Licensing

[lolachampcar]

I sent this question to SageTV but did not get a response so I thought I would run it by the form.

I dug up an few year old PC previously used for some embedded Linux work and installed a fresh copy of Vista Home Premium on it to use it as a test bed. I wanted to work out all the bugs with a SageTV installation and make sure I (and my wife) are happy with the whole concept before throwing cash at building a media server.

My question is how does the SageTV license work? Can I install my copy on my current test bed then move it to the new server PC when I get it built? Are there any problems with reinstalling it when Windows completely crashes? Has anyone had problems dealing with their SageTV license?

Thanks,
Bill

[carlgar]

Since you have a fresh copy of the OS on the test system, you can use the trial version of the Sage server for up to 45 days. If you already have a license that is not in use, you can use it to test and then move it. But if the license is currently in use, you cannot have a second copy on the test system. The server license can only be in use on 1 computer at a time but can be moved between systems.

[lolachampcar]

Only need or want one at a time. I just wanted to make sure I could switch the old one off (close the application) then insert the same "key" in the new installation and get it up and running. Once the new is working I'll likely reinstall Vista or go back to Linux on the old box.

Thanks

BTW, I see that SageTV is licensed. I assume this includes the "server" and local "front end".

[tmiranda]

You can use the same license on a different machine.

There are several license types so be sure you buy what you need. In summary:

SageTV Media Center = The main server license. You will need one of these.

SageClient = License for PC based client. You will need one of these per client PC you intend to use. No need for this license if you plan on using the server, extender, or placeshifter to watch things.

Placeshifter = You will need one of these for each CONCURRENT placeshifter connections you intend to have. The license is installed ON THE SERVER, not the placeshifter. You can have placeshifter installed on 10 different machines (no license needed) but you will be limited to one connection to the server per installed license.

HD200 "Extender" - No additional license needed. (But you need to have at least one server for the extender to connect to.)

Make sense?

[lolachampcar]

Yep
And SageTV got back to me. I can move the license to any machine provided I uninstall the previous installation using the license in question. New machine, same license. Crashed machine, same license. Works for me

[paulbeers]

Originally Posted by lolachampcar

Yep
And SageTV got back to me. I can move the license to any machine provided I uninstall the previous installation using the license in question. New machine, same license. Crashed machine, same license. Works for me

You would be surprised how many of us have moved our license from one machine to another over the years! I'm on my 4th machine and its still running my original license (with an upgrade of course).

[adone36]

Where can I find which license is used by which client?
How can I change the License Key?

I had a client boot track go bad. I reinstalled Sage but I must have used the license from the OTHER client. Now this client won't start because it says license is used by a different machine.

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by adone36

Where can I find which license is used by which client?
How can I change the License Key?

You can't recover the license key from an existing installation. Find your original proof-of-purchase emails and get the license keys from them. Then close all your clients, restart your server, and use the REGISTER command-line option (per Appendix D of the manual) to re-license your clients one by one.

[adone36]

I have the keys, I just didn't know which was used on which client.

[Menehune]

Register client license "A" on client PC #1, register client license "B" on client PC #2, etc.