Edit Channel Lineup using web interface

[can3gxw]

Is there a way to edit/remove channels from my lineup using the web interface? I have *almost* all the channels on Bell TV, but I want to remove all the PPV and descriptive channels, but don't want to have to sit in front of my TV and use the keyboard and mouse there to remove the channels that I don't want to see in my guide.

[wayner]

Depending on the OS of your Sage machine the other option is to RDP into the Sage box from another PC on your LAN and make the changes there. If your OS doesn't act as an RDP server (i.e. Vista HP) then there are 3rd party options such as www.logmein.com or VNC. You can also hack Vista HP so that it will act as a RDP server.

[CollinR]

You can do this from client, placeshifter, MVP or HD100 it's a very simple operation just find the channel name and click okay, the green dot goes away and it's gone from your program guide.

[wayner]

It would be really nice to be able to do this for a range of channels, either on the web interface or from a PC. For example, on my lineup there are ethnic channels that go from something like 570-690. I would like to be able to disable that entire range but I have to go and click on them one by one. Sure there is the Enable All or Disable All but that doesn't help too much when you want to enable 400 out of 800 channels, or something like that!

[can3gxw]

You can do this from client, placeshifter, MVP or HD100 it's a very simple operation just find the channel name and click okay, the green dot goes away and it's gone from your program guide.

Are these part of the SageTV/SageMC apps? I am aware of the client and placeshifter, but what are "MVP" and "HD100"?

I don't mind having to "deselect" each channel one at a time, as that is the way in BTV (for the most part), and quite frankly the BEST way if there are channels that you want, mixed with ones you don't.

I am only using the server, on one HTPC, on one TV. I don't plan on using placeshifter, nor do I plan on using client anytime in the near future. When I want to stream the data, I plan on buying an extender.

[wayner]

The MVP and HD 100 are extenders.

[can3gxw]

So is is safe to say that there is NO WAY that channels can be removed from my lineup "remotely" without having to be at my HTPC (or RD or VNC)?

[wayner]

Originally Posted by can3gxw

So is is safe to say that there is NO WAY that channels can be removed from my lineup "remotely" without having to be at my HTPC (or RD or VNC)?

I wouldn't say that - you can use Sage PlaceShifter or Sage Client to remove channels. I assume that if you remove then using this methodology then they are also gone from the server as well.

Buying a PlaceShifter license is very worthwhile if you think you will ever want to access Sage from a remote location - like your office. Or even if you want to use Sage from another room in your house. You have to buy a license for something like $30 but the license works per concurrent user so one license goes a long way.

By the way - since you are in Canada you may want to check out the Canadian channel logos that are in the download area.

[can3gxw]

Installed PlaceShifter - turned off some channels, and it did indeed remove them from my werver lineup. This is a nice feature, but not as nice as the Web Interface in BTV. It has a lot of OTHER things that BTV did NOT have in the WebUI, so I guess that's a tradeoff.

Thanks

[wayner]

That's true Greg but don't forget that the web admin in Sage is a 3rd party app and is not officially supported, unlike BTV where it is an integral part of the app. PlaceShifter has some pros as it is very similar to the main UI, the main con IMHO is that it is a separate app and therefore doesn't just run on a browser. This means that it isn't as easy to run on handheld devices like an iPhone, Blackberry, etc. at least when it comes to streaming shows.

[can3gxw]

Agreed... this isn't really a "make or break" deal for me with Sage, since I am only getting things started and can see a LOT more benefits and enhancements that are superior to BTV. Unlike some of the "older" users that have been following Sage, I am only seeing now the end product of years of updates and leaps forward.

I have the Placeshifter installed at home and will be using it to disable the channels that I don't want, and may end up keeping it for the future, but that part is unclear at this point.

This would DEFINITELY be a big seller to anyone wanting better control of their Sage settings - since it's all driven by Java, this seems like it would be a JOKE to integrate into a browser...

BTW Wayner - I've downloaded your logos - I see that these are for Rogers, so let's see how close they are with the Bell lineup...

[wayner]

Originally Posted by can3gxw

This would DEFINITELY be a big seller to anyone wanting better control of their Sage settings - since it's all driven by Java, this seems like it would be a JOKE to integrate into a browser

But is that true for a browser that would run on a Blackberry, iPhone or similar device.

Originally Posted by can3gxw

BTW Wayner - I've downloaded your logos - I see that these are for Rogers, so let's see how close they are with the Bell lineup...

They should work with no changes assuming the same "code" is used for a channel. I am not sure if these are the same for all providers. TSN is likely TSN on both Rogers and Bell but it is possible that something like SHCSP for Showcase Pacific is slightly different. If they don't all work then just change the .png file to have the same code as what Bell is using.

[can3gxw]

But is that true for a browser that would run on a Blackberry, iPhone or similar device.

The WebUI for BTV will work from ANY browser, anywhere. For external access (outside your local network), you just have your port forwarding set and there is no difference.

The only thing "preventing" you from using a BB or iPhone would be the screen resolution - kinda small unless you have a browser like Opera or Skyfire that you can zoom in and out on.


As for the channels, if I can get most (if not all) of the channels set up, I can manually change the rest then re-upload for the Bell users! Hard to say what kind of format each provider uses.

[wayner]

I have a Blackberry Bold - but I was more meaning the whole Sage UI - would this run on a Smartphone? People have got Sage to stream using the Web addin in conjunction with VLC. I haven't totally tried that out yet - at the price that we pay for Wireless data in Canada with Rogers it wouldn't be very feasible except when I have access to wifi.

Once you figure out what you are doing with channel logos it is easy as pie. I bet that the channel ids are the same as I would think that this is a primary key in the Zap2it database - but there is also a number associated with each channel.