Will a MediaMVP be useless in 6 months?

[sixdoubleo]

I would really like to purchase a MediaMVP for my master bedroom (which uses a standard 27" TV). I'd like to stream MP3 to my stereo in my bedroom and watch pre-recorded MPEGS from my SageTV server.

However, if the MediaMVP is going to support SageTV soon, will there be a NEW MediaMVP that will obsolete mine? Or is it likely to just be a software update to the MediaMVP unit?

Just wondering if I should shell out the $90 now or just wait....

[sub]

The same as with any other hardware... in size months there will be newer more exciting toys on the market.

That said, if people buy the product and the software development community support it, there is the good chance it will be considered successful and new software will give it good long life. If people dont buy it, it'll slip into oblivion like many other great products.

[dgage]

I bought a MediaMVP a few weeks ago but I find it VERY limited. It is a very basic player but does at least work. To me, it is a chicken or the egg dilemma. I don't want it because it doesn't have the minimal number of features I think are required to be part of a PVR type setup. And if I don't buy it, the features may not ever make it due to lack of market penetration. Right now, I am heavily leaning towards taking it back. If I knew a few things such as a timeline on when their might be a SageTV or Snapstream client interface or if the MediaMVP team were working on some features, I might keep it. However, Hauppauge has no support so I don't know if they are even working on things important to me. With a product in its infancy such as the MediaMVP, I think this type of communication is necessary.

David

[mrseidler]

I just bought a media mvp. I like what it does, however I agree it is limited. but the potential is there for it to do a lot more. I hear that sage will probably support it in the future, however I bet someone, somewhere will hack it before then. If you think about it, sage is like a vcr and media mvp is like a video cassette player. If you have sage, you can dump your files to a library file and then play them back on a different tv on the mvp. One thing is for sure, Hauppauge should really work with Frey to get this going. I know a lot of people would rather have a quiet sage-enhanced MVP in their bedroom instead of a (usually) noisy pc.

[dgage]

I agree with you. If I heard someone from Frey or Hauppauge state that they were indeed working on a client, then I would most likely keep it. There is some good work going on over at the SHSPVR.com forums related to modifying the MediaMVP. Basically, they are recreating the MediaMVP functionality. However, at this point, I have no idea what the Hauppauge team is working on and what they consider a priority. And without this communication from Hauppauge, I think I am leaning towards returning the MediaMVP. I will wait until the last day to see if anything changes.

David

[mikejaner]

Jeff already stated that they have the SageTv interface up and running on the MediaMVP, and they plan to release the client for it after the SDK is released from Hauppauge. He also stated that the client will be able to do what the current client will do.... live tv, recorded shows, scheduling, etc...... Saying this, I don't think it's a matter of if, but when are they going to release it. I predict six months.
mikejaner

[FJC]

I'm struggling with the same concerns - when this all comes together, will it require something like a "revision 2" of the MediaMVP to work with the SageTV Client...if it were confirmed that it will work with the current, shipping MediaMVP, then I'll be buying one today (and more when they support multiple ones on a network)...

[shodge]

I'd tend to not agree with the bulk of you. I went into the MVP with my eyes wide open. I have my MVP pointed at my Sage folders and its great for playing those videos. The ONLY real problem I have is the crappy FF and Rev. When they solve that I'll be ready to deploy.

As for Sage Client, yes I am ready for that as well. The added functionallity would be super, but I knew I was not buying that.

Jeff is spending all his time on a great new Sage 2. This is the correct thing to do. I do not want to delay Sage 2 becomming what it will because of MVP.

-Stan

[mikbro]

I have heard that the MVP does not play back clips well (particularly those recorded at higher rates)... can anyone shed some light on this?

I just assumed those having problems may have trying to playback over a marginal network connection, but I have seen several such comments.

[dgage]

I have actually heard of and even personally played high bitrate streams on my MediaMVP with no problems. As a matter of fact, this is one of the things that I have read positive for the MediaMVP while I have read negative comments and even specs that other players don't handle high-bitrates as well. The main problem in my opinion is that people have been trying to play high-bitrate DVD-quality video over 802.11b wireless. They think 802.11b supports 11mbps so they should be able to play a 9mbps stream. Sorry but it doesn't work like that. 802.11b has more of an actual max of about 5-6mbps in every day use. So they complain that the MediaMVP won't play high-bitrate videos when the problem is really their wireless network. Divx will play fine over 802.11b but MPEG2 needs at least 802.11G or even better, a wired setup.

I hadn't heard that it was definite that Frey was coming out with a Sage client for the MediaMVP. I had heard that they might. I agree that SageTV 2 should take precedence. However, I don't want to wait 6 months for functionality that I think should be there now. For me, that is better FFWD and REW capabilities as well as the ability to delete shows after you watch them. Bookmarking of where you left a video would also be nice but I could live with it if the FFWD was close to what the Tivo does with 3 speeds. If the MediaMVP had these features, I would shutup and be happy. But right now, it is pretty limiting. And I think someone will probably have a modded interface to the MediaMVP within a couple of months time that will make their SDK obsolete. Which is maybe what they are hoping for. Why spend time working on something that the community will do for free.

If you are happy with the MediaMVP as it is now, great. I hope there are more of you out there.

David

[JasonJoel]

5-6 Mb/s? Maybe with no encryption...

I've never seen an 802.11B network get 5-6 Mb/s with WEP enabled. We use 4 different brand cards/WAPs here at work, and none of them get that high with WEP enabled. Most are ~3 Mb/s. Some a little higher, some lower.

Then again, cards/WAP's are getting better all the time. So, who knows.

Same point is still valid though.

Jason

Originally posted by dgage
802.11b has more of an actual max of about 5-6mbps in every day use.

David

[shodge]

I capture at 4.5Mb /s and have never had an issue with the MVP not playing my captures.

-Stan

[AirJunky]

A couple of questions on the MVP. What is the FF & REW problem you guys describe?

And do you just set it up to view files in a certain subdirectory & it will allow you to view any files Sage adds as time goes on? Seems like that would allow me to view any recorded files from a bedroom TV without much problem.

[JasonJoel]

The FF/RW issue is that it is WAY too slow... Like maybe 2X speed or something. Takes an ETERNITY to get through commercial breaks.

A second issue is that it does not reember where you left off if you stop watching in the middle of a program. For instance, if you watch 0:30 of a 1:00 show, then exit. Next time you come back it starts over at 0:00. That coupled with the ridiculously slow FF/RW means it takes like 5+ minutes to get back to where you left off!!!!

VERY Painful if you ever need to stop in the middle of a show.

For your 2nd question, yes, you tell it the dirs to watch and it auto-finds the media as it is added/removed.

Jason

Originally posted by AirJunky
A couple of questions on the MVP. What is the FF & REW problem you guys describe?

And do you just set it up to view files in a certain subdirectory & it will allow you to view any files Sage adds as time goes on? Seems like that would allow me to view any recorded files from a bedroom TV without much problem.

[shodge]

AirJunky,

JasonJoel correctly summed up the FF/REW problem. That and not remembering the position when you stop are "real" issues.

However, my plan is actually as you outlined. When I have something recorded in Sage, I'll determine the episode name and find it in the MVP. I'm currently using a modified UI created by a user in the SS forum which lists the files in thier long format without icons. I just select the named episode and watch.

For $85.00 and the possibility of a fix in the future, this is great. Certinally cheaper than a PC and has a much higher WAF....

-Stan

[mrseidler]

I'm right there with you shodge...can you maybe PM me a link to that UI mod? Also, sometimes a sage-recorded show appears in "pieces" on the MVP list. How do you deal with that? Is there anyway around this? This problem doesn't happen when viewing through sage.

[AirJunky]

Sounds like a couple of reasonably easy fixes for someone who knows how to write the UI mod. As I recall it is written in javascript, correct?

So how about it Jeff or SHS? Anyone going to be able to fix these issues in the next couple of months? Sounds like someone who can write this mod could sell a few MVPs to this forum member base at the very least!

[sixdoubleo]

Originally posted by mikbro
I have heard that the MVP does not play back clips well (particularly those recorded at higher rates)... can anyone shed some light on this?

I just assumed those having problems may have trying to playback over a marginal network connection, but I have seen several such comments.

I bought a Media MVP. I installed its "server" service on my SageTV server. I pointed it at my PVR directory which is where Sage keeps its recordings. Sage is recording at the "Best" setting....3GB per hour. I have a wired 100Mbit network.

In general, I really like the MVP unit. Very simple. It plays MOST of the Sage recordings. However, I do find that 1 out of 10 recordings will cause the MVP to "stutter" and it is unwatchable. Not sure if it has anything to do with my setup or not, but it seems to be the same recordings which cause this, and length doesn't seem to matter. A 30-minute Seinfeld show has this stutter problem, whereas a 2-hour movie does not. But then all of my other Seinfeld shows are OK. The recordings which have the "stutter" problem play just fine in SageTV Client.

Anybody else have this problem?

Currently, if you don't care too much about the ability to watch LiveTV, a MediaMVP will function just fine as a client allowing y7ou to watch all of your recorded Sage material. And if you have "bought in" to the idea of pre-recording all of your TV shows then who cares about LiveTV, right???? In which case, the Media MVP will meet your needs right now.

Integration into Sage will make it even better.

[EncoderHouse]

I have this same issue, with random slow playing files.

I have not found a solution! Anyone else have this problem too?

[dgage]

You might want to try posting in the www.shspvr.com forums as they have a fairly active MediaMVP group.