Vista MC to SageTV 6 Migration Doc. Feedback please?

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by ghostlobster

OK Brent and everyone else...updated doc within the next few days. I've been meaning to do this for a while now, especially now that I've got SJQ with Comskip working. I'm also going to include a bit on using SAV1 w/ DTb, if you don't want to use SJQ.
Things have been a bit hectic around here lately, so I've let a lot of things fall by the wayside. However, I did finally get around to fixing the front porch railing. However, now I still need to paint it!

If it makes you feel any better, I just (literally - 15 minutes ago) finished power washing the deck to get it ready for summer...

[skingery]

Ok, I'm sure this isn't the place to ask this but I'm a long time Windows MC user (XP,VMC,7MC). I that ecosystem with extenders, codecs don't matter much on the server side because the extender plays what it will. Thus the reason we all start to look at sage because it plays more out of the box than that system does.
Anyway, does the HD200 in extender mode use the codecs that are on the server? I'm thinking it could benefit from Babgvant's Antipack if it does but I haven't seen reference to that here.
I haven't reached the 7MC to Sage 'tipping point' yet but I'm getting closer

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by skingery

Ok, I'm sure this isn't the place to ask this but I'm a long time Windows MC user (XP,VMC,7MC). I that ecosystem with extenders, codecs don't matter much on the server side because the extender plays what it will. Thus the reason we all start to look at sage because it plays more out of the box than that system does.
Anyway, does the HD200 in extender mode use the codecs that are on the server? I'm thinking it could benefit from Babgvant's Antipack if it does but I haven't seen reference to that here.
I haven't reached the 7MC to Sage 'tipping point' yet but I'm getting closer

No. All decoding on the extenders are done in hardware in the extenders. In any mode it operates in.

Gerry

[wayner]

And this is a beautiful thing - if you build a setup with a server and extenders then you never have to worry about codecs, video drivers, audio drivers, etc. It is just plug and play.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by wayner

And this is a beautiful thing - if you build a setup with a server and extenders then you never have to worry about codecs, video drivers, audio drivers, etc. It is just plug and play.

I think that should read "can be a beautiful thing", or "is usually a beautiful thing"...

It's certainly easier, but if the device doesn't decode the codec your content is using (DTS), or doesn't implement it properly (multi-channel FLAC) there's nothing you can do w/o transcoding the audio offline.

[wayner]

I guess that's true but I have lots of content and haven't had these issues. But I haven't got into BluRay in a big way yet. As far as audio the extenders should support FLAC but I have to think that you can resample and most people are going to be using MP3 and/or AAC.

[babgvant]

AFAIK the HD200 won't decode any mult-channel audio format to multi-channel PCM, so if it's stereo, or bitstreamable (and you have it connected to an AVR), you're OK; otherwise something is lost.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by babgvant

I think that should read "can be a beautiful thing", or "is usually a beautiful thing"...

It's certainly easier, but if the device doesn't decode the codec your content is using (DTS), or doesn't implement it properly (multi-channel FLAC) there's nothing you can do w/o transcoding the audio offline.

Originally Posted by babgvant

AFAIK the HD200 won't decode any mult-channel audio format to multi-channel PCM, so if it's stereo, or bitstreamable (and you have it connected to an AVR), you're OK; otherwise something is lost.

As it stands currently, Andy is correct. This is the #1 thing missing from the HD200 imo. Other than that I love the HD Theater.

[Brent]

Any converts from Media Center want to chime in for Ian Dixon? He's looking for input from those who are using "Media Center" alternatives

Comment here

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by Brent

As it stands currently, Andy is correct. This is the #1 thing missing from the HD200 imo. Other than that I love the HD Theater.

I'd like to see Sage do an extender w/ the same hw the new popcorn hour.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by babgvant

I'd like to see Sage do an extender w/ the same hw the new popcorn hour.

Absolutely.

Gerry

[Brent]

Originally Posted by babgvant

I'd like to see Sage do an extender w/ the same hw the new popcorn hour.

Originally Posted by gplasky

Absolutely.

Gerry

Just curious. How much more would you be willing to pay for a device that had the PCH C200 hardware, but SageTV firmware on it? Ballpark figure of course.

EDIT: And no I don't know of any such device in the works or otherwise. The question was one of curiosity only

[Clift]

The HD200 is $179 now? was $199, so I guess $249 would be fair. $199 would be even better, of course.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by Brent

Just curious. How much more would you be willing to pay for a device that had the PCH C200 hardware, but SageTV firmware on it? Ballpark figure of course.

Ideally < $300; probably go as high as $350 if the menus were full resolution.

[gplasky]

$299. I feel those features are worth $100 more than the original price of the HD200. If I HAD to pay more ($25-50) I probably would. But then I would hope it would come with a better remote.

Gerry

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by gplasky

I would hope it would come with a better remote.

For me, the only reason to include a remote is so I can use it to program my universal (assuming someone hasn't already done it); after that it sits in a drawer.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by babgvant

For me, the only reason to include a remote is so I can use it to program my universal (assuming someone hasn't already done it); after that it sits in a drawer.

True for the most part. But I've taken the HD200 and a mobile hard drive up north to the trailer and used it on the 22" LCD HDTV up there. So sometimes you need that remote. And a few times I wished the remote buttons were organized better, not as rubbery and could also turn off my tv. (It's nice to dream.)

Gerry

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by babgvant

AFAIK the HD200 won't decode any mult-channel audio format to multi-channel PCM, so if it's stereo, or bitstreamable (and you have it connected to an AVR), you're OK; otherwise something is lost.

So if I get an AVR that does DTS-HD, the HD200 will pass it through? I've completely ignored audio up till now, in favor of using eac3to to extract and convert DTS-HD audio.

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by onlydarksets

So if I get an AVR that does DTS-HD, the HD200 will pass it through? I've completely ignored audio up till now, in favor of using eac3to to extract and convert DTS-HD audio.

The HD200 will bitstream the DTS core, the "HD" will get lost. AFAIK there's no way to get lossless multi-channel audio off the HD200.

[onlydarksets]

Originally Posted by babgvant

The HD200 will bitstream the DTS core, the "HD" will get lost. AFAIK there's no way to get lossless multi-channel audio off the HD200.

Nuts, thanks.