Newbie questions; defecting from BeyondTV

[sainswor99]

Hello all,

Apologies for the content of this message; I'm sure that many of my questions have been already answered, but I was overwhelmed with the amount of information on these boards (active community is both a blessing and a curse...)

Anyway, as the header indicates, I'm defecting from BeyondTV. I chose to go with Sage because I loved the MVP support provided by SageTV (especially the out-of-the box Music options). Anyway, I'm trying to find my way around SageTV, and had a couple of basic questions.

1. My media server is used only for recording and serving files; I don't watch anything on that box. However, because of the client/server relationship between SageTV and the PlaceShifter/MVP, do I need a good video card in that system? I currently use the on-board video out to connect to the box if I need to logon (usually don't). If it matters, I have a Hauppauge PVR-150 as my tuner card.

2. Is there anything like ShowSqueeze to compress the video files?

3. How about automatic commercial skipping?


Thanks in advance!
Stu

[ke6guj]

Originally Posted by sainswor99

Hello all,


1. My media server is used only for recording and serving files; I don't watch anything on that box. However, because of the client/server relationship between SageTV and the PlaceShifter/MVP, do I need a good video card in that system? I currently use the on-board video out to connect to the box if I need to logon (usually don't). If it matters, I have a Hauppauge PVR-150 as my tuner card.

If the server is only serving, and not being used as a client, then it doesn't need a powerful video card. However, it can be used as a client as well as a server, with 1 copy of SageTV, no client software needed on the server, but plan on having a good video card.

2. Is there anything like ShowSqueeze to compress the video files?

Not currently from Sage. 1 rumor is that there maybe something in the upcoming 5.1 beta, but only a rumor. I also recall an customization by someone that added in a compression option, but it wasn't as seemless as the BTV way.

3. How about automatic commercial skipping?

Not out of the box from Sage, but there are a couple different ways that it can be included into your system. Check out the Customizations section of the forum for more info. ONce set up it is fairly seemless.

[FidgetyRat]

One of the beauties of sage is the custom plugins from this community. Anything from new UI, webservers to commercial skipping can be added fairly easily.

[sainswor99]

Thanks for the quick replies; about customization (now that you've brought it up), if I change the UI, will those changes cascase to my Placeshifter/Media Extender?


Thanks!

[Opus4]

An STV defines the UI and all of what it can do. You can select whatever STV you want to use for each client, independently of each other.

- Andy

[PGPfan]

Originally Posted by sainswor99

Thanks for the quick replies; about customization (now that you've brought it up), if I change the UI, will those changes cascase to my Placeshifter/Media Extender?


Thanks!

Short answer, YES!

-PGPfan

[Opus4]

But it doesn't cascade in the sense that you select it in one client & it is also automatically changed in the others. You have to change the STV for each client or placeshifter user.

- Andy

[Mark SS]

Originally Posted by ke6guj

Not currently from Sage. 1 rumor is that there maybe something in the upcoming 5.1 beta, but only a rumor. I also recall an customization by someone that added in a compression option, but it wasn't as seemless as the BTV way.

Highlighted this from the 5.1 API and Narflex confirmed its in there.

[jayrbrown77]

Is there some free software that will allow one to convert to .wmv, etc.