Frey Technologies' SageTV 2.0 - A SnapStream Alternative
by Andrew Ku on July 25, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
SageTV Client 2.0
The SageTV 2.0 client is almost exactly the same as the interface for the server, minus a few details. First, loading the SageTV 2.0 client prompts you for the IP address of the server, which almost always needs to be entered. In the detailed setup section on the client side, you can store the IP address that the client should always be pointed towards. Keep in mind that if the server crashes the client will simply seek out the server until told otherwise, with the prompt mentioning something like "connection with server lost, trying to reestablish connection." If the server is not running when the client starts, the client will wait and continue to seek the connection to the server until told otherwise.
Click to enlarge.
Other than entering the IP address, you can hardly tell the difference in the actual UI, except the server option in the detailed setup. There are several setup options that are sharing, meaning that by changing the variable on the client, it will also change automatically on the server and vice versa (i.e. recording quality).
Note that your client still needs an MPEG decoder for it to view the TV stream from the server. Management of which tuner that clients feed from is automatic, and we found no conflicts in our use of several clients in turn with the server. Each feed takes about 6 Mbits of bandwidth, so a typical 10/100 should easily handle a multi-tuner server and several multi-tuner clients.
For the sake of things, we ran the client on our newest Dell Inspiron 8600 (1.7GHz) with ATI MR9600, and we found things to be a bit slow. It seems that the program is heavily software decoder dependent, since we were able to get smooth playback once we installed and selected Cyberlink's MPEG2 decoder in the detailed setup.
Click to enlarge.
It is interesting to note that a client can actually setup a TV tuner and media to share with the rest of the network. Setting up a TV tuner is basically the same as doing it on the server, and the server automatically manages the tuners on the various clients. If a client requests a signal, the server arbitrarily distributes TV feeds from different TV tuners. If the client-to-client scenario is used, the client with the tuner first feeds the signal to the server and then the server to the client without the tuner. Because of the multilinking, there is an additional 1-second delay in the client-to-client scenario versus server-to-client.
Adding a folder in the library on a client will do so for the whole SageTV 2.0 network, which is a big plus if you have plenty of media to share on multiple systems.
Note that each client needs its own license key because once the client links to the server, it occupies that key, and any other computer on the network attempting to use that key will be locked out. If a key needs to be transferred, Frey's SageTV does provide a way in their tips and tricks support page.
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punkkid - Tuesday, April 12, 2005 - link
If you need firmware for MythTv Plugin under Pluto you can find them herehttp://www.geocities.com/download2kx01
http://members.lycos.co.uk/mythtvx101/
http://mythtvx101.netfirms.com/
http://www.mythtvx101.home.ro/
http://www.mythtvx101.as.ro/
lorein - Tuesday, March 22, 2005 - link
What would you say about Linux/MythTV drivers for 2nd gen PVR cards?Most of the popular new PVR cards sold for Windows XP MC are based on Connexant's "Blackbird" design, which hasn't had drivers for Linux or Myth.
We have been working on these drivers and released an alpha version at http://plutohome.com. Pluto even has a self-booting kick-start CD that will automatically install & configure everything for you, including a ready-to-go Myth system. It's the fastest and easiest way to get a MythTV PVR up and running, and also installs Xine, Asterisk and our own software to give you the most advanced media & entertainment, home automation, security, telecom & computing system, controllable with your Symbian Bluetooth mobile phone, as well as PDA's and Webpads.
We're working hard to harden the drivers as quickly as possible and would like as much feedback as possible. These 2nd generation "Blackbird" cards are lower in price and offer better picture quality than the current models supported in IVTV, so be sure to check them out.
visit: plutohome.com, click 'support', 'support site', and choose "CX88 Blackbird Drivers" from the projects menu
snorkel - Sunday, August 1, 2004 - link
It would be nice if you guys did a review ofMythtv.
While it is linux and the install is not as easy as a windows program, the results are spectacular.
Mythtv is a very nice way to show off what Linux is truyly capable of.
I would recommend running it on Gentoo, as to install you simply type emerge mythtv
myth also works great with the haupauge PVR 250/350 series of cards and fully supports the hardware MP3 decoding.
check it out at http://www.mythtv.org
I have had uptimes of 75 to 100 days with shows being recorded and watch daily. My wife loves Mythtv and couldn't live without it.
I tried SageTV, but I went back to Myth because it was better IMHO anyway.
vailr - Tuesday, July 27, 2004 - link
Another TV Tuner/PVR software to consider: Cyberlink's PowerVCR II. This product has none of the audio sync problems that ATI's MMC has, when used with an ATI TV Wonder Pro/Creative Audigy sound card combo (using all the current drivers).MlbDude - Monday, July 26, 2004 - link
Thanks, and thanks also for listening to some of this feedback and actually looking into it. :)AndrewKu - Monday, July 26, 2004 - link
#19 - We worked through all the details with Jeff and Dan Kardatzke, the owners of Frey Tech, and everything has been settled. Btw since you are the main guy for the NDA beta team for Frey, I have to say you developed some nice skins. :)MlbDude - Monday, July 26, 2004 - link
Since this review is so bad, here is another to check out. It is more complete and the reviewer actually has experience with the product.http://htpcnews.com/main.php?id=sagetv_1
WooDaddy - Monday, July 26, 2004 - link
Phew...That was a helluva review Andrew.
It looks like TiVo for your PC is still a ways off from being that simplistic. Any plans on reviewing some of the other HTPC apps? I'll have to go back and check the Beyond TV review.
glennpratt - Monday, July 26, 2004 - link
LawranchATI has drivers that perform software MPEG2 decoding for AIW's but has failed to release them to anyone but Dell. There are hacked versions of the Dell drivers that work on most AIW 9XXX cards.
At anyrate AIW's suck and you should get a blackbird type card for MCE.
reboos - Monday, July 26, 2004 - link
review MythTV please!