Direct video output from SageTV/Win2003 server possible?

[M3_boogie]

Having used and appreciated Sage on a standalone box (WinXP MCE SP2) directly connected to a TV (video card DVI-> component video --> TV), I decided to reinstall it on what will soon become a SageTV server with at least 1 client (to start) as well as maintaining the directly attached TV (same output as above). For the new server, I opted for Win 2003 Server R2 as I wanted something more stable and with less overhead than WinXP.

I have yet to setup the Sage client, but my question is, with the XP setup, I did not have a mouse/keyboard/computer monitor attached since I could have windows boot directly into a user's account and launch the Sage UI. With Win 2003 Server, I understand I can run Sage as a 'service' for use with the Sage client, but is there a way to easily get the Sage UI to launch on boot without having to connect a keyboard, login to windows, etc.

I tried the Remote Desktop route, but that envokes a separate session from what is being passed to the video card /TV (i.e. Remote Desktop connection to the server to manually launch the Sage UI does not display this activity through the server's video output to the TV).

TIA

[mdf]

Configure SageTV to load the UI on windows login. (this option is in the SageTV setup wizard available from the setup menu)

google on "server 2003 automatic login" then follow directions to setup registry key to allow auto login.
(from memory, the Microsoft PowerToy TweakUI allows you to setup auto login.)

If you happen to be using the Microsoft MCE remote you might have trouble getting it to work under Server 2003. google on "Server 2003 MCE remote"

Cheers,
Michael

[M3_boogie]

Thanks for the reply Michael (autologin works perfectly for me). You obviously have gone down this road already since my other question, which I haven't even asked yet, was about the getting the MCE remote (which came with the Hauppauge PVR-150) to work.

Did you actually get your remote to work? Skimming through this thread doesn't make it sound very easy and it is hard to distinguish which part is to make the remote work with Windows Server 2003 and which part is for installing MCE on Server 2003.

[M3_boogie]

I should add that while I have the MCE remote from the PVR-150, I intend to use my Logitech Harmony (880) so if there is another remote available to control my current hardware, I can select it in the Harmony setup. Alternatively, I could get a new IR receiver if need be.

[TechJunkie]

MCE remote drivers are built into Windows Media Center Edition and Vista versions with Media Center. I have seen drivers written that run other versions of windows XP but I am not sure how will they work on Windows2003. If the Hauppauge PVR-150 came with drivers for the remote you might want to try those first. You can purchase other remotes SageTV sales one that they support. Most WindowsXP drives will work with Windows Server 2003. If you run Microsoft WHS with an auto login make sure you continue to use the shares for sage to access your files.

[M3_boogie]

Thanks Tech. I tried the drivers which came with the PVR-150 (and previously worked under WinXP MCE) to no avail. Since I still have the old drive with WinXP MCE & Sage still installed, I will try see what I can do about moving the files mentioned in this post from the WinXP MCE drive to the Win2003 Server drive and cross my fingers.

Anyone else actually try this to get the MCE remote to work under Win2003 server?

[Wheemer]

run
control userpasswords2
then uncheck the box

This works perfectly, no need for the powertoy