Who is gonna be the leader here...

[broderp]

I'm buying a new TV.. hopefully ...next year, and it will be a SONY 70" LCD HDTV. I can't wait to see SAGE on the really BIG screen! (Current screen is 53")

The problem is, and I'm surprised it's not brought up very often, is that SAGE is programmed, drawn...whatever in 4x3. What about us guys with (or will be getting.. :rolleyes2 ) 16x9 sets?

There is a lot of real estate to be had rather than waste it on a stretched 4:3 setup. (As shown in the Teehan-Lax study)

I'd do it myself, but there is this little thing called STUDIO, that only a few get to play with, and I can't do much without it. :confused:

Anyone with the golden support of Frey and STUDIO on their PC care to even give us SOMETHING? Even an updated OEM skin with enhanced features for 16x9 would be a step in the right direction!

RB

[mlbdude]

I think most or all of the STV's already support this. For example, the EPG can be configured for more columns or rows. The Video Library can be configured for more columns and rows as well.

[GbrNole]

man and i thought you were going to request music be listed by genre... :smokin:

[sleonard]

mlbdude is correct. Sage supports 16x9 screens out of the box. I use Sage on a 16x9 Samsung RP DLP at 1280x720. I didn't have to do anything special in Sage for this.

[broderp]

mlbdude is correct. Sage supports 16x9 screens out of the box. I use Sage on a 16x9 Samsung RP DLP at 1280x720. I didn't have to do anything special in Sage for this.


Yes it will work, but SAGE is a 4:3 program. Look at the Teehan-Lax project and what they propose. I know some of those trying to copy have had to cut back or scale things becuase they don't have the same realestet on a 4:3 that you do on a 16x9.

I'll find examples is you guys still done get it.

[Cayars]

We get it, but we're telling you that you CAN re-configure it (a lot of it) to take better advantage of 16:9. If you don't make a few changes here and ther then you will be running a 4:3 display on your 16:9 TV.

[broderp]

We get it, but we're telling you that you CAN re-configure it (a lot of it) to take better advantage of 16:9. If you don't make a few changes here and ther then you will be running a 4:3 display on your 16:9 TV.

I understand, but like I tell everyone, I don't know this software like the rest of you, and using cryptic commands and changing the registry and figuring out undocumented skins and feautres is just frustrating.

Call me stupid, but I find this stuff difficult unless I have step by step instructions that don't involve changing much. It needs to be OUT OF THE BOX 16x9 or give us STUDIO like we were promised with some instructions on how to do it.

Its a little more than just changing the width and such of certain things.

[Crashless]

These settings are neither cryptic or hidden. Most/all the STVs allow real-time modification through the detailed setup menu. You can even change the font size.

No editing of config files needed.

[abasu2003]

all of the settings that people are talking about are in detailed setup or sage.properties file. and the ones that are in sage.properties are pretty straightforward. between font sizes, widths and heights of the EPG and of the recordings screen, i don't know what else you need. maybe a screenshot will help people out.

is studio as easy to use as broderp is making it sound?

[Cayars]

I've even added many additional settings to my Cayars.stv so people don't have to go digging through the property file.

broderp. I don't get how you can talk from two different sides of the toung in one post. First you say you don't know the software/command/settings and you need step-by-step directions. It's called a manual and it gets installed with each copy of 2.1. RTFM, it has a lot of good info in it and you'll learn quite a few good things.

Then you said give you STUDIO so you can change it yourself?

This is an oxymoran. :)

[kny3twalker]

this was the quote
It needs to be OUT OF THE BOX 16x9 or give us STUDIO like we were promised with some instructions on how to do it.



and this is the oxymoron


My System: SONY KP-53HS10 4:3 HDREADY TV,

[GbrNole]

actually he said he would be getting a 16:9 set in the non too distant future but what does any of this have to do with me getting music by genre enabled??? :D

[kny3twalker]

actually he said he would be getting a 16:9 set in the non too distant future but what does any of this have to do with me getting music by genre enabled???


well damn he's impatient
I see it now
70" LCD HDTV which he does not have yet
suppose I should have known it would be widescreen

[broderp]

all of the settings that people are talking about are in detailed setup or sage.properties file. and the ones that are in sage.properties are pretty straightforward. between font sizes, widths and heights of the EPG and of the recordings screen, i don't know what else you need. maybe a screenshot will help people out.

is studio as easy to use as broderp is making it sound?

No one knows or is speaking about WHAT or how STUDIO works. It may be the equivelent of learning C or some other language or as quick and user freindly as a drag and drop windows program.

All the STVs around, but to real manual or description of features, and changes are not as simple as they should be.

Take for example: The GUIDES menu on the latest STV for SAGE 2.1.......I pressed it, expecting to get the usual guide that I like (OEM GUIDE), what do I find? A list:

LiveTV Guide
Browse by Catagory
Custom 1
Custom 2
Etc...

Ok, I don't need or want this list. How do I remove? If I wanted tho use "Custom 2...HOW the heck do I set it up? No instructions.

THIS IS WHAT I hate. Understand?

Second, my wife takes one look at this and says: FORGET IT!!! (To those who don't understand....this means it will be difficult to get approval to spend MONEY on upgrading the SAGE BOX!!!! :D

[ToxMox]

You are using a custom STV not one released by Frey. Cayars' STV to be exact. It says right in the second line of the first post for his STV the following:
begin quote:
"This is a "power users" STV! It is built for Version 2.1 of SageTV."
End quote

He has rather detailed info in that first post on how to install his STV. Where to read about how to edit the menu xml file and an entire list of the features it has. His STV assumes you know how to or will at least research the other STVs that have gone into making it. Namely the Neilm version with the custom menus which uses an xml file to define the menus. Removing items from the menus is as simple as highlighting the item and hitting the mapped option button on your remote or right clicking. Another way is to just edit the xml file. Most if not all the customized tweaks that have settings in this STV are in the Detailed setup in the bottom 4 sections (Internal, Interface, Enhancements, and Commercial Skip)

Why not spend some time reading more carefully instead of assuming there are no instructions. Everything you asked for in the post above is easy if you just do some reading.

[abasu2003]

you have to make the assessment for yourself. you either need to spend a little bit of time reading about the custom STV's and customizing it yourself or you should just stick with the original STV.

fyi, for a lot of these questions, you sound like you are being difficult rather than actually not understanding. but even the simplest questions usually get answered within a matter of hours (max) on these forums. you should look at how to customize menus and customize them yourself. if you can't figure this out or just don't want to invest the time to figure this out, then maybe i would jsut go with the original stv.

even with studio, you are going to have to invest time into learning how to program these things

[nielm]

No one knows or is speaking about WHAT or how STUDIO works.Thats what an NDA means! I could tell you but then I would have to kill you :)

However, with the problems you are having with the configuration of the custom STVs, Studio is not going to be any help for you...

[broderp]

this was the quote


and this is the oxymoron

My Sony 53" is a 4:3 HDREADY set? whats so wrong about that? It's a fact.

[broderp]

you have to make the assessment for yourself. you either need to spend a little bit of time reading about the custom STV's and customizing it yourself or you should just stick with the original STV.

fyi, for a lot of these questions, you sound like you are being difficult rather than actually not understanding. but even the simplest questions usually get answered within a matter of hours (max) on these forums. you should look at how to customize menus and customize them yourself. if you can't figure this out or just don't want to invest the time to figure this out, then maybe i would jsut go with the original stv.

even with studio, you are going to have to invest time into learning how to program these things


I read ALL the posts, until I fell asleep and got a headache! :nono:

I shouldn't HAVE to stick with the original STV, this is my POINT!!!

What you guys don't know, and is really not anyones busness is that I have a mild READING disorder, I find it difficult to retain what I read or make any meaning of it. It's something that has happened over time since I've been an adult. So to ME, it all gets frustrating and difficult. I don't MEAN to be an ass or be difficult, but I need just a bit more help in some departments. Oddly enough, I have a very high ability for MATH, and excel at that very well, which is why I'm an EEE, so I'm not stupid! ;)

The way I look at it, I function at best in the reading comprehention departmant like the average non-technical consumer who can turn on a PC, but not much more. My mind however is beyond that. With a manual that is layed out, with little FLUFF or un-nessissary detail, I learn and retain quite well. I hope you guys understand.

For me to get things to work, I need to cut and paste all the information in to text documant and put them in order, take out the "fluff" and then check off each step as I do it. It's a PAIN to do for every little thing I want to do. I am also reading the PDF of 2.1, but it doesn't in so far that I can see cover the cool things like how to set up custome gudes etc....

If I had studio, and a decent set of instructions to refer to (1000+ post scattered on the forum does not constitute adequete instruction to me) I can do anything. I tought myself several things from basic to HTML to learning programs in detail like AUTOCAD and TURBO CAD. I sleep with a manual by the pillow just about every night.

[broderp]

Thats what an NDA means! I could tell you but then I would have to kill you :)

However, with the problems you are having with the configuration of the custom STVs, Studio is not going to be any help for you...

I know studio wont help me with my current problems.

Here is my dream...

I will set up a separate PC (I have 6 at home that I built or bought) and use it as a test mule for STUDIO. I will learn studio and create my own skin and test it until it works before importing it to my SAGE BOX.

My idea's my setup, my menus, my menu items, all my way. I will be intimately knowledgable of my own skin, after I learn studio...if there is a learning curve, however the program is like..... :blush:

[stanger89]

However, with the problems you are having with the configuration of the custom STVs, Studio is not going to be any help for you...
I think that's about as much as anyone with studio can say, and it's definitely the truth.

[mdmint]

I've only been using Cayars14 STV since installing yesterday and last night I (especially Debi :gun: ) didn't like having to go down a couple levels to get to Malore's Recorded TV menu item (style we like). So today didn't read a thing, didn't manually edit any file, just poked and clicked around and now it and other (like archived TV shows) are now added to the first menu page. MAJOR Kudos for making this STV so easy to modify/customize. :goodjob:

[broderp]

It's not that bad compared to some of the others, but my only concern, and what I found myself doing A LOT was "Now WHERE was that menu"...

It's a learning curve. Maybe if these STVs had a simple "map" file to point all the submenus and features? Maybe I'll do this for myself.

[Cayars]

What do you mean map? The program is pretty linear, in that you can jump around. So all you need to know are the menus. Heck, you can right click on a menu and bring up a list of things to add or delete to your menus.

It doen't get any easier then that!

[broderp]

What do you mean map? The program is pretty linear, in that you can jump around. So all you need to know are the menus. Heck, you can right click on a menu and bring up a list of things to add or delete to your menus.

It doen't get any easier then that!


Cayars, you have done a FABULOUS job first off. :goodjob: What button on the remote (Hauppage) is the equivilent of "right click"???? I don't use a mouse at all, and have the Hauppage remote programmed on my JP1 remote.

I removed some of the menus on accident (playing around with it, using the right click during install.) How do I bring them back? Right clicking doesn't show it there to add back.

By map, I mean just that! I can't remember where things have been moved to or what was added!

[Cayars]

Thanks for the compliment.

The standard button on the older style silver hauppauge remote is the yellow key.

The best way to fix your menu file is to extract it from the zip file. You can do this while SageTV is running. If you do it while it's running then do a right-click (yellow button) on a menu and choose the re-read/re-load option.

[kny3twalker]

options button

[nielm]

I removed some of the menus on accident (playing around with it, using the right click during install.) How do I bring them back?If you have not yet saved your changes (right-click/save) then you can right-click/re-read to revert to the on-disk version.

You can add individual menu items back (if you can remember what they were) with right-click/add menu item/etc...

More info on this can be found in the docs for my flexible menus plugin (http://www.sage-community.org/index.cgi/wiki/NielmModuleDynamicMenu) and the docs for the older version that required editing the xml file (http://www.sage-community.org/index.cgi/wiki/NielmStvMenu)
Note that cayars STV uses the filename cayars_menu.xml instead of menu.xml.

(if you don not have a mouse, right-click is the 'Options' command which is ESC and CTRL-O on the keyboard, and whichever remote control button brings up the popup options menu on most screens)

[Cayars]

BTW, the reason I changed the name of the menu file wasn't to be "different" or to cause confusion, BUT to enable people to use multiple STVs without the issues my STV causes by using altered internal screen names.

This way the cayars-menu.xml has my naming convention and the menu.xml file can have standard names or names from your other favorite STV file in it.