xbox 360

[profit]

Anyone made the switch from Sage to Xbox extenders with WMC? (and happy about it?)

Is there any way to watch existing Sage recordings via the xbox?

Can more than one Xbox connect to WMC at same time? same content?

[mikejaner]

Originally Posted by profit

Anyone made the switch from Sage to Xbox extenders with WMC? (and happy about it?)

Is there any way to watch existing Sage recordings via the xbox?

Can more than one Xbox connect to WMC at same time? same content?

1: I haven't made the switch, but I have Media Center running with my Xbox, because I was watching Dexter (Showtime, aka Copy Never) with it. Yes it works fine for TV. I watch everything else with SageTV

2: Yes and no. It depends what tuner device you have, and what format it is recording in. There is transcoding etc.., but that is alot of work for me personally. Either way, the SageTV recordings would be treated as imported videos in your video library, not TV recordings. There may be some complex importing method to get them in to your TV recordings section, but I don't know of one.

3: Yes you can use multiple Xbox's with one media center. There is some arbitrary limit of 5 or so, but yes you can do it.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by profit

Anyone made the switch from Sage to Xbox extenders with WMC? (and happy about it?)

Is there any way to watch existing Sage recordings via the xbox?

Can more than one Xbox connect to WMC at same time? same content?

I wouldn't say I am lvin it, but you can get use to it and like it.

Basically I use the HDHR Prime as a capture source and run 7MC in a VM with extenders only for viewing.

With a few plugins/additions things get to be not so bad.
Media Browser, Recorded TV HD, channel logos, Tunner salad, And use reset toolbox for themes.

I have three xbox's, I would recomend the 4gb slim model over one with a HD as it is completly silent. Old 306's do not perform as wel, I have an older Elite which does not perform as well as my newer slims.

I also have an Echo, which seems to be getting better every week, but is still in Beta, IMO.

Extenders don't support Vodeo_TS dir's or ISO rips. ~20mbps on video(MKV's) and no DTS on Audio. The actual 7MC pc hooked up to the main TV will support just about everything a good Safe client can, so that may be your best bet for the HT use.

Upto five xbox's can be used at anyone time, and Sage recordings can be watched as well, no extra support needed. Other then codecs depending on your recording format.

FWIW, I still use Sage for my ripped content. And don't see that changing anytime soon. I am hoping the Echo will replace Sage in time, although I doubt there will ever be a good replacement, at least anytime soon.

[profit]

Well I need to buy something. Xbox, Echo.

I don't have a huge library - 40 to 50 MKV movies

1 TB of SAGE recordings from Live TV. This is the kicker as we have a ton of content for the kids and are behind on a bunch of TV shows that my wife enjoys watching. I could live with giving up the recorded movies or maybe just keeping one SAGE box to access those until we cycle through.

Right now I have an HDHR and HDPVR that are now 3 to 4 years old. They work fine. I'd like to get a cable card though as Time Warner charges $12 month for box and only $2 month for cable card.

If my plan is to go Xbox for future extenders, anyone have strong preferences on:
Ceton InfiniTV 4 Quad-tuner Card (probably makes sense if buying Echo)
vs.
HD Homerun Prime

Rather than mess with my current server I may just dedicate that to legacy (photos, videos, legacy Sage) and load a new server for future content. Anyone have suggestions on OS if I am thinking of WMC?

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by profit

... If my plan is to go Xbox for future extenders, anyone have strong preferences on:
Ceton InfiniTV 4 Quad-tuner Card (probably makes sense if buying Echo)
vs.
HD Homerun Prime

Rather than mess with my current server I may just dedicate that to legacy (photos, videos, legacy Sage) and load a new server for future content. Anyone have suggestions on OS if I am thinking of WMC?

Definetly go with HDHR Prime, as it is stand alone nework based. True, only three tunners but you can use two primes if needed and use something called TunnerSalad to use all six. Also the prime is supposed to be coming out with DTCP complient FW, maybe future proof? There is no reason to use Ceton tunners because your using the Echo. Tunners are independant of the clients.

If anyone has followed the Ceton Beta shipping in sept thread, they know where I stand with Ceton and the Echo. Even though I still have one, it's in the bedroom.

I am currently using an HTPC in my HT, Atom 525 based with 4gb ram and SSD, nVidia graphics. Seperate NAS eSata for recording. Works great. This is only temp until I see where the things end up with DTCP. But for now 7MC plays all directly. I am using 4gb slims as clients, which are silent as well and boot directly into WMC. I would get the family live account as that is needed for updates on the 360's. I think 5 clients are supported by 7MC. which gives you 6 tv's.

Yep it's not pretty, but I have pretty much gotten ahead of where I was with Sage. 1080 on all tv's, HT plays all rips with fan art etc. High WAF. All of my newer rips are to MKV's, and will slowly convert existing so xbox's will play all rips as well.

The way I see it 7MC is the only kid on th eblock now that does all, if setup right. Nothing is going to be Sage, Maybe next year DTCP will change things yet again, so for the next year or so it's 7MC if you want encrypted CC.

Good luck with your disicion.

[Dargason]

Just one comment... XBox 360 and WMC won't play mkv files without some fiddling. You might want to remux your movies to mp4 files, or maybe Skybolt knows how to make them work. I didn't have luck when I tried it a few weeks ago.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by Dargason

Just one comment... XBox 360 and WMC won't play mkv files without some fiddling. You might want to remux your movies to mp4 files, or maybe Skybolt knows how to make them work. I didn't have luck when I tried it a few weeks ago.

Getting MKV's to play in 7MC propper is super easy. You need to load a splitter of some type. I am using Haali Splitter, others use LAV, and even DIVx splitters. MP4 files I tend to stay away from as they don't play nice in WMC, at least with my setup.

If the 360 is your playback venue, then try ripping with MakeMKV, and transcode to AC3 for the 360 (no DTS Support). File >20mbps tend to be trouble, so thats most all BD's left uncompressed.

It is for that reason I am now experimenting with an HTPC (Motion less) in my HT again, and use 360's for clients around the house. One nice thing about having that is 7MC plays direct rips, without having to convert, through Media Browser.

[wayner]

Don't forget that the next version of the Xbox is supposed to be out in time for this year's Christmas season. There are rumours that there will be two versions, one of which sounds more like a Media Streamer/Extender than a games machine.

If you can wait about 10 months it might make sense.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by wayner

Don't forget that the next version of the Xbox is supposed to be out in time for this year's Christmas season. There are rumours that there will be two versions, one of which sounds more like a Media Streamer/Extender than a games machine.

If you can wait about 10 months it might make sense.

And with the resurfaceing of DTCP you never know where this will go.

[profit]

I just ordered an M cable card. Anyone have any further thoughts on Ceton or Prime?

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by profit

I just ordered an M cable card. Anyone have any further thoughts on Ceton or Prime?

Prime is network based, Ceton is not. Network means anywhere without the need for a PC to be on. Since Prime went DNLA as well.

[KryptoNyte]

I have the Ceton InfiniTV4. It's the internal PCIe model, not the external USB model. Don't quote me on this, but I believe it's an internal device that pretends to be a network encoding device, best I can tell.

Once it was all setup for Time Warner, it just works, 4 tuners. I did get the occasional missed program, due to a signal issue, but once that was worked out I haven't had but one or two failed recordings since. I run it along side my Sage system doing pretty much the same recordings.

I can't really say anything bad about the Ceton device. Some folks claim it runs hot, I don't see that issue in my setup. If you had a case with poor ventilation, I suppose that could be an issue.

[Skybolt]

Right, but the Infinity does not have a dedicated IP port, so that means the PC has to be on and there drivers loaded etc.

The HDHR Prime does not need any of that. It is completly standalone and also has/will have a DNLA server built into it for other applications.

[KryptoNyte]

Sorry, thought we were talking WMC7 here exclusively based on the OP's intentions. If a computer needs to be on all the time to be running/tuning/recording TV with WMC7 anyways, it seemed like it made sense to get a device with (1) cable card and 4 tuners instead of just 3 tuners.

On the other hand, based on what SB has mentioned, it seems like there may be more future options with the Prime, if that's where the OP's interest lies.

[Skybolt]

I think he was/is, just thought I would mention some of the benifits of the Prime. You never know where things will be in the comming year.

[profit]

How does the prime connect? Cat 6 to network switch or USB back to the server?

Does the ceton grab a bunch of CPU compare to the prime?

3 is fine as I will still have an hdpvr and 2 OTA tuner.

[KryptoNyte]

The HDHomeRun Prime is a network tuner (ethernet connected, to your router or switch). Whether it's the Ceton or the Prime, cablecard tuners like this will probably take between 1 and 5% of your CPU (mine uses about 2 to 4% with all 4 tuners recording HD programming) - remembering that about the only thing your computer is doing, is saving a data stream to your hard drive.

Your cable company may require a tuning adapter in addition to the M-card.

[Skybolt]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

... Your cable company may require a tuning adapter in addition to the M-card.

The TA is only needed for premium channels. For me all HD channels are premium and copy once.

[KryptoNyte]

I don't have any premium channels, never have. It was my understanding that the Tuning Adapter is a result of bandwidth limitations and implementation of switched digital video to accomodate.

Are you saying that if I remove my Time Warner tuning adapter that my Cablecard tuner will continue to function without issue?

[drewg]

Originally Posted by KryptoNyte

I don't have any premium channels, never have. It was my understanding that the Tuning Adapter is a result of bandwidth limitations and implementation of switched digital video to accomodate.

Are you saying that if I remove my Time Warner tuning adapter that my Cablecard tuner will continue to function without issue?

I doubt it. At least when I had TWC, they made extensive use of SDV to maintain a lot of HD channels in addition to still having quite a few analog channels. Eg, there were a lot of non-premium channels on SDV, and those would require a tuning adapter.

Drew