Just in case- Alternatives to SageTV

[panteragstk]

They don't have to have network ports to work with HTTP tuning. Mine have network ports, but there isn't anything plugged into them. When I got mine installed they added a Cinema connection kit that gave all the boxes internet access and an ip address. See if they you can find one of those and make sure your boxes are compatible and you can use HTTP tuning without any issues.

[jchiso]

Originally Posted by sacrament055

Wouldn't that mean you still have to pay them to activate the additional boxes?...

They only charge $5 per box to mirror your selections on additional boxes. I have six boxes in total, so I only pay $25 per month for the five additional boxes ...

[MattHelm]

This might be a good replacement:
http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/...o-game-console
Not sure how it will handle high bit rate h.264 or VC-1 yet though.

[sdsean]

actually they charge $6 per box now a days, which annoys the utter living crap out of me, but still. . .

I have 3 STBs, all hooked up to HD-PVRs, and I still use serial-tuning, (although I keep hearing great things about network tuning. . .question is it faster than serial tuning?), all still working great. . .although one of my H-20s just died on me so i just searched the web and got me a new one (note directv is getting more and more stingy with their hardware though, getting harder to get STBs without going directly through them).

I will never ever ever pay extra money per month just for DVR service (something that we all used to do back in the day for free with a VCR), which all of providers do. Yes I realize I do pay extra for the standalone STBs, but I get comskip, no-drm, do whatever i want to do with the stuff i pay for. . . and i'm just not going to live without that. . . if our EPG data dies out. . .I will find another way to make it work. . . even if i have to write my own plugin (which i dread having to do). . .

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by sdsean

if our EPG data dies out. . .I will find another way to make it work. . . even if i have to write my own plugin (which i dread having to do). . .

Slugger's EPG plugin will give you EPG now if you want to switch.

[BobPhoenix]

Originally Posted by sdsean

although I keep hearing great things about network tuning. . .question is it faster than serial tuning?), all still working great. . .although one of my H-20s just died on me so i just searched the web and got me a new one (note directv is getting more and more stingy with their hardware though, getting harder to get STBs without going directly through them).

Had to find the HTTP tuning thread.

It is this post in particular that made it easy for me. As to faster I cannot tell you because I could never get serial tuning to work on my HD boxes but the HTTP tuning worked without issue. Serial tuning works on my SD boxes so I can say it appears to be faster with HTTP tuning but that could be just a difference between HD and SD boxes. In another thread someone else says it is faster than serial however.

[Skirge01]

@sdsean: Switch over to HTTP tuning. If you're like me, you remember the difficulties you had getting serial tuning to work and you're skeptical about changing. Believe the hype... HTTP tuning is much better. It's not faster, but it IS more reliable. To put that in perspective, when I had serial tuning, I had Sage set to always tune the channel. Since switching, I've turned that off because HTTP tuning is THAT reliable. I have yet to miss a show because of tuning.

[heffneil]

Http Tuning works fantastically. You will not regret it! It is a little clumsy to setup since you have to install the stub and then go back and select the device but once it is setup you won't regret it. One piece of advice is to disable the new fangled power saving mode on your box. I don't think it plays nice.

Neil

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by heffneil

Http Tuning works fantastically. You will not regret it! It is a little clumsy to setup since you have to install the stub and then go back and select the device but once it is setup you won't regret it. One piece of advice is to disable the new fangled power saving mode on your box. I don't think it plays nice.

Neil

I haven't disabled the power save mode and don't have any issues. The HTTP tuning method sends a power on command before it tries to tune. It is annoying having the standby message on the first few seconds of my recordings though.

[heffneil]

Yeah I turned that off. Forget the environment!

[alisonnic]

What alternatives are there for SageTV, now that it is no longer being sold or developed?

In 2009 I purchased a Hauppauge 1212 PVR, SageTV 6 server and one client, and a USB-UIRT.

It took me over a year to get the combination working reasonably reliably. When it worked it was awesome, but often the PVR would stop recording about ten minutes from the end of a show. When these recording were played back, the sound would gradually go out of sync with the video. It was maddening! There were also headaches with the USB-UIRT.

After lot of fiddling and installing a 110v timer which powered the PVR off and on every morning, I got everything working so that failures were relatively rare.

In 2011 I wanted to add another client, but found that SageTV 7 had been introduced and that SageTV 6 clients were no longer for sale. And that if I purchased a SageTV 7 client I would have to upgrade my server and existing client to version 7 for everything to work correctly.

The whole setup had been such a nightmare that I was reluctant to mess with it, so I've been making do with VLC Media Player to play my recordings on the computer where I wanted the second client.

However, a few months ago, the PVR failed completely (blinking blue light, otherwise dead) and I sent it back to Hauppauge for repair and upgrade to the latest rev.

Now the PVR is working again, and seems much more stable. Not one truncated/unsynched recording since the repair. (Knock on wood!)

So I decided to try risking an upgrade to SageTV 7. Went to the site, only to discover that Google has bought out the company and all the links on the site are dead.

I'm looking for used version 6 client licenses, but even if I find some, I'm concerned about the future.

Would I be better off looking for used SageTV version 7 server and client licenses? Is version 7 significantly more stable and/or capable than version 6? Will it run on XP Pro?

For the long term, are there any real alternatives to SageTV? Does Google intend to release something similar in functionality? Or did they buy out SageTV just to shut down competition for GoogleTV?

What about Snapstream BeyondTV? How does it compare with SageTV? Is there anything else comparable out there?

I'm disabled, with limited mobility. For me, being able to record HD from a cable or satellite receiver, with control and viewing from remote PC's, is essential.

[darcilicious]

A the very least, you can upgrade to v7 for free: http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56225

[PiX64]

Originally Posted by alisonnic

What alternatives are there for SageTV, now that it is no longer being sold or developed?

In 2009 I purchased a Hauppauge 1212 PVR, SageTV 6 server and one client, and a USB-UIRT.

It took me over a year to get the combination working reasonably reliably. When it worked it was awesome, but often the PVR would stop recording about ten minutes from the end of a show. When these recording were played back, the sound would gradually go out of sync with the video. It was maddening! There were also headaches with the USB-UIRT.

After lot of fiddling and installing a 110v timer which powered the PVR off and on every morning, I got everything working so that failures were relatively rare.

In 2011 I wanted to add another client, but found that SageTV 7 had been introduced and that SageTV 6 clients were no longer for sale. And that if I purchased a SageTV 7 client I would have to upgrade my server and existing client to version 7 for everything to work correctly.

The whole setup had been such a nightmare that I was reluctant to mess with it, so I've been making do with VLC Media Player to play my recordings on the computer where I wanted the second client.

However, a few months ago, the PVR failed completely (blinking blue light, otherwise dead) and I sent it back to Hauppauge for repair and upgrade to the latest rev.

Now the PVR is working again, and seems much more stable. Not one truncated/unsynched recording since the repair. (Knock on wood!)

So I decided to try risking an upgrade to SageTV 7. Went to the site, only to discover that Google has bought out the company and all the links on the site are dead.

I'm looking for used version 6 client licenses, but even if I find some, I'm concerned about the future.

Would I be better off looking for used SageTV version 7 server and client licenses? Is version 7 significantly more stable and/or capable than version 6? Will it run on XP Pro?

For the long term, are there any real alternatives to SageTV? Does Google intend to release something similar in functionality? Or did they buy out SageTV just to shut down competition for GoogleTV?

What about Snapstream BeyondTV? How does it compare with SageTV? Is there anything else comparable out there?

I'm disabled, with limited mobility. For me, being able to record HD from a cable or satellite receiver, with control and viewing from remote PC's, is essential.

Maybe OPUS or another op can step in here, but I am pretty sure that you are entitled to a free upgrade to version 7 from version 6 since the buyout. that goes for clients as well

I hope I am not speaking out of turn, but I am pretty darn sure that is what I read somewhere at somepoint.

[panteragstk]

Sage v7 runs much better than v6 for me (windows 7 actually runs better than xp for me also). BeyondTV has been dead WAY longer than sage. They didn't even get bought out, the devs just don't work on it any more.

When you are looking for an alternative you really need to decide what functionality you have to have. If you can tell us that, we can tell you what will work for you.

[PiX64]

here it is first thread

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=56225

[ckewinjones]

That is a mouthful, Alisonnic. You might be better off posting this as a new topic, rather than a reply at the tail end of a long thread.

I'm not a Sage expert, but I have a bit of experience setting it up and running it, so I will try my hand at answering those of your questions that I know the answer to.

What alternatives are there for SageTV, now that it is no longer being sold or developed?

There are a lot of alternatives. Whether any of them can equal SageTV in features and quality is another question. There's Windows Media Center, getting a DVR box from your cable company, XBMC, MythTV, and several others I can't recall. I am sure other forum members can name more of them.

I haven't tried them all (none of us have), but I haven't seen anything that comes close to meeting my needs as well as SageTV does. So my personal answer is that there really is no alternative to SageTV, as long as SageTV continues to work correctly. Whether that is the right answer for you depends on what your particular needs are; your mileage may vary.

Does Google intend to release something similar in functionality? Or did they buy out SageTV just to shut down competition for GoogleTV?

Google didn't buy SageTV to shut down competition for GoogleTV. SageTV and GoogleTV aren't really direct competitors, and in any case Sage is too small a player for Google really to worry about. No, Google bought SageTV for its technology (and for the engineering talent that created the technology). SageTV is the core technology in the set-top box that is part of Google's new Google Fiber offering. See this thread on the forum for a discussion of Google Fiber and the role SageTV technology is playing in it.

The jury is still out on whether Google will be releasing a PVR product based on SageTV technology. Amid all the Google Fiber hoopla, SageTV founder and current Google employee Jeffrey Kardatzke ("Narflex" on this forum) hinted that the SageTV-based "TV Box" and "Storage Box" might be available separately from the Google Fiber product at some point. Time will tell, but it is encouraging that the underlying technology is clearly important to Google, and is still being actively developed. (To be fair, Jeff has insisted all along on this forum that this was the case, even though he was not at liberty to share the fact that it was going to be a key part of Google Fiber.)

What about Snapstream BeyondTV?

It's my understanding that BeyondTV is no longer being actively developed. Snapstream has moved on to commercial, rather than personal, applications of the technology.

I honestly can't advise you whether or not to go ahead with an installation of SageTV v7. On the one hand SageTV works well for me and I recommend it without reservation; on the other hand it remains a discontinued product at this point (Jeff's hints that a replacement product might become available notwithstanding). If I were in your shoes I would go ahead; but I am a hardy soul (or maybe foolhardy, I don't know).

I see from your message header that you are in New Hampshire. If you are in Southern New Hampshire (Nashua, Hudson, Pelham, etc.) we might be fairly close neighbours -- I'm in Chelmsford Mass (hard by Lowell). If that is the case, and if you want to go ahead with a new SageTV installation, I'd be happy to give you a hand. Send me a forum private message with your contact information if you think it is appropriate.

[darcilicious]

You might be better off posting this as a new topic, rather than a reply at the tail end of a long thread.

He did originally, but it was moved to this thread...

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by alisonnic

... For the long term, are there any real alternatives to SageTV? ...

You could look into Windows 7 Media Center and a CableCard, if you have cable. Or The same with Satellite and a capture card. Also look into a Ceton Echo while your at it.

Not saying this is the answer yet, but it sure looks like it could be.

[Fuzzy]

Aside for the other recomendations listed.... Your main complaint was that you couldn't buy another license because you were on v6. This is incorrect. There is no versioning involved in the client and placeshifter licenses. A client key purchased in 2004 is the same one that was available until june of last year, and will work with any version of SageTVClient.exe. That said, it doesnt fix the issue NOW, because you cannot buy a NEW client license. However, they HAVE opened up licenses for re-sale in the marketplace part of this forum. You may find a client license or two available there for sale, and they WOULD work with your v6 server - though like others here, I'd recommend giving 7 a shot.

[nycjoe]

Originally Posted by theguru

A very simple question. Is it time to move to some other PVR platform or is there a future on Sage.

I can't find a peep our of anyone officially for over a year now I think. It might be time to move on I guess. If there is a thread on this someone, please point it out for me.

Sure, yeah, if you can find something better - absolutely move on to it. Also, don't forget to tell the rest of us what it is.

In anticipation of your reply,
Joe