HD200 Standalone mode. Do you use it?

[valnar]

I'm just curious how many people use it. I know it's a big selling point for Sage, but since I was already a SageTV user, I (personally) prefer to keep it as an extender all the time.

(Mods, please keep this in the regular Media Extender forum as to capture most HD200 users.)

[HelenWeathers]

I use mine a lot as a standalone unit. I have a lot of movies on what I call my Movie Server, and it's just easy to watch them in standalone mode.

[Lucas]

I use it mainly as an extender. I tried it a bit to see what it can do but I plan to use it in the future.

The appeal of the standalone mode is than now I can take the HD200, along with a USB hard drive, when traveling or when we go to our holiday home, connect it to a TV and watch movies or shows.

[briands]

I have set up for autoconnect to server as I don't plan to use in standalone. I did try the playon thing and it is pretty neat. It would be nice to get to this from extender mode.

[Brent]

I didn't vote since I probably don't fit any of the choices quite right. I'll be using primarily as an extender, but trying a few new things in standalone mode.

I'd love to see more UI development on the standalone side of things.

[redman]

Using it primarily as an extender, but since i have moved to H.264 1080 HD-PVR files, cant get the signal to the 2nd HD-200 upstairs. so i now use it standalone for shows I want to watch up there.

[metapath]

I'd say I use mine 60% as an extender to my Sage server and 40% in standalone mode.

For one thing, there are more Online sites in standalone mode than there are in extender mode...dunno why (except some standalone online sites lock up the HD-200).

For another, I play ISO files of my DVDs, and standalone has better support for them (fast forward, pause, etc) than extender mode does. Again, dunno why this should be...I'd prefer to have exactly the same functionality in extender mode as in standalone.

I also like the PlayOn functionality...although I got very little of it working before my trial ran out.

Once I have full access to Hulu, TheDailyShow, and Netflix I'll be cancelling my Comcast TV service completely; this was my goal when I first settled on SageTV as my PVR.

[Phydeaux]

I've only just started playing around with the HD-200, but so far prefer it's operation in standalone mode. Since all my media is stored on a NAS, accessing it via the Sage server means mapping a drive to access the NAS and "routing" the media through the server. It makes a lot more sense to me to be able to have the HD-200 pull the media directly from the NAS.

Also, like MetaPath, I store DVDs in iso format for playback via the HD-200. Unlike MetaPath, I can't get the unit to play these iso files AT ALL, unless I'm in standalone mode - because in extender mode I have not figured out a way to be able to even see them listed.

In either mode I intensely dislike the interface and lack of configuration for the look and feel.

RLW

[QueOnda]

I voted for checking it out to see what it was all about. I use it mainy for server mode. When I do something to bring down the server, then I'll switch it to standalone mode so the wifey and kid can watch something. I bought my dad one and he will only use it for stand alone mod.e

[valnar]

Originally Posted by QueOnda

I bought my dad one and he will only use it for stand alone mode

Interesting...

Another question:
Did any non-SageTV users buy this unit for it's standalone features even after considering alternatives like Western Digital's WDTV or the Popcorn Hour A-110? If so, why?

[mhamblin]

I just started using Sage, still figuring it out. After some thought I have decided to start storing my DVD's as ISO images for easy migration to other formats later. Come on Sage, you have raised the bar with your extender (the reason I bought Sage), now set the bar so high others can't catch you by adding ISO support and get with Netflix to integrate the "Watch Now" feature to your Media Center / Extender. You pull that off and I will never leave my oversized arm chair again, well except to do that thing they call work, and the occasional rest room break.

[metapath]

Phydeaux,
To get ISO files listed when in extender mode, you'll have to enter the .iso format as an allowable suffix in your Sage.properties file. There are threads that tell you how (sorry, I don't remember these things...that's why there are Forums).

But as I said, playback has more control in standalone mode, so I wouldn't bother.

Edit: So I checked this out today after downloading the latest beta release (1230) and playback control is exactly the same in both standalone and extender modes. Don't know if they "fixed" this issue, or perhaps I've just been confused coming up to speed on all this functionality. Just glad to report that it works well in both modes using ISO files.

[Phydeaux]

Thanks for the info MetaPath. I'll update the firmware and surf down the config file change you mention.

Ultimately I think I want to run this thing in server mode once I get Sage server working with my STB and start watching TV that way. But in the meantime I find the standalone interface too annoying to work with. Too much bloody information on the screen. For instance in Media Centre: Why all the icons for forward/back/refresh/config etc on the left? Once I get it configured, why do I need to see it as an option all the time. And the view icons on the top - who cares? I choose to work with folders. Period. So why do I have to see the various choices cluttering up the screen? Even the video listings themselves - I set it to be 10 rows, so I can see my folders nicely listed along the left (Movies, TV Series, TC Specials etc) and I can drill down as I please (TV Series, Dexter, Season 02 ...). But I can't set it to 1 column, since 2 is the minimum. So it gives me some crappy "preview" of what's in the folder. If I set the columns to, say, 6 and there are more than 6 items in that folder, it cycles through them when highlighted. Bloody distracting. I really long for a uncluttered interface.

So this is part of my reason for wanting to run in server mode also - there is access to SageMC, which allows for complete customization of the interface. Or so I'm told. I haven't started digging into it yet, but have seen some screen shots and it looks promising...

Sorry for the rant! Obviously I'm not directing at you - it just reflects how I feel about standalone mode: I like it's operation and connectivity options better than extender mode (see previous post), but dislike the interface which can apparently be replace in extender mode.

RLW

[metapath]

You might be interested to know that custom STVs are available in standalone mode. Narflex posted how earlier in this forum.

[Chriscic]

I haven't been running in standalone mode since I don't think there's a way to have it store your username and password in order to access my WHS server folders. I don't want to enter it every time (time consuming with keypad). I'm wondering if the option to save the username and password is going to happen.

[Brent]

Originally Posted by Chriscic

I haven't been running in standalone mode since I don't think there's a way to have it store your username and password in order to access my WHS server folders. I don't want to enter it every time (time consuming with keypad). I'm wondering if the option to save the username and password is going to happen.

I thought that had been fixed in a beta firmware update.

[ojosch]

I still can't get any network connectivity in standalone mode. Can't get it to connect to any share on 4 different computers that ALL have guest accounts enabled and firewalls turned off. So about the only thing I can do in standalone mode is to browse You tube, Google video, etc.

If I connect to the SageTV server in extender mode, then I can get to my network stuff, but all I can do is watch recorded shows, I can't play back ripped DVDs or Bluerays or anything. I guess I can listen to music too. That's about it

[slaponyc]

Chrisic - I use the WHS and don't have any need to enter username/password in standalone mode. I just assumed the HD-200 was logging in as a Guest. Have you enabled Guest access to the /videos folder?

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by ojosch

I still can't get any network connectivity in standalone mode. Can't get it to connect to any share on 4 different computers that ALL have guest accounts enabled and firewalls turned off. So about the only thing I can do in standalone mode is to browse You tube, Google video, etc.

Update to the latest beta, they fixed some issues with network browsing in it. And if you still can't get it to work, email support they'd "love" to hear about it, they're trying hard to squash all the browsing bugs.

If I connect to the SageTV server in extender mode, then I can get to my network stuff, but all I can do is watch recorded shows, I can't play back ripped DVDs or Bluerays or anything. I guess I can listen to music too. That's about it

Sounds like DVD ISOs should work fine in extender mode, and what format are your Blu-ray's in, I think they too should work the same (currently) in extender/standalone mode.

[ojosch]

I've tried both video folders and ISOs. The extender wont even see ISOs period, and you can see video folders, browse to .mt2s files, or VOB for DVDs, but I've only had one mt2s file ever work, and it was only for the first couple times. Now that same mt2s file I got it to play that couple times before, will not play on the Extender anymore. PowerDVD 8 Ultra plays them fine, except for it defaults to the wrong language. The VOB files play, but I don't want to have to watch a movie like that, and manually go through each VOB file to watch a movie, that is not WAF friendly.

Also, I am using the latest beta release.

Thanks for your suggestions anyway.

Is there a way to completely erase this extender and erase all settings it had within the SageTV server? I am just ready to try starting over, because whenever I update the firmware, it just doesn't seem like I'm starting over because when I try to browse computers, it still always just says Invalid Dir. and I know my other machines all have guests accounts on and are all browseable, and nobody else here seems to have my problem