Beginner's Help Sage102

[Juan Boy]

Ok. I am new to the PVR world. I have been looking at the Sage 102 Home Media Server at http://www.xmediazone.com

First question: Does anyone have anything to say about the hardware I am considering or about the company itself? (Good or bad?)

I have contacted the support group at xmediazone and received good answers to my first round of questions.

Here is the hitch... I currently have digital cable (Adelphia) and would like a dual tuner setup. Xmedia tells me that I will need two cable boxes to support the two tuners.

Is there a way around this? I believe that an additional cable box will be additional monthly $$.

Thanks.........

[heffe2001]

As far as the digital cable, if you don't use 2 boxes, you'll have digital on one, analog on the other, that is if your cable co offers analog still (most do, but I don't they they all do).

The rest I haven't a clue on .

[Juan Boy]

Thanks for the quick reply heffe2001!

[heffe2001]

As far as the xmediazone pc's, they look pretty cool, basically looks like they build custom PC's using the same stuff that say PC Alchemy sells, and take the building/configuring steps out of the picture. Don't know if I'd pay the price they want though. I'd prefer to save myself some cash and build it myself .

[mls]

Although the choice is totally up to you... I'd say building your own system would be a worthwhile learning experience.

Setting up SageTV itself on a computer is really pretty easy compared to getting operating system and all the drivers installed and working.

If you are not comfortable with working with computers and/or learning all the details, then it may be better off paying for someone else to put one together for you.

The main difference is that if you build your own at least you would know exactly what everything is and what it can be upgraded to. If you buy a pre-built or pre-packaged computer (such as those from BestBuy or store like that), then you may not know what other upgrades or expansion you can do with it until you get it home and take it apart yourself.

That's the main reason I've always put together my own computers (even if out of spare junk from others at rummage sales)... simply so I know what I can or can not do with them later.

All depends how adventurous you are and/or how much time you are willing to put into learning and building.