Cost of "beta" entry fee...

[stinhoutx]

I did not see any other posts regarding this. I don't expect actual discussion of the the details of the program or device due to the non-disclosure/confidentiality.

Other than the cool, early adopter draw - I would have a hard time spending $1K on a dedicated box, when I could build a fairly capable PC with tuners and software licenses for the same amount, and some would argue much less.

stinhoutx

[JUC]

i'm with you, i already emailed dan when i got the email noting the price...you could do a lot more with a 1,000...

[RobDMB]

Yeah i inquired and thought the same.

[korben_dallas]

When I got Dan's email and saw the price, I thought the same. But on further review, a large part of us forum crowd might actually not be a good target audience for that box. We're used to tweaking and configuring and uninstalling/installing, do-it-yourself'ing ect.

[mikejaner]

Yeah, I was in, till I saw the startup cost too. I was expecting around $400-500. I too realized I could hold off. I have such a stable system as it is, I just can't justify the price.

[sudipto]

Wow ! Seems to be a LOT of us in exactly the same boat ! I too was VERY interested in the program, but the cost seemed prohibitive for me, especially since I already have enough spare parts laying around to build another PC.

If/when Frey releases the specs for the dedicated Sage Mediacenter box AND makes the Linux version of Sage available, I would be one of the first to jump on (with my own built PC, of course).

[JUC]

yea, i think 400-500 would be a more suitable price for something like this....below the cost of a full blown PC but still has the PVR capabilities.

[Lester Jacobs]

Yeah, with $1000 I could add a terabyte of storage to my current production Sage box. This would get me a lot more bang for the buck than having an "early adopter" system. For $400, I might try it. For $1000 I'm definitely out.

I'm much more interested in getting in on an early beta of the Windows version rather than the Linux version. I could give two hoots about the Linux version. I don't want a dedicated PVR box. I want a box that's a great PVR that allows me to optionally also run my choice of other software. The OS that gives me the most choices for running software is Windows, and it is the OS that everyone in my house understands. So I'll wait until Frey provides an opportunity to test 3.0 under Windows rather than Linux.

Cheers
Lester

[Scriber]

Do we even know the specs of the Sage Mediacenter box? AFAIK MCE boxes are not any cheaper.

For me a the idea of a dedicated PVR box is fine - essentially what I use now. I'm sure the idea here is that for those that can build their own - fine. For those that are new to Sage and can't or don't want to - fine.

I'm really anxious for the Sage extenders. I'm tempted to just buy some MVPs now and just use the Sage Client MVP plugin but thought it better to wait for 3.0. Kinda figured an updated MVP was in the works too...

[Lester Jacobs]

Originally Posted by Scriber

Do we even know the specs of the Sage Mediacenter box? AFAIK MCE boxes are not any cheaper....

Good point. However, as an "early adopter" I'd expect to get the system at a significant discount because:

1) I imagine I would be filling out weekly (maybe even more frequently) beta reports
2) I'm going to encounter bugs and issues in usage. Given that the system should be used in a "real" environment then this translates to an increased frustration level in my family while the beta is in progress.


So that leads me to the following points:

1) Either $1000 is a "significant" discount which means that the "real" price is higher (and that would be scary!)
2) Or $1000 is close to the real price. Thus I'm paying the same for an early adopter "buggy" system as I would be for a polished final product; and I have to fill out status reports to boot. Why would I go through the pain of an early adopter system then?

Additionally, if I'm going to recommend the Sage Linux PVR to my "technically challenged" friends then I'll have to position it as a TIVO/VCR alternative (I can't sell them on the "it's also a computer" argument since the chances of them running Linux applications is nil). So they are going to look at the price of a TIVO and say, why am I paying a premium for a Sage box? I'm not sure what my answer to that will be. I can justify an MCE 2005 box such as the HP Digital Media Receiver because in addition to MCE 2005 it will also run any Windows app. In the same vein I can justify Sage running on Windows (which is what I do and what I currently have got several other people in my circle of friends doing).

Cheers
Lester

[glbrown]

At first I felt bad because I didn't get an email invite but now not so much. They were talking about a $500 entry level price point at the show. I just can't see paying a substantial premium to beta test. I used to have to pay people to do that for me. Wait, I used to get paid to do that

Besides, if this is planned as a dedicated box like an STB, they will not begin to be able to compete in the Joe Consumer marketplace which is where I thought this box would sell.

I'll stick with windows thank you. At least when I get sick of watching TV, I can play flight simulator on that nice big screen.

[nielm]

... Or $1000 is the price/unit for a limited production run of beta units...
The final unit will be mass produced and much cheaper...
(but I agree, it does 'feel' too expensive for a try-out system).

Just a thought...

[Enormous]

I'm in the same lot as the rest of you. I even had the wife's approval for $400, but was shot down on the $1K mark. Oh well. Maybe when I'm older.

[heffe2001]

When I got in the Microsoft MCE beta, they sent me a brand new Dell 8300 with 2 tuners, 1g memory, 5900xt video, 120g SATA drive, 3ghz Prescot, etc. I didn't have to pay a nickel for it. I also got a Media extender box as well. Once the beta for 2005 was over, they even let me keep the hardware...

I can't and won't expect Frey to do anything like that (much smaller company, so they can't afford to do that), but I would expect the system to be basically the cost of parts that were used to build them. SO for all we know, the beta systems will run about a grand cost. Too much for me to go into just to test a new version, but not bad either, especially since one you're done, you've got a dual tuner system that will most undoubtly run very stably, and support several extenders & clients.

[kny3twalker]

was it ever said what the spec of the computer will be?

will it be using a hardware decoder or nvidia video card (guess not ATI since it is linux)?

[dbfresh23]

Why couldn't it be ATI with Linux? My Radeon works great!

I don't think everyone is taking into account that Sage (unlike tivo or replay) needs basically an entire computer in their system. CPU, Ram, Video card, Unless they had a custom pcb made - but that'd be really really expensive.

Obviously if they intend on marketing these against tivo then the price needs to be cut in half before the masses will buy them.

I'm still trying to get the wife to let me signup! Blah blah mortgage payment...

[kny3twalker]

I heard ATI driver support was not "there" yet for linux
and I cannot imagine Sage taking a chance on an ATI video card with this

[dbfresh23]

Interesting, ATI drivers existed before Nvidia drivers for linux. I use Mplayer to watch movies and it works perfectly. I am using my Radeon on a linux box right now in fact. I guess you could be talking about the svideo/composite video out, which linux does have trouble with - but that's not restricted to ATI...

[foolio]

that price is too much - rapidly approaching the price of an HDTV TIVO with 2 satellite and 2 OTA tuners! crazy

Where is the HD Support?? another superbowl about to pass on by without SageHD.

[kny3twalker]

yeah passing up DirecTiVo HD would be hard to do beta box from SageTV
when both cost a grand

but maybe they put a grand worth of hardware in it

thats why I want to know what it is running?