DirecTV suspends dev of tuner for Win7 = Sage +1

[wayner]

I have to think these means even more people (like me) who will be converting from WinMC to Sage.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by wayner

I have to think these means even more people (like me) who will be converting from WinMC to Sage.

Here's a link to read the release:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.ph...92#post1914292

[ghostlobster]

As a Vista MC to Sage convert myself, one word comes to mind... Hilarious!
Especially the part about the impact of missing the TV Pack update being the driving factor in this..actually, I think it was probably more along the lines of being "the last straw." The disappointment of the TV Pack is what drove me to Sage in the first place. who knows...maybe DTV will lok to a more nimble company like...ohhh...Sage, perhaps, to open up this market to them? OK, it's a pipedream, but one can hope!

[rgreenpc]

I am quickly looking to move to Sage (SageMC actually) just have to get my wife over the TCO changes involved.

Sell the Xbo360s and get HD200s (after they are no longer sold out).

Get two HD-PVRs hopefully new ones that don't have lock-up issues (this is actually one of the few things holding me back).

I like DirecTV and don't want to get a cablecard system but just as many people seem to have issues with their HD-PVRs as do people with cable cards.

I can't do that to my wife.

[Clift]

Well I always assumed we mighty have been able to get access to the HDPC-20 in Sage anyway (maybe that was a pipe dream) but I would rather have direct access to the DirecTV stream than to have to capture and re-encode witht he HD PVR. Don't get me wrong, for now the HD PVR is the best thing going for HD. But capturing the stream directly would make things a hell of a lot easier... No resolution change lock up issues, 5.1 issues, IR blaster quirks, etc... Of course, if this thing ended up being anything like the Cablecard OCUR systems, no thanks ukes:

[popechild]

Should be good news for Sage's business.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by popechild

Should be good news for Sage's business.

There are several things that have been going SageTV's way lately:

• Snapstream's focus has wavered towards their Enterprise product and less on their consumer product - this has brought many BeyondTV users SageTV's way
• Microsoft's TV Pack debacle
• Unhappiness with the DRM "bugs" when VMC & MCE users attempt to record their shows - mostly with CableCard
• Microsoft's very slow product cycle that matches their OS product cycle - many other things MS's Media Center doesn't offer compared to competition.
• DirecTV TV Tuner debacle (will DishTV come out with a Satellite Tuner?)
• Possibly TiVo's move towards putting spam (ads) on during Live TV and pretty much everywhere else. This is going to tick off a LOT of TiVo users.
• SageMC's successes - the themes, add-ons and customization done on SageMC over the past few years has allowed many who would not have moved to SageTV to do so even if they didn't love the default SageTV STV
• SageTV Extenders. Probably one of the best things SageTV has ever done imo.

So these are good times for SageTV and its users. As long as they don't get complacent, things can only get better in my opinion. I don't think MS's Media Center is finished by any means, but they sure have been taking some big hits lately.

[stanger89]

DIRECTV has suspended the development of the HDPC-20 tuner project that was designed to integrate DIRECTV service into Windows Media Center after assessing the impact of missing the August 2008 release of Windows Media Center update and considering timing of the next release.

Translation: DirecTV was never that interested in this, and missing the August 2008 update is a convenient excuse to can the project...

[rgreenpc]

I will say that the default SageTV UI isn't what would entice me to switch... but a lot of the customization is a major plus.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by rgreenpc

I will say that the default SageTV UI isn't what would entice me to switch... but a lot of the customization is a major plus.

I wouldn't have come to SageTV if there was no other option than the Stock STV UI. SageMC is what enticed me and it's continually improving.

[Beefcake550]

I love hearing all the whiners on greenbutton complain about the "closing of the analog loophole" and everyone speculating when that will happen. They are using that to excuse themselves from not buying the hdpvr and sage from the get go like the rest of us.

Of course I installed sageMC when I converted the family to SageTV. The wife likes it and is happy that it's "familiar" to her. She didn't want to learn how to do everything all over again.

In the meantime, I can be happy of my decision to leave VMC to get more HD content. When this analog loophole is somehow closed, I'll worry about the solution at that point.

-Brian

[rgreenpc]

I worry about the loophole.. I really do.

I don't want to pay for stuff to only be able to use it 2 years or so... wanna talk about low WAF?

Not sure what to do at this point.

[Brent]

I'm tired of hearing VMC users complain about SageTV as if it's "light years behind." These people are in denial big time. And the UI differences they talk about are easily overcome in SageMC.

Read the hyperbole at GreenButton (last page or so has most the SageTV comments) I added some of my own opinion to keep the truth out there.

[rgreenpc]

Originally Posted by Brent

I'm tired of hearing VMC users complain about SageTV as if it's "light years behind." These people are in denial big time. And the UI differences they talk about are easily overcome in SageMC.

Read the hyperbole at GreenButton (last page or so has most the SageTV comments) I added some of my own opinion to keep the truth out there.

Brent -

I read the post and I am sure that those people are the minority.
... if they ran a trade-in program for extenders (guess I COULD Ebay them)...
... and someone came and set up SageMC etc etc.

I think Sage has promise but for someone who has been using MC since its infancy... its a hard move to make.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by Brent

I'm tired of hearing VMC users complain about SageTV as if it's "light years behind."

When facing the wrong direction, those ahead of you look like they are behind.

MCE is slick, but I prefer function that works.

[Beefcake550]

HelenWeathers,

That is a very keen observation and very true. I like it a lot.

[HelenWeathers]

Thanks Beefcake550, that's one in my collectiion of what I refer to as Helen's Ultimate Truths. One more of my favorites (then I'll quit posting nonsence):

The more you have behind you, the less you have in front of you.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by rgreenpc

I worry about the loophole.. I really do.

Thing is it's not really a loophole, it's a reality. Until the majority (and probably >>50% at that) of HD subscribers have HDCP compatible TVs, the providers don't dare end analog.

I don't want to pay for stuff to only be able to use it 2 years or so... wanna talk about low WAF?

Not sure what to do at this point.

Your only real option is to rent a DVR from your provider then.

[rgreenpc]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Thing is it's not really a loophole, it's a reality. Until the majority (and probably >>50% at that) of HD subscribers have HDCP compatible TVs, the providers don't dare end analog.



Your only real option is to rent a DVR from your provider then.

Stanger that IS a valid point and something I will have to talk over with my wife. Just don't want to invest only to end up respending the same money again within 24 months.

[MeInMaui]

Here's just a quick thought for you.

The HD-PVR can be had for about $200. Let's assume you only get 2yrs out of it. That comes out to $8.33/month, or about the cost to rent an additional cable box. If it last longer (which I think is very likely) then the numbers improve even more.

Aloha,
Mike