Is SageTV Sound?

[beedlebum]

Anyone looking at the SageTV web site would assume that the company has gone by the wayside (the last press release is from Jan 2007). I'm trying to make a decision as to whether to convert my home to SageTV technology or Windows Media Center. I like the SageTV technology more but is the company going to be around in a couple of years? Can anyone reassure me that the company is sound and explain the lack of news on the site (the previous poster also mentioned no response to a support question which concerns me also).

[PLUCKYHD]

I wouldn't think they are going any where they are actively putting out beta builds and usualy respond quick to problems

I wouldn't worry about it

Also their is news that linksys dicontinued their extender for media center which IMHO. Was their best extender as it was small and quiet you won't find anything like the hd200 on media center

[Djc208]

PR wise Sage is definatly not the powerhouse that other companies are. But then one thing I think many here tend to like is that they are more about delivery than hype.

I've gotten more support and upgrades/improvements from their software than from other programs that cost many times more than what I paid for my Sage license. The HD-100 and HD-200 are further proof that the company understands where their market lies and what they want. You'll find complaints and gripes but rarely is anyone grumbling enough to want to leave SageTV.

And considering some of the add-ons and support products that people here have developed, should the company come to an untimely end it would probably get enough support by this community to carry on until something better came along.

[Rob]

The website may not get updates, but they have mede significant improvements to their products in the last year. They continually develope and improve their products.

As for the support request, I did not see the thread, but nearly always if a reply is not received in the 72 hours, it is because it went to the persons junk mail folder and they did not see it.

[Brent]

My Opinion: SageTV sucks at maintaining the website, but the number of SageTV users and HD100 and HD200 owners continues to grow. I'm not at all worried. If their beta development or involvement on the forums ever drops as low as what we're seeing on the snapstream (BeyondTV) forums - then I'll begin to worry, but for now I think they are in a very good position.

[reggie14]

Originally Posted by beedlebum

I'm trying to make a decision as to whether to convert my home to SageTV technology or Windows Media Center. I like the SageTV technology more but is the company going to be around in a couple of years? Can anyone reassure me that the company is sound and explain the lack of news on the site (the previous poster also mentioned no response to a support question which concerns me also).

I think Sage is doing fine for now. They just came out with a new version of the HD extender (the HD200/HD Theater), which means that they're still able to raise capital when they need to. I think Sage has a relatively small customer base, but it's pretty stable and loyal. It will be interesting to see how all of the computer-based DVR solutions do as we move to HD and STB-based setups. I think requiring things like IR/firewire channel changing, in combination with the availability of online sources for TV shows (e.g., Hulu) is going to take a hit out of the market as a whole, but I think Sage is better suited to weather the storm than other solutions. Sage has always sort of specialized in more complicated setups, so the (effective) STB requirement isn't going to be a big deal to a lot of Sage's customers.

[btrcp2000]

Aside from being able to deal with new video formats and new hardware down the road, wouldn't we be fine as long as sage can download from zap2it or some other guide source? Seems like once you're up and running, that's really the only thing you would need ongoing from an outside source. Maybe PS wouldn't work via the internet anymire, but I'm sure someone around here could fix that too.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by beedlebum

(the previous poster also mentioned no response to a support question which concerns me also).

If no response is heard from support, that usually means ether they didn't get the email or the person didn't get their reply. Use the support request form to submit a request and make sure emails from SageTV are not blocked by your email system; if you have a whitelist for email addresses, make an entry for SageTV. If you hear nothing, try using a different email address, if you have one.

- Andy