Looking for a little advice to get started.

[DwarF]

I have been eyeing the HTPC for a while, but haven't been able to commit.

The main question I have is regarding software. I have been reading up for a while, but I can't seem to put my finger on what each software package provides. It looks like SageTV4.1 does everything I want:

• Timeshift/Pause live TV
• Skip Commericals
• Record shows
• setup recording preferences for all occurances of a show(s)
• Burn Shows I want to keep
• Play music (both FM & Ripped CDs)
• photo-albums

So, for my questions:

1. What is the difference between a Media Center and a PVR?
2. What is the difference between Girder, Microsoft MC and SageTV?
3. If I get a card with hardware encoding, will I have to buy a lot of additional plugin software to do the things I listed above?

[PGPfan]

Some quick answers for you...

1) A "Media Center" is just that, the 'center' of your media. Allows playback of movies, TV, music, photo's, etc. A "PVR" is a 'personal video recorder', which is typically limited to just recording TV shows for you to a hard drive.

2) Girder: an application that allows full featured control of most any software via a 'remote control'. It is NOT necessary for either Sage, or Windows MCE. SageTV and Microsoft Windows MCE (Media Center Edition) are both 'media centers' (see explaination 1 above) for the PC. Windows was late in the game, and as a result is on the lower end feature wise but it IS Microsoft, and as a result has a huge market share compared to others. HOWEVER, for freedom of use, lack of DRM (Digital Rights Management-hollywood attempts to limit your fair use rights), and MANY other reasons Sage (for many folks) is a FAR SUPERIOR product.

3) Hardware 'encoding' card are GREATLY preferred over other cards due to their ability to record without using the CPU of the system. No, you won't have to 'purchase' or use any "plug-ins" to do what you want. SageTV will do it all for you. The only limitation with Sage for what you want to do is record FM. Hopefully that will come soon, but there has been no official statements one way or another.

Hope this helps!

-PGPfan

[DwarF]

Thanks PGPfan, that was a great and concise answer.

It did remind me of a couple other questions I had though.

I would like to have some basic web browsing or RSS feed screens. Will I have to leave or unfocus Sage to integrate that?

Can I use any remote control I like? I would like to use a Logitech Harmony 520 or 680. Is it easy to any universal remote with Sage? The hardware section didn't mention remotes.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by DwarF

I would like to have some basic web browsing or RSS feed screens. Will I have to leave or unfocus Sage to integrate that?

There is no plugin for a web browser inside SageTV, but there is one for RSS; for that & other customizations, see the List of available customizations. (Several forum sections have index lists at the top of the list of threads.)

Can I use any remote control I like? I would like to use a Logitech Harmony 520 or 680. Is it easy to any universal remote with Sage? The hardware section didn't mention remotes.

You can use other remotes, either as a replacement for something like the Hauppauge remote with its receiver, or with something like the USB-UIRT, which SageTV can use as a receiver and/or transmitter. Also see Information Resources for Remotes, Receivers, and IR Blasters.

- Andy

[DwarF]

Thank you so much Opus4.