Very Basic Questions on Media Extender & SageTV Behavior

[rmellor]

I currently run SageTV (an older 2.1 version, which runs perfectly fine for me). (I havent really had the need to upgrade it to newer versions - if it ain't broke, why fix it). Anyhow, I came across the Media Extender product on the website and it seems pretty cool. I've always wanted to watch SageTV recordings in my bedroom but I think the PC there is too slow to use the SageTV Client app, plus I'd rather watch on a 25 or 32 inch tv instead of a 17 inch monitor.

A few really basic questions on the overall behavior/setup:
I run SageTV 2.1 on a capable P4 computer which has an ATI Radeon9800 video out to my TV. I have only a single tuner card (Hauppauge 150) in my computer. I tend to mainly use SageTV to record things, and then watch them back (with SageTV up & running, but piping video out to TV and watching on the TV). I rarely watch live TV thru SageTV.

So, with the new media extenders, which are essentially SageTV Clients, how do they impact the main computer running SageTV. For example: I plug in a media extender in my bedroom, hook it into my network, and the SageTV menu pops up. Is this completely independent of any SageTV UI that is running on my main PC (I am thinking it IS independent). So the client menu can choose to view any recordings, schedule things,etc. When I then go to watch a recording, does the main PC take on the extra processing to watch the video, or is that the media extenders job? (I am thinking it is the media extenders job.) I imagine I can watch a recording on the main PC and then watch the same recording or a different recording independently on the extender TV at the same time-correct?

Now, what if I try to manage my recordings & delete recordings thru my extender TV client. If the main PC is watching a recording and I try to delete it on my extender TV client, will it warn me or not allow me to do so?

Also, what if I try to view 'Live TV' on both machines? Since I only have 1 tuner, SageTV can only ever view one channel of Live TV. Will it give me a warning dialog saying 'main SageTV is viewing channel 4. You cannot change to channel 3' or something similar. Will the same come up if the main SageTV is in the process of recording a show and I try to watch a different channel on live tv on my client extender tv?

Thanks for any info anyone would like to share with me. I realize these are pretty basic questions, but i'm just new to the 'client/extender' idea but i'm thinking I may need to get one because it sounds very cool!

Also, I imagine I'll probably have to upgrade to the new SageTV to take advantage of all this - correct?

Rob

[stanger89]

Originally Posted by rmellor

I currently run SageTV (an older 2.1 version, which runs perfectly fine for me). (I havent really had the need to upgrade it to newer versions - if it ain't broke, why fix it). Anyhow, I came across the Media Extender product on the website and it seems pretty cool. I've always wanted to watch SageTV recordings in my bedroom but I think the PC there is too slow to use the SageTV Client app, plus I'd rather watch on a 25 or 32 inch tv instead of a 17 inch monitor.

A few really basic questions on the overall behavior/setup:
I run SageTV 2.1 on a capable P4 computer which has an ATI Radeon9800 video out to my TV. I have only a single tuner card (Hauppauge 150) in my computer. I tend to mainly use SageTV to record things, and then watch them back (with SageTV up & running, but piping video out to TV and watching on the TV). I rarely watch live TV thru SageTV.

So, with the new media extenders, which are essentially SageTV Clients, how do they impact the main computer running SageTV. For example: I plug in a media extender in my bedroom, hook it into my network, and the SageTV menu pops up. Is this completely independent of any SageTV UI that is running on my main PC (I am thinking it IS independent).

Yup.

So the client menu can choose to view any recordings, schedule things,etc. When I then go to watch a recording, does the main PC take on the extra processing to watch the video, or is that the media extenders job? (I am thinking it is the media extenders job.)

The extender does everything.

I imagine I can watch a recording on the main PC and then watch the same recording or a different recording independently on the extender TV at the same time-correct?

Yup.

Now, what if I try to manage my recordings & delete recordings thru my extender TV client. If the main PC is watching a recording and I try to delete it on my extender TV client, will it warn me or not allow me to do so?

I actually don't know, it works just like SageClient, but honestly I've never tried that with or without the extender

Also, what if I try to view 'Live TV' on both machines? Since I only have 1 tuner, SageTV can only ever view one channel of Live TV. Will it give me a warning dialog saying 'main SageTV is viewing channel 4. You cannot change to channel 3' or something similar. Will the same come up if the main SageTV is in the process of recording a show and I try to watch a different channel on live tv on my client extender tv?

I think it will go to the channel the other machine is watching. But, I rarely do LiveTV, so I'm not sure.

Also, I imagine I'll probably have to upgrade to the new SageTV to take advantage of all this - correct?

Yup, download and install

[jquinlan]

Originally Posted by rmellor

Now, what if I try to manage my recordings & delete recordings thru my extender TV client. If the main PC is watching a recording and I try to delete it on my extender TV client, will it warn me or not allow me to do so?

This has happened to me several times. In version 2.2 (w/2 MVP's) before I upgraded to 4.1 for the new Media Extender benifits. If I tried to delete something that someone else was watching it would not delete. No message, no warning, it would just not disappear off the screen.
I have not tried to delete something were someone else was watching it under 4.1 yet.

[rmellor]

Thanks! So moving to the next question which is a little off topic but -- how did you guys go about the 'upgrade' from 2.1 or 2.2 to 4.1? I think I need to email sagetv directly & inquire about this. I believe I still have my license key written down with my paperwork. Do I just d/l an 'upgrade' and install it. Will all my settings & recordings be preserved? Thanks! And is it a free upgrade?

[heffe2001]

Originally Posted by stanger89

The extender does everything.

This is not entirely true. While the main PC doens't have to decode the video files, it does use some processor on the server PC. Especially during it's initial connection (but doens't seem to use any more CPU than a standard client when it connects). When they turn on Divx & WMA transcoding, it will use alot more processor on the server PC then it does now though...

The Sage client pretty much works like the standard Hauppauge software client.

[Blkhrtd]

Previous postings by Opus and my own experiences indicate that to do the upgrade, just install on top of the current SageTV installation. Make a backup of your current installation directory beforehand, just to be safe though. I've done it on two different machines and didn't experience any issues. ( One upgrade 4.0 -> 4.1, the other 2.1->4.1 ).

Hope this helps

-Shadrach

[SafetyBob]

Rob, find your paperwork from your original installation, you use the same download location for the upgrade as you do did with the original installation. I went from 2.1 to 4.0 then to 4.1 earlier today to take advantage of the Media MVP. One install right over the next...no problems.

I am using the MCE500 on a basic WinXP Pro setup and was amazed at the quality of live tv over the network cable. I didn't appear to be eating very much bandwith over the network and the computer barely looked like it was even working....no more than simply recording a tv program. Save your money and get another tuner or really have some fun and get the MCE500....then you would have three channels you could record and/or watch livetv from. I'm hooked now. If you look at my computer specs, we are close...I really don't think you should have much of a problem using 2 maybe 3 MVP's around the house. Let us know how it goes.

Bob E.