Sage Media Extender and HD

[ldavis]

HD and standard definition programs can also be streamed to any PC on the network using SageTV Client, and to any TV in the house with the SageTV Media Extender scheduled for release by the end of the year.

From the press release for Version 4.0 it appears that HD files will be compatible with a media extender. How is this possible? Will the media extender have component outputs? Will the files just playback and be downconverted through the svideo outputs?

[mikejaner]

This will be a killer device if they release it with HD playback capability.

[Ghost]

They need to have HD enabled if they want to stay competitive. It's getting harder and harder to justify the costs associated with using a computer as a media extender just to run SageTV Client especially with the prices of cable provider (HD enabled) DVRs dropping.

[stanger89]

Cable DVRs can't stream video from room to room though.

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Cable DVRs can't stream video from room to room though.

Good point, but for $20 a month I could have one in the living room and one in the bedroom. I just refuse to rent it from them. That's why I love alternatives like SageTV. Being able to use a media extender (wireless!) in the bedroom would be/will be a God send.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Ghost

Good point, but for $20 a month I could have one in the living room and one in the bedroom.

Then how do you watch something in the bedroom that was recorded in the living room? Or do you schedule everything one all the boxes?

[Ghost]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Then how do you watch something in the bedroom that was recorded in the living room? Or do you schedule everything one all the boxes?

Yeah, that's what I was getting at. I could just have two boxes that recorded the same exact things...talk about lazy!

The media extender would be a really good option for me. The mini entertainment center I have in my bedroom has a closed lower portion where I stuck the computer that runs SageTV Client. The problem is that there is a lot of heat buildup in there so I can't just leave the computer on 24/7 and I don't want to cut out the back just to let air escape. I have enjoyed building and upgrading my main htpc, but I can't afford the costs of two.

[briands]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Cable DVRs can't stream video from room to room though.

I thought that's what the Moxi box was for. Is that STILL vapor wear? I figured some larger markets were offering it.

On a side note... what happened to the STBs that Voom was showing that could share content? I thought surely those would have been available by now...

[JUC]

i think that you can network 2 directv DVR's (or two standalone Tivos) with their HMO software. You can record on one set, then watch on the other. I don't think it streams them though---actually transfers the recording to the other box which takes a little time. You can also transfer them to another computer. I was seriously considerring going this route, then decided maybe the MediaReady would be an alternative, but with the anouncemnt of the extender, I am goign to wait and see what happens...

[mikejaner]

i think that you can network 2 directv DVR's (or two standalone Tivos) with their HMO software.

You can't do this with the DirecTV (Tivo) DVR's. This is only possible on Series2 Standalone Tivo's.
This works on Replay TV's too, and they don't have to transfer the file first like Tivo does.

I think there are some Cable Co DVRs which do play across the network, but I am not sure at the moment.

Does the new DirecTV DVR's(Non-Tivo) do this?

[Ghost]

I hadn't heard of the MediaReady before. That thing is hideous.

I'm hoping the SageTV Media Extender will look similar to the Linksys Media Extender.

[Jesse]

I don't think it streams them though---actually transfers the recording to the other box which takes a little time.

I have a co-worker that does this with his tivo boxs. I say: slow and clunky. He says: wow! cool!

Jesse

[JUC]

yea, i heard it was slow too, that is why I am waiting. And from what I have heard, you can hack the DTVtivo boxes to using the HMO software so that limitation is gone (no idea why DTV doen'st want that software standard on their STB's). I really hope the extender is everything everyone wants it to be because that willl really be a huge push for sage's recognition and useability.
JUC

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by briands

I thought that's what the Moxi box was for. Is that STILL vapor wear? I figured some larger markets were offering it.

It's out, but I'm not sure if any cablecos are allowing the networking. On a side note the Moxi UI looks pretty good

On a side note... what happened to the STBs that Voom was showing that could share content?

Voom died and was absorbed by Dish Network.

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by JUC

And from what I have heard, you can hack the DTVtivo boxes to using the HMO software so that limitation is gone (no idea why DTV doen'st want that software standard on their STB's).
JUC

Because, the last thing I heard was tthat DirecTV is supposed to be coming out with their own PVR system. They are going to use the "HMO-type" features as a carrot to get people to update to the new hardware and drop the direcTivos that DirecTV would like to eliminate.

[Crashless]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's out, but I'm not sure if any cablecos are allowing the networking. On a side note the Moxi UI looks pretty good

My parents have a MOXI through Adelphia in Newport Beach, CA. It's a really pretty interface. Nice animations, good picture quality, interface scales to 1080i. At first glance it's a really nice system.

Problems -

My biggest complaint is that there's no traditional Live TV guide. You have to scroll through this wierd channel listing - it's really annoying.

Responsiveness gets killed when watching HD content. SO SLOW. All SD content is nice though.

Not very intuitive when it comes to what shows get deleted to make space. It's not very smart about it either - will occasionally say it's out of space and refuse to record.

Only holds about 10-20 hours of HD...which sucks - you watch a football game and all your shows are gone.

Overall, it's a nice box for most people. My mom can use it, which is good. But the installer didn't hook it up well, and I had to go fix it. I still like SageTV for my uses, but this MOXI box is pretty good for a cableco STB.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by Crashless

It's a really pretty interface. Nice animations, good picture quality, interface scales to 1080i. At first glance it's a really nice system.

I think it would be a good inspiration for an STV . Too bad I suck at the aestetic stuff in Studio

[Crashless]

I almost did!

But then Meekell had decided to leave Sage, and I thought that it would be more fun to build out Meekell, then start Moxi.

I might still do that on the side, but it's really tough starting an STV from scratch.

[briands]

Originally Posted by stanger89

It's out, but I'm not sure if any cablecos are allowing the networking. On a side note the Moxi UI looks pretty good



Voom died and was absorbed by Dish Network.

Surely the hardware developement didn't die though. Anyone know who the hardware developer was?

[Keith]

Originally Posted by Ghost

Good point, but for $20 a month I could have one in the living room and one in the bedroom. I just refuse to rent it from them. That's why I love alternatives like SageTV. Being able to use a media extender (wireless!) in the bedroom would be/will be a God send.

Except that wireless doesn't have the bandwidth or reliability for high bit rate SD, let alone HD. Bite the bullet and run some cat-6 for your media extender.