HD-300 ordered - first observations thread

[interloper]

Originally Posted by peternm22

Have any Canadians received ship notices yet? I ordered on Sept 6 and haven't received a shipping notice yet.

I ordered mine Sept 1, received it today (Toronto). Paid about $14 for customs charges.
I didn't receive the shipping notice, at least not to my inbox. Might have gone to 'spam.'

[phelme]

Just received my HD300 yesterday, cool little box.

But speaking of hidden extras, while I get the little aqua dot on the System info screen (and mine was enabled by default too), the disk space bar doesn't show. Is that not supported on the extender? It is on Placeshifter so I'd assume it would show up here as well.

I've also noticed that I'm getting overscan aplenty on video and the image is getting cut off by about 10% on all sides. yep, I found the Aspect button on the remote and the editable modes, but I can't seem to "shrink" the image to fit. I'm wondering if my aged Mitsu HDTV CRT, which has limited adjustability outside the service mode may not be a good match for the extender.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by phelme

Just received my HD300 yesterday, cool little box.

But speaking of hidden extras, while I get the little aqua dot on the System info screen (and mine was enabled by default too), the disk space bar doesn't show. Is that not supported on the extender? It is on Placeshifter so I'd assume it would show up here as well.

I've also noticed that I'm getting overscan aplenty on video and the image is getting cut off by about 10% on all sides. yep, I found the Aspect button on the remote and the editable modes, but I can't seem to "shrink" the image to fit. I'm wondering if my aged Mitsu HDTV CRT, which has limited adjustability outside the service mode may not be a good match for the extender.

You need to adjust the overscan in the settings for sagetv.

Setup---DetailedSetup--multimedia--overscan settings

then you will se what you are missing

[Evil_Attorney]

Anyone notice a difference with deinterlacing? I suspect it's a different/better algorithm. 1080i looks slightly better than the HD200. Also, when I start playing 1080i content, it get some weird partial interlacing of the image for the first second (only part of the interlaced image seems to move/change).

[phelme]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

You need to adjust the overscan in the settings for sagetv.

Setup---DetailedSetup--multimedia--overscan settings

then you will se what you are missing

Unfortunately, that only adjusts the SageTV graphic overlay, not the video itself.

From what I've been reading, while it is possible to expand the video outwards to compensate for hiding time codes etc. through the AR menus, it may not be possible to shrink the video with the extenders as they are now (like I can from my PC client's Radeon software). While I will admit that it is my Clinton-era TV which is at fault to some degree, it was fully tweaked by a certified ISF tech a couple years ago and doesn't have the overscan issue with DVD players etc.

So what about the disk space bar, can other people see it on their extender?

[briands]

Got my HD300 today... My first observation was that the Quality Control inspection tag indicated QC Pass, but was not filled in. Anyone else notice this?

So anyone think they'll release the final release of V7 this weekend? Maybe not, might want to keep the beta open as the large population of HD300 buyers come on board... just thinking out loud...

[Hank]

My HD300 arrived yesterday. Connected it to the HDTV and powered it up. Looked very odd, like two images overlaid, slightly offset. Proceeded with setup and installed the firmware update. After rebooting the image was normal.

Moved the HD200 to the bedroom, nice to have SageTV in there.

Blu-Ray on the HD300 looks wonderful streamed from my Windows Home Server.

Then this morning when I powered the HD300 up it displayed the SageTV logo and seconds later stopped driving the TV. Messed around with it, power cycled, tried the remote's "Video Out" button; no change. Finally I RTFM and followed the "Configuration Reset Procedure" to "Reload Firmware" from the Internet. That worked, back up and running.

Minor issues, but overall I am happy with the HD300.

Although, wish the case was not silver, I would much prefer it in black to match my entertainment system. Oh well, hid it and am using the external IR cable.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by phelme

So what about the disk space bar, can other people see it on their extender?

What aspect is it in.

I see the disk bar just fine. But seeing the disk bar is not video related and is related to the overscan settings as mentioned.

[aedgington]

Just got mine.

Wow.

It's smaller, prettier, and faster... and costs less.

There were painful times back in the v2 & v3 days, and it was hard to recommend Sage to a non-techie, but now... I just can't say enough good stuff about this product and it's development.

You guys rock. Seriously.

[MCE-Refugee]

Originally Posted by peternm22

Have any Canadians received ship notices yet? I ordered on Sept 6 and haven't received a shipping notice yet.

I am in France not Canada & ordered on 4th September but haven't received a shipping notice yet. When I checked yesterday there had been no payment taken from my card either.

Anyone know what the status of orders is?

[voidpt]

Norway here. Ordered 31aug (2xHD300+2xIR). Asked SageTV for status. They said it was sent 15sep. Also told that USPS should send e-mail to me with info, but that they tend to be slow. Still nothing from USPS. I seem to remember it was something like this when HD200 was delivered also. But it's on its way, not complaining

EDIT: SageTV also said to check junk/spam folder. I have 100% control over that. Know for certain it is not a problem. But worth checking, these shipping e-mails often tend to be classified as such, depending on filter.

[impro]

If SageTV give me permission I will share with you how to convert a Hauppauge IR to hd300 IR.
It is an easy 2 minutes mod that requires a cable stripper, solder and some heat shrink.
But It can be accomplished with your teeth, your fingers "for twisting cables together and an electrical tape.


BTW I like when IR extender is pluged the HD300's IR is disabled.
Very easy to test if the IR is working.

[briands]

Originally Posted by impro

If SageTV give me permission I will share with you how to convert a Hauppauge IR to hd300 IR.
It is an easy 2 minutes mod that requires a cable stripper, solder and some heat shrink.
But It can be accomplished with your teeth, your fingers "for twisting cables together and an electrical tape.


BTW I like when IR extender is pluged the HD300's IR is disabled.
Very easy to test if the IR is working.

just finding the stuff in my basement could take an hour...

[KarylFStein]

I swapped out my HD100 with the HD300 yesterday. The good news is 1080p now works as well as audio over HDMI. (With the HD100, my display would say invalid signal with 1080p--1080i worked fine--and I had to use the optical cable for sound.) Also, the firmware upgrade went much faster than on the HD100.

The bad news is 1080p has these weird, thin green lines around edges. For example, people's faces on the side of their nose, or edge of their face if the background is dark. I played a DVD forced to 1080p output from the player using the same cables and path through the AVR to the display without seeing this issue. Secondly, in 1080i mode, video playback seems to have an overscan issue. I've set overscan and the UI is fine, and made sure my aspect mode was source, but when I play a 1080i recording, it's like it's in zoom mode (the top and bottom of the picture is cut off) and things are stretched like you're filling a 4:3 image on a 16:9 screen. I have native resolution turned off and forcing 1080p "fixes" it...except adds those green lines.

At any rate, it’s working enough given the 10-15 mins I spent with the swap until I can get some more time to fiddle with it. I also didn’t have to change any remote settings, (I have a Harmony 890 RF remote and IR transmitters). One question about that: can I just plug a cable directly from the RF receiver/IR blaster controller into the HD300 and bypass having to stick the IR transmitter to the front of the HD300?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by phelme

While I will admit that it is my Clinton-era TV which is at fault to some degree, it was fully tweaked by a certified ISF tech a couple years ago and doesn't have the overscan issue with DVD players etc.

Are you sure about that? There's no reason the extender should be any different with regard to video. If you're using OSD to judge, be aware that STBs generally have their UIs stuck way toward the center of the screen to avoid just this issue.

So what about the disk space bar, can other people see it on their extender?

As Plucky mentioned, Overscan Settings would fix that.

[fac13]

I ordered mine on 1st September and I have not received a shipping notice yet either. Sage say my order was despatched on the 13th. I live in the UK.

I don't think the shipping notices are being sent out properly and I think Sage could be a bit more helpful than than just telling people to check their spam folders.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by KarylFStein

Secondly, in 1080i mode, video playback seems to have an overscan issue. I've set overscan and the UI is fine, and made sure my aspect mode was source, but when I play a 1080i recording, it's like it's in zoom mode (the top and bottom of the picture is cut off) and things are stretched like you're filling a 4:3 image on a 16:9 screen. I have native resolution turned off and forcing 1080p "fixes" it...except adds those green lines.

KarylFStein: have you tried cycling through all the built-in aspect ratios when using 1080i?

oooohh...I like that it's not just me experiencing this overscan, taking in to account it could be an AR thing. (I'm using 1080i too, because that's the only mode My Old HDTV will accept).

BTW, I figured out a way to get around my overscan problem. By shrinking the aspect ratio to just below 1.4 and having the custom AR below, this fits everything onto the screen properly. The problem is, the ratio for the SageTV GUI is now all skewed and text is stretched and flattened a bit. Not too badly though. So it's a choice, live with overscan or have Sage graphics a little wonky. I've chosen the latter for now.

advanced_aspect_ratio_extra_modes=Source Mitsu|blackstrip\=1786,4096|cutstrip\=0,0|nonlinearmode\=0,0|scalingmode\=LetterBox|source\=2048,2018,4096,4096,FrontEdgeToCenter,FrontEdgeToCenter,Relative,Relative,Relative,Relative

OK, my disk space bar not appearing problem? I still had 3dOptics' Hide Footer Panel UI mod installed on the server and it was enabled by default. I tossed that off my clients a long time ago.

[Chriscic]

Got my H300 yesterday and not off to a great start. Definitely glitches during the first 10 seconds or so playing HD-PVR recordings which weren't there with 100 or 200. Some mkv's seem fine, others not smooth like it's dropping frames, others will glitch in the same spots every time

I'm running the latest version of 6 and updated the 300 firmware as advised at startup.

Disappointed I have to mess with it now, but when I have time I'll try the latest beta firmware (if there is any yet) and maybe go to version 7 before I take time for bug reports.

[phelme]

Originally Posted by Chriscic

Got my H300 yesterday and not off to a great start. Definitely glitches during the first 10 seconds or so playing HD-PVR recordings which weren't there with 100 or 200. Some mkv's seem fine, others not smooth like it's dropping frames, others will glitch in the same spots every time

I'm running the latest version of 6 and updated the 300 firmware as advised at startup.

Disappointed I have to mess with it now, but when I have time I'll try the latest beta firmware (if there is any yet) and maybe go to version 7 before I take time for bug reports.

The glitching is odd. Are you using wired gigabit Ethernet or wireless?

[Chriscic]

Originally Posted by phelme

The glitching is odd. Are you using wired gigabit Ethernet or wireless?

Wired, replacing HD100 in same location. Since it happens in the same places, same files very unlikely it's a quality of connection issue.