I know there are other threads on the subject, but, at least those I saw, are rather dated. I saw the info on the '4DTranslator' which would be a dream come true if it actually worked. Anyone using this box? With what recorder? Other approaches to consider? I have a GI 922 and HDD-100 and have been using an old Panasonic DVR that's on it's last legs. I'm looking for a replacement. Any suggestion would be appreciated.
C-band recording revisited
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Thanks for the reference. Unfortunately they seem to only provide DVR software for the Windows format. My media center computer is a Mac Mini. I'll contact them to see if there are any options.
Yeah, we're a Mac family but when it comes to media, it's pretty grim. If your Mac is an Intel you might get away running a virtualized system, like Parallels for Mac, as USB can often work with a guest OS.
There is also a MythTV capability that supports the Nextcom hardware, if you happen to be running that. I don't know if MythTV can support Mac OS X USB, or how well this part of MythTV functions.
If you're running running SageTV on Mac, you could possibly use a brain-dead Windows machine, or guest OS, to run the network encoder software that Nextcom provides. The SageTV integration with the Nextcom hardware is pretty much seamless.
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It looks like SageTV will do the job. $99 for the Mac PlaceShifter is comparable to what I initially paid for a 3 computer license for EyeTV. It appears SageTv doesn't have a C-band schedule available so it basically would serve as a timer. I guess it is possible that the 4DTV channels might lineup with one of the small dish schedules. Either way I'm still stuck with programming everything twice, once on the 4DTV and once on the computer :sob:
Assuming the 4DTV channels you're interested in recording show up on a cable or pizza dish schedule, these can easily be integrated into Sage's program guide. You have to build a channel map once and then it's a piece of cake. There are schemes that can construct channel schedules for Sage automatically by xml or other means. From what I understand the Nextcom software will change channels and wait for the dish to move on a 4DTV box through the USB interface, so you only have to program each recording once. Make sure you get the right Sage software for what you are doing as it can be a little confusing. From my point of view the best part of Sage is their HD media extender, which will play back just about anything one can think of without tying up a computer or requiring the nursing of a withering array of codecs.
What I am planning to do is to get the HDR5000 mod's to my HDD-200, run SageTV Media Center on a Mac Mini for local viewing and scheduled recordings. I'll probably go with the Placeshiter version so I can also control the receiver, do scheduling, view videos from a MacBook via WiFi or wired LAN connection. Which version of SageTV's software do I need?
I looked at their web site and am not clear about the difference between a 'Client' and a 'Placeshifter'. I'm assuminmg that Placeshifter is simply the term they use for the bundle of the SageTV Media Center software and one client license. Does that sound right?
I just received an explanation of the difference between 'Placeshifter' and 'Client' on the SageTV forum. It appears what I need, in addition to the Media Center software is two Clients. I've downloaded the demo's and will give it a try.
The Sage forums and their manual are the best starting points.
Until you have some type of SageTV capture device, fake or otherwise, I don't think you can set much of anything up in terms of a program guide. I don't know if Sage will work with an EyeTV device. It is possible to setup a fake network encoder just to see how this all works. Assuming you clear that hurdle, the channels and any maps are set up through the process of adding a capture device. This is mostly explained in the SageTV manual, but sometimes there are particulars for individual capture devices like Nextcom's, HDHomeRen, etc. Capture device vendors normally give you the specifics in their documentation.
Once the capture device is defined, you basically choose a channel lineup for a particular program provider for your geographical area and modify it if you want. I expect selecting Dish, DirecTV or your local cable provider will get you 99% of the way there, even if you are only recording 4DTV. In most cases you simply turn off the channels you don't want. There is a provision to add custom channels, and if you use the same channel name as Zap2It, SageTV will normally glom onto the correct schedule.
In terms of XML schedule captures, I've seen references to this in the Sage forums, but the channels for which I was hoping to acquire automatic programming guides turned out to only provide them in pdf format. I've therefore never bothered to use these capabilities.
I have two HDHomeRun's on the network. SageTV sees them, scans the channels, etc., but there is a problem. The lip sync is so bad, even on a single channel, that it's unwatchable. By contrast, I can have all 4 tuners going with EyeTV and they are all perfect. I guess when my modified HDD-200 comes back I could use SageTV only for it and EyeTV for local ATSC broadcasts, but I would prefer to use SageTV for everything.
That's odd. Does this happen for both live TV and playback of recordings? We have one HDHomeRun plus four satellite inputs running into Sage and never had lip sync issues with thousands of recordings and live TV watched on Sage over the past 2.5 years.
Most of our playback is through Sage HD Media Players. My wife does use a Mac running one Sage client and she has no lip sync problems, however I seem to recall we found one of the older Mac clients works better than the newer ones. I don't know how Sage chooses the codecs for Mac playback and that may be where your and my differences are. It's possible we're not using the same ones. Lip sync problems always seem to stem from codecs. We have one Windows Sage client and that works fine, too.
Your best bet would be to bring this up on the Sage Mac and/or Hardware Support forums where you'll likely get far more informed help. While we love our Macs, our media hosting and serving is pretty much Linux and Windows only, because that has proved easier to integrate a lot of different gear over the years. I'm sure if you persevere, you'll get this all to work. Prior to Sage we too used the EyeTV software. It's very slick and extremely well executed, but it has nowhere the power of Sage.
I have a HD-200 already modified that I seldom use any longer that I will trade for your HD-200 and less cash than the Nextcom people will charge you to install a new one (or would sell it outright if interested).
how much are they?
if i could get the mpeg2 streams on my computer, i could hook the vga cable up to a flatscreen, run the video full screen, and have great video without having to buy a hd-200, right?
EDIT, woah $350 for that??? I wonder if they make software that allows you to pull the mpeg-II from the hsi?
I recently installed one of these in my 920 and can watch both SD and HD digital all the way to the screen without a HDD-x00 box. The price is steep, although one can save a third by installing it on your own. However I do NOT recommend the latter unless you are VERY experienced. Nextcom had no instructions for the 920 and the chipset in my unit was completely different than what they had worked with before. I spent a couple of hours probing 120/160/208-pin chips with a scope until I found useful signals and had to craft an accessory circuit on the side. Most people would prefer to let Nextcom provide the sweat.
well im not going to spend $350 on that
since you have a working setup, then you would know what chips its on, and the pinouts and since you have made an accessory circuit, you probaly have the diagram for it?
i plan on getting a 922 this fall, i would not want to have the headache of setting timers on my drake, setting timers on my 905 every time i want to record something
also, is there anyway to make the guide longer then 24 hrs?
I don't know how different the 905, 920 and 922s are. I got the impression from Nextcom that they had not run into a 920 like mine, because they had no idea which chips or pins to go after. While they were VERY helpful in giving me an overview of what signals they needed, I had to scope hundreds of pins and figure out several other odds and ends. My unit was manufactured early 2000 if that has anything to do with its uniqueness.
i wonder how hard it would be to make some sorta program for a computer that would use an ir blaster to give commands to my drake to move to a sat, then blast my 905 to move to sat and channel. then blast a hard drive recorder
The "X-10" remote control system had some computer software to run the modules instead of the control centers. This was supposed to have all kind of neat applications and control with the software. If I remember right there was at least some ir control of some components. Maybe something like that can be modified for what you are looking for.
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