HdHomeRun - Our Answer to QAM?!

[dbfresh23]

QAM is already available in SageTV! http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...796#post183796

[insomniac]

gota love that, but im holding out for the dual tuners for the same price!

[thomaszoo]

I signed up for the "SageTV Forum" over Silicondust at but I haven't been able to find it or any mention of a beta. Am I missing something? I am leery of buying this until there is at least a working beta for OTA for SageTV. But once that happens I don't think I will be able to get my credit card out fast enough!

[Commodore 64]

I haven't heard anything either. Just continue to wait, I guess. I use VLC now, but VLC pretty much sucks at HD resolutions...can't wait for Sage or Mediaportal support!

[garyellis]

So, enlighten me with the basics..

With this HD tuner from Homerun, you would input OTA HD (supposedly using an antennae) to the Homerun tuner. (or unencrypted HD via cable)

Then if there is Sage support for the tuner, you can use the tuner, like we do today with the PVR 500, I pressume.

Once its "tuned", then it can be recorded, etc.. as Sage does today.

Then the output would go through a video card with component or higher output..(Could go S-video, I presume)...I also assume that the MVP output would go through S-video, but with the improvement of the input being clearer (because of HD)..

So, what is the "gate"?...we are waiting for Sage to be able to recognize this Homerun tuner ? Is that on Homerun or Sage to make happen?

Once Sage recognizes the tuner, then sage will handle HD input and thus HD output?

feel free to comment on my assumptions...please

Thanks,

Gary Ellis

[Commodore 64]

Well it isn't that simple. Sage Works with the BDA drivers for ATSC cards to tune and record. The HDHomerun does all the tuning and sends the stream over yor network. You hook the HDHomerun to your network, not to a computer.

I think what is needed is for a way for Sage to play the stream and control the HDHomerun (i.e. change the channels).

The HDHomerun folks are purportedly working on a BDA driver, but that would sort of defeat the purpose in many peoples minds, because many people also feel that the BDA driver stack is a significant part of the stability problems with ATSC cards.

Also the BDA driver stack in Windoze does not support QAM...but the HDHomerun can tune QAM...so if Sage can just read the stream and change the channels on the HDHR for you, why, then you have QAM!

[foolio]

It seems like a pretty simple plugin to write for someone with the skills. This is no different than the DVB-S network encoder or the firewire network encoder (SGRAPHRECORDER) - just need a method to communicate with the device to change the channel and tell it where to write the stream.

Hope it comes out soon.

[garyellis]

So, its reading the input from Homerun, versus tuning the input...So, this seems like something that Sage would need to do vs. the Homerun guys ?

why is Homerun a benefit over other HD Tuners? (because it already tunes, then passes input?)

Interesting stuff...

Gary

[Commodore 64]

The main benefit that I can think of for a SageTV or other Windows front end user, is that it can give QAM support.

For people without Sage or something similar that can stream over the network, this allows them to send ATSC TV to any computer on their network and use VLC or something to play it.

Still another less obvious benefit is that it allows for flexible placement of the item itself: it means I can reduce the antenna cable run (mine is long, over 100') and the signal loss associated with it. I can put the HDHR in my attic and just plug it into my network (assuming I have a cat5 wire in the attic, which I do). This means I can run 15 feet of wire or less from my antenna to the tuners.

[salsbst]

From what limited I know of this product, but knowing a fair amount about writing network encoders, I think it may be very easy to develop a network encoder for it.

Of course, one has to own the product first. What's everyone's experience with this product?

[ToxMox]

Originally Posted by salsbst

From what limited I know of this product, but knowing a fair amount about writing network encoders, I think it may be very easy to develop a network encoder for it.

Of course, one has to own the product first. What's everyone's experience with this product?

I own one but am waiting for some kind of Sage support to try it.

[Kirby]

I'm personally waiting for something else...

[evilpenguin]

I've played around with it and it defiantly works as advertised. I can stream 2 full 6 Mhz QAM channels to my computer at the same time and select sub-streams to view using VLC. Right now my biggest problem is packet loss due to high CPU usage when playing back HD on my not so powerful PC, but that will not be an issue if i'm using Sage in client/server mode.

[Kirby]

Not knowing what card they used in this unit, some of your packet loss could very well be coming from the tuner card itself.

[evilpenguin]

Nah, i'm fairly sure the packet-loss was due to high processor usage because if I shrunk the video down to 1/4 the size and turned off all the post-processing it would work fine.

[Kirby]

OK. So have you ripped that puppy open and looked inside it yet?

[evilpenguin]

I was tempted to when I got it, but I fought the urge

[linkster99]

I've got mine working with VLC as well. It's a nice little tuner package. I just connected it to my my main network switch in my basement and can stream the tuners to any PC on my network. It was a little tricky to learn at first, but reading through the forums at silicondust.com helped quite a bit. I can't wait to try to get this thing working with Sage!

[Deadbolt]

What would the HdHomeRun solution give you over the QAM that is supported in V6.0.12 via the OnAir USB GT tuner (soon to release a dual tuner model). Granted this is still beta...but it is in the works which it much further along than the HdHomeRun idea.

Really though...until we get a cablecard style solution any QAM kinda stinks for those who want HD HBO, SHOWTIME, etc.

[blade]

Originally Posted by Deadbolt

What would the HdHomeRun solution give you over the QAM that is supported in V6.0.12 via the OnAir USB GT tuner (soon to release a dual tuner model).

The HdHomeRun is a lot cheaper. It is a dual tuner that costs about the same as a single tuner OnAir USB GT.

Really though...until we get a cablecard style solution any QAM kinda stinks for those who want HD HBO, SHOWTIME, etc.

Everyone says that, but what I don't understand is loads of people use OTA HD and no one says a word. When you mention QAM the first thing people say is you can't get HBO, Showtime, other premium channels, etc... I'm just curious what people are getting with OTA that is so great that makes it worth it and QAM not.

OTA isn't possible for me and I'd love to just be able to get ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC in HD.