Why o Why is SageTV so difficult to set up?

[sfag]

Why o Why is SageTV so difficult to set up?

To me the two most basic facilities of any TV recording PVR application is to have an easy to setup decent EPG recording, and easy shrinking of recorded files.

I've used Digiguide and Showshifter for years and setting these things up was a breeze. I now need a new PVR for digital telly.


I have to say I found the setting up of what I regard as the two most basic functions extremly difficult - and unneccessarily so.


Heres what I had to do to get the epg working.

I had to install and configure the following:
sagetv - to scan the channels.
tvtv.co.uk - tried and failed - an inadequate epg and impossible digital freesat channel alignment.
tried an alternative route.
digiguide (setup and configure special web service for xml download)
dg2xml - configure to talk to digiguide.
xmltv importer - configure to talk to dg2xml and sagetv.
back to sagetv to configure it to talk to the xmltv importer.
All before I could record a single TV programme.

Jayus - No one who has not been at this game for years could find this easy.


Now to the recompression.
Is it such an unusal task to want to recompress to divx or xvid - the two most popular compression codecs in geekdom.

Install Sage.
Look for the recompression facility - hey its not there.
Install third part recompression add on - had to search thru forums for advice on this one.
Configure the same to recompress to mpeg4.
Try to view the recompressed mpeg file on my personal handheld video player. - No audio because the default bitrates are too high or something. The audio bit rate is set an a whooping 324kbs.
No way of shrinking that apparently unless I install three more pieces of software which I've yet to experiment with.
Still not there.


I'm still preservering with the thing because I need a new PVR but Gawd almighty does it all have to be so difficult? - my life is wasting away here.

[ghostlobster]

Wow! I never had any issues like that with guide data and sageTV. I'm in the US, so I can't speak for UK EPG population, but for me, I just selected the video source, associated the guide data with my provider, gave it about 15 minutes to populate, and viola.
Regarding compression, again, it just plain works for me. I use sageMC, but I believe that the default UI provides the functionality. In SageMC, I just select the autocompress options for my favorite series recordings and tell it to autocompress to mpg4 and it just happens.

I know that when I first started using Sage, I found myself trying to make things more difficult than they were by manually editing files and such until I found all of the options within the UI, but once I started just poking around in the UI, I found things far easier than I was making them out to be.

[bunch92]

, that post made me laugh.

I had the exact same issues when I installed SageTV, and it took me a week to get the EPG working. I think most of the SageTV users have had to go through that ordeal of setting up the EPG.

But how satisfying it is now that it is working !!!!!

[Hades]

I'm also dreading setting up the guide data again,i have not used sage for over a year now, just canceled my Sky+, so i need to re-learn the whole procedure again..

[heffe2001]

I wouldn't say most users, as I'd have to guess that the majority of SageTV users are in the US, which has guide data available directly without having to go through any hoops. Now, most users outside of the US I would definitely agree with you on though. I've played with the guide data importers (to get PPV guide data for my old Dishnet setup), and definitely agree it's a PITA to get running. I'd have to guess that most other programs for PVR on the PC have their issues with it as well (although I'd also guess that if the program was created by someone not in the US, they probably have more xmltv functionality built into the system, so it's easier). If Sage could come up with a solution that is built into the system to make it easier for non-us buyers to get their guide data, it would definitely help foreign sales.

Originally Posted by bunch92

, that post made me laugh.

I had the exact same issues when I installed SageTV, and it took me a week to get the EPG working. I think most of the SageTV users have had to go through that ordeal of setting up the EPG.

But how satisfying it is now that it is working !!!!!

[brewston]

Speaking from the UK, setting up the EPG is difficult. Sage have made ts easier for their mass market (ie the US) and more power to them.. To cater for every single TV distribution method worldwide would be a nightmare (and personally, I think thats one of the reasons Apple TV doesnt do live TV) In the UK alone, we have analogue, Freeview & Freesat as the main ones, then you have Satellite channels that need subscription, Cable etc.

Having never used a different PVR software package, I can't comment on how difficult they would be to setup in the UK

But once its setup, it does just work (Until you try to add more channels LOL!)

[taylormadearmy]

I'm in the UK using Freeview.

I use the over the air EPG - so no setup needed at all - it just works. Some have said that the over the air EPG is not that great and that others data sources are better. This may well be the case but it works well enough for me and I dont think I could find the time to try all the alternative....
T

[Narflex]

Originally Posted by sfag

Now to the recompression.
Is it such an unusal task to want to recompress to divx or xvid - the two most popular compression codecs in geekdom.

Very standard thing to do. Just select a file in SageTV; then choose 'Convert'. You'll need to select 'Advanced Options' if its not showing up when you select a file (the default is to show only Basic Options which doesn't include Convert)

[sainswor99]

Everytime I see this thread bubble up, I start singing the song from Hee-Haw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opcL3...eature=related

Apologies in advance to all non-US posters... Or anyone not born in the 70's.

[sfag]

Originally Posted by Narflex

Very standard thing to do. Just select a file in SageTV; then choose 'Convert'. You'll need to select 'Advanced Options' if its not showing up when you select a file (the default is to show only Basic Options which doesn't include Convert)

My Advanced Options does not have it. I had to install sagemc to get the convert feature.

[gplasky]

Originally Posted by sfag

My Advanced Options does not have it. I had to install sagemc to get the convert feature.

No-it's in the default STV. Click on a recording. Choose Advanced Options. Over on the right hand lower side under Watched is the Convert button. Covert does not work for DVD files. It should still show for other types like .mpg in your Import directories.

Gerry

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by sainswor99

Everytime I see this thread bubble up, I start singing the song from Hee-Haw.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opcL3...eature=related

Apologies in advance to all non-US posters... Or anyone not born in the 70's.

Hilarious!

[Khristopher]

Originally Posted by bunch92

I think most of the SageTV users have had to go through that ordeal of setting up the EPG.

I never had any such difficulties setting up the guide for Sage. ZERO!

[SomeWhatLost]

Originally Posted by Khristopher

I never had any such difficulties setting up the guide for Sage. ZERO!

?? really?? whats the secret? I finally got the epg setup on my main system... took 2 hours, but its working now... and I am in the US and just using OTA... in comparison, I had BTV's guide setup in 15 minutes...
I know, people will say, but Sage does so much more than BTV, and that's true overall, but what exactly does the guide do better/different than BTV to make it such a PITA to get going????

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by SomeWhatLost

?? really?? whats the secret? I finally got the epg setup on my main system... took 2 hours, but its working now... and I am in the US and just using OTA... in comparison, I had BTV's guide setup in 15 minutes...
I know, people will say, but Sage does so much more than BTV, and that's true overall, but what exactly does the guide do better/different than BTV to make it such a PITA to get going????

OK, now I'm really confiused. You're in the US and had problems getting EPG data? What kind of problems? What steps did you go through? If your PC is connected to the 'net, it's a pretty simple click and go process.

[gplasky]

Maybe its the OTA which I don't use. But in the US I enter a zip code, pick a provider and in about 15 seconds I have my channels and guide. Not sure what your issue is with OTA. From what I can see you get a list of cities in your zip and you should be close enough to one of those to pick it and be done. If you want to enable different channels on different tuners you choose to copy the lineup to the other tuner and then enable you different stations. Sorry you had difficulties but I'm having a hard time understanding 2 hours to set that up. It took me two hours to set up Windows Home server, SageTV, HDHR, HD-PVR and 2 analog tuners. 3 different lineups from my cable provider. (Storage drives were already done previously) Unless you missed reading the manual.

Gerry

[SomeWhatLost]

no, I haven't read all 300 pages of the manual... did print it out though... kind of wish I hadn't though...
this is the second time I set up sage though... first time was on a test setup... (ie my desktop).. that went reasonably well... only took mapping/unmapping one channel to make them all work...

when I moved everything over to my real set up, that's when all the fun began...
selecting the guide data source was easy, getting the epg to actually update all the channel info on the other hand took a bit of work...

and my ATI HD blunder still doesn't work... at least the HDhr works fine now...

[gplasky]

Sometimes with the guide info patience is a virtue. You end up spinning your wheels making changes and such when all you needed to do was wait.

Gerry

[SomeWhatLost]

Originally Posted by gplasky

Sometimes with the guide info patience is a virtue. You end up spinning your wheels making changes and such when all you needed to do was wait.

Gerry

I don't know that waiting would help, every time I would remove a source and re-add it, it would come up with different channel id's for the same channels...



silly question, but for all you sagers who think the thread topic is silly, or that sage is easy to set up: what PVR type app have you set up that was more difficult than sage? ie what do you consider hard???

[gplasky]

MediaPortal. Meedio, back in the good old days. Have you tackled a HDHR on a Windows Media Center or a Vista Media Center? GB-PVR has come a long way. Free or paid for they all have their little glitches now and then.

Gerry