One box Netflix dilemma

[chiledog]

I am looking for advice/options.

Currently I have a SageTV extender (HD200) and a Roku (for Netflix). I love the SageTV for PVR and media server functionality. I also love all of Netflix content.

My dilemma is my wife *hates* switching between them. I have a Harmony remote that works most of the time, but when it fails my wife gets very upset. She told me I can only have one box and no switching. (wives...)

So I am looking for a single box solution.

I have tried the playon plugin. While the plugin works well, playon can be very iffy. So that solution will not work.

I am now looking at replacing the HD200 with something else.

My currently thinking is an AppleTV2 with xbmc.

I am OK with the new box handling the media server aspects, but I am wondering how it will handle the PVR parts. I rarely (never) watch live TV and rarely change my recording preferences. (if I need to change them I could use one of my other 3 extenders).

Has anyone used XBMC with SageTV? I have seen a few threads, but I am unsure how easy (ie, wife can use) the integration is.

Also, are there any other media server options? (SageTV PVR (or at least play the recorded files), media server (mainly mkv), Netflix, and user interface a non-technical wife can use).

Thanks in advance,
chiledog.

P.S. I have to throw this in. If the HD300 supported Netflix, I would be golden.

[cncb]

Originally Posted by chiledog

P.S. I have to throw this in. If the HD300 supported Netflix, I would be golden.

So would we all .

Unfortunately, I think the only true one-box solution would be a PC but I would hate to see the look you would get (from the wife) when an error message pops up or it crashes...

[stanger89]

IMO the best option is to fix your remote control automation. Maybe look in to RF control, or your macros.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by stanger89

IMO the best option is to fix your remote control automation. Maybe look in to RF control, or your macros.

+1

You seem to be attacking the issues caused by the root problem of the remote not always working. Pick up an RF remote so that you can be sure that the signals make it where they're supposed to. I can't believe how long I dealt with having to know where to point the IR at certain times.

[chiledog]

I am a bit confused. So, if I got a RF remote I would need some way to convert the RF signals into IR signals. Unfortunately I do not have any good places for this.

My current setup is TV mounted on the wall. SagetTV and Roku ontop of the TV. Soundbar under the TV. (everything mounted in one direction).

I could put the RF->IR converter by the SageTV box and hope I can bounce it off the wall. But that seems a bit iffy.

(Plus $300 for a Harmony RF remote is a bit pricey. )

[vividweb]

Originally Posted by chiledog

(Plus $300 for a Harmony RF remote is a bit pricey. )

You can't put a price on WAF.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by chiledog

I am a bit confused. So, if I got a RF remote I would need some way to convert the RF signals into IR signals. Unfortunately I do not have any good places for this.

That's generally part of the "RF remote". They generally consist of a base station with IR outputs/blasters that are mounted directly to the components, and a remote that communicates with the base station. It completely eliminates any pointing and the issues associated with it.

My current setup is TV mounted on the wall. SagetTV and Roku ontop of the TV. Soundbar under the TV. (everything mounted in one direction).

I could put the RF->IR converter by the SageTV box and hope I can bounce it off the wall. But that seems a bit iffy.

You mount blasters directly to each box, there's no hoping or "bouncing" involved. In fact you can even put the components completely out of sight since there's no line of sight necessary.

(Plus $300 for a Harmony RF remote is a bit pricey. )

While I understand, consider how much you have invested in your entire system. People tend to think of a "remote" as just an accessory that sits in your hand and has buttons, but reality is it is, or I should say the more costly ones are, much more than that.

For example, I have a URC MX880 and MRF350 base station, it's rather expensive, but it controls my projector, SSP, Blu-ray player, SageTV extender and Xbox 360 seamlessly, and it's all located in a cabinet out of sight behind the viewing area.

[cncb]

It sounds like everything is out in the open so RF capability shouldn't be necessary. You could explain to her to point the remote in the correct direction and keep it there for a while and you make sure there isn't anything fundamentally wrong with your activity setups. She should also be able to push the "Help" button which should fix any problems in the first try.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by cncb

It sounds like everything is out in the open so RF capability shouldn't be necessary. You could explain to her to point the remote in the correct direction and keep it there for a while and you make sure there isn't anything fundamentally wrong with your activity setups. She should also be able to push the "Help" button which should fix any problems in the first try.

I don't think that's going to solve his WAF issues, though. Explaining the workaround doesn't actually resolve the fact that it doesn't work like it's supposed to. Our setup was like this and we dealt with it exactly how you described and it was very annoying.

@chiledog: Is there something specific which isn't working with the control or is it as simple as the signals don't always make it to the right devices? If that truly is the issue, then I'd strongly urge you to get an RF remote and do away with all the WAF issues relating to controlling the setup. $300 really isn't all that much for a remote. And, as vividweb said, you simply can't put a price on WAF.

Let's put it this way, how useful is the system if it only works 70% of the time? Maybe it's tolerable, but I'd say that shouldn't be an acceptable level. What if your car only worked 70% of the time? Would that be acceptable? Even if it were, it shouldn't be.

[aaronb]

Originally Posted by chiledog

Has anyone used XBMC with SageTV? I have seen a few threads, but I am unsure how easy (ie, wife can use) the integration is.

I use XBMC as my primary frontend with SageTV. I use an XBMC addon I wrote that connects to the Sage webserver. WAF is very high, it's very easy to use, looks just like native XBMC with info/thumbnails/etc.

More info here:

http://forum.xbmc.org/showthread.php...842#post645842

[cncb]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

I don't think that's going to solve his WAF issues, though. Explaining the workaround doesn't actually resolve the fact that it doesn't work like it's supposed to. Our setup was like this and we dealt with it exactly how you described and it was very annoying.

I don't understand. If nothing is blocked and the activities are correct, then why wasn't it working like it's supposed to? I don't think pointing it correctly at the equipment is a "workaround" and paying $300 just so you can point the remote in any direction you want to doesn't seem worth it.

[vividweb]

Originally Posted by cncb

I don't understand. If nothing is blocked and the activities are correct, then why wasn't it working like it's supposed to? I don't think pointing it correctly at the equipment is a "workaround" and paying $300 just so you can point the remote in any direction you want to doesn't seem worth it.

I agree, I never have an IR "Failure" with my inexpensive Harmony (<$100). I think even if I had another box in the mix the wife would be fine with it, Make sure your activities are correct and aren't shutting something off when it needs to stay on. Although the wife always seems to press the button that screws everything up that I always forget to test before hand.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by chiledog

P.S. I have to throw this in. If the HD300 supported Netflix, I would be golden.

Actually I don't think you would, because then you'd have to switch back and forth between extender mode (for recorded TV and other Sage server functions) and standalone mode (for accessing Netflix via the HD300). That doesn't seem like much of an improvement over your current two-box solution.

What you really want is Netflix support on the server, integrated into the SageTV UI, and streamed to the HD300 in extender mode. That's the only way it will really be seamless.

[sleonard]

I use Harmony 880 IR remotes everywhere and most of the time everything works as adverstised but sometimes a signal just doesn't make it. My family is OK with that and just presses the Help button and follows the instructions but some people, my dad for instance, get confused.

My advice is to continue to try and use the Harmony and go over the Help function on a regular basis with her. Sometimes the frustration and getting upset make things appear harder than they really are. It didn't help with my dad though and he went back to individual remotes.

S

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by chiledog

My dilemma is my wife *hates* switching between them. I have a Harmony remote that works most of the time, but when it fails my wife gets very upset. She told me I can only have one box and no switching. (wives...)

Nice to see who wears the pants in your family...



Seriously though, get a decent remote and the issues go away. One box will never do it all. Unless its an HTPC. That comes with its own headaches. I've got about 95% reliability and no complaints from the wife.

Even IR only harmony remotes don't always get the IR signal to the device and sometimes the device may have a crappy receiver (like my old kenwood receiver) and it just won't work with something that sends out a blanket IR signal. Harmony remotes are great, but blasters are better. Plus you can avoid the "push the watch tv button and the tv comes on, the receiver comes on, the roku doesn't. Crap start over. Push watch tv, the roku comes on, everything else turns off. Get up from couch and turn on everything else" situation. Ethernet or serial control (or CEC through HDMI) works the best, but few devices support those control methods.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by GKusnick

Actually I don't think you would, because then you'd have to switch back and forth between extender mode (for recorded TV and other Sage server functions) and standalone mode (for accessing Netflix via the HD300). That doesn't seem like much of an improvement over your current two-box solution.

Sorry to hijack the thread, but I'm confused by this. It has been stated many times before that Netflix support on the HD300 would mean standalone-only support. Is there some technical limitation that would force that? I don't see why the HD300 firmware couldn't go straight to the netflix servers in extender mode.

The reason I ask is because while Netflix support on the HD extenders seems unlikely, Netflix support on the server seems incredibly unlikely. At least the HD300 has support for the necessary DRM. I think it would be awfully difficult for Sage to support to gain DRM support on the server and clients.

[evilpenguin]

The HD200/300 have two modes:

• Standalone Mode: All videos are processes/streamed by the HD300 itself. If you watch a youtube video in this mode the HD300 communicates with youtube directly and downloads the video to its own memory for playback.
• Extender Mode: All videos are sent to the HD300 via the server. If you watch a youtube video in this mode the server is the one that communicates to youtube and downloads the video locally and streams it to the server.

As for why Netflix would care, its the difference between your mail man handing you your letter vs. them giving the letter to someone else who in turn give to you. From a security standpoint obviously the first way is better and that's why Netflix probably wouldn't allow the second one.

Now, if Sage were to add a new way to playback videos on the HD300 such that it would be possible for the HD300 to request to have videos streamed directly to it *while* its in extender mode, then things could get interesting...

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

The HD200/300 have two modes:

• Standalone Mode: All videos are processes/streamed by the HD300 itself. If you watch a youtube video in this mode the HD300 communicates with youtube directly and downloads the video to its own memory for playback.
• Extender Mode: All videos are sent to the HD300 via the server. If you watch a youtube video in this mode the server is the one that communicates to youtube and downloads the video locally and streams it to the server.

I understand that's the way it works now. But is there some reason the HD300 couldn't stream things directly in extender mode? For instance, would memory limitations prevent Sage from adding such functionality?

[stanger89]

The extender UI (logic) executes on the server in extender mode, not the extender itself.

[GKusnick]

I'm assuming that implementing Netflix support on the HD300 would mean embedding Netflix-approved UI and playback controls in the firmware. By definition that's incompatible with extender mode, in which the UI runs on the SageTV server and is open to customization by plugins.