Laptop Client

[jasonstx]

I have an older Compaq laptop that I was thinking about using as a client. My thoughts were as follows:

1. Its reasonably quiet
2. It can standby
3. Has video out
4. has audio out
5. has nic

By putting my original Sage box in the office, I don't have to get another quieter case and the laptop is pretty small so isn't that noticable.

I am thinking that some of the super cheap laptops on ebay that are P3-400's have audio and video out and if they don't already have a nic, a cheapo pcmcia one is $5. Even if the LCD display is bad on it, who cares, all you want is the video out.

Is there something I am missing, something that won't work with Sage?

[JasonJoel]

You will have problems even playing back the video if you get TOO slow of a computer...

I would have reservations about a P3-400... But I know some people on here have tried slower machines than I have. Hopefully they will chime in.

Jason

Originally posted by jasonstx
I have an older Compaq laptop that I was thinking about using as a client. My thoughts were as follows:

1. Its reasonably quiet
2. It can standby
3. Has video out
4. has audio out
5. has nic

By putting my original Sage box in the office, I don't have to get another quieter case and the laptop is pretty small so isn't that noticable.

I am thinking that some of the super cheap laptops on ebay that are P3-400's have audio and video out and if they don't already have a nic, a cheapo pcmcia one is $5. Even if the LCD display is bad on it, who cares, all you want is the video out.

Is there something I am missing, something that won't work with Sage?

[Opus4]

On a really slow machine, you may be limited to playing low quality recordings unless you add a hardware decoder to do the work instead of the cpu. The problem with this for a laptop is that I only know of 2 hardware decoders (350 + xcard) & they both are PCI based.

- Andy

[Scriber]

Hmmmm... this is intriguing idea. Talk about a portable and quiet SFF case!

Will the tv-out of a laptop have generally decent PQ? I figured this would be the problem.

Might try this is too w/an old P3 750 laptop w/client, my MCE remote using girder. I would probably need a G (not B as I have) WF setup but I could test this first using a wired connection to see how it works.

[jasonstx]

Well, I have used my laptop before for picture and video out to my big screen before with no problems at all. This was also playing video over the network. Not HUGH files, usually xvid, 700-900 meg files.

My laptop specs from.
P3-800
256 RAM
20gb HDD
DVD Drive
ATI Mobility M3 16meg

I did a quick look on ebay and found many full laptops that look like they would work fine for $400. That is a bit much to just go out and buy one since i feel you could build a quiet PC for that much and make it an XP2600, 512meg jobber at that.

I have sage tv installed on my "server" but cannot find a place to download the client. The website says that ALL sage products have a 15 day free trial but I just can't find the software.

[Opus4]

Go to the main page, click on SageTV at the top, then click on the big 15 day trial notice on the right side & down a little.

- Andy

[jasonstx]

Well there ya go, didn't scroll down. Nice "Download Sage Client link right there.

Although now things have changed.

My wife got a little pissy about "wasting" a laptop so I am now using an ATI RF Remote and a wireless video sender. Total cost was $60 for both.

Since I can have multiple receivers, I can also setup a wireless unit in the bedroom and she gets the laptop for the kitchen.

All in all it works and I am still married.

[krutaw]

Originally posted by jasonstx
I am thinking that some of the super cheap laptops on ebay that are P3-400's have audio and video out and if they don't already have a nic, a cheapo pcmcia one is $5. Even if the LCD display is bad on it, who cares, all you want is the video out.

Is there something I am missing, something that won't work with Sage?

I currently utilize a laptop (1.79ghz) for my living room SageTV Client. Now, even with a laptop with a little beef to it like that one, I still notice that there is some stuttering compared to my full machine (with a pvr-350.)

Anywho, in time I will be replacing the laptop with an actual computer (with a cool looking case from D.Vine) with a PVR-350 if I go with a non-HDTV big screen, or just DVI out if I go with a HDTV bigscreen.