Just in case- Alternatives to SageTV

[SHS]

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.

My guest would be NO beside the HR34 is useless to me as it stand it not upgrade like you I to want be able to view all my ripped video, play my music collection and veiw my pictures as for steaming that petty much useless as I do not have a high speed cable nor high speed radio wireless that fast enougt for it.

[ybrew]

Originally Posted by SHS

My guest would be NO beside the HR34 is useless to me as it stand it not upgrade like you I to want be able to view all my ripped video, play my music collection and veiw my pictures as for steaming that petty much useless as I do not have a high speed cable nor high speed radio wireless that fast enougt for it.

It's possible an RVU client box that DirecTV ships might not connect to anything but a DTV 'server'. But it's possible a third party could build a box that included the ability to connect to a DTV Server, similar to a Roku or Boxee (or even one of them simply adding RVU client connectivity into their existing boxes with a software update).

(I"m hoping anyway)

[ybrew]

So now I'm feeling pretty good about this:

http://onlinereporter.com/2011/09/20...h-pay-tv-gear/

RVU’s Advantages
The RVU Alliance points out these advantages of RVU remote technology:
- The exact same look and feel on every CE device.
- Network technology agnostic.
- Supports live TV and DVR playback.
- Supports extensions for advanced UIs and client capabilities such as 3D stereoscopic TV. 3D graphics are coming in RVU 2.0.
- Industry-standard protocols DLNA and UPNP.
- Uses the client’s graphic capabilities.
- Efficient network utilization.
- Lightweight footprint in the client device

[Fuzzy]

Based on the possibility of TV's coming out with DirecTV RVU capabilities built in, there must be some mechanism for building a custom client device that COULD integrate things the DirecTV box is missing. It would depend on the licensing DirecTV institutes for it. Lots of unknowns at this point.

[gplasky]

All you have to do is join the RVU Alliance and pay $500 for their RVU Protocol Specification. You can build all the open clients you want based on DNLA and UpNp. Key thing to notice is everything is digitally secure on the home network.

Protected Content
All content requested by clients is sent from server to client using
DTCP-IP (Digital Transmission Content Protection over Internet Protocol)
as described in the DLNA Interoperability Guidelines. Protected content
remains secure throughout the RVU system.
Open Connectivity and Interoperability
The ability for RVU-enabled clients to find the RVU server quickly and
seamlessly is another advantage of the RVU system. RVU uses UniversalRVU Protocol

The RVU Alliance
Plug and Play (UPnP) technology, as described in the DLNA
Interoperability Guidelines, to allow RVU clients and servers to locate
each other. RVU clients also use UPnP to learn about the server’s
capabilities. The result is a high level of connectivity and interoperability
in accordance with DLNA requirements.
Feature Sets
Any features that the RVU server utilizes will be available to its thin
clients. This additional functionality can include such capabilities as
interactive applications or video on demand (VOD).
The result is that RVU clients are able to offer the power and diversity of
an RVU server’s multiple features without additional processing.

Gerry

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by gplasky

All you have to do is join the RVU Alliance and pay $500 for their RVU Protocol Specification. You can build all the open clients you want based on DNLA and UpNp. Key thing to notice is everything is digitally secure on the home network.


Gerry

That sounds VERY similar to AllVid's proposed setup. I wonder if DirecTV is setting themselves up to do a flipswitch to AllVid if it gets approved.

[ChePazzo]

Originally Posted by ybrew

The DirecTV HR34 could end up being a really nice alternative.
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).

So, theoretically, I could put the HR34 in my basement and would effectively be my server, and then connect RVUs to all of my TVs to be my extenders and have almost the same thing as SageTV provides?

or do I misunderstand?

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by ChePazzo

So, theoretically, I could put the HR34 in my basement and would effectively be my server, and then connect RVUs to all of my TVs to be my extenders and have almost the same thing as SageTV provides?

or do I misunderstand?

It would only be recorded tv and on-demand. AFAIK there is no support for stored media or streaming services. If there was that would be a nice setup.

[ybrew]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

It would only be recorded tv and on-demand. AFAIK there is no support for stored media or streaming services. If there was that would be a nice setup.

Not at all true.

From that same article I posted the link to:

“The ‘remote’ device,” he said, “can be a small and inexpensive pay TV STB, a TV, a Blu-ray player, a gaming console or anything else connected to a display.”

The only question mark in my mind is how integrated this would all be and how easy would it be to switch from DirecTV recorded programs to movies stored on my server in my closet.

But yeah. It sure sounds like this can support recorded DirecTV and streaming from a PC, Hulu Plus, Netflix, Amazon Prime, etc, all from a quiet little box at every TV.

Again, the biggest caveat I can see is 3 RVU boxes per DirecTV HR34. So more than 4 rooms would require a second HR34.

[ybrew]

From wikipedia...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/RVU_Alliance

Aims

The published aims of the RVU Alliance are to expand the use of the RVU Protocol to enable users to:

• Receive the same experience at every TV through the same look and feel
• Provide access to high-definition programming from any TV in the home
• Record and playback high-definition programming from any TV in the home
• Access to personal media content (e.g., videos and photos) from any TV in the home
• Interact with weather, enhanced sports, and other interactive applications from any TV in the home
• Access content available on more devices (including personal media players and PCs)

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

It would only be recorded tv and on-demand. AFAIK there is no support for stored media or streaming services. If there was that would be a nice setup.

There is no reason to believe that Directv's Media Sharing capability is not included as part of the R34. Also of note is that while Directv has "Whole Home DVR" services, the R34 is not being billed as Whole-Home persay, but instead is being classed as a "Home Media Center" which should give a strong indicator of what Directv has intentions of doing.

For the old press release about it going into beta:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/global...setId=P7490002
title was: "DIRECTV Launches Field Trial of Its Home Media Center"

And for those unaware of Media Share on existing Directv receivers:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/conten...ogy/mediashare
Under "at a glance" (which is a capability that existed on numerous other recent receivers)

Bring photos, videos and tunes stored on your computer to your big screen TV
Share JPEG, MPEG and MP3 file formats
Connecting your computer to your receiver takes just a few minutes

Also, if you go dig around online about some of the very early discussions about RVU, there were discussions about the possibility of a "RVU File Server" being one such possible device for the alliance to come out with. Although the most recent mention of that was almost 2 years ago.

Although there may be something else out there from Directv that may be giving hints on that front, although this one is currently tightly linked to the DVR's HardDrive contents:
http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/content/technology/nomad

[panteragstk]

It's cool that they add the ability to stream videos/music from a pc, but there isn't much info about what codecs are supported. Also, I see no mention of hulu, netflix or anything else. If it could connect to playon that would solve that, but the quality sacrifice wouldn't be worth it. I have the whole home dvr (not the r34) and I may have to see how the video and music streaming works.

[Audacity]

On the topic of "Sage TV replacements"...

I'm hopeful that the "Metro" user interface in Windows 8 will turn out to be a very HTPC-friendly UI; much more so than the conventional "desktop" user interface. When trying out Windows 8 on a couple computers, it seems that navigation in Metro is possible (and works nicely) using the arrow keys and "enter".

I'm imagining a future Windows 8 where WMC is split into a number of smaller "Metro" applications, and the transition between "in" the WMC UI and the OS Metro UI is much less jarring, then apps like Hulu or Netflix could just be another WinRT-based Metro application. So, people won't be making WMC plugins anymore; they just make Metro apps.

[stanger89]

Doesn't really solve the biggest issue with WMC though, that you can't have TV throughout the house and have good media support at the same time, with the same configuration.

[Audacity]

Doesn't really solve the biggest issue with WMC though, that you can't have TV throughout the house and have good media support at the same time, with the same configuration.

Well, that may be your opinion. I don't think you completely understand what I'm saying though.

My point is that if the larger apps gets broken up into smaller Metro apps, you can have a "recorded TV" app that does what you need, a "library of rips" app that does what you need, a "Netflix" or "Hulu" app, etc.

If these were all implemented as Metro apps and all the interfaces / "contracts", then you could search for a movie (e.g. "Batman") and it could search your TV app, your Movie Collection app, and Netflix all at the same time.

The point is that if all your app conform to this new interface standard (and UI standard) then there is a lot of potential here for HTPC apps. Previously, to have a great remote-control integrated experience, you needed one application that "did it all". Now, if apps are compartmentalized, your TV app could focus on doing a great job of recording TV and interfacing with tuners (whither or not it is WMC). I may use WMC for TV recording, and some other application that manages DVD/Blu-ray rips. What Metro adds is a remote control friendly UI that can tie all these small apps together.

[stanger89]

But IMO "app" availability isn't the main problem with WMC. The main problem is PCs can't be clients, so you can have good media support but no TV, and their extenders have TV but suck for media.

So sure, with Metro you could have a nice 10' UI for a lot of apps, but that doesn't help get TV around the house, you still need another box, and Xbox, for TV at remote locations.

[ybrew]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

It's cool that they add the ability to stream videos/music from a pc, but there isn't much info about what codecs are supported. Also, I see no mention of hulu, netflix or anything else. If it could connect to playon that would solve that, but the quality sacrifice wouldn't be worth it. I have the whole home dvr (not the r34) and I may have to see how the video and music streaming works.

My HR21 connects to my playon server, which serves up Hulu.

I rarely use my HR21. I do know the codec support is lacking but I'm hoping the RVUs connect directly to media servers bypassing DirecTV completely. And if they do, I expect them to be faster, with a better UI and support for many more file formats. I really expect at a minimum something like the Western Digital Plus Live capabilities from an RVU device.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by ybrew

My HR21 connects to my playon server, which serves up Hulu.

I rarely use my HR21. I do know the codec support is lacking but I'm hoping the RVUs connect directly to media servers bypassing DirecTV completely. And if they do, I expect them to be faster, with a better UI and support for many more file formats. I really expect at a minimum something like the Western Digital Plus Live capabilities from an RVU device.

I wonder if the functionality you just stated could be integrated into google tv somehow? I don't see why it couldn't.

[Monedeath]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

It's cool that they add the ability to stream videos/music from a pc, but there isn't much info about what codecs are supported. Also, I see no mention of hulu, netflix or anything else. If it could connect to playon that would solve that, but the quality sacrifice wouldn't be worth it. I have the whole home dvr (not the r34) and I may have to see how the video and music streaming works.

Uh, Directv has a streaming service that is a direct competitor to Netflix's online offerings, and is complimentary to all Directv subscribers. So I doubt Directv would be likely to include Netflix support. They also appear to be making some attempts at Hulu-like capabilities for their receivers, so once again, not likely to see Hulu support either, but then, if Directv had its way, you wouldn't need Hulu.

http://www.directv.com/entertainment/movies

Of course, the down-side is that Directv probably wouldn't have as extensive of a library as Netflix has, at least in terms of obscure movie titles that are available to watch, but the reality is that particular feature is more of an edge case and a probably a reasonably small niche market to begin with.

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by Monedeath

Uh, Directv has a streaming service that is a direct competitor to Netflix's online offerings, and is complimentary to all Directv subscribers.

I should have said "well known" streaming services. DirecTV's offerings are decent, but you know as well as I do that netlix and hulu are the two most popular. Amazon, blockbuster, vudu, and all the other random ones I'm forgetting are not far behind. I think what directv is doing is a step in the right direction. Integration of netflix and hulu would put them over the top.

If the r34 is the same as the rest of the whole home dvr package, then you can have multiple r34's and all the rvu's will able see recordings on all of the dvr's. That makes for a pretty hefty setup.