Just in case- Alternatives to SageTV

[valnar]

Originally Posted by wayner

You can't ignore the OS that still commands over 90% of the market share (source http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Usage_s...rating_systems).

Sure they can. Why would Google want to develop a product that runs on someone else's licensed OS? Google is not going to sell a revamped Windows PVR. They are going to package it in their own box with Android or Linux (assuming they do that at all).

[fresnoboy]

Originally Posted by valnar

Sure they can. Why would Google want to develop a product that runs on someone else's licensed OS? Google is not going to sell a revamped Windows PVR. They are going to package it in their own box with Android or Linux (assuming they do that at all).

Why do you say that? Picasa and a bunch of google products run on windows. They even make their google apps sync with outlook.

[valnar]

Originally Posted by fresnoboy

Why do you say that? Picasa and a bunch of google products run on windows. They even make their google apps sync with outlook.

This won't be a Google app like Picasa. It needs an infrastructure of tuners, etc to work.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by valnar

Sure they can. Why would Google want to develop a product that runs on someone else's licensed OS? Google is not going to sell a revamped Windows PVR. They are going to package it in their own box with Android or Linux (assuming they do that at all).

Originally Posted by fresnoboy

Why do you say that? Picasa and a bunch of google products run on windows. They even make their google apps sync with outlook.

Originally Posted by valnar

This won't be a Google app like Picasa. It needs an infrastructure of tuners, etc to work.

An infrastructure of tuners that have more drivers for those approved tuners in Windows than they do in any other OS.

Gerry

[valnar]

Originally Posted by reggie14

Moxi looks interesting, but I'm still worried it could disappear overnight without warning. It doesn't look like TiVo will have any real multi-room DVRs anytime soon either.

I've never owned a Tivo or my cable provider's DVR, so I've spent the last couple days browsing the alternatives.

While I would love a PC based solution again, I don't think that will be possible. I might just have to keep my personal video files on a Windows box and keep accessing them via the Sage HD300's I have. But for multi-room PVR/DVR functionality, I did see this from Tivo.
http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/product-f...ture=multiroom

Any reason this wouldn't work?

Would Moxi still be better than Tivo?

No, I am not abandoning ship yet, but I need to know the alternatives. I've hooked up at least 5 people on Sage and they are asking me "What's next?" I'd like to keep my guru status with them.

[TBacker]

Anyone tried this in the past year? Supposedly 1.2.0 is pretty stable.

I tried it a few years ago before coming to Sage, and at that time, it looked good, but ran bad - like a nice shiny Porche with a pinto engine under the hood

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by valnar

But for multi-room PVR/DVR functionality, I did see this from Tivo.
http://www.tivo.com/mytivo/product-f...ture=multiroom

Any reason this wouldn't work?

Would Moxi still be better than Tivo?

My understanding is that multi-room viewing on TiVo's means transferring a file, then playing it back. I don't think you can just directly stream it. In the case of Moxi, a Moxi Mate is essentially like an HD extender. It has no storage, it just uses tuners and storage off the main Moxi box.

[sandor]

EyeTV exists for the Mac

www.elgato.com

Problem is, there are no hardware extenders - so you need a computer @ each location. Though i keep hoping the App store comes to the AppleTV2, and then there would be a $99 extender.

I'm really floundering for solutions now, as i have FIOS being installed Thursday and just got my first HDPVRs Saturday. My in-laws are moving in with us Thursday, and their one request was "real television"... i've only got one HD200 though, as i was going to order 2 HD300s on Monday, sadly i cannot now. :/

[valnar]

Originally Posted by reggie14

My understanding is that multi-room viewing on TiVo's means transferring a file, then playing it back. I don't think you can just directly stream it. In the case of Moxi, a Moxi Mate is essentially like an HD extender. It has no storage, it just uses tuners and storage off the main Moxi box.

It looks like Netflix is through Playon and file playing is through DLNA. Ugh.

Doesn't anyone get it right?

[ThePaladinTech]

So it looks like the only possibility is GBPVR? (or nPVR now)

Does it support HD extenders or just SD?
HD-PVR ?
Ceton / Prime?

Hoping that in a years time we will have something new to play with from Jeff though!

[jsonnabend]

Does anyone have experience with NextPVR? Its feature set looks enticing.

- Jeff

[cobrew]

Originally Posted by ThePaladinTech

So it looks like the only possibility is GBPVR? (or nPVR now)

The problem I am having with keeping Sage at this point is I need more extenders. I was planning on buying 2 more this week. I can live with what I have, but if something breaks, I am screwed after the warranty expires.

nPVR would put me in a siimilar situation. I *think* nPVR only supports older devices like A100 popcornhour.

I hate to think about it, but xbox360's and WinMC7 might be my only solution. Regardless, I'll hang on to Sage and my extenders as long as they work.

[jerryt]

WMC with DVBLogic controlling the Satellite STBs thru HDPVRs.
WMC already is capable of using the HDHomeRuns for OTA.

This is my existing backup to Sage, it has been rock solid.

[heatvent]

Originally Posted by jerryt

WMC with DVBLogic controlling the Satellite STBs thru HDPVRs.
WMC already is capable of using the HDHomeRuns for OTA.

This is my existing backup to Sage, it has been rock solid.

I know WMC extenders suck and have been discontinued. Any idea given the plethora of atom based (some fanless) solutions, is there any multi-WMC setup that is coordiated by a server app on the backend. Basically, have full W7 on a server and multiple mini atom pcs where you can use any of the pcs to schedule recordings on a shared drive and WMC data is somehow sync'ed over the network so you appear to have just a server/client setup?

[wayner]

Can you play H.264 files from the HD-PVR on the Xbox360 extender? What about the discontinued Linksys extenders?

[flavius]

Originally Posted by sandor

EyeTV exists for the Mac

www.elgato.com

Problem is, there are no hardware extenders -

You can feed directly into iTunes, and with home sharing turned on you can use the ATV2 as an extender.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by valnar

It looks like Netflix is through Playon and file playing is through DLNA. Ugh.

Doesn't anyone get it right?

Yeah, that's pretty annoying. That's why I'm thinking about Moxi + Boxee. The Moxi system would take care of just cable TV, while the Boxee Box would take care of online video and media files on my network.

[SJL]

So what are our alternatives? I've been using Sage since 2004 also, I really hate to switch to anything else - but I have only one extender, and if it dies I'm in trouble. Googling around the only alternatives I see are NextPVR, WMC, and MediaPortal (MediaPortal looks the most Sage-like). I've never used any of these, just Sage and BeyondTV way back when I first choose Sage coming from ReplayTV.

Is there anyone who's been using Sage that also has experience with the others that can list Pros/Cons? Biggest con I can see is lack of extenders, looks like itx clients booting of a SSD with a E-350 APU might do the trick for that (although more than twice the price) - what other issues are there? Do any of the others have the database of shows I've watched like Sage does? I'll really hate to lose that feature. Perhaps we can come up with a matrix of alternatives specifically tailored for Sage users looking to migrate - there is no direct replacement, but we need to find alternatives. Luckily it appears we have 12 months to do so, unless your only extender dies - or even if you have more than one, what will be the family reaction if TV is not accessable in an existing room?

[matterofrecord]

Firstly most google products run on windows - they make money through internet advertising NOT OS sales.

Secondly I've never owned a sage extender but surely extenders could be made using sagetv placeshifting software and intel atom based pcs ( nvidia ion for hd )

Maybe if we asked nicely google would start selling placeshifter licenses.

I'm far more concerned about future product and HD support.

[sandor]

Originally Posted by flavius

You can feed directly into iTunes, and with home sharing turned on you can use the ATV2 as an extender.

yeah, but no "live" tv... gotta wait for the recording to finish, so it doesnt work for sporting events.