Frey Technologies' SageTV 2.0 - A SnapStream Alternative
by Andrew Ku on July 25, 2004 12:05 AM EST- Posted in
- Smartphones
- Mobile
SageTV 2.0 - Media Library & DVD
The media library is just like the music jukebox in the sense that only media in the folder specified in the detailed setup will appear within SageTV 2.0.
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Playing a DVD is done via this submenu, but we would prefer to see it on the main menu rather than this one. It just seems more suited in that location because of the way people play DVDs. Plus, we would count DVD a category apart from the media library. Note that popping in a DVD doesn't autoplay, which is the way it should be for a PVR platform.
Playing a DVD brings up a window similar to playing audio tracks and watching TV. The bar on the bottom displays the track slider that displays time elapsed and total time, which can be moved by selecting a point within the bar. The white bar indicates the portion already watched and the green indicates the portion left. The arrow designating the spot being currently played cannot be used to navigate to a specific point.
The play, pause, backward, forward, and volume/mute are all interactive. But the backward and forward buttons need to be held down to function as rewind and fast forward commands, but SageTV 2.0 doesn't allow you to do a factor by rewind or fast forward (i.e. 2x, 4x, etc.).
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Finished recordings are listed in SageTV recordings, but the listings can become cluttered after a period of time, which is why there is a move to library function. Once moved, you lose options like record error, etc. because you are chosen to approve it to your media library.
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Watching an archived recording file brings up a screen similar to live TV, with a few exceptions. Since this recording entry is technically corrupted, there is a red bar indicating the major missing portion and the white portion of the bar is the segment being currently played. If SageTV 2.0 encounters problems during a recording, it automatically restarts the recording within another file, which is why there are multiple segments for a single recording. Recordings are named specifically for program and episode being listed and that file name functions as the show ID tag.
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Going into the video library lists all the videos that are in the library specified folders. We threw on a DVD rip of a Friends episode that is Divx encoded. Playback is supported for Divx encoded media so long as a Divx codec is installed.
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Playing a video file brings up a more simple screen. There is no upper left hand window that displays the name and other file information.
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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/
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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!