Appendix M: SageTV Media Extenders

SageTV Media Extenders
Instead of building an entire computer to act as a SageTV Client, a Media Extender, such as the SageTV HD Theater (models STP-HD200 and STP-HD300), SageTV HD Media Extender (model STX-HD100), or the Hauppauge MediaMVP, may be used instead. Such a device is connected to the SageTV server PC via your computer’s local network and allows the SageTV User Interface to be used on another TV with just a small quiet device instead of a larger, noisier, computer.

Media Extender Installation
SageTV Media Extender support is built into the SageTV installation, so no extra steps are needed.

Registering Media Extender Licenses
SageTV Version 9 and later does not need any license keys or registration.

When using the SageTV STP-HD200 or STP-HD300 HD Theater with SageTV version 6.5 and later, there is no need to register a media extender license on the server. Prior to SageTV Version 9, other extenders still needed a media extender license registered on the server.  

In order to use a SageTV Media Extender past the trial usage period, a license key must be entered on the SageTV server for each extender to be used simultaneously.

To enter your license, on a Windows SageTV server system, go to the Windows Start button, then select All Programs > SageTV > Register SageTV Media Extender License. Enter your license in the dialog that appears.

To enter your license, on a Mac SageTV server system, go to System Preferences > SageTV > Licenses. Select the plus (+) symbol to add an additional license.

Note: It is recommended that you exit SageTV on the server computer before entering a  Media Extender license. (If using service mode, stop the service.) 

Enable the Media Extender Server
To enable your SageTV server to act as a Media Extender Server, enable the SageTV Server option in the Detailed Setup: Server Settings menu and make sure the Media Extender and Placeshifter Server is also enabled on that screen.

Enable Connection to the Media Extender Server
In order for the Media Extender to be able to connect to your SageTV server, it may need permission to get through any firewall that may be running on the server. See Firewall Settings for more information on which ports to open.

SageTV HD Theater, models STP-HD200 and STP-HD300
For details about using the STP-HD200 or STP-HD300 SageTV HD Theater, please refer to the manual that is included in the box with that device. The STP-HD200 and STP-HD300 can be used as an extender connected to a SageTV server or as a standalone device not connected to a server. The manual can also be downloaded in PDF format:

http://download.sage.tv/SageTV_HD200_Manual.pdf

http://download.sage.tv/SageTV_HD300_Manual.pdf

SageTV HD Media Extender, model STX-HD100
For details about using the STX-HD100 SageTV HD Media Extender, please refer to the manual that is included in the box with that device. The manual can also be downloaded in PDF format:

http://download.sage.tv/SageTV_HD100_Manual.pdf

Hauppauge MediaMVP
For information about the MVP, see the Hauppauge web site: http://www.hauppauge.com/pages/products/data_mediamvp.html

To use an MVP with SageTV, make sure that no other MVP server software is currently running on any PC on your network. The Hauppauge MVP software does not need to be installed, and if it is, make sure it is not running.

Follow these steps to start using your MVP with SageTV:

1.      Enable the Media Extender and Placeshifter Server, as described at the beginning of this appendix. Then, connect the MVP to a TV and your local network, as described in the following steps.

2.      Plug either the MVP’s svideo or composite outputs into the appropriate input on your TV. (Choose the one your TV uses; svideo provides the better TV image, if both are available.)

3.      Connect the MVP’s Left + Right audio outputs to the TV’s L + R audio inputs that are associated with the video input used above.

4.      Connect the local network cable to the MVP. The network will need to have a DHCP server in order for the MVP to acquire a network address.

5.      Turn the TV on and set it to use the input to which the MVP has been connected.

6.      Finally, connect the MVP’s power adapter cord.

7.      After a short startup delay, the SageTV interface will appear on your TV.

Repeat the above steps for additional MVPs connected to the same server.

MVP Supported Media Types
As a SageTV Media Extender, the MVP is capable of playing the following media types:
 *  Videos – MPEG files. The MVP is not able to natively play HDTV content, but it can be transcoded for playback.
 *  DVD – The MVP is not capable of decoding encrypted DVD content, so it can not be used for DVD-ROM viewing. But, non-encrypted DVD images imported into the video library (home-made DVDs, for example) can be played on the MVP with full use of the DVD’s menus.
 *  BD – The MVP is not capable of playing Blu-ray content.

In addition to the native support for the video and music formats listed above, SageTV will attempt to transcode other media formats to a type that the MVP can play. Transcoding may not be available for all possible media formats. The Media Extender Conversion Quality can be configured in Detailed Setup: Server Settings.
 *  Music – MP3 files; other formats may be transcoded.
 *  Pictures – Any picture format that SageTV can use; see the Supported Media Types for Pictures.

Restart MVP After Installing a SageTV Upgrade
After installing a SageTV upgrade, be sure to unplug the MVP, then plug it in again. This will force a full reboot of the MVP so that any media extender changes will be used by the MVP. (Using the power off button on the remote will not force a full reboot, because it puts the MVP into a soft power off mode.)

Using SageTV Studio with a Media Extender (optional)
Using the Customize command while using a Media Extender opens Studio on the server computer that the extender is connected to.

Note: If the server is running in service mode, it may still be possible to open a Studio window by configuring the service to interact with the Desktop. This requires knowledge of how to use Windows utilities to configure the service in this way.