HD300?

[jpaddock3000]

I'm still using the ancient MediaMVP device and I'm thinking of upgrading to a HD extender, but I'm curious if the hd200 will be staying around for a while or if there are plans for a HD300. I noticed that the time between the HD100 and HD200 was pretty short (~ 10 months). Does anyone know if Sage is in the works for a HD300? Also, why was the HD100 so short lived?

Thanks

[JetreL]

You should be pretty safe with the HD200. It takes pretty much everything I throw at it and still keeps chugging along. The menus are quick and the interface is always responsive. The only reason that I could see them upgrading to a new version is to get more support for the later version of HDMI and more video/sound processing. (Though the HD200 has plenty compared to the HD100.)

I am not an insider but a few things that I would guess why they switched from the HD100 to the HD200 were

* HD100 has several flaws such as in internal power supply other than the the external power brick of the HD200. (Capacitor failure has been pretty rampant with the HD100. I have had it happen.)

* Processor is much slower than the HD200. There is a noticeable difference
between the HD200 and HD100 when exploring through the menus.

*The HD100 is slightly underpowered with HD playback. (I have never had a problem but I have heard some Blu-Ray doesn't play on the HD100)

*There was a delay between the HD100s and the HD200s where they ran out of HD100s. I actually ordered my HD100 a week before they stop selling the HD100s and came out with the 200s. Their manufacture could of stopped selling the boards or it could of just been a business decision that they could get a newer box for x dollars cheaper that was much faster. Typical, newer better faster scenario that happens with technology.

So like I said you should be pretty safe ordering a HD200. They work great with the latest greatest version of SageTV just released.

[sic0048]

There have not been any rumors of an HD-300 and with all the emphasis obviously placed on SageTV V7 for some time, I would be surprised if any effort was being put towards designing and manufacturing a HD-300. Frey is still a pretty small company, and I think they have to pick their battles wisely.

This is all my gut feeling - I have no connection or inside knowledge.

[Brent]

You never know I guess. I would LOVE to see a new HD Extender - one that could handle HD-audio (only big negative of HD200 imo). But I'm not expecting one any time soon.

[lotusvball]

I'll let you know when I buy an HD200, the HD300 should be available shortly after if my track record holds. I bought the MVP and a month later the HD100 came out. I waited and then bought the HD100 and less then a month later the HD200 came out. I am still in a hold pattern on the HD200, but I know as soon as I buy it the HD300 will come out.

[Zippster]

Originally Posted by lotusvball

I'll let you know when I buy an HD200, the HD300 should be available shortly after if my track record holds. I bought the MVP and a month later the HD100 came out. I waited and then bought the HD100 and less then a month later the HD200 came out. I am still in a hold pattern on the HD200, but I know as soon as I buy it the HD300 will come out.

LMAO, same here. I never really felt cheated though as my HD100 has performed flawlessly ( minus the quick power supply faliure fix ) for what I have wanted and now with the new Sage 7 is working even better then ever.

I am getting ready though to purchase another extender and a bit leary as well on the "next new thing" coming out the instant I commit.

[briands]

Originally Posted by lotusvball

I'll let you know when I buy an HD200, the HD300 should be available shortly after if my track record holds. I bought the MVP and a month later the HD100 came out. I waited and then bought the HD100 and less then a month later the HD200 came out. I am still in a hold pattern on the HD200, but I know as soon as I buy it the HD300 will come out.

Originally Posted by Zippster

LMAO, same here. I never really felt cheated though as my HD100 has performed flawlessly ( minus the quick power supply faliure fix ) for what I have wanted and now with the new Sage 7 is working even better then ever.

Well would you guys buy a 200 already... I am tired of waiting...

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by briands

Well would you guys buy a 200 already... I am tired of waiting...

My thoughts exactly.

[Zippster]

Originally Posted by briands

Well would you guys buy a 200 already... I am tired of waiting...

LMAO

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by lotusvball

I'll let you know when I buy an HD200, the HD300 should be available shortly after if my track record holds. I bought the MVP and a month later the HD100 came out. I waited and then bought the HD100 and less then a month later the HD200 came out. I am still in a hold pattern on the HD200, but I know as soon as I buy it the HD300 will come out.

If you'd bought them when they came out you wouldn't have that problem "Waiting" for unannounced products never works out very good, that's your problem

In all seriousness I wouldn't expect anything until 2011 or so. Sage has tended to release extenders around CES/New Years or so.

But as for waiting, about the only really unique thing I can really see an HD300 adding would be HDMI 1.3 and HBR bitstreaming. AFAIK the HD200 has all the hardware for most of the other desired features, like DTS/HBR decoding.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by Brent

You never know I guess. I would LOVE to see a new HD Extender - one that could handle HD-audio (only big negative of HD200 imo). But I'm not expecting one any time soon.

Hd200's are a pretty good bet although I am replacing mine with a client for hd audio reasons.

[PLUCKYHD]

Originally Posted by stanger89

But as for waiting, about the only really unique thing I can really see an HD300 adding would be HDMI 1.3 and HBR bitstreaming. AFAIK the HD200 has all the hardware for most of the other desired features, like DTS/HBR decoding.

3d rendering for the new ui would be unique and nice since current hd100 and h200 can't do it.

[davephan]

The HD-200 is far superior to the MVP. The video is better. The audio is drastically better. The HD-200 is far more reliable. Sometimes I would have to cold boot the MVPs to get them to work again. I still have two MVPs, but I almost never use them.

The HD-200 also plays back a number of formats. The MVP only plays back mpeg2. Your computer has to transcode on the fly for other formats. If there isn't enough CPU, you have stuttering.

You'd probably be very happy with the upgrade from a MVP to a HD-200.

Dave

[lotusvball]

Originally Posted by briands

Well would you guys buy a 200 already... I am tired of waiting...

LMAO - I am not waiting to buy incase something new comes out, I just don't have the need or funds right now. I have 2 mvp's and 1 hd100 and right now it all works great. But I know as soon as I do finally buy a hd200 the 300 or whatever the will call it will come out.

[[JiF]Mike]

Set yourself up an ebay keyword search (or whatever it's called). I get daily emails with a list of auctions that have sagetv in the discription. I've seen the HD200's come up a few times and actually bought a second one not long ago for $50 less than new. Works great, and saved some cash. Also see tuner cards and other stuff. There aren't many auctions so each email only includes 3-5/day.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by PLUCKYHD

3d rendering for the new ui would be unique and nice since current hd100 and h200 can't do it.

Not something I'd really expect a SOC based new extender to support though.

[cat6man]

Originally Posted by stanger89

But as for waiting, about the only really unique thing I can really see an HD300 adding would be HDMI 1.3 and HBR bitstreaming. AFAIK the HD200 has all the hardware for most of the other desired features, like DTS/HBR decoding.

i've got 2 hd200 and love them, but i am dying waiting for an hd300.
in addition to the hdmi1.3 (which support HBR bitstreaming), an hd300 with
a newer sigma designs chip would be able to handle BD menus like a real BD player (as opposed to the BD-lite version we have now)

this has changed my viewing habits...........normally, i would get something from netflix, rip it to my harddrive for convenience, then watch it sometime over the next week or so, erasing the files after viewing.........simply a convenience issue for me. with the lack of HD audio on BD in the hd200, i now typically hang onto the netflix disk until i'm ready to watch, then use my BD player directly..............the HD audio is that important to me, but i may
very well be in a minority on this..........i hear lots of folks argue that they can't tell the difference between BD HD audio and dvd audio, or even mp3 and uncompressed WAV audio, so go figure................

[mbowling]

Originally Posted by Brent

I would LOVE to see a new HD Extender - one that could handle HD-audio (only big negative of HD200 imo).

What is the issue with the HD200 and HD audio? I have an HD200 and get surround sound from recorded HD shows. What am I missing?

[JetreL]

7.1 so for my and most situations absolutely nothing

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by cat6man

i've got 2 hd200 and love them, but i am dying waiting for an hd300.
in addition to the hdmi1.3 (which support HBR bitstreaming), an hd300 with
a newer sigma designs chip would be able to handle BD menus like a real BD player (as opposed to the BD-lite version we have now)

I don't think there's any hardware issue preventing the support of BD-J currently. AFAIK the HD200's chipset could do it.

My main point is for those "waiting" for the HD300, judging by what we know of the hardware capabilities (and limitations) of the HD200 and Sage's history of applying updates so long as the hardware isn't an issue. HDMI 1.3 is really the only thing I see being impossible with the current HD200.

My guestimate is if we see an HD300 this winter (or whenever), the HD200 will probably support anything it does save HBR bitstreaming (which requires HDMI 1.3).

this has changed my viewing habits...........normally, i would get something from netflix, rip it to my harddrive for convenience, then watch it sometime over the next week or so, erasing the files after viewing.........simply a convenience issue for me. with the lack of HD audio on BD in the hd200, i now typically hang onto the netflix disk until i'm ready to watch, then use my BD player directly..............the HD audio is that important to me, but i may
very well be in a minority on this..........i hear lots of folks argue that they can't tell the difference between BD HD audio and dvd audio, or even mp3 and uncompressed WAV audio, so go figure................

Personally I can tell the difference between say a 128k MP3 and the original PCM, but as far as movies go, I've not been reliably able to attribute any benefit to TrueHD/DTS-HD MA vs their included core stream.

Originally Posted by mbowling

What is the issue with the HD200 and HD audio?

It can't decode or bitstream Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD MA, or multichannel PCM, the standard audio formats on BD. Instead it extracts the DD/DTS core stream (which is better than DVD quality but not as good as the lossless TrueHD/DTS-HD MA).

I have an HD200 and get surround sound from recorded HD shows. What am I missing?

Nothing for recorded shows, but broadcast TV doesn't support "HD" audio, it has ~448k DD which is what DVDs had.

Originally Posted by JetreL

7.1 so for my and most situations absolutely nothing

Not 7.1 per say, but any HBR audio, only time it's an issue is with BD.