SageTV Linux FAQ

[Opus4]

Some answers to SageTV Linux related FAQs can be found below. Entries will be added as frequently as questions warrant.

Note: If you have an explanation for some topic that fits here, please feel free to add it. But, this FAQ list is not intended for ongoing discussion, so non-FAQ posts will be removed from this thread. Just the FAQs, please.

Also see the general purpose SageTV FAQ.

General Questions

• General information can be found at: SageTV Linux OEM Edition and/or Installation Instructions
• What Linux distribution is used for the SageTV installation?
  
• Can I buy the Linux version of SageTV? It says it is an "OEM version", so does that mean only system manufacturers can buy it?
• What should I do if I do want to sell PVR systems based on SageTV Linux?
• Is there a trial period for the Linux version?
• Can a Windows SageTV license be used on Linux?
• What ports do I need to open in my firewall?
  
  
• How to switch out of the Sage Client UI to a Linux prompt

Using a Linux system as a client

• Can a SageTV Linux installation be used as a client?
• Can a Linux SageTV client connect to a Windows server?

Using a Linux system as a Network Encoder

• Can a SageTV Linux installation be used as a network encoder?

Using a Linux system as a Server

• Can SageTV Linux be used as a server for a Windows client?
• Can SageTV Linux be used as a server for a SageTV Media Extender?

Studio, STV, and Customizations usage

• How do I start Studio while using the Linux version of SageTV?
  
  
• What STV files can I use on a SageTV Linux system?
• Can STV imports be used on the Linux system?
• Does the built-in weather system work on Linux?
• How do I install external jar plugins?

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[Opus4]

Q: Can a SageTV Linux installation be used as a client?

A: Yes, by using the Linux placeshifter client.

Download:
SageTV Placeshifter for Linux Gzip'd TAR
http://download.sage.tv/linuxweb/miniclient.tar.gz

The included readme file has details.

Old instructions for pre-v5 version:
In /opt/sagetv/app, you will find the startsage script.

Where that script contains:
sagetv Sage.properties

Change it to:
sagetvclient SageClient.properties


Q: Can a Linux SageTV client connect to a Windows server?

A: Yes.

- Andy

[Opus4]

Q: Can a SageTV Linux installation be used as a network encoder?

A: Yes, the same way as the Windows version of SageTV:

1) For the installation of SageTV that is going to be the network encoder, set this property: enable_encoding_server=true. Start this installation of SageTV.

2) For the main installation of SageTV (the one that is to be the server for all your clients), set this property: network_encoder_discovery=true. Start SageTV.

- Andy

[Opus4]

Q: Can I buy the Linux version of SageTV? It says it is an "OEM version", so does that mean only system manufacturers can buy it?

A: Anyone can purchase the Linux version; it is not just for manufacturers.

It is called an OEM version since it is designed as an installation for system manufacturers and does not come with end-user technical support. However, being 'OEM' does not mean that end-users are not allowed to purchase it. End users can buy individual licenses to use SageTV Linux on systems that they build for themselves, but support is limited to the online forum. Paid support is available by contacting SageTV at oem@sagetv.com.

Q: What should I do if I do want to sell PVR systems based on SageTV Linux?

A: If you wish to build systems based on SageTV for Linux for sale to others, please contact SageTV at oem@sagetv.com.

- Andy

[Opus4]

Q: Is there a trial period for the Linux version?

A: No; it won't work without a purchased license.

Since the Linux installation comes with a complete Linux OS installation, it would be a bit difficult to provide a secure trial period. So, for security reasons, there are no current plans for a trial period.

If you have used SageTV on Windows, you know what the capabilities are, and the UI is essentially the same, except for some configuration differences. (It uses the exact same STV as the Windows version.) For information about the Linux system requirements and capabilities, see SageTV's Linux OEM Edition web page.


Q: Can a Windows SageTV license be used on Linux?

A: No; the licenses are not interchangeable.

- Andy

[Opus4]

Q: Can SageTV Linux be used as a server for a Windows client?

A: Yes.

Q: Can SageTV Linux be used as a server for a SageTV Media Extender?

A: Yes.

... Yes.

- Andy

[Opus4]

Q: What STV files can I use on a SageTV Linux system?

A: Pretty much any .stv or .xml STV Application Package.

As long as an STV doesn't use any features that rely on Windows system calls or utilities, you should be able to use it on a Linux installation of SageTV. In fact, the STV used on the Linux system is the same file that ships with the Windows version of SageTV. The SageTV API used in Studio is the same on Linux and Windows.

Q: Can STV imports be used on the Linux system?

A: Yes.

Q: Does the built-in weather system work on Linux?

A: Yes.

- Andy

[Opus4]

Q: What Linux distribution is used for the SageTV installation?

A: As mentioned as part of the installation instructions, Gentoo:

SageTV for linux is built on top of the Gentoo linux distribution. You can find more information about Gentoo on www.gentoo.org and www.gentoo-wiki.com.

- Andy

[_Demo_]

Q: How do I install external jar plugins?

A: Create a new directory named JARs in /opt/sagetv/app and copy the .jar file in it then update the startsage script with the one attached. (Only needed for versions before 4.1.6)

[Opus4]

Q: How do I start Studio while using the Linux version of SageTV?

A: The standard SageTV Linux setup won't open Studio, but it can be done as follows:

1. The Studio won't run in our standard Linux Gentoo setup. You need to have a desktop manager like KDE and run SageTV within that.
   
   
2. Add this line to a file named "sagesettings" in the SageTV install location (create the file if it doesn't exist):
   HEADLESS=false
   
   
3. The following property needs to be set in the Sage.properties file:
   force_headless_mode=false
   
   
4. There needs to be a file called "EULAstudio.txt" in the /opt/sagetv/server/ directory. Copy "EULA.txt" to "EULAstudio.txt" in that directory.
   
   Then you can just do Ctrl+Shift+F12 from the UI and it'll spawn a Studio through the server's process (which is why you need to run it in a Linux desktop environment).

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[asirota]

A reminder:

If you are staring at a Sage UI and wondering how to bounce out to a regular UNIX prompt in Gentoo, remember that:

Ctrl-Alt-F1 will bump you to a tty screen, which is a regular UNIX login. You will see a UNIX login. Login with root, and your root password (sage by default). You can run UNIX commands from there.

Ctrl-Alt-F2, F3, F4, F5, F6 will get you new login sessions.

Ctrl-Alt-F12 gets you the console where you can see errors, messages being generated by processes.

Ctrl-Alt-F7 gets you back to the UI.