Thanks for the good times, SageTV

[grbsaaber]

Unfortanely im like s schuster.

Moved my system today over to windows media center 7 running 2 2250 cards for 4 QAM channels and a CETON card for 4 more.

I have fios and showtime and the movie channel and some random other channels weren't recording right every now and then. No more problems with the DRM management which plays on all xbox extenders no problem.

Got an xbox for free and fixed it for $20. Other windows machines can see the recorded tv no problem if its copy freely but only use them in the garage.

Now to sell my 3 HD200s.

[korben_dallas]

Can the Xbox watch LiveTV through the Ceton? Or does the show have to be fully recorded?

[jarredduq]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Can the Xbox watch LiveTV through the Ceton? Or does the show have to be fully recorded?

Yes you can watch live tv, using the XBox as a media center extender.

[rolltide9612]

A couple of questions for those of you who have moved to Windows Media Center with Ceton:

- Are you pleased with using the Xbox as an extender? How does it compare to a HD200?

- Are all the shows you recorded with SageTV lost, or did you find a way to convert them so that WMC can recognize them?

- Are your ripped DVDs/Blu-Rays available on WMC or via the Xbox extender?

Thanks!

[tomatodave]

as well as Sage works - how could you think about anything else.

[mistergq]

Its a shame that those that posted about XBMC included information that violates the terms of service. It was interesting hearing about XBMC.

I did a little investigating and I just don't see that as a good option - yet. XBMC is still working on getting the PVR up. For a front end, it has always been an excellent product. But without the PVR function - the primary function of what I need, its still not there.

I always wondered how those that used BTV could stick with it. Now I may become like them because right now, there is no complete option that is substantially similar to STV.

If npvr would add extender support, I think that would work, but until then, I am staying put, especially since my cable card is working!

[SHS]

Gunserotti thoses type of sharing applications are all about piracy downloading of copyrighted tv show, moive and etc so that in self dose violating the board rules and it dosen't matter if that software is free or not free your still infringements is carried out by you the user of that software so it still about piracy.

[emveepee]

Originally Posted by mistergq

If npvr would add extender support, I think that would work, but until then, I am staying put, especially since my cable card is working!

I can get a NPVR extender running on several boxes right know and play pretty much any captured content. The problem really is building something for all the other content that people want that XBMC is so great at playing, especially their MKV/XViD/DVD and BD ISO rips. Add that to streaming content from Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Pandora, Spotify etc you really can't build a versatile extender.

The market changes so fast the HD300 is obsolete with the newest extenders when it comes to content, and it doesn't play DRM for the Americans so it can't even do "TV" like an xbox360. I can see why SageTV were probably happy to get out of this business.

Martin

[SWKerr]

Originally Posted by emveepee

I can get a NPVR extender running on several boxes right know and play pretty much any captured content. The problem really is building something for all the other content that people want that XBMC is so great at playing, especially their MKV/XViD/DVD and BD ISO rips. Add that to streaming content from Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Pandora, Spotify etc you really can't build a versatile extender.

The market changes so fast the HD300 is obsolete with the newest extenders when it comes to content, and it doesn't play DRM for the Americans so it can't even do "TV" like an xbox360. I can see why SageTV were probably happy to get out of this business.

Martin

I have done testing with Media Portal, nPVR, Meda Center, BOXEE, and XBMC over the last several months looking at what may be the eventual successor to SageTV. At this point I can't say I have found a reason to make a change.

nPVR seems to me to have the most potential to replace SageTV but I can't say I am in love with the GUI. I think if it ever got the kind of love that SageTV gets from the development community it could be every bit as good as SageTV.

As for extenders I think a plugin for BOXEE or ROKU is the way to go. Let them deal with the Netflix, HBO GO and YouTube DRM issues and just concentrate on good DVR functionality in a plugin. I think GoogleTV with a nPVR or MediaPortal plugin could even work at some point. There may even be a business model in having free DVR software and selling client plugins on these extenders app stores.

Xbox360 and Media Center: I find I really like the Xbox360 Netflix plugin. I expect it will become my tool of choice for HBO Go as well when it comes out as well. The playback is great and I like the Voice control of Kinect for play and Pause rather then looking for or holding the remote all the time. But.. my love affair with the Xbox360 as media extender stops there. There is no good way to customize the dashboard to remove all the useless Zune crap and other items that I do not really care about. What I want is never on the main screen but hidden in the pluin\app folders. Once you are in a plugin the experience is fairly good. There is no real Music or Movies\Video app you have to call Media Center for that functionality. Media Center is just another plugin in the Xbox360 and although the experience is ok it is no SageTV. Media Center is pretty but inefficient to navigate. The propitiatory wtv files for TV recording along the limited codec and format support make it less than ideal. I think if you bind\limit yourself to all things Microsoft than it may work but I am not willing to go there just yet.

AppleTV and the greater Apple ecosystem have the same goal\limitations as the Microsoft approach. They are interested in selling their content and as long as you bought it from them and play it on their equipment then you are good, otherwise you can go f yourself.

At this point there are three ecosystems, Google\Android, Apple iOS and Microsoft. (Sony is lost) The future of Multi-Media lies with these at the core. Of these I think only Google will be open enough to play well with others. I am really hoping on a open GoogleTV environment for the likes of nPVR to play in. I have some hope Boxee will survive in a niche roles but without the mobile options I can't see it ever really taking off.

Ok now I just rambling...

[Kryspy]

There is a fourth ecosystem.

I use a server running Mythtv to record OTA to a Hauppauge 2250 and 1250. Those recordings are viewed via 2X PS3's in the house using PS3 Mediaserver.

All other viewing is also on the PS3 via Netflix and Vudu.

I'd say that counts as an ecosystem. Not as fancy a setup as the others but still fancier and more versatile than any STB from just about any carrier out there.

Kryspy

[korben_dallas]

Originally Posted by SWKerr

Ok now I just rambling...

Definitely not rambling, man. I really appreciate you sharing all of your various experiences and testing.

[emveepee]

Roku, AppleTV and GoogleTV (at least the Logitech flavour) aren't even considerations for me, since they can't natively play basic mpeg2 video so there won't be livetv from ATSC, QAM or the DCR's. They are only focused on streaming which is h264 but I'm not sure they can even play mpeg-ts from the HDPVR.

Martin

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Definitely not rambling, man. I really appreciate you sharing all of your various experiences and testing.

Ditto.

I've played around with a number of things as well and agree that nPVR has the best potential. The devs working on the core are very good and the overall architecture makes it reasonably easy for people to write plugins. (If it were only Java based I'd be in heaven.)

[panteragstk]

Plex for roku can't play mpeg2? Not that I plan on trying that any time soon.

[emveepee]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Plex for roku can't play mpeg2? Not that I plan on trying that any time soon.

Correct, although myPlex allows transcoding, it's not the same experience as native support which is why the discussion on a Plex client for SageTV gets confused, because Roku is the problem, my Samsung TV's native support is quite good even with seeking.

Martin

[CanadianEh]

I have to say the same - my HD100 is locking up repeatedy and I can't buy a new client license for the replacement PC. I've started implementing MediaPortal as of a couple of days ago, converting functionality over... with all that is left to convert being the TV recording portion itself.

Sad day - Google killed this amazing piece of software. They're continuing to lose any future potential clients by keeping everyone in the dark.

[mistergq]

Originally Posted by emveepee

I can get a NPVR extender running on several boxes right know and play pretty much any captured content. The problem really is building something for all the other content that people want that XBMC is so great at playing, especially their MKV/XViD/DVD and BD ISO rips. Add that to streaming content from Netflix, Hulu, BBC iPlayer, Pandora, Spotify etc you really can't build a versatile extender.

I think the primary focus should be the MKV/XViD/DVD and BD ISO rips. the streaming content is icing on the cake. I have some many devices that can pplay those (BluRay player, Xbox360) that I don't care about my extender being able to play those. But I do want my extender to be able to view my DVD and BluRay rips.

So if you can get an extender that can do live tv and that, you will win over the SageTV community. Also, I recommend that you seek the support of the SageTV community developers. I am not saying nPVR needs to look like sage, but it needs to have feature that Sage has if you want us to move to you. Otherwise, I see no reason of changing as long as I have extenders working for me with SageTV.

[emveepee]

Originally Posted by mistergq

I think the primary focus should be the MKV/XViD/DVD and BD ISO rips. the streaming content is icing on the cake. I have some many devices that can pplay those (BluRay player, Xbox360) that I don't care about my extender being able to play those. But I do want my extender to be able to view my DVD and BluRay rips.

Broadcast standards are relatively static so my prime focus is on mpeg playback since I have many players that play many formats when I need them but 90% or more of my use is captured media or music. There is no point in trying to compete with XBMC or the coming generations of extenders, it's a losing battle. Nothing compares to the HDx00 for SageTV or the first gen NMT's (~HD200) for GBPVR/NextPVR for mpeg playback and the fact they do more is quite a bonus. They are all bargains on ebay as long as the hardware holds out.

So if you can get an extender that can do live tv and that, you will win over the SageTV community. Also, I recommend that you seek the support of the SageTV community developers. I am not saying nPVR needs to look like sage, but it needs to have feature that Sage has if you want us to move to you. Otherwise, I see no reason of changing as long as I have extenders working for me with SageTV.

The issue isn't so much that Sage developers need to be convinced to support NextPVR, at least one has already joined. Most are like you, quite happy with SageTV so they won't be leaving soon and so they continue to write code for their use along with the dwindling SageTV community. The real loser is the new user who can't use SageTV that cannot draw on the wealth of talent here. I certainly like supporting the "Senior" members of the NextPVR community, but I personally really like it when a new user adds his/her comments.

Note that I am a community developer too, and so my views may not be the same as sub's (the author of NextPVR) but I'd be glad to help anyone who needs it and I know sub actively helps too. Writing plugins for NextPVR isn't very hard, I basically wrote the interface to Sage Network Recorders over a couple of evening and a UPnP player (for PlayOn) in hours. The UPnP piece took a little longer because I am also the author of MVP and NMT clients and I changed them so they could stream http directly from the UPnP host.

Martin

[Slugger]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

Ditto.

I've played around with a number of things as well and agree that nPVR has the best potential. The devs working on the core are very good and the overall architecture makes it reasonably easy for people to write plugins. (If it were only Java based I'd be in heaven.)

Isn't nPVR written in C#? If I'm right, just grab MS Visual Studio 2010 Express for C# and dig into it, I think you'll find a lot of similarities between C# and Java.

[PiX64]

As i continue to research complete solution as many of you, i seem to find bits and pieces of things that are pretty exciting. I am still playing with xbmc and Plex, but xbmc is a great ui...everything else makes me annoyed very quickly. Plex is cool and pretty but has its own annoyances. anyways in reading through this thread i started digging into nextpvr. I stumbled upon the following tool which you may or maynot all be aware of. I know Fuzzy is :-)

http://forums.gbpvr.com/showthread.p...Import-Utility