MVP Client 1.3.0 (2005/08/16)

[Opus4]

You can run SageTVClient on the same PC as SageTV, but you will still need a client license.

- Andy

[kny3twalker]

I figured that I would need the client lisence no big deal there
but will I then need to do something different when installing the Client on the server so they can both run together ?

and Thanks Opus

I just was not sure with how 2.1 worked
I remember you and others saying this was possible in 2.0 though

[SHS]

If have one client license and install Real SageTV Client on the same PC it will work I have both my MediaMVP runing under one client license.

[Deadbolt]

Wow! I'm so psych'd for this I'm tempted to try the 2.1 beta even though my current 2.0 is very stable! Is this full Client functionality? Change channel? Add/Modify/delete recordings? Also, what is the performance like for the MVP...or is it totally server dependant?

Thanks!

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

but will I then need to do something different when installing the Client on the server so they can both run together?

The only thing I do when I install the SageTV and SageTVClient on the same PC is to completely exit all SageTV programs <snip> before installing the new version.

Once both are installed, I have no problem running SageTV and multiple clients all at the same time.

(Again: I am just commenting on the issues about the client & so on; I don't have an MVP.)

Edit: I removed the reference to temporarily renaming the another installation's install dir, since I found out that is not really desirable.

- Andy

[kny3twalker]

well thanks for the clarification
I had to wonder
and not planning on getting a MVP now since they waited so long (and found aI want a new video card)but hopefully by Christmas
this will be pretty well stable and I will get one then

but I fully intend to follow this topic
and that was my first thought


Thanks

[Jason]

Originally Posted by kny3twalker

and not planning on getting a MVP now since they waited so long (and found aI want a new video card)but hopefully by Christmas this will be pretty well stable and I will get one then

Thanks

Just as an FYI...
Circuit City has them for $69.99 AMR!

http://www.circuitcity.com/ccd/produ...l.do?oid=79778

-Jason

[mightyt]

I am unsure about this whole MVP thing and how it works ...

Does anyone have a diagram on how everything hooks up for SageTV? Looking at the MVP it has Ethernet, Composite A/V out as well as S-Video out.

I am having a hard time envisioning how this all connect together with the TV, Stereo, PC's and Net.

It's probably simple but I am having a mental block ...

Thanks, T.

[SHS]

I made some change from my first post hoplee this help you boys & girls get it working.
This step I did to Multi-MVP support is there, just I tested and so far so it working fine.
Should you have more than one, here are the instructions for 2nd MVP Client.
Bear in mind you must install SageTV Client own a license copy.

1: First thing you need to do is get one MediaMVP going and all setup using Matt MVP Client 1.0 for SageTV.
2: Create new directory folder in C:\Program Files\Frey Technologies\ like SageTVMPV2.
3: Copy from the directory SageTV folder all of the *.dll , Sage.jar, SageClient.properties and SageTVClient.exe then you need copy to sub folder ch and mvp to SageTVMPV2 folder.
3: In the SageTVMPV2 folder you need edit the SageClient.properties by remove the line "load_at_startup_runnable_classes=ch.streams.sage.mvp.MVPBaseServers" and change the line mvp/mvp=MVP1 to MVP2 and saving the file.
4: Make a shortcut for SageTVClient.exe rename the shortcut to SageTVMPV2 next you need add "-multi" command line parameter to allow it to run another instance by rigth click on the shortcut and going to properties under Target add "-multi" so it should look something like this "C:\Program Files\Frey Technologies\SageTVMPV2\SageTVClient.exe" -multi

Note if want do more MediaMVP just copy SageTVMPV2 folder some where and change the folder name to SageTVMPV3 and move back in the C:\Program Files\Frey Technologies\ and "edit' change the line mvp/mvp=MVP2 to MVP3 and save and yes you need to do step 4.

Hope lee Matt wirte up a good how to DOC.

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mightyt

Does anyone have a diagram on how everything hooks up for SageTV? Looking at the MVP it has Ethernet, Composite A/V out as well as S-Video out.

Basically:

PC (SageTV/MVP client) -> ethernet -> MediaMVP
MediaMVP -> S/Video (or Composite) + Audio -> TV (and/or reciever)

[kny3twalker]

the Circuit City add still says 99.99 with 20 dollar rebate
that 79.99 but not bad

http://www.pcalchemy.com/product_inf...products_id/66

they got them all the time for 84.95 which is not much more

I am going to wait a little on this one

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by stanger89

Basically:

PC (SageTV/MVP client) -> ethernet -> MediaMVP
MediaMVP -> S/Video (or Composite) + Audio -> TV (and/or receiver)

So how is this different ... you still need the PC? OK, so the MVP is connected via Ethernet to the PC rather than PCI or USB, but where is the advantage?

1 - Does the PC still require SageTV with the MVP Client or does it require SageTV client? Thus, the advantage is cost savings over SageTV vs. SageTV Client software?

2 - I can see that you can keep the PC in another room and run Cat5 cable, but that's no different than running USB to some degree. Unless you can use Wireless-G, but if that's possible would that be preferred since speed could be an issue?

Now understanding how it hooks up and hearing a lot of desire for this over time I am still trying to figure out what makes it such a draw ...

Thanks, T.

[PGPfan]

Mightyt,

It's pretty simple why it's in demand. Think about it like this: I have one PC in my house. I have 4 rooms I want SageTV in. My options are: Get a new PC for each room (expensive, and probably wasteful of the computers power), or spend 70 bucks for each room and get a client that fully works with SageTV and a fully functional remote control to use it all.

Remember that for each room you want to view Sage in, you still need something to render the images. If you run long USB cables, etc., you are just relocating the drives. You still have to render the image in each room you want to view from, and that is where the MVP is perfect.

To me, it doesn't get much easier than that.

-PGPfan

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by mightyt

So how is this different ... you still need the PC? OK, so the MVP is connected via Ethernet to the PC rather than PCI or USB, but where is the advantage?

1 - Does the PC still require SageTV with the MVP Client or does it require SageTV client? Thus, the advantage is cost savings over SageTV vs. SageTV Client software?

It works with SageTV or SageClient. Yes you need a PC for it, but you need a PC for the MVP anyway. What is different is that you don't need a PC for the TV, you just need to run a copy of SageClient (or SageTV if you aren't using it) on a PC you already have. You can run it on the SageTV server if you wish.

2 - I can see that you can keep the PC in another room and run Cat5 cable, but that's no different than running USB to some degree. Unless you can use Wireless-G, but if that's possible would that be preferred since speed could be an issue?

Not sure what you're getting at with the USB reference.

Now understanding how it hooks up and hearing a lot of desire for this over time I am still trying to figure out what makes it such a draw ...

Thanks, T.

What it does, is give you a cheap, fully functional (mostly, no DivX/DVD) client. No PC to build, and probably superior (or at least equal but easier) PQ on SDTVs.

Look at it like this, a crazy setup, 1 server 4 clients:
Server - SageTV + 4 Sage Client (note you can run multiple instances of SageClient on one PC with one liscence)
Server -> Ethernet -> Media MVP1
Server -> Ethernet -> Media MVP2
Server -> Ethernet -> Media MVP3
Server -> Ethernet -> Media MVP4
MediaMVPx -> A/V connections -> TVx

So each TV gets a cheap, thin client (no PC), with great PQ, the full Sage UI/functionality (minus DivX, etc) and you only have 1 PC running the whole shebang.

Compare that to no MVP client (the other way to get the full Sage UI):
Server - SageTV
4x Clients - 4x Sageclient
Server -> Ethernet x4 -> Client x4
You need 5 PCs, 4 copies of Sage client, and what you get are, 4 comparatively expensive, probably noisy, maybe inferior PQ Real PCs running SageClient.

For the average user, with the average SDTV, the MVP is nearly the ideal client, and when you can get the Sage UI on it, it's almost perfect.

Now it won't do much good in those situations where the client is an HDTV/HT system. For example the system I envision for myself will have 1 Server, MVPs for the casual clients, and a full up HTPC with SageClient for the critical viewing/HTPC/HT system. Right tool for the right job as they say

[Crashless]

mightyt,

the MVP is basically a thin client. it gets all its display and data from a server. In the case of the MVP, that server can be your main sage box, which you have already. The advantage is you used to have to build a completely separate client system to run a sage client, which if done bare-bones, still costs around $400.

NOW, with this brilliant plugin (or extension?) it now only costs about $80 to setup a client and get full sagetv functionality.

Ethernet cable is WAY cheaper, and can be run for MUCH longer distances than USB.

I HIGHLY reccommend a wired network for these, unless of course you don't plan on having two clients. One client should work fine on a G network and still leave bandwidth for normal internet usage.

[krutaw]

I gotta say, I'm tempted to sell my pvr-350 on ebay and buy a pvr-150 and a couple of media mvp's to use for video output. From what I've heard, it'd be alot less hassle considering I already own a license for sagetv client. And it wouldn't really be losing any functionality considering the pvr-350 won't do divx or dvd. Not to mention the fact that it would be a piece of cake to add clients down the road for $70ish a piece.

[mightyt]

PGPfan, stanger89, Crashless ...

Thanks VERY much for the detailed responses. This forum has not only been a great troubleshooting place to hang, but the school of HTPC for me. I am still new in many areas, but have learned much from you all ...

I can see the value proposition now ... Though my kids all have PC's in their rooms, I can save on needing TV out cards to support their TV's in each system, the PC's would not have to have the SageTV processes running on them and basically I can have one server and many MPV clients where ever I want as long as I can get Cat5 to them. No need for a client PC sitting next to each TV. OK ... I'm in ...

So you don't think I am more stupid than you already do ... And now having taken MVP 101 ... What I meant before concerning USB was this ...

My Family Room is adjacent to my Home Office, so I had thought that I could keep my SageTV server in my Office and use Hauppauge PVR USB2's at the TV and just run the USB back to my Office. This would eliminate the noise issue in the Family room. I haven't done this because of course, the wall I would have to run the cable by in my Family Room has my fireplace on it and it's not a great place to run , speaker wire, USB or Cat5 cables by. So, I was comparing that dilemma to keeping the server in my Office and running Cat5 back to the Family Room for the MVP. Not much of a difference from the server perspective. I’d still need to run cable. So, today I have the server located in the Family Room with Wireless-G back to my Office client. Not the greatest, but works for tweak and testing of STV’s. Oh, and I didn't run cables through the attic, and over past the fireplace because it's a 2 story house and a big hassle to do so between floors. Again, I now know this has nothing to do with the real value of the MVP, an inexpensive thin client like solution for other TV's throughout the house.

I have been working on creative alternative ways to get Cat5 to the other rooms for the PC’s since they now use Wireless-G and get performance and connection impacts now and then due to interference and being on the fringe of the AP range. Now that I understand MVP, maybe when I do, this can become a great advantage to me as well.

Again, thanks for taking the time to explain to us knuckleheads who don't get it the first time around But, at least now I can explain to others too ...

T.

[fidget]

Mightyt,

Do you have forced air for heat/AC? If you do, then you can run the Cat-5 next to the ducts. As far as feeding the server, I have one cable connection running to the room that has my server and then I feed it through a video amp and then into the tuner cards. That way, I get a nice strong signal.

[Opus4]

Originally Posted by mightyt

My Family Room is adjacent to my Home Office, so I had thought that I could keep my SageTV server in my Office and use Hauppauge PVR USB2's at the TV and just run the USB back to my Office.

I'm a little lost regarding the purpose of this. The PVR-USB2 device has no video out option; it is an encoder only. If you already knew that... What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by doing this? Does the cable TV coax not go to your office?

- Andy

[mightyt]

Originally Posted by Opus4

I'm a little lost regarding the purpose of this. The PVR-USB2 device has no video out option; it is an encoder only. If you already knew that... What exactly were you hoping to accomplish by doing this? Does the cable TV coax not go to your office?

- Andy

Yep ... I would have to have it next to the TV for coax in the Family Room ... Thinking about it, I guess I could keep the PVR-USB2 in the Office and have extended the coax back from the Family Room as well. But the problem in either case is still not being able to run anything by the fireplace. However, you are also correct, an additional dilemma would be getting video out to the Family Room.

Just too complicated to accomplish ... Looks like the best bet may be to keep the server in the Family Room, get a real HTPC case with virtual silent components and just figure out a way to get Cat5 around and use the MVP as designed.

Hmmm ... Or ... I suppose if I get Cat5 over to the Family Room some how I could just keep the current PC running as server on my Office and use an MVP in my Family Room as well.

So many possible options!!

Thanks ... T.