Sage 7.0 Wishlist

[timg11]

1) Native support in SageTV for multi-monitor configurations. (E.G able to set a "preferred" monitor for the SageTV UI)

2) Much more sophistication in IR blaster control. With the advent of cable boxes that go into sleep mode, and switched video, simply sending a channel change out and starting a recording doesn't cut it anymore. (Unfortunately, Firewire doesn't cut it either - it is ignored or unusable on many cable boxes). There needs to be something like a macro programming language, with the ability to send a code and evaluate the results. (I.E. the resolution of video signal being sent) and then send other codes as required. In addition, it may be necessary to take a single frame capture and compare it to saved examples to detect unwanted signals like screen savers and the "channel temporarily not available, press Select" screens that sometimes appear.

3) Easier/cleaner ways to "hook" user DLLs and command-line scripts into SageTV to be triggered by specific actions. (For example, changing primary monitor to HDTV during SageTV playback)

[reggie14]

I'm still hoping for support for MKV chapters in v7. I've been using MakeMKV lately to rip BluRay discs, and it works really great except that chapters don't work in Sage right now. It doesn't seem like it should be that difficult to add MKV chapter support.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by reggie14

I'm still hoping for support for MKV chapters in v7. I've been using MakeMKV lately to rip BluRay discs, and it works really great except that chapters don't work in Sage right now. It doesn't seem like it should be that difficult to add MKV chapter support.

Have you checked this out? not perfect, but gets me by.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Have you checked this out? not perfect, but gets me by.

Yeah, I know about that tool. Thanks for making it. But, its my understanding that it doesn't play well on systems that have been configured to auto-skip commercials. It jumps ahead a second on every chapter mark, right?

[eric3a]

I'd like for SageTV to build an on-going list of "Last 10 recordings watched".

I often interrupt watching a program to go do something else, and I find it difficult to remember later (often days later) which one I'm halfway through. I guess it's a function of how I watch programs.

Eric

[wrems]

Originally Posted by eric3a

I'd like for SageTV to build an on-going list of "Last 10 recordings watched".

I often interrupt watching a program to go do something else, and I find it difficult to remember later (often days later) which one I'm halfway through. I guess it's a function of how I watch programs.

Eric

+1

Some means of tracking/bookmarking the most recently played files would be awesome. Between getting interrupted and watching a wide variety of programming from internet stuff (hulu etc) to regular TV shows and then throwing in the imported vids and movies, navigating back to each of these selections can be cumbersome…

[ravenray]

I have been away for a long while and haven't used sage in about a couple of years now (haven't had time to mess with it). As drives are getting larger so are the media collection we have.

What I personally would like to see is the ability to add our own personal channel lineup along with the current tv line up. Each of these channels can be our own custom programming with our own provided media.

For instance, I'll like to have one channel that plays all the Simpson's episodes I have and do a random selection that would create the channel line up times. I can have another channel that does nothing but all the SG-1 episodes, but this time have them play in the order of either by my choosing or the episode numbers. A third channel can sort of be a 'on demand' with a listing of movies I have.

Not only will this create a very personal type of viewing, but having this type of control would be kind a wow factor when having company. They would be darn surprise that they don't have those "specially' added channels.

[Fuzzy]

I don't think most users even view teh program guide all that much, so adding a 'channel' to there doens't add much more than just selcting to play from the recordings list.

[ravenray]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

I don't think most users even view teh program guide all that much, so adding a 'channel' to there doens't add much more than just selcting to play from the recordings list.

I don't get what you mean by this. So are we saying that most users don't view live tv anymore? Or what programs might be playing on other channels before committing to it? The program guide is the most fundamental screen in all dvr's across all platforms, I don't see how it's not used by a majority of users.

[briands]

Originally Posted by ravenray

I don't get what you mean by this. So are we saying that most users don't view live tv anymore? Or what programs might be playing on other channels before committing to it? The program guide is the most fundamental screen in all dvr's across all platforms, I don't see how it's not used by a majority of users.

Agree with Fuzzy... probably use the program guide once a month or less.
Don't watch live TV.
Don't surf TV.
Always something already recorded to watch.

[nick_l]

Originally Posted by ravenray

I don't get what you mean by this. So are we saying that most users don't view live tv anymore? Or what programs might be playing on other channels before committing to it? The program guide is the most fundamental screen in all dvr's across all platforms, I don't see how it's not used by a majority of users.

There's a program guide?

In all seriousness, in our household live tv is never viewed (with the execption of live news durring a major weather event, which has happened twice in the last four years that I've been using Sage). Sage records on average 25-30 programs a day. I dont care in the least what programs might be on other channels, because I know that if it's something I like, Sage will already be recording it, and I can watch it when I'm ready. I know several people with various DVR solutions and very few of them watch live tv or use the guide.

The most fundamental DVR screen, imo, is the list of currently available recordings. Who cares what's coming up next or what just started, Ive got 250+ programs that I can queue up in a group, pause, skip through commercials, fast forward through, jump to the end of, all waiting for me already.

[tmiranda]

Funny comments about the Program Guide...

I was wondering if anybody in the house ever used the program guide so I took it out (using Studio) to see if anybody would notice. A month went by and nobody did

[jkohn]

I don't watch live TV, but I certainly use the Program Guide, how else are you going to choose what to record? I guess some folks like the Intelligent Recording, I found that it wasn't so intelligent. I want to control what gets recorded.

[briands]

Originally Posted by jkohn

I don't watch live TV, but I certainly use the Program Guide, how else are you going to choose what to record? I guess some folks like the Intelligent Recording, I found that it wasn't so intelligent. I want to control what gets recorded.

I use the title search... much easier than scrolling through the guide.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by briands

I use the title search... much easier than scrolling through the guide.

same here. and no intelligent recording.

[jkohn]

Well, for me using the number-pad to type titles is too much trouble, especially when I usually know when a show is going to be on. Using the FF and FF2 commands makes skipping through the Program Guide pretty easy.

[Fuzzy]

Ahh.. taht might be the difference, i rarely use the number pad (though the default STV's auto-complete makes it VERY quick). I keep a keyboard and mouse in my living room (though not really OUT all the time) and use them for searching, or use the laptop or desktop.

[nick_l]

Originally Posted by jkohn

I don't watch live TV, but I certainly use the Program Guide, how else are you going to choose what to record? I guess some folks like the Intelligent Recording, I found that it wasn't so intelligent. I want to control what gets recorded.

I do not, and have never, used intelligent recording. I think the logic that I must like everything that gets watched extremely flawed and it badly skewes the results. I will however, occasionally scroll through the suggested intelligent recordings list (in SageMC) and pick a show or two to record from it.


As for choosing what to record, I cant imaging a less efficient way of finding a program than scrolling through a grid of 48 x 120 (or 150 or whatever number of channels you have) blocks looking for a show. I just type it in the search, using the client on my computer (or placeshifter, or the web interface, or the mobile web interface).

Perhaps the difference is that I neither know, nor care, when a show will be on. I varely rarely even know what channel they air on (I guess I've gotten pretty good at tuning out the annoying little gobo animations the stations like to toss in the corner). I left all that behind years ago. Thats what I have Sage for, to figure all that crap out.

[bialio]

There's probably as many people that never watch live TV as those that do - we watch live all the time, although we never watch shows that we record live, if that makes sense......

btl.