HDTV and SageTV where are we going?

[jphhughes]

I have been a long time Sage user and very happy with the product using it with standard definition TV. As I have posted in other threads most recently I have been looking to use Sage with HDTV. Obviously this is not a problem but based on what I have learned it is somewhat precarious. What I mean by that is, yes I can go get an HDTV tuner and a more powerful video card and either use that tuner card for OTA or unencrypted QAM to capture programs. I guess I could also use firewire as well. However the trouble I see with all of this is that if the Cable company decides that unencrypted QAM or firewire should to be turned off we are “SOL” and only left with OTA, I assume. I have read posts on the forum where this has happened. Currently my best solution is using SageTV and the MVP running Sage in Service mode to record and playback programs. I have Sage configured to us the SA 4250HD STB and although it will record programs on the HD channels they sure don’t look like HD when I play them back. So when the HD MVP comes out will I be able to play these programs back and get the HD quality I get when I use the Cable company DVR( I really hate that box)?

My point in all this rambling is to get your confirmation or ideas that my evaluation is correct and if not what am I missing . How do we use SageTV in the future to capture HD content . Hopefully some of this makes sense.

[teknubic]

There is a good chance there will always be OTA signals.
HTH

[jphhughes]

Yes no doubt your are correct. But that would mean I must install an antenna (most likley in the attic), something I would not look forward to doing.

[Jesse]

Hi,

Interesting subject.

You could go with Vista and cablecard. You will have to buy a very expensive machine from one of the oem's. You will obviously be stuck with Vista MCE, which may or may not be a problem depending on your needs. It's not even an option for me.

There will most likely be a pci based Directv tuner sometime in the next year or two(?). I can only hope Directv will be more open with this than cablelabs has been with cable card. I dont think they will, but I am hoping.

There is the R5000 mod for cable and satellite boxs. This looks pretty promising, but I believe there are still playback issues with sage and H264. Perhaps someone using an R5000 modded box could chime in.

There has also been mention of an encoder chip (from Fujitsu?) that could be used to build cards capable of realtime component capture and compression at something like 1440x900. It's not 1080p, but 720p is nothing to shake a stick at either. My only worry here, if the cards ever come to market, would be that cable and sat providers would down rez anything coming out of the analog connections on their stb's. I am not sure they could do that anytime soon as lots of folks still don't have HDMI capable sets.

For right now I will be using OTA with sage. 99% of the HD we want to watch is available OTA from the networks. This will certainly change as D* makes more and more programming available in HD.

Installing an antenna and getting solid HD reception can certainly be a challenge. I about gave up on mine a few times before I got it right.

Jesse

[jphhughes]

Jesse, thanks for the solid information. I would agree that OTA is the best bet for continued availability. Most of the HD programs I would record would be on the Network Channels. I don't see Microsoft as an option, too much DRM. I had and still have MCE but prefer SageTV. I just love the ability to skip commercials. Once you get used to that feature is very hard dealing with the cable company DVR even with FF.