Plug ins and customisations

[skyfox]

Sorry to sound like a noob, but these customizations are confuzzling me.

I understand the SageMC is the media center version (or pc next to the tv as extender - right?) so there are a heap of things that can be changed; fair enough.

I run a HD200 and want to tweak it. Can any of the visual tweaks be applied to it? if so what do I look for in these forums? (STV, STVi, SageTV, SageMC... etc).

Is there anyway to define a Server side, Client side or HD100/HD200 add on?

I'd really love to add FM radio to the SageTV setup, ComSkip and a dvd/video wall... are they possible?

Thanks for your help!

[pjpjpjpj]

Originally Posted by skyfox

Sorry to sound like a noob, but these customizations are confuzzling me.

I understand the SageMC is the media center version (or pc next to the tv as extender - right?) so there are a heap of things that can be changed; fair enough.

I run a HD200 and want to tweak it. Can any of the visual tweaks be applied to it? if so what do I look for in these forums? (STV, STVi, SageTV, SageMC... etc).

Is there anyway to define a Server side, Client side or HD100/HD200 add on?

I'd really love to add FM radio to the SageTV setup, ComSkip and a dvd/video wall... are they possible?

Thanks for your help!

SageMC is a confusing thing for new users. The SageTV software - a PVR software (plus other features) is called "Sage Media Center". But there is a plugin that is a completely changed and customized UI, called "SageMC". When you are using SageTV software, your UI is called the "default" STV (the UI that comes with the software), and there are a bunch of plug-ins (customizations) that you can add, even a few which allow you to change the look of the UI. Or, you can install SageMC, and then there are plug-ins you can put into that (most of which are the same, they are just installed differently when you are using the SageMC interface).

If you are using the default STV, you install STVi's (plug-ins). These can change the UI, even on the extender. If you are using SageMC, this also applies to your UI on the extender, and the customizations for SageMC also carry over to clients and extenders. Note that some customizations require separate installation on client PCs as well as the server, whereas the extenders won't need that.

I don't think there is an FM radio plug-in (for an FM tuner card) for Sage. There are plug-ins that allow you to use internet radio, which may get you all the stations you want anyway (if your FM stations all stream on the web). For starters, try michaeldjcox's "Web Feed Encoder" plug-in, which can set up internet streaming radio stations as channels in your tuner, complete with imported daily schedules.

Comskip and Movie Wall are plug-ins that are available in either default STV or in SageMC. Just read in the Customizations forum.

[skyfox]

Thanks for your help dude... except I've still go no idea. (sorry! I tried to follow what you wrote but it's confused me more)

I'm running the sagetv server which is refered to as?
SageMC is PVR software a computer based client only?
Can I run this SageMC on the extender?

Or I just install the STVi's on the server and the extender will find them and work?

[Opus4]

Regarding terminology, see this FAQ & its links:
Is there some sort of reference for the various acronyms and terms used around here?

The product produced by SageTV (the company) is referred to as SageTV, not SageMC.

I'm not sure I follow the rest of the questions, but this customizations forum talks about customizations produced by users. The PDF manual installed with SageTV or downloadable separately if you haven't installed SageTV yet, covers the various options in the product as produced by SageTV.

The HD200 when used on its own (instead of connected as an extender connected SageTV running on a PC) uses a subset of SageTV's features.

And, yes, each type of client can have its own customized UI.

- Andy

[skyfox]

I have a Windows home server with the SageTV server running on that then the HD200 running as an extender.

I just wanted to install a UI or plug in to allow for a video wall, comskip and the FM radio.

[wrems]

I would head over to Brent's site:

http://www.geektonic.com/2008/11/sag...ate-guide.html

In there you'll find a lot of information on setting up much of what you're looking for and more.

[freedml]

There are a lot of detailed explanations available elsewhere, but here's a short, simple one:

SageTV Media Center is the PVR software you run on your server. It has a User Interface (called the 'default UI'). You can add customizations to it, like Comskip.

Or, you can REPLACE the default UI with "SageMC". This has many customizations, like Comskip, built-in. You can add more to it, but you might not need to.

For each device that plays content from your server (the server itself, other servers, 'clients', HD200s, Placeshifters) you can specify which UI file to use. You can have a different one for each individual device if you want, not just each 'kind' of device.


The HD200 has two 'modes' -- 'extender' and 'standalone.' In 'extender' mode it uses a UI just like any other SageTV device. In 'standalone' mode it uses its built-in interface which (at least for now) you can't modify.

[OneOfMany]

I may be incorrect here, but I think what you are asking is how and where customizations are applied. I do not use an extender HD200, but I use all of the other options.

Sage TV offers a few ways of setting it up. Depending on how you wish to use it will determine which packages to download and install. The packages are available from the Sage downloads page. Think of Sage as two parts, the backend (Server) that controls the tuner cards and storage, and the frontend (Client) that allows access to the Server. Multiple clients can connect to the Server backend, and depending on the number of tuners, can allow multiple TV streams to be managed/recorded/accessed from any of the clients.

Options for downloading (from the Sage/Downloads web site) are:

1) Download SageTV Media Center (V6.6 for Windows)

This is a complete package for a PC with tuner cards in it. It installs both the Server and the Client on any PC. It allows the Server component to run as a service in the background, and the client as the front end. All configuration changes (installs of replacement frontends ie: SageMC) are done on the client PC (in this case, the same one as the server)

4) Download SageTV Media Server (V6.6 for Windows Home Server)

This is a complete package that contains a Server install designed for those running a headless WHS box (Windows Home Server). The included client can be installed on any PC connected to the WHS server. Unlike the above version, the Client is not recommended to be installed on the WHS box (simply due to the way servers are used). Like above, all configuration changes are made on the PC acting as the Client. Additional Client licenses can be purchased for other PCs on the network, and any changes you make to one client must be replicated on each Client PC for the interface/features to be the same. (They can be different, however, and still work properly).

3) Download SageTV Client (V6.6 for Windows)

These are simple licenses that install the client software on each PC that you want to connect to the PC running the Server (with tuners). These are purchased on a per machine basis, and all PCs running them can access the server simultaneously. Again, configurations to the these clients are done on the PC running the client software.

2) Download SageTV Placeshifter (V6.6 for Windows)

This is a license that can server two purposes. It can allow access to the server on your local network, or can be configured to allow access to your server across the internet. It has some features and limitations different from the Client software. Unlike a client license which ties itself to each PC it is installed on, the Placeshifter license can be installed on as many machines as you wish, but only one instance of the software can be run at any time using that license. Of course, multiple licenses can be purchased and used simultaneously. With Placeshifter, all configurations are applied to the system acting as the Server, and the interface on the Placeshifter client will display these changes regardless of the PC running the Placeshifter client software.

Extenders

These (to me) are Placeshifter clients in a premade hardware box. From what I understand, all confguration changes are made on the Server PC, and like Placeshifter, these changes will show up on the Extender. To some users, Extenders are a simple plug'n'play box, and allow changes made to the Server to be available on all attached extenders, making them identical in look and operation.

So, if you are using Placeshifter or Extenders, make your changes on the PC running as the Server (whether its XP, Vista, Win7, or WHS), and the changes will be displayed on the Placeshifter Clients and HD200 Extenders. If you run the Client software, make the changes on each PC running it, then they will display these changes.

Hope this helps,
Grant

EDIT: From what I have experienced, the plugins etc., are not client/server specific. However, depending on how your setup is, simply determines where the plugins etc. are installed. The confusing part is that every install on the Server and the Clients looks the same as far as files/folders etc.

[skyfox]

all confguration changes are made on the Server PC

Thats the bit I didn't understand.

It's now running Movie wall quite nicely.

Is there any other add-ons to make it detect the media better? rename the media so the meta data can be found or something to that effect?

My folder structure is for example; \videos\tv shows\futurama\season 1\1x01 blah.avi and it doesn't seem to detect them. All the movies work a treat though.

Thanks for your help guys, it's highly appreciated.

Also, for beginners like myself I'd recommend using the SageTV software to test add-ons before using them with a HD200, as it's much easier to fix if you break it! (like I did several times )