Potential Newbie - Questions re Netflix and WHS

[JohnBick]

New to the community although I have been browsing for several days now in anticipation of ordering the "SageTV HD Theater with SageTV Media Center for Windows Bundle". I really want to have it set up failry quickly to use with Netflix but I need some guidance...

(1) What do I need to get in order to use Netflix with the HD200 on a stand-alone basis? Playon? (And where do I get that? Need a link!) The Netflix plug-in? (Saw comments that this is not so hot. True?)

(2) Does being in a Windows Home Server (WHS) environment change any of the responses above? Do I need something more? Less?

(3) My main machine is a desktop running Windows/7 Ultimate/32. Any different options for that? (I am MUCH more inclined to want to use the WHS unit than the desktop.)

THANKS in advance for any help you can provide!

[Fuzzy]

PlayOn should be all you'd need to stream netflix to the HD-200. That said, if this is your ONLY purpose for getting the HD-200, there are better options (ones that actually support netflix directly).

[JohnBick]

Thanks, Fuzzy, for your response! Greatly appreciated.

For the record, Netflix is NOT my only reason for getting the HD200! I like the overall feature set very much and it comes highly recommended. I expect to be adding a TV Tuner and certainly want to access videos (from my WHS). But I also do not want to have to have something else for Netflix. I am looking for a single-box extender with a clean (simple/understandable) user interface. (I do not want to be the only one in the house that can operate it!)

Where do I get PlayOn? I ass-u-me this is at http://www.playon.tv/index.php -- specifically http://www.playon.tv/purchase after the free trial? I ask only because I had thought it was more like $79 rather than $39. Want to make certain I have the correct item! (And I am surprised the Sage site does not provide a link!)

Another question: I have a Wireless-G network with very little activity on it (and probably none when the HD200 would be in use). Excellent signal strenbgth in the room the HD200 would be located. I know there are no guarantees in life, but would the USB Wireless b/g/n Adapter for HD Theater stand a realistic chance of working for me? SD? HD? Are there other options (wired, obviously) or adapters that might work better?

And, naturally, one more: Any recommended tuners? Since I want to use this with an HP MediaSmart Server (WHS) I'll be needing a tuner that is on the network (or USB-connected). Will the networked tners provide the same level of quality as ones installed in a PC?

Thanks again...

[wrems]

The link for Playon that you found is the correct one. It is $39, and you can catch it on sale from time to time as low as $19. Wired connections are always best… That said, people are reporting successful wireless configurations. I don’t use the HD200 wirelessly since I dropped Cat5 all over my house. I think Sage is recommending the Encore wireless adapter. As far as I know it goes cheap. I would just buy one and try it. Not out too much if it does not work, then you may just have to go to an N router… Check around to find out if there are other adapters that people are reporting good success with.

As far as tuners it really depends on what your source(s) are and expandability options of your WHS box… If you plan on doing OTA I would definitely look at the HD HomeRun HDHR. If you can provide more details about your setup/wishes I’m sure others will help chime in about your tuners and options.

[JohnBick]

Thank, wrems.

As for PlayOn I will add that to the list tonight. Will also grab the recommended wireless adaptor ($29.95). If the "G" does not hack it I'll have to choose between pulling CAT6 (older house) and adding "N". I do have a long CAT5 cable to temporarily drag along the floor if necessary.

As for my configuration... I have a Windows/7 Ultimate/32 desktop and a HP EX475 Media Smart Server connected with Gigabit switches and a Linksys WRT54G router into a Cablevision ISP. (The LAN also has some security cameras and a DIY Dual-boot WHS/Ubuntu unit used for test purposes only.) Basic cable at the moment but that may change soon. The HP MSS has no connectivity other than USB, eSATA and ethernet. For the moment I expect to watch TV at either the desktop (WMC/7) and/or at an LCD TV. We have a laptop but no way that would be used. Also have an older tube-type TV in the kitchen but, other than an occasional sporting event, that is only used for casual viewing, about 90% of which is my wife watching Oprah. We're completely Cablevision at this point with no OTA hookups any more.

We're "empty-nesters" at this point so there are no computer games any more and we have no other extenders. No Wii, no Xbox, etc. We have a Panasonic VCR/DVD combo unit and that's it.

So it looks like the best approach is probably a tuner that connects to the ethernet, preferably a dual tuner. I looked at the HomeRun and it looks like a good match. (Thanks!) Need to figure out which model to get.

When I loon on the SiliconDust website ( http://www.hdhomerun.com/products/hdhomerun_home_atsc ) I see two units listed. When I look on NewEgg I see three ( http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...onDust&x=0&y=0 ). I have pretty much eliminated the single tuner model but could use a little guidance as to the choice between the other two.

Differences? Recommendations?

I am really appreciative of the timely responses, guys! Thanks!

[wrems]

You don't want the $300 version. This is the one:
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...-005-_-Product shop around a bit sometimes you can get them cheaper. I know they were just running a deal at Radio Shack...

Check the silicon dust website to see what you can get with the HDHR as far as clearqam and OTA. Beyond basic cable then you're looking at getting into HDPVR's or R5000 or if possible firewire from the STB or possibly even s-vid out to an analog tuner...

If you can't easily pull Ethernet lines consider a MoCA adapter. There is also some powerline products but the coax is reportedly better.

[Fuzzy]

It looks like the HDHR will not be getting you much more from cablevision than you could get from an antenna... Locals only... well, throw in CSPAN and QVC... either way, the HDHR is not going to get you what you can get from your cable box. You'd want an HD-PVR for that.

And sage doesn't link to PlayOn, because it is not their software, and they do not 'support' it. It is implemented in sage via a 3rd party plugin available here on the forums.

[MitchSchaft]

Hey John! Your WHS box will serve you well with this project.

[JohnBick]

I saw that comparison indicating 46 channels for OTA and 71-83 for Cablevision. Frankly, I don't know anyone actually receiving close to 20 OTA around here. (And my neighbor is almost at the high point in town, right next to the Cablevision ground station.)

What, specifically, will the HD-PVR gain me over the HD-200?

You were the first to mention PlayOn, now you sound negative about it. Did i miss something? Could you elaborate?

[Fuzzy]

Not meaning to sound negative about PlayOn, it is great, for what it does. Understand though, that it has serious quality limitations, in that it is basically screen capture software, which then encodes the capture, to send it to a device. There are devices that support NetFlix directly, which do not need to go through the decode/capture/encode process that PlayOn does.

Also, the HD-PVR is not a substitute for the HD-200, it is a recording device. It can capture from component video (the output from your cable Set-Top-Box), and can be used by Sage as a source, which can then be played back on the HD-200.

[bits]

I have been using PlayOn on my HD200 for a while and before that I used it on my x280n. Fuzzy is correct in that the pic quality leaves something to be desired but it is quite watchable. For $20-40 for a life time service I think it is a good add. We have used it for viewing episodes of the current popular TV series in cases where I missed a recording. We also view a lot of the older shows as well.

[JohnBick]

Originally Posted by Fuzzy

... the HD-PVR is not a substitute for the HD-200, it is a recording device. It can capture from component video (the output from your cable Set-Top-Box), and can be used by Sage as a source, which can then be played back on the HD-200.

But if I have a WHS unit in the mix I would not need the HD-PVR, correct?

Currently I have a Sharp HDTV, a W7 desktop (with multiple displays), an HP MSS (WHS) and now, on it's way, the HD200/MC bundle. NO set-top box and no HD-HR or other "computer" tuner at this point.

[sic0048]

There is always a lot of confusion when you first start looking at all this together. So I thought I would throw out a couple of the more popular terms.

SageTV software = the glue that makes it all work. Need to run on the computer with the tuner cards installed in it.

HD-200 = a stand alone media box that allows you to playback material at your TV without having a computer hooked up to it. Connected to SageTV software it allows you to view all recorded show, the TV guide, schedule recordings, etc.

SiliconDust HDHomeRun (HDHR) = a network tuner card that allows you to record up to two concurrent stream of ATSC OTA digital or unencrypted QAM cable stations.

Hauppauge HD-PVR = a USB tuner that allows you to record ANY Component video stream. Used to record the output from cable or satellite STBs after the box has decrypted the signals. It is one of the few ways to record encrypted digital broadcasts from cable or satellite (the others being via firewire with some cable STB and the R5000 modified STB for some cable companies and DishTV satellite STB).

[Fuzzy]

Originally Posted by JohnBick

But if I have a WHS unit in the mix I would not need the HD-PVR, correct?

Currently I have a Sharp HDTV, a W7 desktop (with multiple displays), an HP MSS (WHS) and now, on it's way, the HD200/MC bundle. NO set-top box and no HD-HR or other "computer" tuner at this point.

With those items, you will be able to watch any content stored on your network. Installing the SageTV Software on the WHS box will have it act as the server. You can then add the folders containing your data to sage, and it wil be available to the HD-200 connected to your TV, and to SageTV Placeshifter (which you will have one free license for if using WHS) which can be run on any PC (such as your win7 desktop). However, without a tuning card, you will be missing the best features of sage (that being it's DVR capabilities).

[autoboy]

Quick question. Is his WHS box running a Sempron single core at 1.8ghz enough CPU to handle the PlayOn encoding?

[Fuzzy]

probably not, however, there is nothing saying the PlayOn has to be run on the WHS box. PlayOn could just as easily be installed on the Win7 desktop machine and do it's work there.

[JohnBick]

I have the original HP MSS EX475 with upgrades for 2GB RAM and an LE1640 CPU.