Just in case- Alternatives to SageTV

[SWKerr]

Originally Posted by toricred

I must be stupid, but I can't figure out where to set up the guide for directv.

If you are talking about Media Portal it is not you it is over the top complicated. Even setting up a OTA tuner with a external EPG is complicated. You will need to manually setup or have a file that imports all the channels first. You can not use the tvguide.xml created by mc2xml. (Different format)

It was clearly designed for our European friends with a DVB card and the EPG internal to the stream.

[SHS]

As I under stand it that it best to just opted to pay the $20/yr for Schedules Direct and use the Schedules Direct plug-in.

It was clearly designed for our European friends with a DVB card and the EPG internal to the stream

ATSC tuner also have EPG internal to the stream as well we frist had this in SageTV but the biggest problem is min US channel didn't even have EPG internal and only work 40% of the time rigth.

[Fuzzy]

I was mostly joking when asking about mediaportal's dvr capabilities, because frankly they are FAR inferior to sage, making it pretty much off topic in a thread regarding alternatives to sage.

[mlewis]

It's kinda nuts how all over the place this thread is in terms of finding an alternative. Nothing seems to compare. Is that really the case?

[PhilH]

Originally Posted by mlewis

It's kinda nuts how all over the place this thread is in terms of finding an alternative. Nothing seems to compare. Is that really the case?

I haven't found anything yet that compares. If you only have 1 TV then WMC would work. For multiple TV's and multiple rooms then Sage is still the best. In my opinion..

[stanger89]

WMC would be OK for multiple rooms if you don't need/want non-TV media playback in locations other than the main TV.

[mlewis]

I personally don't need anything multi room. Multi room is easily handled with more hardware. I just want a feature filled dvr that isn't a single purpose piece of hardware.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mlewis

I personally don't need anything multi room. Multi room is easily handled with more hardware.

If you're talking matrix switches, that's not really true IMO. Sure that allows you to feed multiple rooms, but it doesn't allow you watch different things in different rooms.

With Sage, you can have the same experience and same media playback capabilities in as many rooms as you want to buy extenders or build HTPCs for. And each one is independent.

No other solution does this. WMC does for TVs with Xboxen as extenders, but you're SOL if you want to watch a BD library through WMC in multiple rooms, unless you're willing to give up multi-room DVR and have a separate PC in each room.

I just want a feature filled dvr that isn't a single purpose piece of hardware.

WMC would probably do that for you then. For a single room/display, with a single source (or something+OTA) WMC is pretty good.

[mlewis]

>If you're talking matrix switches, that's not really true IMO. Sure that >allows you to feed multiple rooms, but it doesn't allow you watch
>different things in different rooms.

I don't need the same sources in multiple rooms. I just need multiple sources in different rooms which I have .

>With Sage, you can have the same experience and same media playback >capabilities in as many rooms as you want to buy extenders or build HTPCs >for. And each one is independent.

Terrible timing too because I tore apart my mythtv server to move over to a PC based solution after saying I'd never use MS again. I installed WMC and the first piece of software that gave me confidence was Sage. I tried it, still have some issues but fell in love with it.

Now I can't freaking buy it <sigh>

Someone mentioned contacting someone in the forums, which I did, but received no reply so am guessing that's that. It is the end of sage other than if google offers it again.

[saulin]

I'm looking for a SageTV alternative. Here is my question. I have a FTA satellite receiver. Right now with SageTV I can use the LM Remote KeyMap channel change plugin for SageTV to change channels, since LM Remote KeyMap allows me to learn codes from my remote using the IR Blaster.

How can I use my WMC remote to change channels on my STB in Windows Media Center?

I also have a Dish Network STB, How is the EPG for Dish Network in WMC?

Does Windows Media Center use the same windows built in video/audio decoders that SageTV uses for the HD-PVR, because that's what I use for my HD-PVR and SageTV and it looks sweet.

[BobbyDing]

Just saw this and thought I'd drop it in to the Sage alternatives. It's a DVR that does OTA and VUDO streaming. If it did Netflix and played locally stored media it might gain some traction with OTA folks...

http://www.channelmasterstore.com/HD...n_p/cm7400.htm

[mikejaner]

Originally Posted by saulin

I'm looking for a SageTV alternative. Here is my question. I have a FTA satellite receiver. Right now with SageTV I can use the LM Remote KeyMap channel change plugin for SageTV to change channels, since LM Remote KeyMap allows me to learn codes from my remote using the IR Blaster.

How can I use my WMC remote to change channels on my STB in Windows Media Center?

I also have a Dish Network STB, How is the EPG for Dish Network in WMC?

Does Windows Media Center use the same windows built in video/audio decoders that SageTV uses for the HD-PVR, because that's what I use for my HD-PVR and SageTV and it looks sweet.

I am assuming you have a Windows Media Center Remote and Receiver. If so, Windows Media Center will control your set top box through that receiver. There should be two headphone looking jacks on the back, which you would plug IR blasters into. This would allow you to control up to two set top boxes.

Dish Network guide data will be available when you set up Media Center. Just go through the prompts of setting up your TV signal etc... and when you put in your ZIP code, it will give you the options of your area's providers in a list.

Media Center uses the Codecs built into Windows to decode HDPVR recordings (We're talking about Windows 7 right?) and they look fine.

[PiX64]

Originally Posted by BobbyDing

Just saw this and thought I'd drop it in to the Sage alternatives. It's a DVR that does OTA and VUDO streaming. If it did Netflix and played locally stored media it might gain some traction with OTA folks...

http://www.channelmasterstore.com/HD...n_p/cm7400.htm

if its anything like the older channel master OTA dvr, its garbage. money would be better spent on a tivo with subscription for guide data.

[drvnbysound]

I am late to the show, but have been following the threads since about a week after Google purchased Sage. It was about that time that I was ready to pull the trigger and make the purchase. As others have expressed, I have mixed emotions regarding the purchase... I wish I would have been able to make the purchase as I would have a working media setup, but am glad that I dont have to deal with the future possibilities of what may happen.

With that being said, I really hadnt looked at any other alternatives in quite some time. I tried to read through most of this tread, but wasnt able to find answers...

Other than the lack of a small-form factor extender that allows direct control to the UI, are there other features that either MediaPortal or NextPVR are lacking that Sage had?

I have W7 now, so I could use 7MC, but I dont want to use Xbox's as extenders, primarily due to their size.

I am thinking of using either MP or NPVR in the near term, possibly with WD TV extenders, realizing that I will have to access the interface from a PC. What else am I missing?

Also, with regards to MP and NPVR, how do they compare?

[saulin]

Originally Posted by mikejaner

I am assuming you have a Windows Media Center Remote and Receiver. If so, Windows Media Center will control your set top box through that receiver. There should be two headphone looking jacks on the back, which you would plug IR blasters into. This would allow you to control up to two set top boxes.

Dish Network guide data will be available when you set up Media Center. Just go through the prompts of setting up your TV signal etc... and when you put in your ZIP code, it will give you the options of your area's providers in a list.

Media Center uses the Codecs built into Windows to decode HDPVR recordings (We're talking about Windows 7 right?) and they look fine.

Yes I have Windows 7 and yes I have a Windows Media Center Control, with a IR Blaster and yes I can plug in IR emitters on the back of the IR Blaster, that's exactly what I use for SageTV with LM Remote KeyMap and I'm able to control any STB since I can learn the 0-9 and ok keys with LM Remote KeyMap and use them in SageTV with a a plugin.

So are you saying that Windows Media Center is able to do this without using LM Remote KeyMap or any plugin?

If so that's awesome. Also where does Windows Media Center get their Dish Network Guide From? Zap2it? or another source? Do we need to pay for the guide?

Also according to you WMC uses the same codecs so it should technically look the same as it does in SaveTV?

I never used Windows Media Center as a PVR but if it can do this and if the compatibility with the HD-PVR is great. I think this is the SageTV replacement I will be using after the Guide stops working in SageTV

[mikejaner]

No lmremote needed. Media Center has all the IR functionality built in. It even knows the codes for cable and satellite boxes.
Yes, the Media Center guide is free. Don't know for sure where they get their data, but probably Zap2it like everybody else
Codecs will look good.

[stevech]

should one balk at going with WMC because it appears to be another abandoned microsoft product?

[ybrew]

The DirecTV HR34 could end up being a really nice alternative.
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?t=197609

A Single box can record 5 shows at once. DirecTV will also provide small, silent RVUs (basically boxes that stream from the HR34 - a single HR34 will support 3 RVU clients, and some TVs will include an RVU client built in). Two HR34s would basically offer 10 simultaneous recordings and support up to 8 rooms (if the HR34s were used in viewing rooms as well).

The only question for me is would an RVU client be able to stream from a PC (to view all my ripped moves, play my music collection), be able to connect to HuluPlus (or a PlayOn Server), etc. If an RVU client could do all that, this could be a great option.

One thing I forgot to add - each HR34 only requires a single coax cable for the 5 tuners.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by stevech

should one balk at going with WMC because it appears to be another abandoned microsoft product?

Why would you think this is abandoned? It's included in the OS and it is in Windows 8.

Gerry

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Why would you think this is abandoned? It's included in the OS and it is in Windows 8.

Gerry

The WMC community was panicking because one of the early leaks of windows 8 didn't have it included.