Sage 7.0 Wishlist

[Stuntman]

Originally Posted by CarlR

I've somewhat solved that problem by restricting each HD tuner to a single recording drive, while letting my SD tuners record to any drive - so that they can do the disk space balancing. If things get really imbalanced (which doesn't happen very often), I can always move some shows manually.

I also put a limit on the comskip disk use during prime-time hours.

I limit comskip too.. wish I didn't have to, but I do!

How do you manage to force a tuner to use a specific drive? That might help!

Just posting in hopes somebody at Sage will see that and figure out an automated way to accomplish this! But I'll try your tip for now!!

[CarlR]

Originally Posted by Stuntman

I limit comskip too.. wish I didn't have to, but I do!

How do you manage to force a tuner to use a specific drive? That might help!

Just posting in hopes somebody at Sage will see that and figure out an automated way to accomplish this! But I'll try your tip for now!!

There is an entry in the sage.properties file for each tuner that specifies the prefix that is used to determine the recording directory/directories :

mmc/encoders/<tunerid>/forced_video_storage_path_prefix=

This thread provides some additional info.

[OldPCGUY]

I would really like to see closed caption support for Digital Transmissions.
I think all the code is there to support it I am tired of having to run code on every recording to get the CC for it.

For all HD and Digital Recordings I have made I been able to genrate the closed caption file using CC extractor.

http://ccextractor.sourceforge.net/

I ussually just create a batch file for all the files that I don't have and run it with the cc command line to create the SMIs.

Sage then gets a few tweaks in the properties files I don't remember the exact edits needed but if you search for CC extractor you can get the link.

I would like Sage to have an option for recordings like:
Enable SMI creation after complete
Enable Closed Captions On Remote Encoder (Blast CC on to Settop)

This would allow MPEG2 OTA recording to have the SMI file and allow you full control of CC on and CCoff during playback.

The second option would enable closed captions on the component out to the HD DVR which would encode the captions over the whole recording.
There is no other way when you are encoding the component video.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by Stuntman

I'd still like to see Sage make better decisions as to where it puts it's recordings.. I have 3 external 1TB drives, each with a fair amount of free space.. yet I have had issues where Sage will put 3 simultaneous HD recordings on the same drive! Then when things like Comskip jump on the drive too.. well, it gets ugly sometimes!

I'd like Sage to schedule where it will put the shows as well.. if there are 3 shows recording at 8pm, why not put them on multiple drives, if space is available? This would keep the drives from getting overly I/O bound..

As more and more big streams get recorded I imagine this will become a bigger problem if a solution isn't implemented soon..

Make sure you send in a bug report for that. I just sent one in this week when I caught Sage trying to record 3(!!!) HD football games to the same drive while my other two recording drives sat idle with plenty of space.

[Naylia]

I'm sure this is already in the thread, but I'll add more votes for:

- Play a CD
- Visualize Music (almost any visualization would be better than the existing - extra props if you select an existing viz format form so that we can select our own from existing web communities)

[matterofrecord]

I do not regard sage as a programming hobby or a way of distributing television around the house. I got to sage as I wanted to record digital television and occasionally back-it up onto dvd.
Having looked at all the options I tried vista home premium, beyondtv, hauppauge wintv, cyberlink power cinema 5, nero home, chris-tv, gb-pvr, media portal and sage was ( and still is ) by far the best. Sagetv is an excellent media player as well as an by far the most flexible recording solution ( multi format, multi tuner ).

However you shouldn't be resting on your laurels. There are improvements that would make sagetv stand head and sholders above the rest instead of being just slightly better than the rest. The right changes could make it the default choice for every mediapc.
I am someone who got into computing via sagetv. In reality I just wanted a turbo charged tivo/pvr and believe me sagetv provides this in abundance. There are however a few things that I feel sagetv should/needs to improve on. These are not ideas to make sage a multimedia integrated home server system. These ideas are here to ensure it beats every pvr / dvr / tivo item on the market and make a computer a viable one box under the tele option for people who want to watch tele and without having to rewrite software.

I'm not interested in webrowsing or picture viewing via sage, i've got other software for that. What I would really like to see is proper sports friendly ff and slow motion ( perferrably with audio ), radio and a couple of user freindly modifications to make it quicker, simpler and easier on the newbies to sage.


1 PROPER SLOW MOTION AND FAST FORWARDING ETC - Yes I know you've heard it before and you'll keep hearing it until it happens. Firstly, Please, please, please keep the skip forward and back buttons they are really really good and really useful. However for sports there is no substitute for "user generated" slow motion replays. I don't know if there are many sports fans at frey technologies but for a soccer fan like me, slow motion replays are really really useful. They really add to the experience. I watched the euro2008 international soccer championship on sagetv and I'm sorry but I genuinly found it poor compared to my old set top pvr/tivo. At one point I was recording matches to watch back later via cybelink powerdvd ( far from ideal ). I know the user interface would get cluttered but please at least give us the option to have it.
I think you should also include 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.5 fastforward with audio. This is really useful for documentries. I have cyberlink and it does an ok job but sage media player is far better and I would much prefer to watch my programs through sage. (full customisation giving 10 speeds from 1.1 to 2X with audio would be great if you could mange it). Also full fast forward up to 32 speed would be good. I think the nero showtime 32 speed fast forward ( roughly 25fps) is a lot lot better than cyberlinks( 1 frame per second).
I understand this would involve a rewrite of the media player but hey thats what new versions are for right ??

2 RADIO - . Every digital set-top box in the UK can play radio. All the bundled software I have ( terratec, hauppaugge, nero home, vista ) can play radio. It is about time sage did as well. If sage is going to compete with off the shelf options you must make sure users don't loose functions when they switch. I know the team is more than capable of it.

Basically numbers 1 and 2 are the big two. The quality slow motion and fast forward would be the biggest and best leap forward however either radio or slow motion in version 7 would guarantee you my repeat custom.

I have also listed another three suggestions underneath that I think would make sagetv easier to use. They should be ,on the cosmic scale of things, easier to program but then they are less important features than numbers 1 and 2.

3 - EASIER TIME CUSHIONING FOR MANUAL RECORDINGS - I'm not sure how you will want the reality of this but time padding for all programs not just favourites would be a small improvement that would be appreciated everyday. You could either make it assumed automatic on all manual recordings unless otherwise altered manaully. OR once a program has been highlighted for manual recording make it a "just one button" option. ie click on recording in the epg and there would be a "add 5 minute time buffer either side of recording" button and along with "recording options""view program information" and " basic options" buttons that are already there.
[This would be a lot quicker than the current option for manual recordings --> click on recording in epg -->click on "recording options" --> click on "adjust recording options" --> click on "adjust start time" alter -->click on "adjust start time" alter--> click on close. It's kinda lenngthy to read and do at the moment and it could be soo much better.]


and for the sake of the newbies-

4 EASIER CHANNEL RE-ORDERING - The last settop box I had I could re-order the channels with the remote, very easily. With sage I have to set channels to different logical channel numbers and then display the channels by number - its an OK procedure but not as easy a dedicated channel ordering screen. It doesn't have to complicated screen just highlight the channel and move it up or down to where you want it in the epg list. This option doesn't really matter to me but would make it easier and nicer for people coming to sage.

5 EASIER TUNER SETUP - Currently to set up all the digital channels in the uk I have edit frq tables. Although possible for the motivated beginner it is a bit much especially as there isn't a walk through in the manual. All the the other software I have tried - hauppage, terratec 5,cybelink home cinema, nero home , even the open source media portal - can list all the available digital channels whether they are broadcasting or not. Sage currently can only list channel broadcast at the time of a "scan for channels". If you want sage to be easy to use for beginners this is something you should seriously consider working towards.

Like I say I like sage. Its is a really good program and definatly worth the money. However I believe with a few improvements it can be even better. I hope you consider my suggested improvements. Thanks for reading this.

Regards

Jon

Ps If you wish to contact me about any of the suggestions please feel free to do so. I would be happy elaborate on how I recon it would work. Thanks again Jon

[freedml]

Another vote for Multiple Users. So if only one family member likes a show, it goes in his folder. If more than one person likes a show, it kees track of who watched it and only offers to delete it when all are done.

This one doesn't have to wait until V7. A troubleshooting guide which has all of the solutions to various problems. A few people know these things, but it's so hard to get the info.

Let's not forget automatically transcoding when Placeshifting or using an MVP on a LAN which isn't fast enough for a digital recording (e.g. make wireless work well at a lower resolution)

Monitor stations and mark recordings which don't have enough signal strength for proper playback.

Incorporate SageMC into the basic product.

1.1-2.0x playback with sound. Most media players have this and it's great for speed-watching some shows.

Put the 'working' symbol up as soon as a key is pressed. Many times I've had long delays and pressed more buttons thinking that it didn't get the command when it was just working on it and didn't let me know.

[loomdog32]

Originally Posted by loomdog32

Stuff I would really like to see be PART of Sage (if there is a plug-in avail, then it should be easier to incorporate into Sage itself in another ver)

#1 - TRUE FF/RW.. As was said before, this is a BASIC function of any DVR
#2 - more or less an extention of #1, ability to playback at slower or faster than 1=1 with audio
#3 - PiP.. This should be possible with SD sources
#4 - MultiUser Support - Different Guides/Flages/Recordings (If multiple users record the same "event" then the longest life flag should be enforced, ie all users set to watched, "event" get deleted after the every user watches the "event") w/ a BABYSITTER/PARTY/GUEST MODE - not able to set recordings and does not affect watched flags!!!!!
#5 - Use webcam as a tuner
#6 - Ability to tell sage that multiple tuners access the same STB, creating a single usable tuner inside Sage- ie use anaolge capture device for SD and HDPVR and or FireWire for HD
#7 - Ability to set a tuner as "live" only, ie not to used for "scheduled" events and uses a cycle buffer based on a determined setting for length of buffer
#8 - Tuner unavail events.... Just display a simple popup msg stating tuner is not avail OR ability to capture use of a tuner, stopping current recording (setting option)
#9 - RADIO!!! via capture device or internet streaming
#10 - Use of SageMC as the default STV (I would really like to see a percentage of how many users are actually using this over the default STV, as it seems high)
#11 - Native FireWire support for changing Channels via Panel Device and Tuner via Tuner Device
#12 - ON DEMAND!!! This is doable with firewire
#13 - Color/Display Calibration w videos for display setup
#14 - Sound Calibration setup w sound verification - ie, 2, 2.1, 4, 4.1, 5.1, 7.1 (also useful for
#15 - The pipedream, integrated BluRay and HD-DVD support - I know it will never happen, but this is a wishlist, isnt it?
#16 - pipedream #2, hd extenders w builtin or usb DVD/BD drives, more realistic get a DVD/BD STB maker to add HD extender functionally (maybe modified version of the MCE extenders w DVD drives)

And of course, All the above accessable via the entender!!
Probably the most important if Sage wants to become more mainstream, Fully configurable via the UI, ie Install Sage, Open Sage, Configure Sage... There should not be a reason to manually modify any config files!!!!!!!

I had to add somethings

#17 - Closed Captioning - If this could be setup the same as changing subs in DVD or other media thypes
#18 - Caller ID - popup configurable to pause current media or keep playing
#19 - visulations - configurable during playback of ANY media and use of pictures as
#20 - Video/Movie/DVD info lookup - builting database lookup and user editable for cover art/genre/synapois/director/actors/rating/running time
#21 - addition to users, ability to "lockdown" sage so users are unable to change anything (with exeption of custom channel guide) or play anything based on ratings/time of day/total hrs watched
#22 - ability to EPG data for multiple tuners with different channel setups
#23 - ability to look at ALL USED EPG data and configure as 1 list for channel ordering/renumbering and ability to group channels in categories/generes
#24 - ability to "lockdown" a client pc to ack like an extender as an option during of setup. boot directly into Sage and when closed, turns off pc/sleep/hibernate
#25 - volume normalization/equalization
#26 - ability to set surround modes inside sage (if hardware supported).. This is would mostly be used for converting 2 ch to 5.1 using All channel Stereo or Pro Logic and switch between DD or DTS (could be as simple as have option - use Pro Logic II except with DD or DTS is avail)

The biggest thing I would love to see in the next version is a all-in-one DVR/PVR that looks and feels like a all-in-one program.. With a good flow and simular all around look from TV guide to Video lists to Music lists to Main Menu... Something that anyone can pickup the remote for the extender or client already running and be able to use as if they were using any other STB

[vanchie21]

I agree on the CC. That is all I would want in the next version of Sage. I wouldn't mind the internet radio in but my cable service provider provides music channels called music choice which is good enough for me. I am a beginner to sage and I found sage very easy to use and streight foward. but that is me I guess

[nyle]

I love SageTV but it needs two things for me to keep using it.

1.) Excellent HD capable default codecs that run with modern ATI and NVidia cards. Even if you list only specific compatible ones. (Ones with the ability to play SD content onto a HD set without graphics artifacts all over the screen. That don't take a rocket scientist to tweak.) Ones that take the video signal given and don't degrade it before it makes it digitally to the TV.)

2.) Better support for multiple tuners with seperate EPG data.

3.) Support for CableCard 1/2.

[Target]

Not sure if its been said, but I'd like to see Sage have the ability to auto configure itself with available channels and EPG data. The current progress is a little sluggish.

Target

[Thraxius]

Just reading down the list. I would like to state..
I don't like #10.
I wouldn't mind incorporating some of the things from SageMC but it as the default wouldn't work for me.

[kato]

The #1 reason I'm still using Zoomplayer:

1) SageTV needs full audio/subtitle multiple track(embedded) support for mkv files.

It's been promised but has never happened...

[Brent]

Originally Posted by kato

SageTV needs full audio/subtitle multiple track(embedded) support for mkv files.

It's been promised but has never happened...

When was it promised? Never seen that one before

[evilpenguin]

People have gotten responses from support emails indicating that they're working on multiple audio/subtitle support, but that's not really an official promise.

[Brent]

I see.

Not really saying I don't want it or anything, but I'm sure the list of "to be implemented" is a pretty long list. I know my list of "want them to implement" is likely even longer

[alexs001]

Not sure if this has been mentioned, but I would like the ability to have sage ignore episodes of favorite shows for which detailed information is unavailable.

example: I have a favorite defined for Seinfeld. I have seen most every episode, so most instances are ignored, but every once in a while I'll get a couple episodes that record because the episode name is not supplied by the epg. I have to then go in and set them as watched manually.
I want this feature to be available on a per-favorite basis, as some titles are never supplied with detailed info ie Late Night with Conan O'Brien

Keep up the great work, SageTV team!

[Technophobe]

User programable podcast. Need I say more?

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Technophobe

User programable podcast. Need I say more?

I answered your last post about this. Its already a feature of SageTV...

[jriskin]

Originally Posted by kato

The #1 reason I'm still using Zoomplayer:

1) SageTV needs full audio/subtitle multiple track(embedded) support for mkv files.

It's been promised but has never happened...

Regardless of promises, I second this request. Subtitle support is really needed. It's the one thing I have to switch to VLC to use.