HD-100 Future improvements / support?

[AzJazz]

I am curious - Since the HD-100 is no longer available (I don't see it on the Sage Store page), will there be many more updates to the firmware? I'm not complaining (I love my STX-HD100), I'm just curious.

I think it's kinda amusing that I purchased my HD-100 only a month or so after they became available, and it's already obsolete less than a year later. Oh, well - as Groucho Marx used to say:

"Time flies like an arrow; Fruit flies like a banana."

[carlgar]

Why do you consider it obsolete? Did it stop doing what you purchased it for? I do not consider mine obsolete but would like to see improvements if possible. I would think that the lack of memory may be the biggest roadblock for improvements. I doubt if Sage would make any improvements if special code is needed for the 100. If the same firmware could be used on both then I would expect improvements. I also doubt if the 100 would ever be produced again. If a warranty replacement is needed, they would probably replace it with a 200.

[Narflex]

Originally Posted by carlgar

If a warranty replacement is needed, they would probably replace it with a 200.

This speculation is not true. An HD100 sent in for warranty replacement will get an HD100 back.

We are still supporting the HD100 of course.

[pjpjpjpj]

To take AzJazz's question to the next step:

As an example.... if Sage at some point began intensive work to get streaming internet video and audio (hulu, netflix, pandora, etc.) working through an extender, would they, at this point, only work to get it functioning on the HD200, and leave the HD100 users behind? Or would any such work be done in the parts of the device that are common in both and therefore a "fix" for one would be a "fix" for both?

My fear is that I have these wonderful HD100s working and doing everything that I need them to do (but of course, would LOVE more), and then Sage announces that they have solved the puzzle of streaming internet content, and all you have to do is install this latest firmware update for your HD200 (only). That would effectively force a lot of us to have to buy new devices... and then we'd have to wait for them to be in stock...

[stuckless]

I'm sure you feel how many of the MVP users felt when the HD extender replaced the MVP. You probably feel how many sages users felt when Sage went from 2-3-4-5-6 (and how I'll feel when they go to 7 ) After all, I'm sure version 7 will have some killer service that "could" be put into 6, but will only be available to those who upgrade .

Sage doesn't make much (or any) money providing free firmware updates to existing customers, so part of their revenue stream has to be come up with new products and features that will entice a new set of users, and to entice current users to want to "upgrade" their existing software/hardware. It's why many software companies have turned, or are turning to, subscription software. It provides them with a constant revenue stream without the need to provide new "killer" features year after year. Off topic, You may have seen the post that slysoft is now moving to subscription model as well. It will be a sad day when Sage moves to a subscription model, but until then, they need to keep making new hardware and software.

[bjkiller]

Originally Posted by stuckless

Sage doesn't make much (or any) money providing free firmware updates to existing customers, so part of their revenue stream has to be come up with new products and features that will entice a new set of users, and to entice current users to want to "upgrade" their existing software/hardware.

you know some people purchased HD100 just 2 months ago, i think they will provide firmware upgrades for the next year for HD100 also.

[stanger89]

Well they're still supporting MVP, so that should tell you something.

I see it like this, most updates will probably apply to both the HD100 and HD200. I see two big exceptions to that:

1) Features that only apply to the HD200's standalone mode.
2) Features that can't be implemented due to on the HD100 "lighter" hardware.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by stanger89

1) Features that only apply to the HD200's standalone mode.
2) Features that can't be implemented due to on the HD100 "lighter" hardware.

I'm curious how much of this is related to hardware limitations and how much of it is related to encouraging HD100 owners to purchase HD200s. While I admittedly have little knowledge about how the extenders work, it really seems like standalone mode should work on HD100s. It might (probably is) be slower to navigate through menus, but it seems like that would be the only limitation.

[Brent]

I'm pretty happy with my HD100 and knowing the HD200 is quite similar makes me think we'll continue to see updates for the HD100 for a very long time just as we will with the HD200.

And I'll be totally shocked if there isn't another, even better hardware device that comes along eventually and we'll see the same questions about the HD200 support. And I'll bet you at that time SageTV will still be supporting and updating the MVP (SD Extender), HD100 and HD200 at that time as well.

I'm not too worried about it and very glad we're seeing SageTV push to innovate with new stuff consistently as time goes on.

[stanger89]

I'd guess the HD100 doesn't have enough memory to have a "full" SageTV install locally like the HD200 does.

[dravenone]

I would assume those who bought the 100 did so for the advertised feature set and not on the expectation and hope of future unadvertised features needed by a firmware update. You can't be upset at Sage for a feature built into the 200 that does not get added to the 100. You got what you paid for with the 100 and if you want that feature then buy the 200.

I meet with Dell, Intel, Microsoft, Panasonic, Motion Computing, HP etc. and every single one of them has a support lifecycle (unpublished to the general public) for their products. They tell us when the next rev will be released, when the old rev is no longer available for purchase and when support will end for the old rev. I don't expect Sage to be any different, and to expect firmware updates indefinitely on the 100 and 200 when it gets replaced (and it will) is just not feasible for Sage to do. The big companies don't do it and I expect it to be even harder for a small company.

Let's just count our blessings this holiday season that Sage gives us amazing support and if they do add features to the 100 then send them a big thank you for going above and beyond, again.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by dravenone

I would assume those who bought the 100 did so for the advertised feature set and not on the expectation and hope of future unadvertised features needed by a firmware update. You can't be upset at Sage for a feature built into the 200 that does not get added to the 100. You got what you paid for with the 100 and if you want that feature then buy the 200.

That's true, but if I'm not mistaken, I think Sage did allude to updates that you make use of the USB ports. That never came. Frankly, I never thought enabling USB drives on th HD100 was a terribly useful feature (at least, not useful to me). The standalone feature changes that a little bit, but really I think I'd only find that useful since the PlayOn hack works for getting Hulu support.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by reggie14

That's true, but if I'm not mistaken, I think Sage did allude to updates that you make use of the USB ports. That never came.

I'm not positive on this either, but as far as I know the only ones speculating on the enabling of the USB ports was the forum members here - not official SageTV reps.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Brent

I'm not positive on this either, but as far as I know the only ones speculating on the enabling of the USB ports was the forum members here - not official SageTV reps.

Could be. I can't find any posts that indicate otherwise. The box suggests they meant to include USB support at some point, but I can't find them discussing it anywhere.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by reggie14

Could be. I can't find any posts that indicate otherwise. The box suggests they meant to include USB support at some point, but I can't find them discussing it anywhere.

I'm going to speculate a little here on the USB ports for the HD100 - no inside info or anything special like that.

SageTV works with another company to customize a Media Extender for them that embeds a special SageTV Linux version into an existing hardware board with a Sigma chip on it. That board already has the USB ports and other inputs/outputs on it and SageTV has several options of cases to enclose the board and put the SageTV logo on the front. All of the cases they have to choose from already have the USB "holes" on them and the USB port does have a function in the proper device. The packaging boxes for the HD100 are being made BEFORE SageTV knows for sure the USB ports will work with the HD100 so they put that on the outside of the boxes saying USB support...

However, the SageTV HD100 ONLY works as an extender and therefore gets most (if not all) of its media from a server - not from the device itself. Nothing is stored on the hardware other than a small amount of memory to make the thing work. If SageTV had wanted to use the device as a standalone device that somehow used the USB ports in some way, they wouldn't be able to use it as an extender - just not enough power or memory on the board to do both. So SageTV chose to just go the extender route and forgoe the USB functionality - can't just cover up the USB holes and you never know maybe they would find a way to make it work down the road so just leave them there and not advertise or promote the USB functionality. So then we have us forum users speculate about the USB ports because hey, surely there is a use for those USB ports other than plugging in a USB plate warmer and such right? But nobody including SageTV figured out a use or solution for the USB ports and so the mystery continues on.

What do you think? Plausible or not? Again, I have no idea but I also seriously doubt SageTV would not have enabled USB functionality if it was possible or easy enough to do on the HD100 extenders.

[Bikeman]

What's to stop Sage or some other company from offering an hardware upgrade to a HD-200?

Would you pay $75-100 to upgrade? I think I would.

Jeff

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Brent

What do you think? Plausible or not? Again, I have no idea but I also seriously doubt SageTV would not have enabled USB functionality if it was possible or easy enough to do on the HD100 extenders.

Perhaps- I really have no idea. It really doesn't *seem* like adding USB support would 1) be a whole lot of work, 2) take up too many resources on the HD100 hardware. Maybe Sage is already operating at the edge of the HD100s capabilities. But, I tend to think if that were the case it wouldn't be as reliable as it is.

It certainly wouldn't surprise me if its a combination of 1) there's no compelling reason to include USB support without bringing standalone mode and 2) they don't want to backport standalone mode to the HD100. Furthermore, it wouldn't surprise me if a primary reason for not backporting standalone mode is to give the HD200 a moderately compelling new feature. Or, maybe its just too slow, or there's not enough memory. If it really is a business, rather than a technical decision, that's Sage's prerogative. It wouldn't be the first time a business did that. Sage has to pay their bills somehow, and considering they've only charged an upgrade fee once, they're mostly reliant on selling new licenses and devices (FWIW, Sage, I'm perfectly happy paying upgrade fees for every major release).

[trini0]

Originally Posted by Bikeman

Would you pay $75-100 to upgrade? I think I would.

I would pay to upgrade the hardware on the HD100...

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by trini0

I would pay to upgrade the hardware on the HD100...

I bet if you ebayed your HD100, and bought an HD200, the "upgrade" cost would only be about 75 (and possibly less).

[stuckless]

you know some people purchased HD100 just 2 months ago, i think they will provide firmware upgrades for the next year for HD100 also.

I agree. And my point wasn't that Sage won't provide firmwire upgrades for the HD100... Just that it doing so doen't bring in the cash.... and as a result, they need to come up with new products and killer features to keep people buying. I would think that Sage would provide firmware updates for it's hardware for at least 5 years.