Media Center Running .... However......

[Cyberrico]

I am happy with the SageTV products and once I work out a few kinks I am sure that I will be even happier.

XP server (only serves to run Sage)
HD200
Happague 1600 internal
Latest codecs including FFD beta
FW updated

I'm having a few issues and have a few questions:

1) Sync - Sometimes the audio and video do not sync properly when playing videos. This is sometimes with DIVX and always with MKV's. The problem seems to be intermittent. Over the network (which no longer works, different issue) or from the server locally doesn't seem to matter. I have read some extremely technical posts on this that look like Arabic. Is there a simple fix?

2) Stability - My internet connection at me new place drops for a few seconds from time to time. This is a Comcast issue and I will hammer them like I did at my last place but when it happens I lose TV and have to reboot my HD200. Is there a setting where I can make it pause for 10 seconds when I lose my connection and resume playing once it comes back up?

3) TV - Sometimes when I change channels I get a long pause. Sometimes it gives me an error. I will write it down next time. This is also intermittent.

4) LAN Issues - I realize that XP and Vista don't like each other when it comes to sharing and such. But my external drive is connected to my Vista machine which is where I download stuff to. I continually get an error (-3,0x0) when trying to play videos over the network. It used to only be an intermittent problem. I am considering "upgrading" the XP server to Vista to see if that fixes the problem. When I try to view the files from Windows Explorer I sometimes get a "the network path was not found" error. Even when I don't Sage won't play the video. Also when I don't get the error and can browse the drive, I can play the video in VLC but my PC is not connected directly to my TV because my video card doesn't have a SVIDEO port.

5) Remote - It works, I can live with it but I don't like it. Is there a decent universal remote that plays exceptionally well with the HD200? I don't need it to do anything else. If not, is there an application for remapping keys that is a very easy "for dummies" GUI to make the remote a little "better"?

6) Skins - I have heard mention of skins for SageTV. Would one of you kindly direct me to where I can learn how to do this (but only if it's Forrest Gump simple)? Also, can I change how the interface works such as adding menu items to the main page that aren't normally there?

7) Hot Chicks - The SageTV ad promised that extremely beautiful women would flock to my apartment upon setting up such a cutting edge home theater. How much longer do I need to wait?...........

Thanks in advance

[freedml]

I like the Hauppauge remote...

[Cyberrico]

Originally Posted by freedml

I like the Hauppauge remote...

I do too but I couldn't get it to work. I tried everything.

[razrsharpe]

it sounds like alot of your issues (#2 and #4) are network/router/dhcp/switch related (escpecially since your internet (external) going down should not effect your intranet(internal)). How is your network setup?

I would at the very least get yourself a new switch. Valnar swears by the HP variety (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833316076). If you need/want a managed switch there is also one of those for fairly short money. Sometime shortly I will probably upgrade to the HP. Currently I have a 3com and it seems to work but I want a managed switch...soooo...

This thread has some fun reading: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...76&postcount=9

Also if you think your router is being flakey i would consider upgrading that as well (sorry no recommendations on that front). My network goes Cable_Modem -> Wireless_Router -> Gigabit_Switch -> ALL_WIRED_CONNECTIONS. With a setup like that, the router does not have to transfer the highbandwidth video traffic leaving it free to only handle the incoming/outgoing traffic and dhcp requests

#1 - ya i have this too. I had to set a delay at my receiver (i think ~100ms). This fixes just about all my issues. I do not know where the delay is being introduced (source, hd200, reciever, tv).

#5 - i love my harmony (replaced 5 remotes with 1 for 97% of what you would need to do). I have the harmony 880.

#6 - there are themes.... check out the downloads section of the forum. There are also replacement user interfaces. SageMC is the most popular and has a large user base here. It also has themes and ships with i think 4-5 different ones.

[Cyberrico]

Originally Posted by razrsharpe

it sounds like alot of your issues (#2 and #4) are network/router/dhcp/switch related (escpecially since your internet (external) going down should not effect your intranet(internal)). How is your network setup?

I would at the very least get yourself a new switch. Valnar swears by the HP variety (http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16833316076). If you need/want a managed switch there is also one of those for fairly short money. Sometime shortly I will probably upgrade to the HP. Currently I have a 3com and it seems to work but I want a managed switch...soooo...

This thread has some fun reading: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...76&postcount=9

Also if you think your router is being flakey i would consider upgrading that as well (sorry no recommendations on that front). My network goes Cable_Modem -> Wireless_Router -> Gigabit_Switch -> ALL_WIRED_CONNECTIONS. With a setup like that, the router does not have to transfer the highbandwidth video traffic leaving it free to only handle the incoming/outgoing traffic and dhcp requests

#1 - ya i have this too. I had to set a delay at my receiver (i think ~100ms). This fixes just about all my issues. I do not know where the delay is being introduced (source, hd200, reciever, tv).

#5 - i love my harmony (replaced 5 remotes with 1 for 97% of what you would need to do). I have the harmony 880.

#6 - there are themes.... check out the downloads section of the forum. There are also replacement user interfaces. SageMC is the most popular and has a large user base here. It also has themes and ships with i think 4-5 different ones.

I have never had a problem with my router. In 7 years, of all the connectivity issues that I have ever had, it has never been due to my router. I don't have a switch. The router has 4 ports in it. If you think that it is probable that this is why Sage can't properly communicate with my network, I will throw even more money at this already expensive project.

How and where would I set a delay? It seems to be getting worse.

[razrsharpe]

Originally Posted by Cyberrico

I have never had a problem with my router. In 7 years, of all the connectivity issues that I have ever had, it has never been due to my router. I don't have a switch. The router has 4 ports in it. If you think that it is probable that this is why Sage can't properly communicate with my network, I will throw even more money at this already expensive project.

i'm just saying from my experience is that routers do not make very good switches... hence the suggestion to add a switch

How and where would I set a delay? It seems to be getting worse.

the HD200 does not have a setting for any delay. You need to set the delay external. I set mine at the reciever.

The client (on the server or a computer) has an option somewhere in detailed setup. I am not at my server so I dont know where the option is off the top of my head.

[mike_ac]

Yes, the router can cause problems, especially if behind another router. It also depends if your box is set up as a server or not.

We're using u-verse, so routers on our network are out. I had one lying around, but not a switch, so gave it a shot, but I couldn't get it going. I went out and got a $30 gigabit switch, and all is good now.

[Cyberrico]

Originally Posted by mike_ac

Yes, the router can cause problems, especially if behind another router. It also depends if your box is set up as a server or not.

We're using u-verse, so routers on our network are out. I had one lying around, but not a switch, so gave it a shot, but I couldn't get it going. I went out and got a $30 gigabit switch, and all is good now.

I don't have it set up as a server. How do I do that in XP?

One thing to note though. From my Vista box, I can see my XP box, run files off of it and transfer files to it consistently. I just can't do the same from my XP box (server) to Vista.

I'll pick up a router and a switch this weekend.