WinXP won't standby/hibernate when SageTV in standby

[Smay]

I am currently running SageTV 6.6 on a machine with Windows XP SP3. The machine is being used as an HTPC hooked directly up to the TV, so ideally I would like to leave Sage running all the time so the windows desktop doesn't show. I currently have Sage configured to show a slideshow when it is in Standby, and this works fine.

The problem I am having is that if the slideshow is running, my computer won't go into standby or hibernate. Instead the slideshow just constantly plays and keeps the computer awake. If I close SageTV (but leave the recording service running) the computer will go into standby/hibernate correctly (and in the right amount of time), come out of it to record my scheduled shows, then go back to sleep after it has finished. The only time it doesn't work correctly is if SageTV is running.

Is there a setting somewhere that I am missing? I've been through all of the configuration menus a few times but haven't seen anything related to allowing the machine itself to sleep.

Thanks for any help.

[big poppa pump]

What exactly are you trying to achieve? You have 2 statements that just contradict each other.

so ideally I would like to leave Sage running all the time so the windows desktop doesn't show.

The problem I am having is that if the slideshow is running, my computer won't go into standby or hibernate.

[Smay]

Originally Posted by big poppa pump

What exactly are you trying to achieve? You have 2 statements that just contradict each other.

Sorry, its hard to describe standby when both Sage and Windows use the same word. I'll use standby to describe the state in which SageTV is showing my slideshow -- achieved by telling sage to go into standby mode. Sleep will refer to windows being in a low power state (either standby or hibernate) -- achieved by a setting in power management which says to enter standby after X amount of time and hibernate after Y amount of time.

What I want:
There will basically be 3 states the machine can be in.
1. Using SageTV - In this state I'm watching or listening to something.
2. Recording - In this state something is being recorded
3. Standby/Hibernate - In this state I am not actively using SageTV and there are no recordings happening, so the computer itself is in sleep mode.

This means that I boot my computer and SageTV comes up (this is working).
I watch/listen to things, then put SageTV into standby when I am done (this works).
When SageTV is in standby, Windows power management is active and will follow whatever rules are set -- specifically after some amount of time it will automatically put the computer into a sleep mode (this is not working).
If a recording is scheduled and the computer is in sleep mode, the SageTV recording service wakes it up to record. When recording is complete, Windows power management takes over again and puts the computer into a sleep mode after some time of inactivity (this works -- IF I don't have SageTV running).

From reading the Sage features list and some other posts on these forums (see here: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...10&postcount=6), I gather this is how a lot of people have it set up. The part in bold above is the part which is not working for me, and I would like to know if I am just missing a setting somewhere or if this is really possible at all. Hopefully that made more sense.

[big poppa pump]

Disable the sage screensaver if you want your computer to go into standby.

You are putting load on the cpu as well as having hdd activity when you are having the slideshow running. Because of this your system is not idle and will not enter either S3/S4 state.

[Smay]

Originally Posted by big poppa pump

Disable the sage screensaver if you want your computer to go into standby.

You are putting load on the cpu as well as having hdd activity when you are having the slideshow running. Because of this your system is not idle and will not enter either S3/S4 state.

Sorry it took so long for me to reply, I just got home and had a chance to change the settings. If I disable the screensaver, when I put sage into standby it minimizes to the system tray and shows the Windows background.

I want sage to always be in the foreground, but if I'm not watching/recording it will allow Windows to sleep. Is that possible at all?