Question on Placeshifter Licensing

[Fountainhead]

I'm evaluating SageTV right now, trying to determine if it'll do what I'd like for a reasonable amount of money. I'm setting up a dedicated PC with the tuner card to run the app itself. I'm planning to install the Placeshifter app on my main PC for TV viewing. I'd also like to have the placeshifter app on my laptop for when I'm away. If they're both for my own personal use (no other individuals will use them) and they're never used simultaneously, am I required to purchase two seperate placeshifter licenses?

Thanks.

[millers_35]

No the placeshifter license is a floating license. Meaning you can run only 1 instance at a time from whereever you want. So only 1 license needed.

Miller

[Fountainhead]

OK, that sounds good, though from reading some of the other messages in the forum they make it sound as if it'd be a problem using the same key on two different machines.

So to clarify...I can use the same license key on both my home PC and on my personal laptop (both technically and legally) so long as I don't make a concurrent connection?

[millers_35]

Technically yes, I use Placeshifter on like 4 different computers and only have 1 license. Now legally I think that its fine that route too as far as I know I havent read the license agreement but maybe someone else will chime in.

Miller

[GKusnick]

So to clarify...I can use the same license key on both my home PC and on my personal laptop (both technically and legally) so long as I don't make a concurrent connection?
You don't install the Placeshifter license on the client machine, you install it on the server. You can then install the Placeshifter software itself on as many client machines as you like without providing a license key. The license is checked at the server end when a Placeshifter client connects to the server, so you need one server-side license for each simultaneous connection.

[millers_35]

You don't install the Placeshifter license on the client machine, you install it on the server. You can then install the Placeshifter software itself on as many client machines as you like without providing a license key. The license is checked at the server end when a Placeshifter client connects to the server, so you need one server-side license for each simultaneous connection.

Good Call I wasnt thinking that way.

Miller

[Fountainhead]

You don't install the Placeshifter license on the client machine, you install it on the server. You can then install the Placeshifter software itself on as many client machines as you like without providing a license key. The license is checked at the server end when a Placeshifter client connects to the server, so you need one server-side license for each simultaneous connection.

OK, this makes sense. I think I was confused by some of the messages about Sage TV Client licenses and SageTV PlaceShifter licenses. I guess they're two different things, though for the life of me I'm not sure I understand the difference.

But everyone seems in agreement that a single placeshifter key will legally allow me to connect from 2 different locations, so long as they aren't concurrent.

That's exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks!

[blade]

I guess they're two different things, though for the life of me I'm not sure I understand the difference.

Placeshifter can be used across the internet where as the regular client can not. I don't know much about placeshifter, but it can't do everything that the regular client can. I don't believe it can play DVDs, you can't change decoders, and I'm not sure if there is any built in support for a remote control. As I said I don't know much about placeshifter, but be aware it can't do everything the regular client can.

[Fountainhead]

Thanks Blade. Yeah, the Sage Client allows for more configuration, while the placeshifter allows internet access. They sure could do a better job clarifying this stuff on their web site, eh? The PlaceShifter is what I want.

An aside, I'm really impressed so far with how well all of this works. I actually connected to my server (P4 2.4 GHZ with 2 GB RAM connected to the Internet with 15/2 FiOS) via my laptop while connected to the internet through my tethered cell phone. Only about 100kbps connection speed, but the video was surprisingly decent once it loaded. Very impresive.

Now if they'd just come out with a PocketPC client option I'd be in heaven.

[FidgetyRat]

Another bonus is that MVP extenders use the same license as placeshifters. (Just got to remember to power down the MVP if you want to use that license. I forgot mine today :( )


If you don't *really* care to take it on the road on a laptop (I found that 802.11b is not fast enough for video on my laptop) Stick with a client.