If Sage needed to charge a small monthly EPG fee, would you pay it.

[DFranch]

BTW: Tivo is now $6.95 for the 2nd unit on the same account.

Yeah, I know. Had they done that a couple of years ago, I probably never would have built my own HTPC. Although I think it would be a pain to keep switching Tivo's because different things are recorded on each one (mine is an old series 1 which cannot be networked without hacking and adding unsuported hardware).

[UniKyrn]

I'd only pay for the EPG data if I knew I'd get support in a timely manner when that data was bad. See my recent posting "Zap2It screws up royally" about what I currently think of them and their screwing up the channel layout for a city and then not having a way to quickly get it corrected.

[x[corwyn]]

No EPG payment. I am more than willing to pay a licensing fee up front, and buy separate client licenses. I bought the software because the guide worked. I'm even willing to pay every other year an upgrade fee for the newest versions. One of the biggest turn offs from Tivos is that you do have to pay for an EPG.

[mightyt]

Nope ... The reason I am investing the one time cost in large HD's, a PVR Card, Wireless KB and the Software is so I don't have yet another monthly bill. Don't lose your homespun attitude now ...

[RAlfieri]

Similar to SnapStream...

[bisbjerg]

Pay for EPG data - NO WAY!
I'm a non-US resident, why should I pay for something I have no use for?
As for XMLTV, it´s not that hard to set up, and works relatively well - at least in my area . If it would ever be an issue, I surely hope EPG data will be an add-on.

[IKK]

I personaly would not want to be charged for something that was free in the first place. As you can see quite a few people moved from tivo to Sage due to the charge issue. Says something about coustomer loyalty Huh!

Anyway I would not be wrong in saying alot of people would'nt mind being charged for extra features. I would pay a monthly fee for being able to access my sage through the web. There are alot of times I remember to record something at work only to forget when I get home. Not a large fee but a fee.

Personaly I think Sage should of charged a small fee for Studio. I am not one that has all the time in the world to customize sage so I personaly would probaby not buy it. Then again if it was something like $10.00 I would have it just to have it. It's not to say Sage should start nickle and diming us for everything. I think the core program of sage which is 2.0 should stay with the same buisness model. I think Sage should start offering services to be able to recoupe some cost for added features. I am an adcovate of using the MVP for a client. I would pay a small one time fee to convert my MVP to use Sage even though I own a client licence right now. If this would help to speed up the process and get products out quicker that would be great.

[jamesb]

I would never pay a monthly fee. Why is it that MythTV works better, has better functionality, and is totally free? I look on Sage's site for some help and some info on commercial skip and all I can find is a hack by a user. I paid good money for a product that has minimal features and I am dissatisfied with my purchase. SageTV is all hype in my opinion. Maybe the multiple tuners adds some functionality, but is certainly not worth the premium paid for the program thus far. To get slapped in the face by a recurring fee is absolutely ridiculous. I need to email PCAlchemy and find out what their return policy is on this software. Hopefully I can at least sell it to someone who wants to pay good money for an inferior product.

[DFranch]

To get slapped in the face by a recurring fee is absolutely ridiculous.

You should understand that this thread was started by a user and not Frey. Frey is not suggesting that they are going to start charging for EPG data.

Maybe the multiple tuners adds some functionality, but is certainly not worth the premium paid for the program thus far.

Speak for yourself. I got sage specifically for multiple tuner support.

I paid good money for a product that has minimal features and I am dissatisfied with my purchase.

Did it say somewhere that Sage does commercial skip. No, you assumed that it does.

Why is it that MythTV works better, has better functionality, and is totally free?

Which makes one wonder why you decided to switch to Sage in the first place? If MythTV is so great and free why spend the money on Sage TV, especially if it does not have the one feature (commercial skip) which you apparently cannot do without?

[jamesb]

Originally posted by DFranch
You should understand that this thread was started by a user and not Frey. Frey is not suggesting that they are going to start charging for EPG data.

Speak for yourself. I got sage specifically for multiple tuner support.

Did it say somewhere that Sage does commercial skip. No, you assumed that it does.

Which makes one wonder why you decided to switch to Sage in the first place? If MythTV is so great and free why spend the money on Sage TV, especially if it does not have the one feature (commercial skip) which you apparently cannot do without?

1. I don't care who it was started by.

2. I am speaking for myself. Thats why it had my name attached to my comments.

3. I did assume it had commercial skip and I don't think that is unreasonable.

4. I switched mainly because I couldn't get video out to work on my board, which ironically doesn't work with my Windows setup either.

Which makes me wonder why you took me bitching out what I think is a lousy product as a personal attack on you. Why don't you go watch some commercials and relax?

[kny3twalker]

hey BTV has commercial skip
you just bought the wrong software

[DFranch]

Which makes me wonder why you took me bitching out what I think is a lousy product as a personal attack on you.

I did not take it as a personal attack on me. You are entitled to your opinion which you posted. Does Sage Tv have bugs sure it does. Does it have every feature that everybody wants, no. I happen to think that it is unfair to call Sage a lousy product just because it does not have commercial skip. I am entitled to my opinion which I posted. Sorry if by disagreeing with you I offended you.

Why don't you go watch some commercials and relax?

Now that was a personal attack. I'm quite relaxed. the 2.5 minute skip is normally pretty close to the end of the commercial, and a couple of 10 second skips in either direction will get you to the begining of the show. Really not worth all the fuss your making.

Oh my got I had to hit the button 3 times to skip the commercials instead of only once. Somebody call a doctor I think I broke my thumb. What a lousy product, I think I'm going to sue.

PS that last paragraph that was a personal attack. Just so you know the difference.

[nelis]

I'd be happy to pay a small monthly fee (something under 5$) if I can have complete EPG for Belgium (in french of course). For European people there is no real alternative to XMLTV (wich is great but is more a hack than something else), there is a market to take ;-)

[insomniac]

Your screwing up the percentages! Get out! :P

Originally posted by nelis
I'd be happy to pay a small monthly fee (something under 5$) if I can have complete EPG for Belgium (in french of course). For European people there is no real alternative to XMLTV (wich is great but is more a hack than something else), there is a market to take ;-)

[greggerm]

It's always great when someone's FIRST post to the forums is one disparaging the product in question. Sure, people are entitled to their opinion of the product, but in addition to wondering why someone would pay for something that they already have a free and apparently "superior" in hand, is why wasn't any questions regarding the missing or different functionality ever posted?

-------

And back on topic - I'd only ONLY pay a very small sum - perhaps $1 or $2 a month for the EPG. Any more than that and I'd be hunting for a different package for my TV recording. Obviously I'd prefer to pay what I am paying now. Zero.

More ideal would be a significantly discounted price for major upgrades 2.x > 3.x - that way you don't get whacked with a monthly charge, and you can CHOOSE whether or not to update while still using the old software.

-Greg

[NetSurfBoardsOK]

It would depend on getting more than just the EPG information for a monthly fee. And it would have to be a very small fee. If you just added an EPG fee to the software I'd pick something other than SageTV software for my HTPC's.

On the other hand, if you bundled software updates and a support package of some kind in with an optional fee package, I might be very interested in that. I'm looking at Software that does what SageTV does to install on HTPC's that I can customize for purchasers. Ease of use, software and hardware support for an optional low monthly fee, might be a good selling point.

[SprDtyF350]

No.. I had a Tivo and it just felt like a little kids box with the goofy thumbs up, thumbs down stuff. On top of that they want $12.95 a month for the guide. Seems to me you used to be able to buy a subscription to TV guide for like 6 months for that money. Can't believe it really costs $12.95. I think they charge that because some focus group has decided that ignorant consumers would pay it. Similar in my mind to cell phone service.. Hard to believe that not having to run wire all over the world is more expensive. How about XM radio?? $10.00 a month to listen to the radio in your car..People will pay for anything these days. Not me..

I love Sage, and have to admit I also use BTV. I suppose if it came down to one of them going out of business I would pay a reasonable fee. But $12.95 just doesn't seem reasonable. Both are the neatest things to play with but it is really just TV..

Randy

[ptaylor]

I'm not interested in paying a monthly fee for Sage either.. I got Sage for the remote client capability in 2.0.. Prior to that, I had BTV and it worked well, but there was no remote client... Well, now BTV has a remote client... So, if Sage started charging for guide data, I'd probably buy a remote license for BTV and switch back to it...

Paul

[Opus4]

This is a bit of an old thread, so here's a reminder: this was probably pointed out somewhere in this thread already, but I don't feel like reading this old thread to quote anyone...

Frey dropped the EPG fee a long time ago. There is a file called "EULAclient.txt" in your SageTV directory. Part of section 9 says:

9. ... Currently, Frey provides electronic programming guide service (the "EPG Service") to End Users at no charge. End User acknowledges that Frey reserves the right to discontinue provision of the EPG Services and to separately charge End Users for provision of the EPG Service.

I've been told that what this means is: Frey has no plans to charge for the EPG, but they are not going to promise that it can never change, for legal reasons.

While there are no absolute guarantees in life, I don't think there is much to worry about here.

- Andy

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by Opus4

9. ... Currently, Frey provides electronic programming guide service (the "EPG Service") to End Users at no charge. End User acknowledges that Frey reserves the right to discontinue provision of the EPG Services and to separately charge End Users for provision of the EPG Service.

- Andy

So then you must read the "EULAconsumer.txt" file as well ... Part of section 1 says:

1. ... Currently, Consumers provide hard earned cash for SageTV software with electronic programming guide service (the "EPG Service") to End Users at no charge. Frey acknowledges that Consumers reserve the right to discontinue provisioning of such funds if / when separately charged for provision of the EPG Service.

Just gotta read that fine print ... it'll get ya all the time ...

<j/k> I feel ornery tonight ...

But, I still say NO to fees ... that's part of the Sage enticement!

T.