FAQ Suggestion: HD100 vs. HD200 Comparison

[EdwardATeller]

Haven't been active on the boards for a while since everything is working fine. In the meantime, STV released the HD200. I have a couple of HD100's, so I was interested in the difference between the two devices. Didn't see anything in the FAQ, although the two remotes were compared.

Explaining things in simple terms is far from easy. Maybe I'm stupid today, but I wasn't able to figure out exactly what the HD200 does in about 10 minutes of searching. Seems like a decent addition to the FAQ.

[gplasky]

I think the big difference is the stand-alone mode for the HD200 that the HD100 doesn't have and the faster processor for the HD200. Other than that, if you compare them in extender mode they both do the same thing except the HD200 is much faster.

Gerry

[EdwardATeller]

Thanks for the quick and helpful reply.

[Brent]

I'm posting a detailed review of the HD200 in the next few days (no later than Wednesday) on GeekTonic. Here's the major differences:

• Smaller form factor
• Faster CPU
• More internal memory
• No license required
• Can function as a standalone player and can use the 2 USB2 ports on it. Also has UpNP on the standalone player.

The remote and the price is exactly the same as with the HD100

[valnar]

The HD200 also does not have an on/off switch - the only reason I keep an HD100 around (for a TV I hardly use). The faster processor in the HD200 also plays most 1080p H.264 files fine, assuming they were encoded correctly. This is something the HD100 struggles with. The HD200 also receives IR much easier. The HD100 would not work well behind a meshed door in my A/V cabinet.

With all else being equal (which it's not), the faster menu response of the HD200 is *very* worth the upgrade to me. If you were to ask what the HD100 had better than the HD200? Two things - on/off switch, and quicker return out of standby. But the standby vs ON mode of either extender is 5 watts vs 6-7 watts, so just leave it on.

[voidpt]

Made a post a while ago that tried to compare the differences I could find on the two Sigma chips (HD100 vs HD200) after someone went through the trouble opening the HD200 box. Might give you something.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by Brent

No license required

To clarify, this has the not-so-nice consequence that you don't get a "free" placeshifter license when you purchase a HD200. The HD100 came with an extender/placeshifter license, and connecting to the server with the HD100 counted against your pool of available licenses. HD200 licenses are separate from other extender/placeshifter licenses.

[evilpenguin]

Originally Posted by reggie14

To clarify, this has the not-so-nice consequence that you don't get a "free" placeshifter license when you purchase a HD200. The HD100 came with an extender/placeshifter license, and connecting to the server with the HD100 counted against your pool of available licenses. HD200 licenses are separate from other extender/placeshifter licenses.

Are you sure about that? I thought it was just automatically adding its license to the pool rather than you having to do it manually?

[Brent]

Originally Posted by reggie14

To clarify, this has the not-so-nice consequence that you don't get a "free" placeshifter license when you purchase a HD200. The HD100 came with an extender/placeshifter license, and connecting to the server with the HD100 counted against your pool of available licenses. HD200 licenses are separate from other extender/placeshifter licenses.

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Are you sure about that? I thought it was just automatically adding its license to the pool rather than you having to do it manually?

Me too - thought it worked with an automatic license without having to type it in. I've tried placeshifter myself, but since I have a "spare" placeshifter license I'm not 100% sure on this.

Can anyone confirm one way or the other?

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by evilpenguin

Are you sure about that? I thought it was just automatically adding its license to the pool rather than you having to do it manually?

No, I'm not completely sure, as I don't have an HD200. But, this is how it's been described to me. I don't think anyone has definitively confirmed this one way or the other by someone actually trying it out.

But, it logically it seems like it wouldn't result in a placeshifter license. I fully expect the HD200 is just recognized as a valid device when it connects. There's really no reason to have licenses when the only place you can get these devices from is from Sage, and their only use is as Sage extenders. It made sense with the MVP, and I think Sage just went ahead and continued the license tradition with the HD100 before realizing it wasn't really necessary.

Assuming its true the HD200 doesn't come with (or require) an extender/placeshifter license, I'm not necessarily saying its a bad thing. In a lot of ways, it would make sense. But, it would have a downside.

[Opus4]

This has come up before. Here is what I previously posted:

Originally Posted by Opus4

I'm not going to try stating any details about how it works. Rewording what I've already said: the HD200 is automatically recognized as a valid SageTV client/extender w/o entering a license on the server when using v6.5 & later. If there is no license involved when the unit is in use, there is no license involved when the unit is not in use.

You do not get a placeshifter license out of it, but the HD200 itself can be used in placeshifter mode with the same auto-licensing recognition.

- Andy