Windows 7 Media Center

[ikarus79m]

Just installed the beta of Windows 7 and I must say that it is - for now - my software of choice.

I've been with SageTV since Version 2, however, Windows 7's Media Center has intrigued me enough to at least give it a fair shot for some time.

There's also a round up of the new features here:

http://www.mediacenterblog.net/gener...7-media-center

I really wonder if Sage is planning to counter Windows with SageTV 7. Oh man, how much I'd wish a complete revamp of their interface... oh well...

[stanger89]

What makes it your software of choice? Have they fixed the problem of only being able to pick one lineup? Does the HD PVR work? Tried extenders at all?

[bhyman1]

Can you watched a ripped DVD with a Video_TS folder structure on an extender yet with no 3rd party software that really doesn't work very well in the first place?

[nyplayer]

Windows 7 definitely is a big improvement over Vista.. I was getting slow network and studdering with Vista.. All corrected in Windows 7.. I use it on a Client machine performs welll above Vista... Also plays mp4 xvid etc... without additional codec installs.

I still would not give up Sage to use W7 MCE.

[Brent]

Let me start by saying this. I have heard moderately good things about Windows 7 Media Center. MS is updating some of the file format support from the very limited support VMC had.

I know some of the screens were updated as well, but honestly it looks and works pretty much like VMC does right? What changed for Windows7 that makes it so much better now? I'm asking from the perspective of someone who hasn't actually used WMC7 yet.

Not saying it doesn't look or work great, but I doubt it solves the issues I've had with VMC.

[ikarus79m]

I don't think WMC has drastically changed, however, it has now become stable and usable enough to be a great, out of the box, solution.

I doesn't give you the kind of tweaking SageTV does. I'm not sure about multiple line-ups, and I don't think that you can watch a Video-TS folder. So for someone who needs that, SageTV is still the way to go.

I like Sage, but I'll give this a try in day-to-day-use, simply to see if I even NEED more than WMC.

Once SageTV 7 is announced (if ever...) I will definitely reevaluate my situation.

[HelenWeathers]

Originally Posted by nyplayer

Windows 7 definitely is a big improvement over Vista.. I was getting slow network and studdering with Vista.. All corrected in Windows 7.. I use it on a Client machine performs welll above Vista...

I'm disappointed in Vista and only run it for the EVR support. If Windows 7 is indeed more stable than Vista, it will make an excellent platform for SageTV. I don't think MS will ever give us the freedom of use (I'm thinking DRM) that we get from Sage.

[tmiranda]

Originally Posted by stanger89

What makes it your software of choice?

OK, I'll state the obvious. He thinks the UI is a lot better.

Stanger89, I know you disagree but the initial impression made by the UI effects users overall impression of the software. I know it shouldn't, but it does.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

OK, I'll state the obvious. He thinks the UI is a lot better.

Well I saw that, but I assumed there was more to it.

Stanger89, I know you disagree but the initial impression made by the UI effects users overall impression of the software. I know it shouldn't, but it does.

Not entirely (my main argument has been that the stock UI isn't "horrible"), I know first impressions are important. But the OP's been using Sage for years, I'd think it would take a lot more than a flashy UI to get someone to switch.

I'd expect there to be something "functionally" different/better (easier setup, smoother playback, etc). Actually probably the biggest question I had was, the OP implied there were significant improvements in MC in Windows 7 and I was wondering what they were.

[S_M_E]

Originally Posted by tmiranda

I know you disagree but the initial impression made by the UI effects users overall impression of the software. I know it shouldn't, but it does.

What about all of the people who's initial impression was that the stock UI was fine?

"As you've probably noticed in the previous screen shots, SageTV looks very appealing and professional."

"It looks like a consumer electronic kiosk screen and NOT a computer/windows program."

"PROS:
·Super easy installation
·Beautiful UI
·For the most part very simple to use"

Not everyone thinks it's ugly...

[wayner]

Unless Win7 supports the HD-PVR then it is useless for me, at least as far as TV functionality. The TV world has moved to HD and MS has not kept up - CableCard seems inherently riddled with problems and it is not available to those of us here in Canada. After several years of discussions it even appears the CableCard V2 (I believe this is now called Tru2Way) is still not even close. And I believe that creates problems for anyone where you cable company is using SDV, which is already happening for Rogers cable here in the Toronto area.

To me it is all about the content - can it do HD and does it not tie your hands with DRM? If so then that is a good thing and perhaps I will look at it. But I just bought my 4th HD-200 Sage extender and I don't want to be throwing those away any time soon.

[fyodor]

The fundamental problem with VMC, which hasn't (yet) been corrected in Windows 7, is the inability to get premium HD content buying an expensive premade cablecard system.

SagetTV has allowed firewire tuning (for those with good 5C flagging) for four years and HD-PVR support from the get-go. The HD-PVR allows for both cable AND satellite recording (something VMC can't do in any configuration). Several other solutions also support firewire and the HD-PVR.

I like VMCE and its ability to play purchased DRMed content, and generally its look and feel. But, it's fundamentally flawed as a PVR solution until such time as it offers more in the way of HD recording options.

Originally Posted by ikarus79m

Just installed the beta of Windows 7 and I must say that it is - for now - my software of choice.

I've been with SageTV since Version 2, however, Windows 7's Media Center has intrigued me enough to at least give it a fair shot for some time.

There's also a round up of the new features here:

http://www.mediacenterblog.net/gener...7-media-center

I really wonder if Sage is planning to counter Windows with SageTV 7. Oh man, how much I'd wish a complete revamp of their interface... oh well...

[RedCoat999]

Did you try running Sage and/or HD100/200 with Windows 7? I am assuming since it is just an upgraded vista there would be no problems....

[ghostlobster]

I installed Win7 this past weekend, applied the MP3 fix and installed the drivers for my HDHomeRun using Silicondust's Vista TV-Puke (TV-Pack) installation instructions and was pretty surprised at how well it worked and how easy it was to get clear QAM. I launched my XBox 360 and used it a an extender and it looked perfect.

My impressedness was short lived however as I dug in deeper and found it to pretty much have the exact same functionality as Vista. No HD-PVR support, no client/server support, no WHS/Media Center integration, no VIDEO_TS support...it's the same garbage in a new flashy(er) package.
I'm the first one to say that the Vista MC, and the Win7MC UI is absolutely gorgeous (the opinion expressed here is solely my own, as it is instructed to me by Mrs. Lobster) and Sage would do well to reverse engineer it into Sage7, but it's just not worth losing the functionality.

As far as using it as a platform for Sage, I suppose it'll work great. However, I have absolutely no problems with my Vista clients, and Sage server on WHS is absolutely bullettproof. I have not had a single lockup since moving to WHS, I have not missed a single channel change since implementing firewire channel changing, and my entire setup has been up and running for over a week with no reboots, no weirdness, no problems. I know, a week does not sound that long, but for this house, it's close to a record...and that includes my 4+ years of running XP MCE and Vista MC. Mrs. Lobster is absolutely amazing when it comes to nuking anything HTPC related, and she just can't seem to break this!

[babgvant]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Have they fixed the problem of only being able to pick one lineup?

MS introduced a heterogeneous guide in the Fiji (TV Pack) update for Vista.

Originally Posted by stanger89

Does the HD PVR work?

It was possible to put h.264 into a WTV (new container introduced in fiji), but the h.264 decoder was removed prior to Fiji's release, so playback in MC was not possible.

I haven't tested it in 7MC, but given the codec support baked into Win7 I would be surprised if it didn't. If Hauppauge releases PBDA drivers for the device, it should work in 7MC without any explicit support from MS.

[tedson]

If Windows 7 has the features of vista plus HD-PVR support I will be buying a couple of Xboxs and switching. The UI is better hands down. With plug-ins you can do better than a video-ts directory you can mount isos. The photo slide show is cleaner (better transitions which I know is stupid but the wife loves them) the visualizations for music are better (as in there are some.) It just feels slicker.

I don't know why Sage doesn't do whatever it takes to acquire the rights to SageMC and make it a first class citizen and the default UI. They have to know that 90% of the people that ever look at Sage think its UI blows (and hence use SageMC.)

You have SageMC as an option but then you end up where I am, with SageMC specific bugs and Sage isn't going to fix them and the creator of MC may or may not fix them.

Sage isn't going to win as long as their customers are forced to run unsupported major mods on a beta release of a program. That's just not a professional way to make and sell software, and people who pay money export more.

Yes, for some reason Sage decided to not play audio with its video for half a day until I got home and rebooted everything. Yes, I had to listen to the wife yell at me again for switching from the Dish DVR to Sage, and yes, I felt like ranting.

[wayner]

Originally Posted by ghostlobster

I have absolutely no problems with my Vista clients, and Sage server on WHS is absolutely bullettproof. I have not had a single lockup since moving to WHS, I have not missed a single channel change since implementing firewire channel changing, and my entire setup has been up and running for over a week with no reboots, no weirdness, no problems. I know, a week does not sound that long, but for this house, it's close to a record...and that includes my 4+ years of running XP MCE and Vista MC. Mrs. Lobster is absolutely amazing when it comes to nuking anything HTPC related, and she just can't seem to break this!

Methinks Mr. Lobster is becoming like Icarus and tempting the gods. Repent while you still have time or else expect a major hard drive failure and a CPU meltdown.

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by tedson

Yes, for some reason Sage decided to not play audio with its video for half a day until I got home and rebooted everything. Yes, I had to listen to the wife yell at me again for switching from the Dish DVR to Sage, and yes, I felt like ranting.

Sorry for chuckling at your expense, but man, do I ever know about that particular lecture! Things like that never happen when we're home! Generally, I'll be out n the golf course, or maybe even at a bar, and I get The Call....

[ghostlobster]

Originally Posted by wayner

Methinks Mr. Lobster is becoming like Icarus and tempting the gods. Repent while you still have time or else expect a major hard drive failure and a CPU meltdown.

Hmmm...a re-emergeance of the WHS data corruption issue? One that only occurs the day after a wolf-moon, only at 35 degrees, 47 minutes north latitude, only in sea-faring crustacean dwellings with broken front porch railings? Oh crap!

[wayner]

Well I get File Conflicts in WHS but that is it. Maybe your system drive will die as one of the shortcomings of WHS is that it doesn't back up its own system drive very well as it assumes that you don't have any apps on the box all you have to do is a fresh install.