Why sage cost so much

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by cpa-ny

I would like thank all those who provided some feedback. I decided to install sage base on your replies. I've been using it for about 2 days now. So far everything has worked without any problems. My biggest hurdle has been my lack of understanding of some of the concepts and terminology. I do have to say the manual is way too big and complicated for someone like me.

From my short experience with it, sage is not working any better or worse than ctpvr. Although all I'm doing is recording a few shows, a little live tv and watching my recordings. Performance wise I find no difference but the interface is another thing. Here are a few things my wife and I felt are weaker in sage than in ctpvr.

1. We find sage's buttons and text look too big on our 42 inch lcd.
2. The menus are more complicated to navigate.
3. Installation of plugins is not as simple.
4. Installing STV or themes is more difficult.

I will continue to run sage up until the end of the trial period, but as of right now we are leaning to ctpvr.

Thanks again
Kevin

All your concerns can be solved if you are willing to dig in the forums and find the solutions. SageTV is very customizable. And if you can't find the answers through forum search, post a question and someone will likely point you in the right direction.

BUT! ... having said that, if you are happy with ctpvr, then why not just stick with it?

BUT! ... if you feel ctpvr is lacking features or doesn't do what you want, then invest in SageTV. I haven't tried ctpvr, but for my needs, SageTV is a better product than any other competing products for one important reason: THE BEST FULL SUPPORT FOR THE MVP EXTENDER. It functions almost like a fully working PC client with the same interface and features. And it is completely silent in a small little box. And you can buy as many client boxes as you want for $110 each, you can't beat that with any other solutions.

[Folkboat]

Been using SageTV for 9 days (15 day trial).
Installed the Client/Server side - works great!!
Installed the MVP side - works great!!
Installed Placeshifter - works great!!

Other than Sage's site and pcalchemy are there any other sites selling Sage products.
Just looking for the least expensive place to buy!!

Thanks

[malbec]

From my experience, the most inexpensive way to acquire Sage is via a package at pcalchemy.

[meep]

On the topic of cost, it would be nice to see the N. America focused listings decoupled from Sage. They are of no use to us in Europe and I'd like to pay less for a version of the software stripped of features I _cannot_ use.

Peter

[wvpolekat]

I would bet that better than 90% of the Sage users are in North America.

Would seem that the cost of releasing a version specifically for users outside of North America would cost more for those users. The development costs would be greater than the cost of providing the listings that do not apply to you.

[meep]

Originally Posted by wvpolekat

I would bet that better than 90% of the Sage users are in North America.

Would seem that the cost of releasing a version specifically for users outside of North America would cost more for those users. The development costs would be greater than the cost of providing the listings that do not apply to you.

I would be happy to take the same version at a slightly reduced cost based on my billing address given that a significant feature is redundant.

In any case, I'm a software developer and I can say with some authority that it does not cost much to *remove* features from software (well, properly written software, anyway).

[stevech]

I too am a developer. My experience is that done professionally and correctly, any minor change to a product has a lot of QA, regression test, documentation updates, and packaging / support impact. Software coding is, done properly, a very small part of the life cycle cost.

[mayamaniac]

Originally Posted by meep

I would be happy to take the same version at a slightly reduced cost based on my billing address given that a significant feature is redundant.

Its unlikely going to happen. For example, if I use meedio for music and imported videos, then should I request SageTV to remove the media center features and reduce the price for people like me? The same goes for MS MCE, it is bundled with the OS, you can't get it separately even if you already own a Vista or XP.

Like wvpolekat said, a huge portion of SageTV user base is in the USA, but it is still a small number of users compare to something such as MS Office. 10% of Office users is a huge number compare to 10% of SageTV users. This mean SageTV won't release multiple versions of the same product for 10% of the users that requested it.

And price wise, SageTV cost $10 more than BeyondTV, but you get media center features. While snapstream charges $50 for their media center features in Beyond Media.

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by meep

They are of no use to us in Europe and I'd like to pay less for a version of the software stripped of features I _cannot_ use.

If you're in Europe, buy all the licenses you need right now and you are getting them at a considerably reduced price!

[jominor]

Originally Posted by meep

I would be happy to take the same version at a slightly reduced cost based on my billing address given that a significant feature is redundant.

In any case, I'm a software developer and I can say with some authority that it does not cost much to *remove* features from software (well, properly written software, anyway).

I'm a software developer and the software still needs to be tested, you still need docuementation...

I suspect that your "properly" written software would require more than commenting out a method or adding a bunch of if conditions based on configuration.

It would take time to design any non-trivial software to make every feature configurable.

[meep]

Originally Posted by rickgillyon

If you're in Europe, buy all the licenses you need right now and you are getting them at a considerably reduced price!

So True!

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by jominor

I'm a software developer

There seems to be a lot of software people using SageTV, seems like half the people on the forums are devs!

I thought there were supposed to be none of us left in the west?

[meep]

Originally Posted by rickgillyon

There seems to be a lot of software people using SageTV, seems like half the people on the forums are devs!

I thought there were supposed to be none of us left in the west?

Look at this a different way: maybe you need to be a developer to use it!

I must say, while I like the software, I find it somewhat obtuse and the reliance on editing a properties file for configuration options is, I imagine, rather daunting for non-techies.

I shall struggle on.....

(is it just me or are people on this forum somewhat tetchy? (not just this thread, btw) Is that a general thing or just something in the way I speak?)

Peter

[rickgillyon]

Originally Posted by meep

(is it just me or are people on this forum somewhat tetchy? (not just this thread, btw) Is that a general thing or just something in the way I speak?)

I didn't think any of the responses were tetchy. It may just be how you're reading it...

[meep]

Maybe, and off topic anyhow.

Well, this weekend is make or break. If I can figure out how to resolve the issue of SageTV losing 1/4 of it's interface on my projector screen AND determine why the live TV view seems to run at a slow frame rate when I go to full screen mode on my projector, I might just buy it! (even with the useless (to me!) epg).

[toricred]

Originally Posted by meep

I must say, while I like the software, I find it somewhat obtuse and the reliance on editing a properties file for configuration options is, I imagine, rather daunting for non-techies.

Peter

In the SageMC STV, you can set properties from within Sage without editing a file directly.

[meep]

Originally Posted by toricred

In the SageMC STV, you can set properties from within Sage without editing a file directly.

You see, right there, that's confusing for newbies. I have stayed away from that version as it looks like another world of hurt. Why would there be multiple versions of the software? (given ppl earlier stating what a pita it is to maintain multiple versions etc.)

I guess I'll go explore what it is.

Apologies if I offend anyone with earlier comment. I'm just frustrated trying to figure out this software and making small steps only to find something else requires major research & steep learning.

Peter

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by meep

You see, right there, that's confusing for newbies. I have stayed away from that version as it looks like another world of hurt. Why would there be multiple versions of the software? (given ppl earlier stating what a pita it is to maintain multiple versions etc.)

SageTV has the capability to be extended/customized by other users & the SageMC STV is a user-created custom interface not provided by nor supported by SageTV. There is a whole forum section for such customizations. It is up to you to decided whether to use any customizations.

- Andy

[toricred]

And SageMC is not another software version, it is more like a skin that can add some functionality but it still needs the same Sage software to be of any use.

[jominor]

Originally Posted by meep

Look at this a different way: maybe you need to be a developer to use it!

I must say, while I like the software, I find it somewhat obtuse and the reliance on editing a properties file for configuration options is, I imagine, rather daunting for non-techies.

I shall struggle on.....

(is it just me or are people on this forum somewhat tetchy? (not just this thread, btw) Is that a general thing or just something in the way I speak?)

Peter

Nope. My wife isn't a developer and she can use it. I suspect that most people one the forums are techy or devs because those are the first people who would try to turn a PC into a Tivo.

And would have the disposable income to put into the system. The Sage software is the cheapest part. I have 10 drives, 3 tuners, etc...

It takes cash and IT(information technology) pays it. Plus, learning such a thing for the first time does take a bit of patience(not so much to use, but to fully exploit) and you can't be a dev without it.

Also, I have, for example, over 500 movies compressed to Divx, others have home automation plugged in.

Car enthusiast probably run tighter car "ships". Its the nature of the forum.