Ceton Datasheets for "Echo" and "Q"

[OneThomas]

Originally Posted by Tomahawk51

I still find it crazy that this is the first extender to come along aside from xboxes. I wonder if WMC would have much more traction if they had just 1 slim, cheap option. But then again, I realize we are a niche market in the big picture (which is why it's great to have a focused company like Ceton that focus on meeting "nichey" needs).

Anything to keep me off the Comcast DVR...

There were WMC Extenders in the past. LinkSys and a few others made them. The original HD100 looked a lot like one of them, and I had always suspected if the cases were excess inventory from the WMC Extender. There were version of WMC in XP - the problem was it had to come from a off-the-shelf Computer purchase. And, the XP version was pretty clunky (at least I thought so). Plus the WMC extenders were really expensive for some reason (I remeber the Linksys one being around 500 bucks - I believe it was Linksys, maybe DLink). I played around with XP-WMC (bought a PC specifically because it had it), and it just wasn't all that great. Finally disabled it and installed Sage.

But, now with the improved W7 version of WMC, and it being included in Retail Windows software - that has realyl opened it up and caused it to pick up steam. I've been using it instead of Sage for a few weeks - and getting used to it (would still prefer Sage). If the prices are not outrageous for these Ceton units (like 500 bucks for a extender) - I'm probably in for sure.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by panteragstk

Well, I was hoping you had enough spare parts. You are right in that would be an expensive experiment.

About the only spare hardware I have is the old Athlon XP 1800+ motherboard that was my old SageTV server. The only two things I have that approach good enough for a client are my current SageTV server, which was originally a (eventually failed) experiment in PC Blu-ray playback when BD players that could decode audio were very expensive, it's an Athlon BE 2400 on a 780G. But that wouldn't cut it because it doesn't support bitstreaming, that and that's just not that good of a GPU to begin with.

The other option is my desktop/workstation, which is an i7 920 with a 9600GT, but that doesn't have bitstreaming capabilities either. Bare minimum I would need to get something like a nVidia 550 GT or something that can handle bitstreaming and madVR+LAV CUVID.

Sage can use LAV CUVID (now called LAV video). I just started using them yesterday with my 6570 (they work with AMD now that dxva2 support has been added).

You know, I could probably do without madVR, the biggest difference (quality wise) I've seen is with LAV CUVID's "Use HQ DXVA processing", as opposed to madVR (though I've not really played with madVR on my projector).

The only down side is that my Colossus recordings don't seem to like them.

You see, and that there is what killed the HTPC for me as a playback device. I ran into something similar when the HD100 came out, it played my raw Dish transport streams perfectly, something I must have trained myself to ignore on my HTPC, but I couldn't any longer once I saw them played perfectly on my HD100.

I'm going to experiment more later. madVR doesn't show up in the video render list.

I didn't really think so, but figured I'd ask

[panteragstk]

I found out yesterday that LAV doesn't like the combination of DXVA2, AMD hardware, Sage splitter, and h.264. It doesn't matter if it is a blu-ray rip or a colossus recording. My nvidia hardware works perfectly with the same combination using cuda instead of dxva. One thing that is pretty cool is LAV now supports quicksync. I'm going to have to see if that works.

So it is my hardware, not LAV or sage. Time to get an nvidia card to play with.

[voorhees]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

I'm watching Q/Echo very closely.

+1...very intriguing

[wayner]

Originally Posted by OneThomas

There were WMC Extenders in the past. LinkSys and a few others made them. The original HD100 looked a lot like one of them, and I had always suspected if the cases were excess inventory from the WMC Extender.

I don't think so - here is a photo of the V1 extender for Win MCE XP:


Here is the V2 extender for Vista/Win 7 (this is the version without a DVD):


You really think they look like this?

[wayner]

Would the echo play files in the MKV, MP4 or M4V containers? It seems to support the codecs required, but does that mean it could play the files?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by wayner

Would the echo play files in the MKV, MP4 or M4V containers? It seems to support the codecs required, but does that mean it could play the files?

Supposedly, according to erickotz, but they've not answered my inquiries into if the Q is required for "advanced" format support (ie that beyond what other extenders can do).

[stevenkd]

Right now I have Sage 7 up and running under Windows 7 with a 4 tuner Ceton Card using SageDCT, an HD Homerun 2 tuner for clear QAM and 2 DCP-501 boxes running through a PVR-500. I have been trying out Windows Media Center on one of the Ceton Tuners. It is not bad. If the Echo extenders work and are reasonably priced I just may give up on SageTV. While I really enjoy the benefits of the Sage UI and the HD200's, it is becoming harder and harder to support. The 2 reasons I upgraded to Sage 7 was to take advantage of the Ceton card and the external guide data should Sage stop supporting that at some point. If Google doesn't come out by the end of the year with some information about a support path and the Echo lives up to the hype, I don't think it is going to be worth it any more to try to keep patching this together. The only 2 things I will be:
- loosing is the ability to watch SageTV from other locations via placeshifter Just my current thoughts
- the non copy protection that I get from premium channels on the DCP-501's

Just my current thoughts, it is early yet, lots more to try with Windows Media Center.

[nebulink]

I would gladly reallocate my current media server to something else in place of a "Q" and "Echos" if it just works and supports a variety of media formats plus Netlfix.

[rhinoman]

I've been Sage for about 18 months now and with 5 extenders in the house it was a good solution replacing 4 WMC's in my house but I have to say the echo will overcome all of my reasons for moving over. Sage is much harder to configure than WMC even though the Q won't be much use outside of the US.

[KryptoNyte]

Steven, it sounds like you're running 7MC side by side with SageTV? I was just about to do the same, however I was thinking I would isolate the Ceton tuner to 7MC. Any problems to report?

Originally Posted by stevenkd

Right now I have Sage 7 up and running under Windows 7 with a 4 tuner Ceton Card using SageDCT, an HD Homerun 2 tuner for clear QAM and 2 DCP-501 boxes running through a PVR-500. I have been trying out Windows Media Center on one of the Ceton Tuners. It is not bad. If the Echo extenders work and are reasonably priced I just may give up on SageTV. While I really enjoy the benefits of the Sage UI and the HD200's, it is becoming harder and harder to support. The 2 reasons I upgraded to Sage 7 was to take advantage of the Ceton card and the external guide data should Sage stop supporting that at some point. If Google doesn't come out by the end of the year with some information about a support path and the Echo lives up to the hype, I don't think it is going to be worth it any more to try to keep patching this together. The only 2 things I will be:
- loosing is the ability to watch SageTV from other locations via placeshifter Just my current thoughts
- the non copy protection that I get from premium channels on the DCP-501's

Just my current thoughts, it is early yet, lots more to try with Windows Media Center.

[cat6man]

Does the Q require recordings to be on the Q (2TB drive) or can it store on external meida (NAS or USB drive on win7 machine)?

[panteragstk]

Originally Posted by cat6man

Does the Q require recordings to be on the Q (2TB drive) or can it store on external meida (NAS or USB drive on win7 machine)?

From what I know the extenders will work for a regular WMC machine. If that is the case then the recordings could be anywhere. I would think the same of the q since it is just an embedded WMC install. If it is customizable enough I would think you could use storage other than the internal drive.

[The Truth]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Yeah, the mock-up models they used for the pictures appeared to not have the Coax, even though they obviously will have them (both for the tuner, AND the MoCA).

Also, there's no mention of the Echo connecting to the Q... only to 7MC...

The echo connects to the Q. it was mentioned by Centon... also like the Centon InfiniTV4 it has a cable dongle, but Centon spoke about putting in a permanent cable connection on the box when it is released.

Originally Posted by stanger89

Well that's really the problem now, I want HBR bitstreaming (finally got an SSP that supports it) for my BD rips, and frankly my HD300 is quite flaky now that I've started trying to use that. There isn't a firmware that it actually works perfectly, and unless Sage starts developing again, there won't be. So if the Echo can do BDs with 7MC, it will, you could say, be "compelling."

I also heard the echo can play BDs... from an interview i watched from a centon Rep.

[OldPCGUY]

Originally Posted by stevenkd

Right now I have Sage 7 up and running under Windows 7 with a 4 tuner Ceton Card using SageDCT, an HD Homerun 2 tuner for clear QAM and 2 DCP-501 boxes running through a PVR-500. I have been trying out Windows Media Center on one of the Ceton Tuners. It is not bad. If the Echo extenders work and are reasonably priced I just may give up on SageTV. While I really enjoy the benefits of the Sage UI and the HD200's, it is becoming harder and harder to support. The 2 reasons I upgraded to Sage 7 was to take advantage of the Ceton card and the external guide data should Sage stop supporting that at some point. If Google doesn't come out by the end of the year with some information about a support path and the Echo lives up to the hype, I don't think it is going to be worth it any more to try to keep patching this together. The only 2 things I will be:
- loosing is the ability to watch SageTV from other locations via placeshifter Just my current thoughts
- the non copy protection that I get from premium channels on the DCP-501's

Just my current thoughts, it is early yet, lots more to try with Windows Media Center.

So a few things that Sage has that are really great.
1) Search for all movies
2) Supports DVD library I have on 12TB server
3) Indicates what shows I have watched from the recorded list and for future recordings!

It looks like I will buy a Ceton Cable Card and continue to use Sage until the extenders die.

NextPVR + Popcorn A210 look like a fair replacement.

[sflamm]

WMC7 and Echo's looks compelling. If it lives up to its promise...
Finally brings the missing client/server piece to WMC.

[electron]

I'm ready to buy the Ceton solution, I have a CableCARD ready to go

[cncb]

Originally Posted by OldPCGUY

NextPVR + Popcorn A210 look like a fair replacement.

Except you can only use the A-110 with NPVR and unfortunately I had issues with movie playback when I tried it.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

Yeah, but everyone's pretty much already GOT a windows 7 PC in there home... all they need to do is buy some echos and a CETON cablecard tuner...

No need for the "Ceton" specific, a HDHR and HDHR Prime will also work, except the Prime will dole out all channels including the premiums.


I am definetly waiting for an echo to test drive

[sflamm]

And in many cases, all of the above. I have HDHR Prime, HDHR, Ceton PCIe with WMC and SageTV. My poor HDPVRs will be left out with WMC ... (good riddence!). The client/server model of SageTV is what really makes it the best system and the Echo will level that playing field.

Bring on the Echo!