I came across this website:-
www.phantompvr.com
They have produced a small box which connects on your Sky Digital output, here in the UK only, and when you select AutoView for a program from the EPG, it will switch on your video with an infra-red signal, you program in to it.
This could, in theory, be used to control Sage Recorder. You could simply program the codes for an Irman, Provideo, Hauppage etc. in to the Phantom and using Girder or similar, it will start Sage Recorder for you and stop it when finished.