Client and PlaceShifter Licenses: Any Developments?

[PeteCress]

Seems like SageTV is an orphan now and nobody has any financial interest in propagation of licenses - except for users whose HD 200's and 300's may be starting to fail.

Certainly nobody is losing money if license keys are exchanged.

Has this started to happen yet?

Or does the fact (?) that the server can be replicated locally with no problems make the Client part of this issue moot? e.g. I am guessing that, if my HD200 fails, I could replace it with a mini or micro PC running an instance of the server with no tuner input and have access to all the services of my "Real" server except for live TV.

??

[MattHelm]

Opus4 allowed the selling of all Windows based licenses a while back ago. See the marketplace section.

If are you asking if you can copy anyone's, then no, that isn't allowed.

[will]

According to the TOS, if you transfer a key through the form or ebay, you are suppose to stop using it and destroy your copy.

However, SageTV doesn't register Windows server/client keys with a central server like they do with the Linux server/client. The only technical limitation is that you can't connect two clients or servers to the same server. So you couldn't setup two clients with the same key and then connect them to your server. You would have to disconnect client A and restart the server service before you could connect client B.

[PeteCress]

Originally Posted by will

The only technical limitation is that you can't connect two clients or servers to the same server.

What about running multiple instances of the server using the -client command line parm as described on page 264 of the manual?

Is that as transparent as it sounds? or are there gotchas lurking?

-client
 For SageTV only: starts SageTV in client mode; often used when
 configuring a second full installation of SageTV as a network 
 encoder. See Appendix G: Network Encoding.

[will]

Originally Posted by PeteCress

What about running multiple instances of the server using the -client command line parm as described on page 264 of the manual?

I just launched a VM and installed SageTV with my same server key. With -client mode you aren't able to connect to a SageTV server using the same key.

I received the error message "Unable to connect to the SageTV Server. You may NOT re-use the same SageTVClient license on more than one machine! Please visit http:///sage.tv/buy.html to purchase an additional license key for this client."

It appears the same rule applies to the server in client mode as it does to the stand alone client.

[KeithAbbott]

I think he's trying to figure out if he can set up several tuner-less server instances using the same license key, point those servers to the same recording and media directories that his primary server (with tuners) utilizes, and use the client associated with each new server instance to access it's own server which is pointing to the shared directories from the primary server.

As the OP mentioned, he would not have access to live TV on the tuner-less server instances.

Don't know if this is doable or not, just trying to clarify what I think the original poster meant. Even if it does work, this would be in violation of the terms of use, for what it's worth today.

[will]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

As the OP mentioned, he would not have access to live TV on the tuner-less server instances.

I misunderstood. I thought he wanted to use the same key for both a client and a server.

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Don't know if this is doable or not, just trying to clarify what I think the original poster meant.

I have a feeling it will work because I don't think SageTV spent a lot of time refining the network tuner component. I doubt the code that runs it checks the server licensee keys.

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Even if it does work, this would be in violation of the terms of use, for what it's worth today.

Totally right, they goes 100% against the spirit of a SageTV server license.

[PeteCress]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

I think he's trying to figure out if he can set up several tuner-less server instances using the same license key, point those servers to the same recording and media directories that his primary server (with tuners) utilizes, and use the client associated with each new server instance to access it's own server which is pointing to the shared directories from the primary server.

As the OP mentioned, he would not have access to live TV on the tuner-less server instances.

Exactly what I had in mind.

Bottom line: if one or more of my HD200s fail, do I have that as an option or do I need to start shopping for either Client licenses or HD200's/HD300's.

[will]

Originally Posted by PeteCress

Bottom line: if one or more of my HD200s fail, do I have that as an option or do I need to start shopping for either Client licenses or HD200's/HD300's.

Personally, I would just buy a client license and maintain a simpler setup. You can find them for $20 or less online.

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by will

Personally, I would just buy a client license and maintain a simpler setup.

[PeteCress]

Originally Posted by will

Personally, I would just buy a client license and maintain a simpler setup. You can find them for $20 or less online.

Twenty bucks, I would call a no-brainer....

Thanks.

[nycjoe]

Originally Posted by KeithAbbott

Even if it does work, this would be in violation of the terms of use, for what it's worth today.

Personally I'm not sure I understand why they don't just post a list of client serials somewhere. Who cares? Google isn't selling new licenses, so no harm no foul.

Of course this would devalue the holdings of those of us who still factor in SageTV client serials as part of their net worth, so maybe google is just worried about our kids being able to afford college </sarcasm>

[KeithAbbott]

Originally Posted by nycjoe

Personally I'm not sure I understand why they don't just post a list of client serials somewhere.

By "they", are you referring to Google? I don't see that happening, there would be nothing in it for them. And if by "they" you mean the members of this forum/community, remember that the key by itself does you no good, you also need the name of the person that was provided to Sage when the license was purchased. Putting the key by itself on a list might be one thing, but putting your name right next to it? I think not...

I think the most realistic option (although I doubt if this would happen) would be for Jeff to modify the server code to allow client connections with duplicate keys. He already changed the code once post-acquisition, which essentially gave people a free upgrade to version 7, so there is a precedent.

[snoyce]

It is interesting that you see some of the same people selling client serials on eBay again and again. I would bet they are sending out the same windows serials over and over.

I agree that the code should be changed to allow unlimited client connections on our one or original license. That way we can continue to use the system as our extender hardware fails and move things over to PC clients.

Honestly I don't really have a problem with my name connected to the serial on a serial list.

[Rob]

Rather than a code change, they (Google/Jeff) could issue say 10 keys with a generic name, post it here and then anyone with 10 or less clients would be set.

[PeteCress]

Originally Posted by Rob

Rather than a code change, they (Google/Jeff) could issue say 10 keys with a generic name, post it here and then anyone with 10 or less clients would be set.

Makes me wish I had purchased my client licenses with a name like "John Doe" or "Roger Rabbit" instead of my real name.