I watch TV on the other part?
5. I am interested in the PlaceShifter feature too. Does this require extra software licenses for the computers I watch it on?
6. Can I use a wireless bridge to connect the Media Extender to my network?

Sorry for so many questions. Any other suggestions you have for a newbie would be great. I work in IT, so I should be able to figure out most things.

Thanks in advance!

[danmyersmn]

If you have a wired network in your home then you can go with something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815327005

It will put two tuners on your network instead of inside one of your computers. With SageTV MC you will be able to record two shows and watch a third on whatever PC you have setup as the server. This would become a dedicated machine in all honesty as HD video is pretty greedy with resources for playback. For recording the HDHomeRun will take the load and your server will be strictly for writing data too.

You can surf as you watch if you take the sageTV out of full screen mode.

If you decide to watch other HDTV broadcasts that are not clear such as DiscoveryHD etc then you will need to look at using the Haup. HDPVR. The HDPVR is an infant (for example v.2 of the drivers where released and taken offline almost the same day) and you will not be able to plug it in and just use it. For the most part it will setup and record straight out of the box. but then when you want to run 5.1 audio you may have issue. Playback of the HDPVR recordings takes a hog of a video card and its likely the one that is either your Dell or Gateway won't handle it.

Placeshifter requires another license and you need to configure your SageTV in client/server mode. Placeshifter is for connecting to your SageTV server from another alocation. I.e. another building. if your connecting from another location in your home the SageTV client is a better alternative.

If you are asking about the Haup. MediaMVP media extender then I believe you can find them with a built in wireless. They only playback standard definition and wireless should be able to handle it. If you are looking at the MediaMVP you will need to buy a licenese to use each one.

If you are asking about the SageTV Media Extender that is on the SageTV website then you are out of luck. It says "new" but it's not "new" it is discontinued and out of stuck and has been for many months. A "new new newer" version is supposed to be released in December if you wish to wait on that but I would think you want to be first in line before its out of stock as well.

You can buy a SageTV client license that can install on your second computer to connect to the SageTV server and use that for playback as well.

It appears that those that have the most luck with SageTV has gone to a dedicated Server that does nothing else and use a beefy client machine as a SageTV client, Blue Ray Player, DVD player. etc.

[sainswor99]

Originally Posted by danmyersmn

If you have a wired network in your home then you can go with something like this: http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16815327005

It will put two tuners on your network instead of inside one of your computers. With SageTV MC you will be able to record two shows and watch a third on whatever PC you have setup as the server. This would become a dedicated machine in all honesty as HD video is pretty greedy with resources for playback. For recording the HDHomeRun will take the load and your server will be strictly for writing data too.

You can surf as you watch if you take the sageTV out of full screen mode.

If you decide to watch other HDTV broadcasts that are not clear such as DiscoveryHD etc then you will need to look at using the Haup. HDPVR. The HDPVR is an infant (for example v.2 of the drivers where released and taken offline almost the same day) and you will not be able to plug it in and just use it. For the most part it will setup and record straight out of the box. but then when you want to run 5.1 audio you may have issue. Playback of the HDPVR recordings takes a hog of a video card and its likely the one that is either your Dell or Gateway won't handle it.

Placeshifter requires another license and you need to configure your SageTV in client/server mode. Placeshifter is for connecting to your SageTV server from another alocation. I.e. another building. if your connecting from another location in your home the SageTV client is a better alternative.

If you are asking about the Haup. MediaMVP media extender then I believe you can find them with a built in wireless. They only playback standard definition and wireless should be able to handle it. If you are looking at the MediaMVP you will need to buy a licenese to use each one.

If you are asking about the SageTV Media Extender that is on the SageTV website then you are out of luck. It says "new" but it's not "new" it is discontinued and out of stuck and has been for many months. A "new new newer" version is supposed to be released in December if you wish to wait on that but I would think you want to be first in line before its out of stock as well.

You can buy a SageTV client license that can install on your second computer to connect to the SageTV server and use that for playback as well.

It appears that those that have the most luck with SageTV has gone to a dedicated Server that does nothing else and use a beefy client machine as a SageTV client, Blue Ray Player, DVD player. etc.

Great summary; just one footnote about the MediaMVP: AVOID THE BUILT IN WIRELESS. If you can't run wired, use a bridge, but don't rely on their wireless capability. I've had great success with Netgear's Wireless-N bridges (I used 802.11g for a while, but the signal would drop if I used the microwave). I also picked up a couple of Motorola coax bridges on ebay (NIM 100) which work very well (not always easy to find though).