SageTV acquired by Google

[stuckless]

Originally Posted by davephan

The Linux SageTV version was not easy to install without help from the SageTV forum. Linux people tend to not document things well and they assume everyone knows everything.

That's not true... we don't assume that everyone knows everything... we just assume that if you are using linux then you are smarter than everyone else, and therefore don't need documentation.

(FWIW - I found dpkg -i saget-server.deb to be a pretty easy way to install sagetv on linux... i was up an running in a matter of minutes - Now configuring everything else was a little more work)

I've used MythTV a few times... I've never gotten to the point where i could actually use it, since having to install clients and keep them in sync with the server was a PITA.... but sadly... a few years when my existing sagetv stops working... hopefully the new GoogleTV/SageTV will arrive and i won't have to worry about getting MythTV working

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

The sudden and unannounced shuttering of the store should tell you everything that you need to know. Google has executed Sage and will use the remains for some other vision, and the last thing they'd want is for any kind of continued Sage distribution into the marketplace. This is no longer up to the original Sage owners and developers.

Sorry, but this is utter nonsense, overreacting, and FUD. I may be concerned, but closing the store is not a sign of the apocalypse.

Seriously, that's the ONLY conclusion you could come up with? How creative. To counter your own THEORY, try this alternate one on for size:

Because the software is going open source, they're no longer willing to take anyone's money and have people feel cheated that they purchased something the company knew, going forward, was about to be free.

Is this likely? In truth, just as likely as your theory.

[d2tw4all]

Originally Posted by davephan

I checked the MythTV web site briefly and discovered that the don't have a forum! They use e-mail lists instead. This seems like a extremely poor way to communicate and develop the software. At least they are not using surface mail for everything, but e-mail does not allow the community to share ideas and solutions. The lack of the MythTV forum and only available on Linux is naturally going to stunt any possible MythTV growth and development. Although I do have a spare computer I could try installing MythTV, but I'll probably have more trouble than you did, or may not be successful at all. The Linux SageTV version was not easy to install without help from the SageTV forum. Linux people tend to not document things well and they assume everyone knows everything.

Dave

The forums I always used were on www.mythtvtalk.com and there's plenty of info on there and many active users. Agreed Myth isn't completely easy but with a distro like mythbuntu most of the hard bits are covered and it's really a matter of learning the steps to install everything. Much of it is similar to the initial setup of SageTV with the key difference being the underlying OS is linux.

Tom

[d2tw4all]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

I believe that this is known as the "Linux Test," the idea being that if you can't figure it out on your own then you have no business running Linux. Which of course is why my forays into the world of Linux are always very brief.

It's funny, I understand what you are saying, but when you are forced to learn it, you absolutely can it just takes effort. Once you learn it though, then you know it and it's actually a good skill to have as it opens up more options for you. Either way, I knew very little of linux until I started using MythTV, which forced me to have a vested interest in learning it so I could get and keep my DVR system functional.

Tom

[will]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Because the software is going open source, they're no longer willing to take anyone's money and have people feel cheated that they purchased something the company knew, going forward, was about to be free.

Good point! I never thought of it that way.

Let's hope you are right and they re-open the store for hardware sales.

[sandor]

shits. and i was just going to order a pair of HD300's today.... :/

[sandor]

the only problem that i see is that google seems to have a reputation of buying cool ideas/things/companies and letting them languish until they are finally cut. hmmm.....

[lfilomeno]

Sandor: I was going to buy one as well but now I really don't know what to do . I invested heavily in my SageTV media Network. Thinking about having no support for all SsgeTV products I invested on it sends chills thru my spine! I am really waiting fr a more detailed explanation as of what is going to happen to us SageTV customers.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Sorry, but this is utter nonsense, overreacting, and FUD. I may be concerned, but closing the store is not a sign of the apocalypse....

...Because the software is going open source, they're no longer willing to take anyone's money and have people feel cheated that they purchased something the company knew, going forward, was about to be free.

Eh, you think that's more likely than my scenario? Lol. So Google made the owners of Sage Inc rich so they could give away their software for free? Right.

I never said the closing of the store or demise of Sage was apocalyptic. It's merely a product on the verge of extinction. Happens all the time. Company A buys the products of Company B, and these products cease to exist because the products weren't the goal.

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

So Google made the owners of Sage Inc rich so they could give away their software for free?

They bought other companies, made the owners rich, and give away the service free.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by rickgillyon

They bought other companies, made the owners rich, and give away the service free.

The key word being "service." My contention is merely that Google will use SageTV as the basis for some Goolgle service, but that SageTV as we know it (ie, installing software on our own servers with our own capture cards, streaming our own media, etc) will no longer exist. That's far and away the most likely scenario.

[Skirge01]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

Eh, you think that's more likely than my scenario? Lol.

That is NOT what I said. You deleted this part of my response (emphasis added):

Originally Posted by Skirge01

Is this likely? In truth, just as likely as your theory.

Just as likely does NOT mean more likely.

[moothekow]

I absolutely could not care less about online video. So the statement

our shared vision for open technology will help us advance the online entertainment experience

worries me. Streaming video from hulu, viewing junk youtube clips, etc - I never do this and have no desire to start doing so. I am interested in offline/local media storage and recording my own OTA broadcasts only. I don't see any way this at all jives with Google. Consequently - I have a very difficult time seeing this being a positive at all for me personally.

[pvrpenguin]

The worry I have is that most of Google's media services are for the U.S. only. We don't have access to Hulu in Canada and Netflix is far more limited. For me then having a classic PVR that records locally from analog cable or a cable box is a solution that must work for me.

I am quite happy with 7.1 however so hopefully it will eventually go GA and then I can just live with my current setup for a while. I'm assuming plugin development will slowly grind to a halt however.

[brainbone]

Originally Posted by Fountainhead

The key word being "service." My contention is merely that Google will use SageTV as the basis for some Goolgle service, but that SageTV as we know it (ie, installing software on our own servers with our own capture cards, streaming our own media, etc) will no longer exist. That's far and away the most likely scenario.

While I'm not convinced Google would opensource SageTV, Google did acquire On2 Technologies and opensource the VP8 (now WebM) code.

Google wants wide acceptance of WebM -- that's why it's open sourced. Google also wants wide acceptance of GoogleTV, and are supposedly working towards open sourcing it (along with rumors of merging it with android). If open sourcing SageTV helps them achieve their goals, they'll do it -- but, while Android is (mostly) open source, many Google apps for it (Gmail client, Maps, etc.) are closed.

[Fountainhead]

Originally Posted by moothekow

I absolutely could not care less about online video. So the statement worries me. Streaming video from hulu, viewing junk youtube clips, etc - I never do this and have no desire to start doing so. I am interested in offline/local media storage and recording my own OTA broadcasts only. I don't see any way this at all jives with Google. Consequently - I have a very difficult time seeing this being a positive at all for me personally.

My problem with services like Hulu and Netflix are twofold. First, once you stray from the mainstream, forget it. Second...and I know I'm not alone in this because I've heard this expressed before...it happens that I'm moderately hearing impaired. Not deaf, but watching TV without captions at a volume comfortable for everyone else is a challenge. Most streamed offerings are not captioned, and therefore useless to me. Netflix has started captioning some of its stuff, but very little at this point and last I looked it was only available on PC streaming.

I imagine tha google will repackage Sage in a mainstream consumer-friendly way that will be adequate for 90% of the market, but the other 10% who want something beyond that will be SOL.

[APillowOfClouds]

It makes me nervous that they have not at least made a statement that EPG will continue and licenses will still be available to purchase.

[wayner]

Not only should we be backing up this forum, if possible, we should likely also be likely for a new home for these forums in case things don't work out so well. I imagine that there will be a new Google-Sage forum but who knows if it will have restrictions on discussions and certain types of activities.

It is also possible that we may have to hack things in the future to allow Sage to continue to work and some of these types of things may not be appreciated by Google.

[wayner]

Rakesh, the owner of Snapstream / BeyondTV has a blog posting on this deal. His main conclusion

I just don’t think DVR is what Google envisions for the future of the home theater and living room entertainment.

http://rake.sh/blog/2011/06/19/my-ta...ion-of-sagetv/

[lfilomeno]

no one knows whats going to happen for sure. I just hope that the SageTV CEO make some announcement during teh course fo teh week that will clear the smoke for a very large Sage community.