Whole home AV distribution with HDMI

[CollinR]

I like the Snapstream FireFly myself, ~$50, RF based hard button remote. One of the things I like about it is the ease of mapping it to match the IR remotes that come with the SD extenders. These RF based remotes have 16 IDs so you can have quite a few and the system can identify them and changing the channel in the bedroom will not change the channel in the living room, unless you want it to.

With PC remotes though the bigger issue is which remote software you choose to run, if you use EventGhost or Girder you can make any IR remote work very well.

You can actually do the PC thing in contrast to both of your concerns. A laptop with a busted display won't bring much on the used market but is perfect to mount behind an LCD/Plasma. Also many more small form factor PCs are popping up, a recent Intel model only being $65 with integrated CPU. I would assume it won't be long before a decent PC solution can be had for $200 right now they are about $350-450.

 

[bfisher]

I wasn't clear I want to be able to Rip DVD's and then distribute among all of the TV's in my home.

I assumed HDMI since its simple and clean and a single cable.

How did the user with Sage get that working with all his TV's? Also can multiple people watch multiple ripped DVDs?

Yes, I have this working with all my TVs (4 HD and 1 SD). What is great is that anybody can watch anything on any TV at any time. I can have 3 different DVDs playing, and 2 HD TV shows that were recorded yesterday (or live for that matter). All you need is a good server (lots of storage, and a good CPU if you want to do HD to SD transcoding), and then extenders (little boxes) that are each TV. Wiring is simple via Cat 5 network. The Extender then plugs into the TV using whatever connections the TV has (composite, SVideo, Component, HDMI).

Picture quality is amazing. Flexibility is awesome. I use it as my PVR. I have 5 tuners in it (3 HD and 2 SD for my DirecTV). There are HD component tuners coming soon (so you can record HD from your satellite box or whatever).

If I want to add another TV, I just plug in another extender to the network, plug it in to the TV and I'm running. Easy as it gets...

Yeah I don't want to station a PC with each TV. Thats expensive from the beginning and on top of it it does consume an enourmous amount of power. What type of a remote are you using with your PC? I was originally looking at Main Lobby and DVD Lobby.

No need for a PC at any TV. Extenders have very low power consumption and are silent. You just need 1 PC to act as a server for all your media.

One caution - Sage is sold out of all their extenders right now... hopefully more will be in soon (we've been told February, but no date).

 

[heffneil]

Does anyone know if the sage HD extender has a RF remote? I want to put the box in a closet. I hate boxes and they don't work well when you hang a TV on the wall. That box does look small but with the low profile box it doesn't look promising.

What HD tuners are you using? You must have a monster machine for all that.

Thanks!

Neil

 

[AnthonyZ]

You need 5 cables vs 1 and you think that's easier? I don't to really flame back and forth or anything but I don't see the logic in that....

Has anyone tried the media extenders from sage? the HD version is sold out and who knows when they will have more...

Neil

Not everyone pulls RG6 for component distribution. Ever hear of a bundle? Not to mention, distributed video typically drives displays. Do want to add a DAC at every TV that isn't part of a two or multi channel system? That's the logic.

 

[bfisher]

Does anyone know if the sage HD extender has a RF remote? I want to put the box in a closet. I hate boxes and they don't work well when you hang a TV on the wall. That box does look small but with the low profile box it doesn't look promising.

What HD tuners are you using? You must have a monster machine for all that.

No, currently the HD extender does no support an RF remote. There are plenty of IR ways around it (mine is mounted in a cabinet completely out of sight).

I have a couple Avermedia M780s and a Hauppauge 1800 (for a total of 3 HD OTA/QAM and 3 SD tuners).

I do have a powerful PC, but it's not totally needed. I went high-end so I'd never have a PC issue ("gee, I wish I would have..."). Recording and playing don't take much CPU. Where you need CPU power is if you transcode (convert HD to SD) on the fly.

 

[CollinR]

You can use the webserver interface (user contributed add-on) to allow anything to control the extenders. This is how I use RF remotes to control my MVPs.

 

[Helheim]

I used 5 in 1 mini coax so it was sort of one cable. I think running longer distances with HDMI your suppose to use the optical cable so that’s probably pretty expensive. Plus the switcher is more expensive. If you could do it all via Cat5 maybe that would be easier.

You need 5 cables vs 1 and you think that's easier? I don't to really flame back and forth or anything but I don't see the logic in that....

Has anyone tried the media extenders from sage? the HD version is sold out and who knows when they will have more...

Neil

 

[heffneil]

Question, do you guys run a cable box that tunes for you with your tuners? I am curious how you tune premium channels.

Thanks,

Neil

 

[heffneil]

See thinking this through I want a HDMI based capture card and just plug in DVD players and Cable boxes. The only issue is if I have a device that doesn't have an HDMI out (Xbox or old DVD changer). Doesn't Sage control the Sony megachanger with the RS232 port?

Neil

 

[bfisher]

Question, do you guys run a cable box that tunes for you with your tuners? I am curious how you tune premium channels.

I use DirecTV for all my non-local channels, so yes, I have set top boxes that Sage tunes for me (serially).

See thinking this through I want a HDMI based capture card and just plug in DVD players and Cable boxes. The only issue is if I have a device that doesn't have an HDMI out (Xbox or old DVD changer). Doesn't Sage control the Sony megachanger with the RS232 port?

As of today, there is no HDMI capture card (and it's unlikely there ever would be one due to HDCP). There are a couple analog HD capture tools coming (using component) - supposedly this quarter. Once it's recorded, you would distribute it through your extender which can then connect to the TV via HDMI if you really feel you have to have HDMI.

My limited experience with HDMI - it's not all that it's cracked up to be yet. I use it for 2 of my TVs... but some people have problems with it... not everything works exactly like it should - plus you could have copy protection issues.

Don't know regarding the megachanger... I don't use it since I have all of my discs ripped to Hard disk (so I can watch multiple disks at a time (which happens a lot with 2 kids)). I assume the mega-changer would limit you to 1 disc at a time?

 

[upstatemike]

Is there a Blu-ray player that will put out full 1080P on the component out jacks? Or do you have to rip Blu-ray using a PC Blu-ray drive?

 

[bfisher]

I don't know Mike - I have to admit I've taken a backseat on this revolution. I am still designing my theater upgrade, and will incorporate a HD DVD format (apparently Blu-ray). Most likely I will use a PC source using slysoft products to allow me to play my discs. To my knowledge, Sage does not support distribution of Blu-ray or HD-DVD video.

 

[upstatemike]

I don't know Mike - I have to admit I've taken a backseat on this revolution. I am still designing my theater upgrade, and will incorporate a HD DVD format (apparently Blu-ray). Most likely I will use a PC source using slysoft products to allow me to play my discs. To my knowledge, Sage does not support distribution of Blu-ray or HD-DVD video.

My understanding was that the HD extenders could handle the resolution and provide an HDMI connection at the remote location (if desired) but there does not seem to be any way to get full HD onto the network for the extenders to use. Blu-ray players will only output full resolution on their HDMI connectors and no HDMI capture cards exist to accept this signal. It looks like ripping Blu-ray on a PC with a Blu-ray drive using Slysoft stuff is the only way to make a 1080p source available to Sage. But I don't know if all the pieces are there to even go this route?

 

[bfisher]

You are correct:
- HD Extenders can handle the resolution (up to 1080p)
- HD Extenders do have HDMI connections
- There are no HDMI capture cards and I wouldn't expect to see any. Component capture is coming though...

The issue with playing Blu-ray discs through Sage (if you rip the discs to a hard drive or through the PC Blu-ray drive) is I'm not sure if Sage supports the format. There may be a conversion step needed to convert whatever Blu-ray discs are stored in (such as VOBs with traditional DVDs) into something that Sage understands.

My last paragraph is pure speculation... I haven't researched it enough yet to know what I'm talking about... that's just my understanding. I'm hoping by the time I'm ready for this - someone has it all figured out for me

 

[WayneW]

Linear Unveils Whole-House HD Distribution System at IBS

02.13.2008 — Linear is introducing a new line of whole-house high-definition distribution products using HDMI, including a 4x4 matrix, switchers, distribution amplifiers and video boosters.
The line, on display at the International Builders’ Show, uses HDMI as the standard of choice.
“Linear is committed to making HDTV more affordable for consumers and more profitable for our dealer and installer partners,” says Linear vice president of marketing Chuck Stevens.
“We chose to debut our new HDTV offering at the International Builders’ Show because we see HDTV as the next potential profit center for installers and builders. It’s an ideal complement to our intercom systems, security systems, access control systems and other wiring products.”
Switchers are available in 3x1, 4x1, 2x2, 2x4 and 4x2 configurations, while distribution amplifiers come in 1x8 and 2x8 models.
http://www.cepro.com/article/linear_unveil...n_system_at_ibs

http://www.businesswire.com/portal/site/go...amp;newsLang=en