SageTV 2.0 review

[dZeus]

SageTV2 is a very capable PVR app, which I definately would recommend to check out when looking for a frontend to use on a HTPC. See the review for full details of my findings.

Feel free to point out any grammar and spelling errors, as well as other valuable additions to the review in this thread, or just your thoughts on the review or on SageTV.

[DirtFarmer]

I'm glad somebody took a look at using an old G400 for use as a PVR. I have been using SageTV and SageTV Client for about 6 months now. I initially tried a G400 with it but because I could not display the UI when in DVDMax mode the excellent TVO was pointless. I changed to an ATI 9000 with a PVR-350. The TVO on the ATI is crappy compared to the G400 in DVD Max mode. The PVR-350 TVO quality is excellent and it does display the UI from SageTV 2.0, the problem is the stability of the product is crappy on my hardware with the UI enabled. It's not a heat issue as my PC is located in a basement and temps never see 30C. Many other people are having issues with SageTV and the 350 TVO. As you pointed out in your review the 350TVO can only output MPEG, so pushing Divx media through it is impossible.

Where SageTV really shines is in a multi -tuner / Client / Server environment. I let the software fill the harddrives with programming that we want to watch and everybody can sit down and view it when convenient, and skip through all the commercials. We have the client running on all the PC's in the house and can watch from PC's or sit and watch on the main TV which is displaying from the Server.

Now if we could only get Frey Technologies to somehow get the UI to overlay to the G400's DVDMax output, I would pop my G400 back in the PC in a second. I fear such a request would be quite low on their priority list.

I enjoyed your review, keep us updated on your experiences.

[dZeus]

Frey technologies told me that they would be glad to supply me the specs to write an OSD plugin that makes use of overlay subpicture.

Once they finish the documentation and send me the specs, I'll start a quest for finding people to write it

However, I don't find the OSD of sage necessary to use it. It works quite well even without the OSD. I just prefer to be able to see it

[DirtFarmer]

Originally posted by dZeus
Frey technologies told me that they would be glad to supply me the specs to write an OSD plugin that makes use of overlay subpicture.

Once they finish the documentation and send me the specs, I'll start a quest for finding people to write it

However, I don't find the OSD of sage necessary to use it. It works quite well even without the OSD. I just prefer to be able to see it

That sounds somewhat promising. I could probably rig up a screen beside the couch and survive without the OSD but this isn't keeping with the current TV room decor

TVO-OSD=WAF<=0

[xortam]

Originally posted by DirtFarmer
... TVO-OSD=WAF<=0

When did WAF get to be such an accepted TLA? Everyone seems to know that term this last year ... at least most all the A/V folks do.

[DirtFarmer]

Originally posted by xortam
When did WAF get to be such an accepted TLA? Everyone seems to know that term this last year ... at least most all the A/V folks do.

not sure when, I sure have seen it used tons since starting to mess with the HTPC, initially in MythTV about 9 months ago. I also have first hand experience that it is important to gauge the Wife Acceptance Factor before making any changes to the HTPC.

You don't be removing that On Screen Display from the TV on my SageTV. That would be trouble.


Cheers

[dZeus]

hey I found out that you can in fact change the amount of channels displayed in the EPG info of LiveTV Guide by setting the ui/epg_num_cols and ui/epg_num_rows variables in the sage properties file.

it would be really nice if Frey Technologies would have a manual on which setting does what.

[DirtFarmer]

not sure how up to date this file is but check it out:

http://www.freytechnologies.com/2_papers/SageAdjustableProperties.txt

[dZeus]

sweet!

thx