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Author Topic: MediaCenter Server?  (Read 2548 times)

hEdly

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MediaCenter Server?
« on: September 27, 2012, 05:57:20 pm »

I've read through some of the wikis and the product description page, but I still am unsure about the following.  Please forgive me if this is a redundant post. 

I currently still use SageTV with Hauppauge 1600 tuners to get OTA HD programming.  One of the things I had been planing on doing was to create a SageTV Server with the tuners in the server (and add the Hauppauge 250) along with the music, DVDs (only ones I own and have ripped to just have the main movie), home videos, photos, etc.   

I then wanted to use the current HTPC as a Sage Client for just viewing/listening to everything.  The plan was to eventually have multiple TV/computers to have access to the content from around the house.

So, does MediaCenter do that, particularly for the TV Shows?  In SageTV that was called a networked tuner I think.  All Sage clients would have access to the tuner cards and the recorded shows.  The Client could watch live TV or create/change/delete recordings.

I've been holding off on creating the server because, much like many of the other Sage users I believe, I've been waiting to see what happens.  While I have added any of the cool features that Sage offered, I still have a lot of time invested in simply using the software and troubleshooting it when something goes awry.  As many here and on Sage say, it is mainly the wife happiness factor.  She really likes Sage and change is difficult.  But I'm kind of getting tired of waiting.  Sage has been crashing lately and I really want to separate the record and playback functions.

Anyway, so what say you?  Can MC do networked tuners? Can you watch live TV on other computers?
If so, is there are there different licenses (Sage Client was like $29 while the full license was $79 I think)?
If you are watching a show in one room, stop and go to another, does it pick up where you left off?
 - Think I just found that it can do that, but a little confirmation would be appreciated

It looks like this is pretty close to a replacement...

Thanks for your time

hEdly
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nwboater

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Re: MediaCenter Server?
« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2012, 09:37:38 am »

I suggest that you simplify your post and put it in the TV Cards & TV section of the Forum. If you leave out all the Sage stuff and just explain what you would like to do you will stand a better chance of getting a good answer. I'm not up to date with the latest TV capabilities and am not totally clear what you want to do so can't help. I do believe though that some progress has been made with TV on Clients in V18.

Good luck.

Rod
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chirpp

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Re: MediaCenter Server?
« Reply #2 on: October 04, 2012, 12:08:55 pm »


Hello hEdly,

I am a sage user and have experimented with JR and the TV function for a while. I am still using Sage for all recordings, however, as I like the functionality of
adding,deleting and modifying recordings via the web interface, while remote or local.  I also have the wife approval factor! She and the kids are all used to the simple interface of Sage to find recordings, series, etc.

That said, I read that Version 18 allows you to run a media server/client setup.  I setup my server with 2 HDHomerun tuners, setup channels, etc. and confirmed I could watch tv on it.  Then started a library client on another machine (with no tuner setup with tuner cards and TV setup) and was able to watch tv on it using the media servers settings. I was able to schedule a recording as well. 

I then paused watching the show on my client. It happened to be right at noon (I'll explain later).  I fired up version 18 on another machine and attached to media server in client mode. I went to the television area and tried to select my show but it was no longer listed, it only showed shows starting at noon.  So I could not watch what I was watching on the other client. I think that is what you were trying to accomplish, but maybe I misunderstood.

So I agree it looks pretty close to a replacement as well. I hope this helps!

Pete
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JimH

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Re: MediaCenter Server?
« Reply #3 on: October 04, 2012, 12:21:56 pm »

Please report any problems on the TV board here.
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eapool

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Re: MediaCenter Server?
« Reply #4 on: October 04, 2012, 01:18:43 pm »

I have been using MC for quite a while now and my main focus is the tv aspect.  I have no experience with Sage, so I cannot compare/ contrast the two, but I will try to tell you about my experience.  I have a three tuners attached to my server(a HD Homerun and a Hauppauge 1600 I think).  Anyway, with MC 18 you can watch live tv on your clients.  It will try to use the local tuners first and then access the tuners from the server (the HD Homerun adds a little wrinkle here, but that is for another thread).  You can also start watching a recording in on one device, STOP that recording, and move to another device and continue.  When you start watching a recording that was stopped part way through, MC will ask if you want to start from the beginning or resume from where you stopped last.

I have not tried to watch a live show, PAUSE the live show, and continue from another device.  I doubt that would work, but if you are watching a show live and want to go to another device.  It is a trivial mater to start recording that show and then move to the other device and start watching the recording.  You can watch a recording while it is being recorded.

There is only once license for MC and it is good for a reasonable amount of your personal computers.  I don't work for MC, so I will leave it up to them to define that, but if you search, JimH (the owner) seems to be pretty generous with his policy on this.

Television on MC has come a LONG way in the last few months.  JRiver still has a more things to improve, but I am sure they will get there.  If you have anymore questions, please post and I am sure someone can help,

Alex
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