phoneguyinpgh

[phoneguyinpgh]

[quote=”John”]
I tried running MPEG StreamClip (Once I saw it I recognized it from a few years ago) using the “Copy to MPG” and that played just fine in Sage.  Unfortunately, the file size is still huge.  Using the “Convert to AVI” feature resulted in another file that doesn’t work.
[/quote]

Glad it worked for at least MPGs.  That’s all I run for my WMC system.  I tried MPG-4 and MKV for a few files but it always resulted in artifacts that I felt were unacceptable.  I even tried a commercial version of Dvix encoder and it’s performance was less than acceptable so I stuck w/ the MPG because it works, it’s pretty much universal, decent free encoder programs and looks good (though uncompressed).  Even though the file sizes are huge I would just get another drive when one went on sale since regular HDD are getting so cheap.  If I hear of anything else I’ll try to drop it here.

[phoneguyinpgh]

I don’t use SAGE so I’m not sure how relevant this will be to you, but I had a similar situation when ripping all my Star Trek episodes to my server for playback in MCE.  the time codes were incorrect, some showing just a few seconds, some a few min. some would play ok so long as you didn’t pause to stop the playback and try to resume.

After some googling I found a program called MPEG StreamClip.  There are several support packages that you might need to install to make the program work (this is in W7 by the way).  It fixed all the time codes perfectly (make sure you select “don’t skip any frames”).  Then I converted them to plain MPG files.  You can convert to other formats but I stuck with MPG for simplicity and speed.

Here’s is the link.  [url=http://www.squared5.com/]http://www.squared5.com/[/url]

[phoneguyinpgh]

I don’t use SAGE so I’m not sure how relevant this will be to you, but I had a similar situation when ripping all my Star Trek episodes to my server for playback in MCE.  the time codes were incorrect, some showing just a few seconds, some a few min. some would play ok so long as you didn’t pause to stop the playback and try to resume.

After some googling I found a program called MPEG StreamClip.  There are several support packages that you might need to install to make the program work (this is in W7 by the way).  It fixed all the time codes perfectly (make sure you select “don’t skip any frames”).  Then I converted them to plain MPG files.  You can convert to other formats but I stuck with MPG for simplicity and speed.

Here’s is the link.  [url=http://www.squared5.com/]http://www.squared5.com/[/url]

[phoneguyinpgh]

@ Mikinho…
I am VERY interested in how that card perfroms in WHS.  If it is not functional in V1, oh well, I was planning to upgrade to V2 “Vail” when it goes to release.  I want to be able to share the tuners between computers.  I only have 2 dedicated HTPCs though all my computers including my laptop and desktop are running W7 Home Premium x64.

So….
My ideal set up:  To have the tuners centrally located in my network (1Gb wired), either hosted on my WHS or the Silicon Dust unit and my HTPCs would access them as needed.  I have already set up my HTPCs so that they record OTA shows and once finished transfer them to a central directory on the WHS so that any computer can watch recorded TV (something I can’t do now with FIOS’s DVR).  This would also would give me virtually unlimited recording and archival space (something the FIOS DVRs 160GB HD can’t do and it’s not upgradeable).

Buying 2 Centon cards (1 for each HTPC) would be over kill for my purposes.  I know the Centon was planning on producing 2 tuner unit, but since 3 or 4 tuners would meet my needs, why rent 2 or more cable cards when 1 for 1 tuner card would be ideal.

So I am very very very interested in info on possible tuner sharing from a central system.

[phoneguyinpgh]

@ Mikinho…
I am VERY interested in how that card perfroms in WHS.  If it is not functional in V1, oh well, I was planning to upgrade to V2 “Vail” when it goes to release.  I want to be able to share the tuners between computers.  I only have 2 dedicated HTPCs though all my computers including my laptop and desktop are running W7 Home Premium x64.

So….
My ideal set up:  To have the tuners centrally located in my network (1Gb wired), either hosted on my WHS or the Silicon Dust unit and my HTPCs would access them as needed.  I have already set up my HTPCs so that they record OTA shows and once finished transfer them to a central directory on the WHS so that any computer can watch recorded TV (something I can’t do now with FIOS’s DVR).  This would also would give me virtually unlimited recording and archival space (something the FIOS DVRs 160GB HD can’t do and it’s not upgradeable).

Buying 2 Centon cards (1 for each HTPC) would be over kill for my purposes.  I know the Centon was planning on producing 2 tuner unit, but since 3 or 4 tuners would meet my needs, why rent 2 or more cable cards when 1 for 1 tuner card would be ideal.

So I am very very very interested in info on possible tuner sharing from a central system.

[phoneguyinpgh]

[quote=”captain_video”]
Right now, 3D is nothing more than a curiosity. 
[/quote]
I completely concure.

[quote=”captain_video”]
…plus the fact that HDTV is still relatively young in the grand scheme of things,

[/quote]

I know many many many people who are still using SD-CRT TVs.  If it ain’t broke, don’t replace it, and the economy is another issue.

[quote=”captain_video”]
…the thought of being tethered to my TV with a pair of 3D glasses was a major turnoff.
[/quote]

That clinches it with me.  If I want to wear the glasses I will go to a theater or Disney World.

[phoneguyinpgh]

[quote=”captain_video”]
Right now, 3D is nothing more than a curiosity. 
[/quote]
I completely concure.

[quote=”captain_video”]
…plus the fact that HDTV is still relatively young in the grand scheme of things,

[/quote]

I know many many many people who are still using SD-CRT TVs.  If it ain’t broke, don’t replace it, and the economy is another issue.

[quote=”captain_video”]
…the thought of being tethered to my TV with a pair of 3D glasses was a major turnoff.
[/quote]

That clinches it with me.  If I want to wear the glasses I will go to a theater or Disney World.

[phoneguyinpgh]

I think that cable labs restriction is ridiculous.  It defeats the purpose of a central tuner “gateway” that is the tuning access point for the whole house.  I hope they get cable labs to remove that restriction.

[phoneguyinpgh]

I think that cable labs restriction is ridiculous.  It defeats the purpose of a central tuner “gateway” that is the tuning access point for the whole house.  I hope they get cable labs to remove that restriction.

[phoneguyinpgh]

For me it’s a depends on wether the the 3 tuners on the SD can be shared by multiple HTPCs at the same time.  If the Centon can be installed in a WHS and stream from there to the multiple HTPCs that would clinch it for that unit.  But I wouldn’t need 4 tuners in each machine, that would be over kill for me.

[phoneguyinpgh]

For me it’s a depends on wether the the 3 tuners on the SD can be shared by multiple HTPCs at the same time.  If the Centon can be installed in a WHS and stream from there to the multiple HTPCs that would clinch it for that unit.  But I wouldn’t need 4 tuners in each machine, that would be over kill for me.

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