SageTV Pre-Order Questions -- Please Help Me!

[Outvit]

Will SageTV work and be compatible with SageTV & ConvertX TV-402U Bundle (NO REMOTE - $249.95) if I go out and buy an ATI RemoteWonder II separately instead of the StreamZap remote in this bundle? I don't want some über remote like the Logitech Harmony 880. Heavens no! I don't need anything that advanced, but I truly object to the StreamZap remote for some reason and the ATI remote, I'm unsure even of its cost seems much better planned and designed. I also like the remote in this bundle but it's not available with my choice of components I see.

I totally love the Plextor ConvertX TV-402U and I have really come to like the screenshots I've seen thus far of SageTV. It really is seeming like the best I've come across. I've seen TitanTV and BeyondTV and quite a few others and I'm not sure. Their site confused me and I couldn't find a privacy policy regarding whether or not they collect data on your viewing/recording habits. This is one of the most annoying things in the world for me and I like Sage so much because I found it in their FAQ/Privacy Policy they do not. The only thing they said they collect is your system specs, which is meaningless information if its a one time transmission during install or first start up.

What is keeping me from making this decision and buying is the fact that CES 2005 is in full swing, and unfortunately I was not able to attend this tradeshow this year. So I can’t go up to your booth and ask you myself.

I am also wondering if these bundles come with a USB-UIRT device or similar. I read on the website FAQ that the software does fully support it but it seemed vague to me that it’s listed on the bottom of the shopping cart page as an “additional” charge. Should it not come with the bundle? I was under the assumption that SageTV would not work as quickly without these devices interfacing with your S-Video source. Someone clear that up, please.

I have Cox Digital Cable (in Arizona, (a U.S. state for those not in the U.S. and not sure where exactly that is)) with a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 set top box. How would I connect that to this new SageTV setup? I believe you’d need to put the set top box as the first device in the line because SageTV doesn’t understand how to descramble cable signals. Am I right there?

Forgive the unorganized and random nature of my post. It was really just a way to write out any questions that popped into my mind.



Thank you.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Outvit

Will SageTV work and be compatible with SageTV & ConvertX TV-402U Bundle (NO REMOTE - $249.95) if I go out and buy an ATI RemoteWonder II separately instead of the StreamZap remote in this bundle?

There is a plugin for the ATI RW here, but someone else will have to say whether it works with the RW II.

I am also wondering if these bundles come with a USB-UIRT device or similar.

A USB-UIRT would be a separate/additional purchase; it is not included in the bundle.

I have Cox Digital Cable (in Arizona, (a U.S. state for those not in the U.S. and not sure where exactly that is)) with a Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000 set top box. How would I connect that to this new SageTV setup? I believe you’d need to put the set top box as the first device in the line because SageTV doesn’t understand how to descramble cable signals. Am I right there?

Right. It would go: cable line -> STB converter -> encoder.

- Andy

[nielm]

Originally Posted by Opus4

There is a plugin for the ATI RW here, but someone else will have to say whether it works with the RW II.

I dont have one either, but I have received reports that it does work -- some users have problems with auto-repeat being too fast, but there is a workaround in the linked thread.

[Outvit]

Plextor PX-M402U or the Plextor PX-TV-402U?
http://plextor.com/english/products/ConvertXComp.htm

The PX-TV-402U has the built in 125 channel TV tuner but I have a digital cable box and from what I understand the TV tuner is a waste in that sort of setup. Should I just get the PX-M402U? I think it is an identical product to the TV-M402U minus the TV tuner. I bought the PX-M402U from BestBuy today and I plugged it in and it seems to work alright, but there are a lot of issues. I thought from what I have read on these forums and others that the PX-M402U would do just fine since I have a cable box and would not be able to use the built in 125channel tuner anyway? I'm using the 15-day free trial of SageTV and when I change the channel in SageTV it does not change the channel. I know I dont have that infrared commander but I thought maybe I would try the BestBuy route than online stores as I’ve had a lot of trouble in the past with sketchy stores.

Someone please help. I'd love to keep the box I have currently. I'm using the S-Video cable and the audio cable, directly into my cable box, and it does show on my computer screen, but as I said, the results are not to be desired because of the huge gap in what I expected. I want to be able to change the channel in SageTV...and have the cable box do it...i thought that was possible without the infrared transmitter, that it would just be 2 or 3 seconds slower.

I'm not a hardcore user or anything. I'm very much a newbie into these areas and I look forward to getting into it further but I was hoping I could just plug and play. I originally went to BestBuy to find the TV-402U but they did not have it and the sales rep, and I know you will probably say "they'll say anything to get rid of you and have you buy it" but he said he had this box without the TV tuner hooked up to his satelite TV. Was that a lie?

Would I be better off getting an internal card? I heard from a friend i trust that the way to go is definetly uSB-2 because of the ease of setup and use... and told me to stay completely away from Pinnacle and WinTV products because they suck and break all of the time. Oh, and if it helps any...this is a normal desktop PC too...I want to be able to just turn off SageTV and have a normal computer again, but when SageTV is turned on, I want it to be a TV too. So, I think thats what I am going for. I dont think the dual tuner cards will work for me because I only have one cable tv wall outlet per room in my house. Unless I do not understand that either.

Also, as I said earlier, I had heard from the sales rep that the 125 channel tuner would not even work with Cox Digital cable because I have far more than 125 channels. Im also noticing some differences in video quality right off the bat between my TV and my "SageTV" using the S-Video cable. I have not tried the included Composite video cable though I was told that S-Video is better due to its ability to split all of the colors apart or something.

Oh, and I am again sorry for the jumbled nature of my post. I’m not 100% up to date on these things. I hate being confused. Someone, plz...plz...can I get some help.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by Outvit

I want to be able to change the channel in SageTV...and have the cable box do it...i thought that was possible without the infrared transmitter, that it would just be 2 or 3 seconds slower.

SageTV has no way to change the channel on an external converter if there is not either 1) an IR blaster to send channel changes, or 2) a serial connection to the STB to tell it to change channels, if there is such a connection on the box.

- Andy

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by Opus4

SageTV has no way to change the channel on an external converter if there is not either 1) an IR blaster to send channel changes, or 2) a serial connection to the STB to tell it to change channels, if there is such a connection on the box.

- Andy

Alright, I'll invest in the USB-UIRT thingy if your store provides that one. But what about my other questions? I wish I was not so confused about this transition. ;(

[Opus4]

The coax connection to the TV tuner on these encoders is for analog cable -- if you also have analog cable, you could connect directly to the tuner on the encoder. If it is digital cable only, you will _have_ to use a converter box. The converter would also be needed for scrambled analog channels.

The Hauppauge hardware encoders are practically a standard around here, including the pvr-usb2, 250, & 350. The 150 & 500 are newer products, so my impression is that they just haven't had time to become the new 'standard'. The Plextor is a new addition to the list of supported hardware & adds support for recording in DivX format via hardware.

To hook up multiple tuners/converters from a single outlet in one room, you would have to run the cable through a splitter.

- Andy

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The coax connection to the TV tuner on these encoders is for analog cable -- if you also have analog cable, you could connect directly to the tuner on the encoder. If it is digital cable only, you will _have_ to use a converter box. The converter would also be needed for scrambled analog channels.

Well, I am "subscribed" to Cox Digital Cable...with all of the channels offered. Whether or not it is digital or analog I have no clue, but I do know I need the cable box to view all of them. I think Cox scrambles everything.

Originally Posted by Opus4

To hook up multiple tuners/converters from a single outlet in one room, you would have to run the cable through a splitter.

I dont have two cable boxes in my room, yes I could get the splitter but I dont have two cable boxes for that to be good with "dual tuners" if that is waht you mean.

Originally Posted by Opus4

The Hauppauge hardware encoders are practically a standard around here, including the pvr-usb2, 250, & 350. The 150 & 500 are newer products, so my impression is that they just haven't had time to become the new 'standard'. The Plextor is a new addition to the list of supported hardware & adds support for recording in DivX format via hardware.

Is Hauppauge the WinTV? I really do not know what to get. I like the idea of DivX support and being able to record straight into DivX to save hard drive space. I mean I dont have several hundred extra dollars laying around to purchase more hard drives, etc... so I mean DivX is very attractive. I'm trying to be cautious in what I buy because I just spent $550 upgrading my computer to an Athlon64 3200+ (90 nanometer) with a gigabyte of PC-3200 DDR Dual Channel...and of course I had to get a new motherboard (MSI K8N Neo2 Platinum). So, money isn't laying around to just blow on $400 of TV tuner stuff. But at the same time I refuse to buy something that is cheap and crappy just because it is cheap. I want something well tested, well supported and something that will last me years to come.

[korben_dallas]

Outvit,

I am using the PX-TV402U with analog cable, and it works great. So long as Sage is detecting your M402U, it should be almost identical in setup, except you will choose either Svideo or composite as your input. Make sure you install the newest drivers for your Plextor, downloadable here http://www.plextor.com/english/suppo...downloads.html

I have the StreamZap remote, and it works fine. It definitely is not a highly configurable remote, but it is very easy to setup.. and it is easy to use for non-computer savvy people.

Also, I would highly recommend the Nvidia DVD/MPEG2 decoder. You can get the 30 day trial here http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder.html. (It works fantastic with my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.)

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

Outvit,

I am using the PX-TV402U with analog cable, and it works great. So long as Sage is detecting your M402U, it should be almost identical in setup, except you will choose either Svideo or composite as your input. Make sure you install the newest drivers for your Plextor, downloadable here http://www.plextor.com/english/suppo...downloads.html

I have the StreamZap remote, and it works fine. It definitely is not a highly configurable remote, but it is very easy to setup.. and it is easy to use for non-computer savvy people.

Also, I would highly recommend the Nvidia DVD/MPEG2 decoder. You can get the 30 day trial here http://www.nvidia.com/object/dvd_decoder.html. (It works fantastic with my ATI Radeon 9800 Pro.)

Did you buy the bundle from the SageTV Store? I'm using the PX-M402U from BestBuy, not the PX-TV-402U. So, I think that means it is a different setup. I do not have the StreamZap remote because all I bought was the Plextor PX-M402U box and download the 15-day free trial of SageTV.

[Outvit]

Alright, let me ask this then...if I purchase this bundle from the SageTV store...would I be able to just buy a Windows MCE 2005 remote control and then use Windows MCE instead of Sage?

Would I still need the USB-UIRT found here?

[korben_dallas]

The PVR500 is a dual tuner, but it is not dual input. 1 coax is for analog cable, 1 coax for fm radio. It has a splitter inside with dual tuners, but this won't benefit you since you have digital cable with a set top box. In order to record 2 channels simultaneously, you would need two cable converter boxes (2 of your Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000) and two tuner/capture devices.

I don't really think the setup of the Plextor is easier or harder than the Happauge cards. If you decide to go PCI or USB2, make that decision based upon your computer and space requirements. Your M402U should work fine. I would suggest testing out many of the recording qualities to see if you prefer MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 or DivX.

From what people in the forum tell me, the USB-UIRT is the most flexible controller.

I can't really speak about MCE 2005.. especially since I am a loyal SageTV user

[korben_dallas]

Oh, and yes I did buy the Plextor bundle from Frey.

But since you already have the M402U, you will just need SageTV + remote + IR controller.

You can always email Frey orders@freytechnologies.com and ask if they can make a custom order for you.

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by korben_dallas

The PVR500 is a dual tuner, but it is not dual input. 1 coax is for analog cable, 1 coax for fm radio. It has a splitter inside with dual tuners, but this won't benefit you since you have digital cable with a set top box. In order to record 2 channels simultaneously, you would need two cable converter boxes (2 of your Scientific Atlanta Explorer 2000) and two tuner/capture devices.

Oh, wow, that's not cool of them to do that to a newbie like me...they should explain that clearly. What TV tuner card can I get where It has two inputs where I can do TV on both, individually. If I upgrade to that in the future. Does the PVR-500 come with a radio antenna or anything so I can listen to radio. Does it support AM radio as well as FM? I mean radio might be a cool thing to have. A local radio station used to have a live webcast that I took advantage of but not anymore.

Or, could I simply buy a second Plextor PX-M402U?

[Opus4]

The pvr-500 has a single TV coax input wth an internal splitter going to 2 tuners/encoders. The 500 also has one external svideo/composite input. There are header pins on the card for a 2nd svideo connection, but you would either need to put something together yourself to connect to that or wait to see if Hauppauge ever releases such an add-on connector.

As was said above, it has an FM input (no AM), but SageTV does not make use of the FM tuners -- it isn't overly useful anyway, as in the past the FM tuners on the Hauppauge cards haven't been able to be used at the same time as the TV tuner: you can listen to radio or record TV, but not both at once.

- Andy

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by Opus4

The pvr-500 has a single TV coax input wth an internal splitter going to 2 tuners/encoders. The 500 also has one external svideo/composite input. There are header pins on the card for a 2nd svideo connection, but you would either need to put something together yourself to connect to that or wait to see if Hauppauge ever releases such an add-on connector.

As was said above, it has an FM input (no AM), but SageTV does not make use of the FM tuners -- it isn't overly useful anyway, as in the past the FM tuners on the Hauppauge cards haven't been able to be used at the same time as the TV tuner: you can listen to radio or record TV, but not both at once.

- Andy

Ok then. Since I have the Plextor PX-M402U...what do I need to complete bundle? The USB-UIRT and a remote? Is that it? Would it be more cost efficient to get the SageTV & ConvertX TV-402U Bundle with Remote and the optional USB-UIRT than buying it seperately or trying to get the components I could not find at BestBuy? Do I even need the USB-UIRT when the bundle itself comes with a remote? I mean obviously I can return what I bought at BestBuy anytime.

[Opus4]

If you want IR control for the converter, then at the minimum you will need something like the USB-UIRT. Once you have that, you can use it as an IR receiver too and use just about any remote with it to control SageTV. As for what setup is the best price, I think you wold have to lay out exaclty what you want to get & then compare the various costs and decide whether you want the encoder to also have a tuner for some possible future use. If that isn't important, then the one you have should work.

- Andy

[Outvit]

Originally Posted by Opus4

If you want IR control for the converter, then at the minimum you will need something like the USB-UIRT. Once you have that, you can use it as an IR receiver too and use just about any remote with it to control SageTV. As for what setup is the best price, I think you wold have to lay out exaclty what you want to get & then compare the various costs and decide whether you want the encoder to also have a tuner for some possible future use. If that isn't important, then the one you have should work.

- Andy

My main concern is the cables it comes with may be too short! They are only like 2 feet long or something. It would be nice to have 6 feet or something as my computer center is a really big desk with components spread apart in an uncluttered fashion. The desk is I believe over 60 inches from point to point, and its a corner unit, each side 60 inches ( aprox or more ), I forget the exact measurements.

If I get the bundle I mentioned: SageTV & ConvertX TV-402U Bundle with Remote. Would I be able to buy an extra Plextor PX-TV-402U in the future and just stack them?

Now for some typical consumer questions:

• What is Frey Technologies RMA policy?
• What if the equipment is defective or becomes defective?
• Is there a refund policy if I am unhappy with my purchase?
• I'm being careful not to get any white box items. I would like to have the original packaging and accessories that come with the PX-TV-402U. So, I'm trying to find that somewhere, if it is white box.

Maybe I am blind but I did not find this on your website.

[korben_dallas]

You are correct. Both of the USB cables for the Plextor and the StreamZap IR are short.

I have a 20 foot coax cable running from the wall to my TV402U, and then 2 more 20 foot cables going from the PC to the TV/entertainment center for video and sound. So yeah, I have some cables running across the floor, and I have to point the remote at my computer desk.

Since you already have the M402U, why don't you pick up a remote and the USB-UIRT and try out the whole setup with the SageTV Trial. That way, you can see how the whole thing would work without purchasing a SageTV license. If you don't like it, then you can try out other PVR software until you find the one that best matches your needs.

[AndyS]

Outvit - some of these questions need to be answered by Frey themselves. This is a user-community forum and doesn't represent Frey directly. You could send an email to Frey for the answer to your RMA/refund questions.

Of course we're all happy to help you out with technical and equipment-related questions wherever we can.
Andy.