looking to make the switch... will I have any issues?

[cobrew]

current setup:
- win7 mc 32bit
- AMD Athlon II X3 Rana
- ASUS M4A785-M board
- PowerColor HD 5450 512MB
- 4GB SDRAM DDR2
- Silicon Dust HDHomeRun Dual
- Hauppauge WinTV HVR-2250

I like my Win7mc, but the wife doesn't like it b/c no 2 TV's in the house are setup the same way (PC, xbox, etc). I am thinking about making the switch to Sagetv for the extenders. Do you see any hardware issues I may have?

Thanks in advance!

[Fuzzy]

That would work perfcetly fine as sageTV server, and work for playback as well. You could probably get the HD300 with software bundle, for starters (install SageTV on that system, and use it for one viewing location (like you've been doing with 7MC), and then install the HD300 at another viewing location. You may find that you really like the HD300, and can 'downsize' the system to save juice by replacing the server/client with another HD300. You could then get rid of that massive video card, and just use the extenders for playback.

(I'd also like to point out, that the 785 based motherboard would be perfectly suited to playback on it's own - the 5450 card is just using extra power in your case).

[cobrew]

Thanks Fuzzy.

[rtrski]

You didn't say what your TV's are, so the only issue I can imagine might be with the extender connections to them.

I've got an older HD "Monitor" (no internal tuner, 720p LCD, single antique HDMI port that to be honest I don't think EVER worked because I always used component). The new HD300's have component outputs only thru a breakout minipin cable so I can't use high-quality cables.

I know, I'm a dinosaur. Basically if all your TVs are newer with good HDMI, you're probably golden.

That, and even with Sage you will have to 'set up' the clients to have about the same UI as the main system. It's not difficult, but there are several settings that could differ between them. (And frankly, depending on different screen sizes, that might be beneficial...e.g. having your Videos (DVD) folder come up on the Sage server that might be on a big widescreen computer monitor with 5 x 4 rows and columns might look great, while a smallish TV in a bedroom that's 10ft away might do better with only 3 x 2 rows and columns, just to give one imagined case).

[cobrew]

thanks for the tip.

All of my TV's all fairly new with HDMI except my 19" in the Kitchen. It only has component. I don't care which cables I have to use for it considering the size of the tv.

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by rtrski

The new HD300's have component outputs only thru a breakout minipin cable so I can't use high-quality cables.

It's not like the 6" of smaller sized cable on the break-out makes that much of a difference. There's nothing saying you can't still use larger cables between the break-out and the display, to minimize losses over that section. It's not so much a weak-link situation, but more a loss-per-foot issue.

[rtrski]

It does for lack of shielding/ghosting. I've got a rats nest of cables back there. I'm getting a tiny bit of visible ghosting in the picture that I didn't before with the HD200. With the breakout I can't 'replace' their cables, (the HD300 goes minipin pre-pigtailed to component with thin conductors and very little if any shield. The pigtails are quite long enough to reach, but adding a male to male bullet adaptor and longer component cables would just be silly). On the HD200 it's just jack to jack with standard component cables, so I just used better ones than what came with the box (by which I do NOT mean "Monster" overpriced crapola...heh heh, just good cables with good shielding) between the HD200 and the TV.

I could replace the HD300 cables if I wanted to strip one end off the ones I have and try to re-hand-wire into the minipin, but that's going a bit far.

It's a minor quibble, but I thought worth bringing up if the OP couldn't use HDMI is all. I for one am looking forward to getting rid of the problem entirely by upgrading TVs...just promised the wifey I'd wait until the current bulb in the DLP blows. (please please please!!!! Maybe if I rub a little shortening on it so it gets nice and HOT....)

[Fuzzy]

My point was that it in no way prevents you from taking advantage of lower loss/lower noise pick-up from using high quality cables over the longer run. And really, the 6 inches shouldn't cause enough loss or noise to cause any problems - especially if the majority of the run is well shielded/low loss cabling.

[rtrski]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

My point was that it in no way prevents you from taking advantage of lower loss/lower noise pick-up from using high quality cables over the longer run. And really, the 6 inches shouldn't cause enough loss or noise to cause any problems - especially if the majority of the run is well shielded/low loss cabling.

Respectfully, Fuzzy, you don't know what you're talking about.

The HD300 has a multipin connector integrated with both component and composite pigtails (about 2.5 feet, so plenty of length). The pigtails do not remove from the multipin mini-connector. It is not a breakout "adaptor" to female orifices into which you plug standard cables, as you keep seeming to assume.

I do not need more length to get to the TV. I cannot replace the existing cable lengths except for "6 inches" like you keep saying because it is a molded cable assembly, unless I want to bust it all open and do some solder work to turn it into just a 'breakout adaptor' to which I would add my own cables, or behead one end of my own cables and attempt to get them into the multipin connector.

The HD200 had the 3 standard component outputs for standard male-to-male cables.

The difference is therefore over the complete run from my TV to the HD300. All of which was quite evident from all my prior posts, but you chose to ignore it apparently assuming it is only a breakout 'adaptor', even after being replied to. If you need further verification the cable is shown at MissingRemote's review (albiet still bundled and tiewrapped):

http://www.missingremote.com/review/sagetv-stp-hd300 (about the 4th image frame down, first picture of 4 in the frame)

At this point however the OP has been informed, does not have an issue with this particular feature as he will be using HDMI, so will you please stop trying to inform me how stupid I am? We've hijacked this thread enough.