Just in case- Alternatives to SageTV

[sflamm]

Not familiar with DVBlogic setup - but curious what the configuration looks like. Can you explain in more detail what is required to make the HDPVRs look like network tuners and your experience? (currently stuck with my firewire 32-bit drivers and always in search of an alternative though it is very very reliable)

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by sflamm

Not familiar with DVBlogic setup - but curious what the configuration looks like. Can you explain in more detail what is required to make the HDPVRs look like network tuners and your experience? (currently stuck with my firewire 32-bit drivers and always in search of an alternative though it is very very reliable)

DVBlogic v3.2b? has server and client software. Server is where the HDPVR's are physically attached, DVBlogic uses a WMC blaster for channel changing on the STB, clients are any windows based computers. There is a walk thru start up guide here on this forum. DVBlogic's current software is like 4.4 or 4.5 but Sage can not use it.

They are not network tuners as far as being without a computer, but they do act like network tuners because any computer can access them.

I was hooked because the set up is so rock solid and I like to use WMC for live TV. We can be watching live TV with WMC from one satellite STB and then Sage starts a recording on the second STB.

The Foxconn NT-a3500 has worked well as a client.

[hedly]

Has anyone really spent some time with jRiver. It seems that it is pretty close to a SAge replacement. the ability for dlna devices to interact seems good; you can actually push content to DLNA renderers. I've read through about 25 pages of this post and there's only a couple mentions of it.

I'm thinking about trying it out. The community there seems pretty active and I think I've seen some folks from this forum over there (and I've seen one guy on there who went back to Sage).

I'm sure some of you have seen this, but I did a search for HTPC reviews or something at work today and found an pretty good article here:
http://www.avforums.com/forums/home-...omparison.html
Down in it was a spreadsheet that the guy had compiled:
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheet/...hl=en_GB&gid=0
It's not comprehensive, but it pointed me to a couple possible choices.

For me, though, I run a pretty simple setup (no cable/satellite and not too interested in placeshifter). but I really want to get the tuners off the PC that renders the content and put them in a server with all the media.

And of course the wife acceptance factor (WAF) needs to remain high. Currently SageTV is still failing hard when it plays some DVDs that are on my server. No one here seems to have any answers (http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?p=536152#post536152)
So the WAF has been decreasing lately.

This thread is also getting pretty long in the tooth; it's tough to see what people think about all the options. maybe it's time someone started up a new one with the same topic but with some kind of comparison like the spreadsheet. maybe have all contenders vs. SageTV.

[cncb]

I have used JRMC on and off for several years now. I am currently using it for TV recording. It is getting better but unfortunately missing a few features and TV recording is treated like a second-class citizen in JRMC, never getting the attention it deserves.

[ckewinjones]

I agree with cncb on J. River. I have used it for a couple of years for music, and it is a fantastic product that has my highest recommendation as a music player and a music manager/server. But audio -- not TV -- is the heart of J. River's functionality, and that is where the company is going to put its resources and its effort (as well they should). Their TV functionality is coming along, but I wouldn't hold my breath waiting for it to become as feature-rich and reliable a TV platform as SageTV.

On the other hand, if they do choose to make TV a priority, J. River is capable of putting out a very high-quality product. It is a great company that consistently develops great software.

[osx-addict]

Originally Posted by jerryt

I set up NPVR over the weekend. Getting ATSC from HDhomeRun units and Dish satellite from DVBlogic, Got the TV guide working with the MC2XML.exe and everything just works...

Closed captions on live TV works great with ATI codec, which would always crash Sage, so that was welcomed change.

NPVR has one pretty cool feature, PIP, Picture in picture. Worked with two satellite channels or any combination of satellite and ATSC.

I am impressed.

Wonder if anyone has tried NPVR's extenders?

Jerry -- since it's been about a month, what are your thoughts on NPVR at this point? My Wife-acceptance-factor (WAF) has been getting lower lately due to my HD300 problems and now my crashed Sage server (another story).. I've been on the hunt from time to time for a product that can do as much as Sage does with comskipping and with hard-wired clients (e.g. HD300's or similar) that can replace our current setup IF the time came. I like the looks of the NPVR as it seems very simple compared some of the settings in Sage (nobody knows how to setup sage but myself -- the rest of the family leave it to me which is fine)..

In my case I'd want something that can use real extenders of some sort (hopefully not FULL pc's), can record to a central server (ala Sage), can control my 3 dual-channel HD-Homerun tuners simultaneously (6 tuners in all) and has some sort of Comskip functionality..

Do you think NPVR is up to the challenge? I'm not convinced I'm ready to switch yet but having something in my hip pocket is always good!

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by osx-addict

Jerry -- since it's been about a month, what are your thoughts on NPVR at this point?

Well, it is still working fine. I have not tried any of NPVR's extenders, so I can not comment on how those work. My plan will be to try to use Windows Media Center and then lastly NPVR after Sage quits working. I currently use WMC for live TV at each location, but these are all PC's.

[osx-addict]

Originally Posted by jerryt

Well, it is still working fine. I have not tried any of NPVR's extenders, so I can not comment on how those work. My plan will be to try to use Windows Media Center and then lastly NPVR after Sage quits working. I currently use WMC for live TV at each location, but these are all PC's.

Any particular reason why WMC comes ahead of NPVR? I did see the Ceton Echo as an upcoming item that interfaces specifically with WMC -- seems nice if it works as expected and I think WMC can interface with the HDHR's too IIRC.. I've never run WMC so I don't know what to think of it -- I gather some people like it and others hate it.. Feel free to PM me if you think its OT for this topic.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by osx-addict

Any particular reason why WMC comes ahead of NPVR? I did see the Ceton Echo as an upcoming item that interfaces specifically with WMC -- seems nice if it works as expected and I think WMC can interface with the HDHR's too IIRC.. I've never run WMC so I don't know what to think of it -- I gather some people like it and others hate it.. ...

One reason to like WMC over NPVR is CableCard support, and another reason to hate WMC is DRM, because of CableCard support.

But as jerryt states when Sage Dies, so your choices are very limited at that point (For Live TV with premium channels). So I intend to go with 7MC and the Echo as an extender. Hopefully it will support DVD\BD direct rips.

[osx-addict]

Thanks.. In my case we don't have any cablecards -- all programming is OTA (no premium's) and as long as I can do that and occasionally play some BD content that'd be great.. Now I just need to see how the echo works out..

[jerryt]

Originally Posted by osx-addict

Any particular reason why WMC comes ahead of NPVR? I did see the Ceton Echo as an upcoming item that interfaces specifically with WMC -- seems nice if it works as expected and I think WMC can interface with the HDHR's too IIRC.. I've never run WMC so I don't know what to think of it -- I gather some people like it and others hate it.. Feel free to PM me if you think its OT for this topic.

WAF - It is used daily. Ceton maybe in the future as comcast come to our street.

[cncb]

Originally Posted by osx-addict

In my case I'd want something that can use real extenders of some sort (hopefully not FULL pc's)

Unfortunately, the only extenders supported by NPVR are old NMT devices that are no longer made so unless you can score some on Ebay it is not really feasible at this point.

I think a lot of us have high hopes for the Echo so I hope they don't disappoint. Just getting some final specs would be nice...

[kricker]

You can use XBMC with NPVR as the backend utilizing the NPVR PVR addon for XBMC.

[osx-addict]

One last stupid question (or not?!?)- what's so bad about using an XBOX360 as an STB (e.g. HD300 replacement) in conjunction with WMC/7MC? Seems like it would be nicer than what I've got on the surface -- currently we watch netflix on a sony BD player which requires recabling to switch between HDMI+ethernet when jumping between Sage / netflix.. IF the WMC/7MC path was acceptable it would seem that the XBOX would work OK as it can still do netflix and Amazon VOD along with the regular sage sort of tasks -- albeit not as well perhaps.

Someone please slap me around? Am I speaking blasphemy?

One other thought -- I see that XBMC can be put on an AppleTV box now (among others).. and I think that means I can use the NPVR as the backend and use the AppleTV as the extender.. Is that completely off-base here?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by osx-addict

One last stupid question (or not?!?)- what's so bad about using an XBOX360 as an STB (e.g. HD300 replacement) in conjunction with WMC/7MC?

The #1 reason for me is the 360 has crappy format support. It can't play DVD rips, or Blu-ray, it can't even handle raw/native Blu-ray audio/video, nor can it output HBR audio. FWIW, it would be great if it worked well because I've already got a 360 sitting right next to my HD300 in my HT.

Of course most other people will point out the noise/heat.

Seems like it would be nicer than what I've got on the surface -- currently we watch netflix on a sony BD player which requires recabling to switch between HDMI+ethernet when jumping between Sage / netflix.. IF the WMC/7MC path was acceptable it would seem that the XBOX would work OK as it can still do netflix and Amazon VOD along with the regular sage sort of tasks -- albeit not as well perhaps.

If you don't care about DVD/BD then it works great, it plays WMC native content just fine.

[osx-addict]

Thanks.. I was just reading through this thread -- looks REALLY promising with very active development! If you pair XBMC front end up with NPVR backend and IF XMBC can be loaded up on an AppleTV device that seems like it ought to be a great setup but one that I'm not convinced anybody has tried yet..

[bcjenkins]

This looks to be a new twist. http://m.engadget.com/2012/10/08/box...eng_latest_art

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by osx-addict

One last stupid question (or not?!?)- what's so bad about using an XBOX360 as an STB (e.g. HD300 replacement) in conjunction with WMC/7MC?

It's just fine for Tv, but as stanger pointed out, it is noisy and it is a little laggy. But for some it is definetly worth checking out. After using it for months at this point, I can't wait for the Echo.

... I think that means I can use the NPVR as the backend and use the AppleTV as the extender.. Is that completely off-base here?

Only Apple TV 1 & 2 which doesn't give you 1080p only 720p, with limited audio support. Apple Tv 3 isn't jail broken yet AFAIK.

[Taddeusz]

I've never understood why people complain about how noisy the 360 is. Maybe older units are louder than mine. Got it about 3 years ago.

[osx-addict]

Thx guys.. I did some research on the AppleTV boxes and came to the same conclusion you did -- the new models have yet to be jailbroken and the general consensus is that they will likely never be jailbroken..

As for the XBOX noise, we've got one that is about 3 years old (or 2?) and when the kids are playing games on it or we're watching netflix I don't hear it at all.. But then again I'm in my late 40's so perhaps my hearing is shot!

For me, moving away from Sage isn't going to be cheap regardless of direction -- If I go with WMC in one flavor or another I will need to buy a copy of windows ($200) and then possibly another XBOX360 (guessing about $200) or perhaps the Ceton Echo if it comes available at some point ($179).. If I go with NPVR+XBMC combo then it's a little more expensive as I need to buy two media boxes to run XMBC on -- something small, capable of 1080p and able to stream netflix and/or Amazon VOD whether running W7 or something else -- I do have some old Mac's at home I might be able to re-purpose but I doubt I'll get 1080p out of any of them -- the best one has DVI output..