Newbie help

[bking7698]

I've just learned about SageTV (via Lifehacker) and am not really certain how this whole thing works. I have a bunch of questions and am wondering if someone can direct me to where I can learn about this technology and decide if it's what I'm looking for?
Any help is appreciated!

[Clift]

Originally Posted by bking7698

I've just learned about SageTV (via Lifehacker) and am not really certain how this whole thing works. I have a bunch of questions and am wondering if someone can direct me to where I can learn about this technology and decide if it's what I'm looking for?
Any help is appreciated!

You can just ask here and a bunch of people will answer. This is a pretty open and knowledgeable community. You could also PM me some questions you have and I can help get you started. Another good resource is geektonic.com but I would wait till I understand the basics of how it all works before venturing there. Good luck.

[bking7698]

Thanks Clift, I appreciate the offer! I have been on other forums where new ppl are not welcome unless they "pay their dues". So I'm wondering, is the Sage TV HD Theater basically a DVR, without a subscription fee? I currently have a Samsung HDTV, Samsung Blu-ray with Netflix, You Tube, etc...
I'm a DirecTV customer (just waiting to get out), and I subscribe to Netflix, so am able to watch nearly any movie without subscribing to a premium channel. I also have over the air HD channels available for the basic network shows. So would this setup serve basically as a "vcr" for any thing I'm able to get on my TV?

[GKusnick]

Originally Posted by bking7698

So I'm wondering, is the Sage TV HD Theater basically a DVR, without a subscription fee?

No, the HD200 (aka HD Theater) is strictly a playback device, not a recording device. Detailed product info is here. It can play online streaming media as well as media files from computers on your LAN.

For TV recording and DVR functions, you need the SageTV Media Center software running on a PC or Mac, with one or more TV capture cards or USB devices. With this software, the HD200 can schedule recordings and play back the recorded programs, but all the recording happens on the PC.

You might also want to take a look at the SageTV manual if you haven't already.

[PiX64]

Just wanted to say welcome bking7698, and second what Clift said. Please feel free to pm me or hit me up on IM. I am more than willing to help you get to know the basics, as well as help you with anything you may need along the way.


~Pix64

[davephan]

Welcome to the SageTV forum! There are many people here waiting to answer your questions. The unfriendly forum you mentioned does not sound like a place anyone should ever browse.

SageTV is not free. It will cost some money to get started in SageTV. You need a computer, the SageTV program, tuner(s), possibly a USB-UIRT IR device, and playback devices. It is possible to start with one tuner card that can connect directly to a TV. Probably the best way to start with SageTV is with the SageTV program, a HD-200, and a tuner card or device.

It's also possible to setup SageTV without a tuner card. For example, you could just rip your DVD collection and watch DVDs without hassling with physical media again (after the DVDs are ripped).

You need to make some decisions. Which operating system you plan to use. How do you get your content? Over the air, satellite, or cable? Your answers will effect the choices you have for tuning device. It is possible to start small, and scale up as you determine SageTV works for you. I started with a slow Althlon XP 2100, one PVR-350 tuner card, and a 250 gig drive. My system has scaled up quite a bit since about six years ago.

SageTV will require some setup work on your part. It is more complicated than a Tivo. However, it does not have the monthly Tivo fees or limitations of Tivo. There are many free accessory programs that can be used with SageTV, such as Comskip, which allows you to skip commercials without manually fast forwarding on playback, and the web server, which allows you to program SageTV from any computer.

The overall effect of SageTV is that it improves your TV experience. It allows you to watch the better television by eliminating the bad television. SageTV learns what you like and do not like, so you don't have program each show you want to record.

Again, welcome to the forum. People are just waiting to answer your questions here.

Dave