STX-HD100: RoHS compliance update

[Opus4]

Here's an update from SageTV regarding RoHS compliance for the STX-HD100:

Originally Posted by SageTV

The STX-HD100 is ROHS compliant and we will allow purchasing outside of the U.S./Canada for the next batch. However we only support NTSC in the current firmware version. A future firmware update will contain PAL support; but we do not have an estimate on when that firmware will be available yet.

To answer the very next question: there still is no definite date for when they will be available for purchase -- they should be in the store within the next couple of weeks, but you never know when something outside our control will affect that timeframe.

- Andy

[perf]

Does PAL or NTSC matter if I connect using HDMI?

My guess is that it only matters for S-video and composite connections. Am I right?

/Per

[sam99]

actually, my very next question would not have been "when" but rather "how many". With the increased buyer base, I would hope that means there will really be a whole lot more available units for purchase than the first batch.

[Rob]

Originally Posted by sam99

actually, my very next question would not have been "when" but rather "how many". With the increased buyer base, I would hope that means there will really be a whole lot more available units for purchase than the first batch.

Me too.

[voidpt]

<- A very happy voidpt. Don't care about NTSC only to begin with. Can live with that. Thx for the info

[oaamaas]

Finally - really great news!

[activa]

The NTSC problem may not seem important, but it can be annoying.

Even when you use HDMI or Component connections, the extender will only output 60Hz. Your TV will happily accept this frequency, but when you watch a digital broadcast in Europe, it uses 24 or 25 frames per second. The result is that movements are a little jerky (especially in panning shots).

There is a way around this: you can define extra output modes in the client's properties file, so it will use 50Hz (50p or 50i). The only problem is that the extender will always default to one of the built-in resolutions (at 60Hz), meaning you have to press the "video output" on the remote every time you turn on the extender.

A little annoying, but it works.

I hope the firmware upgrade will "fix" this, so we can select 50Hz modes as the default...

-Philippe

[marneb17]

Originally Posted by activa

... meaning you have to press the "video output" on the remote every time you turn on the extender.

A little annoying, but it works.

I have an HD Extender working in Germany (PAL). My TV is capable of displaying NTSC 60Hz. Until the first playback, the extender will display 60Hz, but as soon as I watch something it will automatically switch to 50Hz (since I added that profile).

So I don't have to push any buttons, and it works great for me. Of course if your TV can't display 60Hz you have to manually push the video out button at the beginning.

But all flatscreen TVs should be able to display 60Hz.

Marneb

[activa]

Originally Posted by marneb17

I have an HD Extender working in Germany (PAL). My TV is capable of displaying NTSC 60Hz. Until the first playback, the extender will display 60Hz, but as soon as I watch something it will automatically switch to 50Hz (since I added that profile).

What do you mean by "I added that profile"?

-Philippe

[marneb17]

Originally Posted by activa

What do you mean by "I added that profile"?

I added the following line to the property file of the extender (In the "clients" directory):

extender_resolution_extra_modes=720x576i@50|standard\=PAL_BG

You have to add the right resolution fitting your display...

Marneb

[activa]

Originally Posted by marneb17

I added the following line to the property file of the extender (In the "clients" directory):

extender_resolution_extra_modes=720x576i@50|standard\=PAL_BG

You have to add the right resolution fitting your display...

Marneb

This won't work with HD (1080 or 720) output. For my Full HD LCD TV, I added the following line in the client's property file:

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1920x1080i@50|standard\=1080i50

The HD extender will never switch to this mode automatically (only when the source video is in that exact format). In your case, European SDTV is always 720x576@50, so the extender will switch to that resolution automatically. If you use HD upscaling, this doesn't work.

So what we really need is the ability to define 50Hz output modes in the settings screen of the extender (the current version only supports 60Hz modes)

Maybe this discussion should be moved to another thread?

-Philippe

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by activa

So what we really need is the ability to define 50Hz output modes in the settings screen of the extender (the current version only supports 60Hz modes)

I believe that's what was said in the first post of this topic.

- Andy

[Lucas]

So, will it be possible to say have all 576i50 and 1080i50/24/25 to be automatically scaled to say 720p50 output if one wants to connect the HD extender to a 720p TV?

I take it this is possible with 60 and 30fps US formats.

Ideally, I would like to have 2 output modes 720p50 and 720p60 and have the HD extender automatically use either for european(576i25, 720p50, 1080i50) or US(480i30,720p60,1080i30,1080p24) content.

This what I have my SageTV PC client do now.

[Lucas]

I 've setup new extra modes as follows:

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1280x720p@50|standard\=720p50

and

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1920x1080i@50|standard\=1080i50

as suggested above to view PAL material on my HD TV.

When switching to that resolution using the "video out" key on the remote, the video is fine but there is no sound....

When in the default 720p60 mode there is sound....

Any ideas guys?

[PeterC]

Here are my settings:-

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1024x720p@50|standard=720p50;1024x1080p@50|standard=HDMI_1080p50

I tried your settings and did not get sound until I used the ones prefixed with HDMI_

[Lucas]

Thanks Peter.

I will try your approach.

It seems to also be particular to the TV. I have another plasma TV and the setting works fine so I will try variations.

[Lucas]

Update.

Peter's suggestion works best.

So currently I have one extra resolution

extender_resolution_extra_modes=1280x720p@50|standard\=HDMI_720p50

My TVs are both 720p so that all I need.

I use the default 720p60 for all non european content and the new 720p50 for all recorded PAL tv and other 25fps content.

This way everything is upscaled/downscaled to the native resolution of my TVs.

[ianb]

Originally Posted by activa

The NTSC problem may not seem important, but it can be annoying.

Even when you use HDMI or Component connections, the extender will only output 60Hz. Your TV will happily accept this frequency, but when you watch a digital broadcast in Europe, it uses 24 or 25 frames per second. The result is that movements are a little jerky (especially in panning shots).

There is a way around this: you can define extra output modes in the client's properties file, so it will use 50Hz (50p or 50i). The only problem is that the extender will always default to one of the built-in resolutions (at 60Hz), meaning you have to press the "video output" on the remote every time you turn on the extender.

A little annoying, but it works.

I hope the firmware upgrade will "fix" this, so we can select 50Hz modes as the default...

-Philippe

I am new to SageTV in the UK and am experiencing the very same "jerky" picture when panning. I have edited the extender .properties file to put in support for 50HZ but the extender reverts to its "standard" setting of 60HZ whenever it comes out of standby which is very annoying.

Another of my Tv's/extenders (using video and sound through HDMI) has no sound when set to 50HZ.

Has a date been set for upgraded firmware that will resolve this problem properly?

[voidpt]

Short answer: Yes. But it's still beta, and not really anounced yet.

Take a read through this thread:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32865

This post by _Demo_ gives info about the beta release:
http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/show...4&postcount=34

Follow the instructions for reset to get the Extender into PAL mode after upgrading the firmware.

[doc]

Originally Posted by ianb

I am new to SageTV in the UK and am experiencing the very same "jerky" picture when panning. I have edited the extender .properties file to put in support for 50HZ but the extender reverts to its "standard" setting of 60HZ whenever it comes out of standby which is very annoying.

Another of my Tv's/extenders (using video and sound through HDMI) has no sound when set to 50HZ.

Has a date been set for upgraded firmware that will resolve this problem properly?

It might be worth you reading this thread

http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=32865

and then installing the new beta firmware for the extender.

It has PAL support - theres a bit of a routine to follow to enable it, but it now works fine, for me at least.