Business Oppurtunity or no?

[ThePaladinTech]

Quite often when I show my SageTV setup to people they are blown away. I'm confident mine isn't as impressive as some of you alls set ups.

What has come up is "you could sell this!" so I'm curious what do you all think? Could a person make custom PCs load and tweak sage and sell and support the system?

[stanger89]

I don't think you could make a business out of just that. The people who would be willing to pay for the integration and support costs are a very small market.

If you had a CEDIA type custom install/integration business you could probably fit Sage into your portfolio, but I don't think you could make one out of Sage alone.

[PLUCKYHD]

Yes you must have more than just sagetv. Sagetv is nice but integration customers want more.

[paulbeers]

About every 6 months, someone starts a thread about how they want to start selling Sage systems, but here's the problem: Support. Even if you can convince someone to spend a couple thousand on a whole house Sage setup (figure $1000 for Sage Server and $300 per tv by the time you run cables), you would need to support what you put in and that could cost you dearly. You certainly couldn't convince someone to spend $2000+ on a whole house DVR and then convince them they need to spend an additional $20+ a month in a support contract. That just isn't how the consumer market works (business is another story all together). Also you would need to be available 24-7, so what happens when you go on vacation? Do you pay someone else to offer that support? Now your profit margin is almost nothing (if not in the hole). Sage is really for above average computer user who likes to fix things/tinker and who doesn't have an issue with doing a little troubleshooting.

I can also point out, that those who want to have a system like this installed (and can afford it), are sometimes the most demanding/impatient people I have met.

[ThePaladinTech]

Actually i did mean sell, install, and support. And I've always come back with "this is more of a hobby."

While you and I may think that sagetv is the answer there are people who have a different idea of a home theater system and doing just sage would be a small market.

the only slight disagreement i have is support - any small IT business would be up against that issue.

in a nutshell i was kinda looking someone to say (without being guided there) - "very small, very demanding market"

Why? cuz like i said it comes up all the time and - well it's helpful too have some expert opinions backing me up.

[Fonceur]

If you go more for some kind of full/partial Home Automation installation, and have SageTV as the PVR and Video distribution system, then you can gain a big competitive advantage compared to other solution based on Kaleidascope and such... But otherwise, competing against the TV providers' DVR is going to be a though sale...

[Lucas]

Originally Posted by enzominator

the only slight disagreement i have is support - any small IT business would be up against that issue.

A small IT business with small businesses as customers is a different ball game alltogether.

The Home customer is much more demanding.

Over the years I routinely supported companies large and small.

The most difficult task is supporting my friends and family with their computer problems....

Sometimes when I have to work late I get a frantic call from my wife who is being nagged to death by the kids because Sagetv doesn't work. Even the 3 mins to restat the server is eternity.

[brewston]

Originally Posted by Lucas

Sometimes when I have to work late I get a frantic call from my wife who is being nagged to death by the kids because Sagetv doesn't work. Even the 3 mins to restat the server is eternity.

Oh boy ! that's familiar... Do you resort to RDP/VNC to sort it out ? I can sort out a lot remotely, but if the Sage server doesn't come up after a power outage then its watch the spare TV time

[Skirge01]

With all the hardware to choose from (tuners, IR, remotes, etc), combined with all the providers (OTA, cable, satellite), the setup is nowhere near simple, which means the setup and support will be extremely complex. There are simply too many variables to account for. In order to support something, you need some sort of standardization to cut down on the break points. Look at the cable companies, for instance. They offer a DVR. If something goes wrong, they send you a new one, you hook it up, and you're back in business. Same thing with DirecTV and Dish. They can't spend their customer support time telling someone how to remote into a server or edit a .properties file or download a codec or uninstall an update from MS, etc. They couldn't possibly afford to do so and this is precisely where the issue will come in for the business you're proposing.

[tmiranda]

The linux OEM edition of Sage can be used for this. If you think you can make a business out of it, go for it.

It certainly would be a niche, but there is no reason why it is not feasible.

Luck favors the bold.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

The linux OEM edition of Sage can be used for this. If you think you can make a business out of it, go for it.

It certainly would be a niche, but there is no reason why it is not feasible.

Luck favors the bold.

Yeah not always it is a hard sale been trying since I stopped selling media center (even harder sell).

[tchapin]

Yeah, if I were to get into this sort of business I would develop a standard configuration that I know will work. Don't set up / install on existing customer hardware. Sell them the basic server package.

Probably Linux would be best, at least from a cost perspective. Perhaps also from a security perspective. It would definitely not be end-user maintainable.

Would you be trying to get into the high end market?

Todd

[lfilomeno]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

With all the hardware to choose from (tuners, IR, remotes, etc), combined with all the providers (OTA, cable, satellite), the setup is nowhere near simple, which means the setup and support will be extremely complex. There are simply too many variables to account for. In order to support something, you need some sort of standardization to cut down on the break points. Look at the cable companies, for instance. They offer a DVR. If something goes wrong, they send you a new one, you hook it up, and you're back in business. Same thing with DirecTV and Dish. They can't spend their customer support time telling someone how to remote into a server or edit a .properties file or download a codec or uninstall an update from MS, etc. They couldn't possibly afford to do so and this is precisely where the issue will come in for the business you're proposing.

I agree with your post. Standardization is key on any technology project. I do strongly believe that if SageTV locked their System requirement to what truly work great with their software, we should see less problems and less tinkering time with it. I think that the problem with SageTV is showing your friends that you can change this, that, those, within the program. OEM equipment comes with one front end. Either you love it or hate it. No tweaking allowed. Sure you can sell SageTV boxes and service but keep your systems on a closed structure sort of speaking. I have built two SageTV systems to two neighbors. I pretty much tell them not to mess with the setup options. So far, the only problem I had with one of them was that the server did not come up after a power outage. Start small, test the waters. If it is not what you thought about running a business or making a living supporting and implementing technology then stop. The knowledge you will get by starting and sometimes failing to implement a business will be of great value for your future business endeavors.

[ThePaladinTech]

Originally Posted by tchapin

Yeah, if I were to get into this sort of business I would develop a standard configuration that I know will work. Don't set up / install on existing customer hardware. Sell them the basic server package.

Probably Linux would be best, at least from a cost perspective. Perhaps also from a security perspective. It would definitely not be end-user maintainable.

Would you be trying to get into the high end market?

Todd

Not sure - I am potentially moving to a tourist area, there are many 'cottages' (.5 mill and up to the sky) homes. I've been thinking about it, I am *so* on the side of 'no way, it's a niche, home users are a pain' etc. but then I recall "you miss 100% of the shots you don't take" and I enjoy this. From the start in my mind it would be a package deal that is sold to them. Not a "hey I'll set this up on YOUR pc and show you how to use it" ... No it would be "this is the media server, let me put it in your basement" "OK here is your extender, and heres how you do stuff" - ya know FROM the extender, nothing about properties files, tuners, anything. I'd probably remove those menus even. I'd offer remote support, a maintenance plan.

Regarding Linux - I run a box with ubuntu i am FAR from knowledgable about it. In fact that reminds me I need to post over there a problem! ... anyhow back on topic: I thought a windows platiform was the best if you wanted one pc to act as your media server (i.e. do everything sage related (comskip, hulu, playon, record) but not view? Can I 'do it all' in linux?

[stanger89]

I think at the very least you'll need to do something like integrate a nice URC control system with their existing equipment. Though you could probably contract that to another installer (at least the programming?)

[Suntan]

Not making any prognostications on the topic overall, but one thing in specific.

If I were to set up a whole house Sage system for someone else, I would definitely set it up with the Sage server running headless and only put extenders at the TVs. Using the PC at a TV would just be asking for problems.

-Suntan