Control Comcast box & send recordings to MSS?

[bugman30]

Hi All,

I'm recently purchased an HP MediaSmart Server EX485. I'm now looking at options for steraming from the MSS to the different TVs around the house. I subscribe to Comcast cable, and have a single HD PVR (Motorola box from Comcast), the other 2 TVs have digital adapters.

In looking for devices to stream to, I came across the highly recommended SageTV HD200. What I'd like to know is, is there a way to get the HD200 to control the Comcast box, and send recordings to the MSS so that they could be viewed on the other TVs later (when they get HD200s)? I'd rather not have to go the route of building an HTPC with TV tuner cards etc, and purchase the HD200s.

Thanks,
Bugman

[GKusnick]

The HD200 is a media playback device, not a recording device. To record, you'll need to connect your HD-PVR to a PC (such as your MediaSmart server) and run SageTV Media Center software. You can then use multiple HD200s in client/server mode with that software as remote UI and playback devices.

Given that you already have the server and HD-PVR, I don't quite get your remark that you don't want an HTPC with TV tuners. What's the difference between that and what you have?

[bugman30]

Meant to say, I don't want to have to have a computer between (or in addition to) my MSS and the device that's connected to the TV (potentially an HD200). I have my work laptop, planning to get a netbook for the wife this summer. The only other computer in the house currently is a 4 year old HP Desktop that is definitely not up to the task. From what I've seen configuring an HTPC with TV tuners is not an easy thing to get working problem free, and I still wouldn't get the HD premium channels anyway. Also an additional expense. I'd like it to be as easy as possible.

I take what you said to mean that I can connect the Motorola DVR to the MSS where I'd run the SageTV Media Center Software? I thought I'd want to put the SageTV WHS plug-in on the Server? How would I connect DVR to MSS?

I'm new to this game, and obviously don't have it figured out yet. I appreciate any and all help / comments.

Thanks,
Bugman

[GKusnick]

Sorry, I didn't get the fact that your Comcast box is itself a DVR device. As far as I know, there's no easy way to get recordings off the Comcast DVR for distribution to multiple TVs. Maybe you could cobble something together using a Slingbox to control the DVR, but I'm not sure how you'd get the output from there to the HD200.

What I thought you were saying is that you had a regular (non-DVR) cable STB plus a Hauppauge HD-PVR USB capture device. (That's what "HD PVR" means around here.) With that combination, you can configure the SageTV software to change channels on the STB (via IR blaster) and record programs directly to the PC's hard disk. From there you can distribute them to mutliple HD200 devices, without requiring a PC client at each TV. Maybe that's still too "HTPC" for you, but that's the solution that works for many people here.