HouseBot

Scott,

I want to try my hand at writing a plug-in to connect HB to SageTV. I haven't completely thought through what I would like, but I would like to be able to do is to show something like a software remote but in the sage interface. Do you have any ideas of what direction I should look from the HB side. I don't think that a normal device or interface plug-in is going to work. Sorry for the very vague description of what I would like to do.

Eric

Eric,

It really depends on the level of functionality you will need. If you just need to get/set property values, execute Tasks, etc., you may be able to just use the existing External Control plugin. That would save you from writing any plugin for HouseBot. You can connect to that plugin through a socket and send/receive commands/data via ASCII (see the online help for the specifics). That way you can just develop whatever plugin on the SageTV side (I know nothing about that, or even if you can create plugins) and connect to the server using the existing External Control device. You can either add the "SageTV" properties to the External Control Device, or create a new Null Device and add everything you need to it.

I will take a look at it.

Eric

Hey Eric,

If you need a tester or ideas, let me know. I too use SageTv and HB. I have not used SageTv Studio though.

I was thinking of going down the path of creating a 'super' remote in HB that controlled SageTV. I had this working to a point a year or so ago, but got busy with other things with a machine crash in there someplace. So, I never finished it up.

It sounds like you are thinking of having an interface in SageTv that controls HB. If you know SageTv Studio and Java, this sounds doable.

Scott J,

That is what I would like to do because right now I don't have a HB remotes and it doesn't look like I will be getting any touch screens anytime soon but I am building up my Sage system (now that the HD extenders are back in stock) and thought it would be good to have some limited control of HB from inside Sage. I know Java very well and am looking into Sage Studio. I also know HB pretty well having written a few plug-ins but I think the HB end of things is going to be the hard part.

Eric

Eric,

I'm having a hard time finding an absolute answer to this question on the Sage Forums... so maybe you know.

Is it possible to take the HD output of a Dish Network box (HDMI out) and record with Sage? My issue is that although I have 2 dish DVR's, I really want to be able to drive more than 2 HDTV's. With the new HD extender, I think that would solve the problem, but I would need to be able to get the HD signal into Sage.

Any ideas?

Scott,

You can't take HDMI directly into a PC because of the HDCP content protection. But you can use component out and the new HD PVR http://www.hauppauge.com/site/products/data_hdpvr.html.

Not being able to get HD into the PC or back out to a TV easily is what has been keeping me from really using Sage everywhere but I now have 1 HD extender and another one on the way and I am also about to purchase an HD PVR. I am initializing a 3tb RAID aray on my server as I type this so I should be good on storage so I am looking forward to getting everything setup and ripping all my DVDs to the new array.

Eric

Wow; 3tb... that should keep you busy watching TV for a while.

I'm pretty sure the dish box outputs component also (maybe even simultaneous with HDMI... not sure). Will Sage be able to control the DVR to setup program record times? Assuming it has an on-screen guide, will I be able to select a program in the future (or setup a "seasons pass" type reoccurring event) and have Sage send the appropriate IR to the dish DVR to get it tuned correctly to start recording? I'm a little wary that the loose coupling between the configuration/setup and tuning may not be there or be good.

I wanted to make sure I had enough space to hold me over for a while :)

I don't know how you would use Sage to set recording times on the DVR but you can get Sage to send IR commands to tune the channel and then record the show through Sage.

I have created a tuner DLL for Sage to send commands through HB since the Ocelot is the only IR device I have and it seems to be working OK if I can just get HB to be completely stable on my new server :)

Eric