Saturday, December 06, 2008

SageTV Tip: FanArt Custom Media Backgrounds

Yesterday, SageMC 6.3.8a was released with support for FanArt giving you custom background images for each media file.  This article will provide an overview of the new FanArt feature in SageMC and provide a how-to on setting up FanArt in SageMC as well as finding fanart for your collections.

Custom FanArt background displaying while browsing Recorded "Fringe" TV Episodes


Before I go further into this tutorial, I want to send a speical thank-you to Mike known as MeInMaui on the SageTV forums for all of the work on this latest SageMC release including the new FanArt support.  His tireless work on the latest SageMC updates has really kept SageMC updated to be the arguably the best Add-On for SageTV available today.

What is FanArt?
Basically fanart typically refers to artwork by fans of a certain media such as movies, television shows or music.
 What does FanArt mean for SageMC users?
When you enable FanArt in SageMC, you enable custom backgrounds for each media file.  In other words, as you browse your Aerosmith album, your TV episodes of Fringe or even the Dark Knight Movie, your background will change to match that media.  Several other HTPC programs (only on select themes) already have support for FanArt including XBMC, Meedio and Media Portal among others

Example of FanArt in SageMC:

This is the details screen for the "Aeon Flux" Movie.  In SageMC, this is what you see by default - the normal background with details, a small cover image and the inteface controls to play etc.

SAGEMC WITHOUT FANART ENABLED


This screen-shot is from the same details screen as above, again for the "Aeon Flux" Movie except this time FanArt is enabled and the custom "Aeon Flux" FanArt background is displayed instead of the standard background.  Some will prefer the standard background, but the effect is striking to me and something I've switched over to on my setup.  I ran it by my wife for her opinion and she liked the custom backgrounds as well.

SAGEMC WITH FANART ENABLED


FanArt in SageMC Tutorial
So now that you know how cool FanArt can make your SageMC setup, how do you get started?  Well the process isn't as automated as we'd like (yet), but it isn't that difficult either.  Follow these steps to get your custom media backgrounds:
  1. First you'll need the SageTV HTPC software and then install the latest version SageMC 6.3.8a or higher.  If you're new to SageMC (not the same thing as SageTV - I know it's confusing), read the GeekTonic SageMC Primer here.
  2. Next you need to enable the FanArt function in your SageMC Settings.  In SageMC, browse to Settings>SageMC>Main>GlobalUI Options>Display>  Set this as "enabled" like the screen-shot below.  This can be switched on and off as desired.




  3. Now it's time to set up your FanArt directory.   You have the option of putting all of your fanart in a single directory, all in a set of subdirectories within a single directory or each individual fanart background locally with each media file.  My recommendation is to use a single FanArt directory and then set up a subdirectory for Movies, Music and TV.  To go this Central FanArt Directory Method here are the steps:
    1. Create a special directory just for your FanArt.  I selected Media/FanArt and then created three subdirectories: Media/FanArt/Music,  Media/FanArt/TV, Media/FanArt/Movies. 
    2. Next you'll need to tell SageMC where that main, FanArt directory is - don't worry, SageMC will find your TV, Music and Movies subdirectories automatically.  To do that browse to Settings>SageMC>Paths>Media Bkgrnd File Path.  Here you need to enter or browse to the location where you'll be saving all of your fanart - in my case Media>Fanart
    3. Rename all image files to match the name of your media file exactly.  For television shows, it should match the TV show name (like Fringe.jpg for Fringe), for Music it should match the artists name (like Aerosmith.jpg for Aerosmith), and finally for Movies it should match the movie title (like DarkKnight.jpg for a movie you've named DarkKnight).   [NOTE:  If you have any media files with the following characters in the name: ( \ / : * ? " < > | ) leave out these characters when naming your FanArt background files.]
    4. If you're using this Central FanArt Directory Method described in this step 3, skip to step 5 now.
  4. If instead of the Central FanArt Directory Method described in step 3 above you want to place your backgrounds locally with the individual media files follow these steps:
    1. Movies - Rename your Movie FanArt background image to be "background.jpg" and place it in the same location where the media is.  For example if you have a ripped DVD located in DarkKnight/Video_TS/ you'll put your Background in DarkKnight/Video_TS/background.jpg.  For non-DVD format video files rename your video FanArt background image to be VideoFileName_background.jpg
    2. TV shows - Rename the background in the shows directory as VideoFilename_background.jpg
    3. Music Rename the FanArt background image file as  background.jpg in parent folder OR [Album Name].jpg in central folder OR [Album Artist].jpg in central folder OR [Artist].jpg in central folder.
  5. Now it is time to find your FanArt to use with your SageMC setup.  For now importing the FanArt images isn't an automated process (although I think that is in the works for a future update).  But it isn't that difficult to find what you're looking for.  I'll cover this in the next section below.

    Finding FanArt Images on the Web

    I've been adding FanArt to my setup for a while now and have found several nice sources for some stunning FanArt images you'll want to grab.  Check out these locations for the best FanArt:
    If you know of other locations for FanArt, let everyone know in the comments.

    Custom FanArt background displaying while browsing "All-American Rejects" Music


    Want to learn more about the many add-ons and inner workings of SageTV?  Check out the GeekTonic Ultimate Guide to SageTV which is updated continually.

    SageTV Beta 6.5.3 Released

    This past Wednesday, SageTV released another beta that includes support for their new SageTV HD Theater (HD200).  There are several other improvements and bug fixes included as well, but no new flashy features as this release is nearing escape from beta-land.

    A few of the more significant updates include:

    • Support for the SageTV HD200 Theater
    • Various improvements to SageTVTranscoder and SageTVPlayer (for HDPVR support and other bugs encountered in 6.5.1/2)
    • Maximized badwidth usage for Placeshifter and Extenders
    • SageTV will now try to record HD airings of a show over SD airings even if that means the recording will occur at a later time. This can be disabled by setting the property prefer_hdtv_recordings_over_sdtv=false.
    • Add "Switzerland" frequency for DVB
    • Fixed Extender bug where timeline would reset on some files with the HD extender partway through
    • Added support for 720p YouTube videos when they exist.


    Full SageTV 6.5.3 Beta Change List via SageTV Forums


    Want to learn more about the many add-ons and inner workings of SageTV?  Check out the GeekTonic Ultimate Guide to SageTV which is updated continually.

    Friday, December 05, 2008

    SageMC Releases 6.3.8a - FanArt for Media Backgrounds and More

    SageMC, the very popular replacement User Interface for the SageTV HTPC software has a new release that inludes FanArt, many behind-the-scenes fixes and a bunch of additional features for theme developers that you might not notice at first, but you soon will with more add-ons and themes.
    (NOTE: If you're new to SageMC, read the GeekTonic SageMC primer for more info.)

    The big feature that most will notice is the FanArt addition, but there are a lot of very nice additions and new settings available to those who make the themes that make SageMC special.  Watch for some nice, new themes for SageMC thanks to these updates.


    What is FanArt?
    Basically fanart typically refers to artwork by fans of a certain media such as movies, television shows or music.
     What does FanArt mean for SageMC users?
    When you enable FanArt in SageMC, you enable custom backgrounds for each media file.  In other words, as you browse your Aerosmith album, your TV episodes of Fringe or even the Dark Knight Movie, your background will change to match that media.  Several other HTPC programs (only on select themes) already have support for FanArt including XBMC, Meedio and Media Portal among others

    Here's an example of FanArt in SageMC:

    This is the details screen for the "Aeon Flux" Movie.  In SageMC, this is what you see by default - the normal background with details, a small cover image and the inteface controls to play etc.


    This screen-shot is from the same details screen as above, again for the "Aeon Flux" Movie except this time FanArt is enabled and the custom "Aeon Flux" FanArt background is displayed instead of the standard background.  Some will prefer the standard background, but the effect is striking to me and something I've switched over to on my setup.  I ran it by my wife for her opinion and she liked the custom backgrounds as well.
     
    If you're interested in learning more about FanArt, how to set this feature up with your setup and where to find the FanArt images, check out the GeekTonic complete tutorial on FanArt in SageMC here.

    NEW FEATURES:
    • FanArt backgrounds!  The background changes to match each media file you browse.  Image files can be stored locally with media files as background.jpg or in a central location (SageMC checks both places for the image files.)  Currently the process of adding FanArt in SageMC is a manual process, but there are plans to eventually will enable a more automated method.
    • Custom background for dynamic submenus by menu title (theme.properties: Background/[Menu_Title]=filename.jpg)
    • Transparency setting for Options Menus under Global UI Options >> Display
    • Setting to use themed external image file (htext_background.png) for the Htext menu.
    • Airings are now displayed with padding in the Horizontal Parallel Schedule
    • Text Frame configuration for Icon menu style when customizing icon layout.
    • Lots of other additions for Theme developers
    • Many bug fixes
    Read the full change-list for the SageMC 6.3.8a release
    Download the update here, or the full install package here.


    Want to learn more about the many add-ons and inner workings of SageTV?  Check out the GeekTonic Ultimate Guide to SageTV which is updated continually.

    Thursday, December 04, 2008

    Major Boxee Release - Netflix Watch Now And More

     




    Boxee announced the latest release of their HTPC software and it's packed with several new features including Netflix Watch Now!

    Boxee is a project based on the xbmc (XBox Media Center) open-source project.  Boxee was developed to be a “social” media center program that plays media from your home network and the internet and also allows you to stream or download movies, tv shows, music and photos

    This release is of course for the versions of Boxee that are already available to the public beta members including Linux, Mac and AppleTV versions.  The Windows Version of Boxee officially begins pre-alpha testing today (214 users) and will soon begin opening up to more testers.

    Some of the notable inclusions in this release are:
    • Netflix
      • Watch Now Playback (doesn't work on AppleTV or Linux versions)
      • Instant Queue
      • Recommendations
      • Browse Recently Added & Most Popular
      • Browse or Search Netflix Watch Now collection by Genre
    Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
    New Hulu with queue support, faster operation and improved playback
    • New YouTube with a new look and higher quality video playback
    • New CNN, Flickr, Picasa and Apple Movie Trailers - all re-written to work faster and better
    • Boston Globe's "The Big Picture" - a photo blog you can browse via the 10-foot interface
    • Integration with MTV Music - click on an album and you have the option to watch music videos of the artist.
    • Discover Simple, Private Sharing at Drop.io
    • The WB - content streamed from The WB network!
    • Lots of Bug fixes
    See the full list and writeup at the Boxee Blog

    Wednesday, December 03, 2008

    AnyDVD from SlySoft Switching To Subscription Model 2009


    There is really only one program that allows you to rip and back-up your Blu-ray movies and that program is Slysoft AnyDVD HD.  Last week, Slysoft announced a significant change to the way they sell the program as well as a good discount for this month.


    Up till now, Slysoft has always sold AnyDVD with lifetime updates included.  This was a great model for customers because you only paid once, but knew you would be getting updates as needed from Slysoft to keep up with the many changes with the DRM tangled into the movies.  This is about to change beginning 2009 with a switch from lifetime updates to a subscription model.  Here's an excerpt from Slysoft's press release:

    "Since Slysoft’s beginnings in 2003, all Slysoft product licenses have been sold with free product lifetime updates included. While standards, technologies and SlySoft’s product range have changed significantly since 2003, only now has Slysoft’s free lifetime update policy been reviewed with respect to converting to an annual subscription fee format for new license purchases."
    Thus far Slysoft hasn't announced the pricing or even the date for the switch to the subscription model.  They have however given everyone the chance to purchase a copy of AnyDVD HD with lifetime upgrades included going forward.  If you want to get in before the switch to lifetime upgrades now is a good time as Slysoft has a 20% Christmas discount (good through 12/31/2008) making the software $79.  The discount applies to their other software as well.


    My only concern with the software is that it seems they will eventually be run out of business by the Media Companies and then the updates will stop.  Still, they've been around since 2003 doing this sort of thing so they do have a good track record.


    NOTE:  I do not condone or recommend in any way copying content that you do not own.  I do however believe it should be ok to copy media that you have purchased for the purpose of using it on a noncompatible device for playback of the media you own as long as you are not selling it or "sharing it" with others who have not purchased the media.



    via FloppyHead

    Deal of the Day: Linksys DMA 2100 extender $60

    Linksys DMA 2100 Media Center Extender- Extend your video and photos to a TV (DMA2100)


    If you’re a Vista Media Center user and need (okay want) a new extender, be sure and check out Dell’s deal on the Linksys DMA2100 Media Center Extender. They have it in stock for $59.99 which is as low as I've seen it!

    Linksys DMA 2100 Media Center Extender
    $59.99 from Dell (affiliate)

    For more deals like this check out GeektonicDeals.com Updated daily with the best tech deals of the day.

    Tuesday, December 02, 2008

    SageTV HD200 Theater Gets Netflix Hulu CBS and More via PlayOn

    HD200 FrontTop
    I was browsing the SageTV forums tonight and stumbled upon a post that confirmed that the new SageTV HD200 HD Theater that began shipping this Monday (and now is temporarily out of stock) works with PlayOn.  Many Xbox 360 and PS3 owners know what PlayOn can do - it provides Hulu, Netflix, CBS, YouTube, ESPN and other online video content right to your HD200-connected Television!  I can also confirm that this works as I've tried it out myself.


    This functionality is possible because the HD Theater (HD200) supports UPnP server connections.  PlayOn uses UPnP functions of the SageTV HD200, and uses the computer to serve the video content from the Web across your home network onto the SageTV HD200.


    INSTALLATION PROCESS
    The installation process is very simple:
    • Install the PlayOn software on your Computer (free trial, but $30 to purchase)
    • Start the HD200 in Standalone Mode (doesn't work in extender mode yet at least)
    • Select "file systems" from the HD200 main menu
    P1010033

    • You should have three options - Select the third option: "Browse Device: PlayOn (mediaserver):
    • Next you'll see the main Playon menu with CBS, ESPN, Hulu, Netflix etc.
    P1010030

    From there you just browse and play the video content with your remote.  Below are a few screen-shots I took of the PlayOn screens on the SageTV HD200:
    HD200 Playon Listings

    HD200 Playon Playback2
    IMPORTANT NOTE FOR NETFLIX WATCH-NOW:
    PlayOn doesn't yet support the new Silverlight version of Netflix Watch-Now so if you upgrade to the Silverlight version, the Netflix Streaming won't work within PlayOn.

    PLAYON SOFTWARE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:
    • Microsoft Windows XP (Service Pack 2 or later), Windows Vista, or Windows Server 2003/Windows Home Server (Service Pack 1 or later). 64-bit versions of Windows are also supported
    • Windows Internet Explorer 6.0 or later
    • Windows Media Player 11.0 or later 
    • Installation includes the Microsoft .NET Framework 1.1 if needed
    • Minimum 1.5 GHz x86 processor
    • 512 MB RAM
    • 100 MB of available disk space for installation, plus recommended 4-5 GB extra space on the same drive where Windows is installed
    • Internet broadband connection of at least 1.5 Mbps, and home network with wired, powerline, or 802.11n connections (for wireless home networks with 802.11g, either the PC or device should be on a wired connection)
    INITIAL EXPERIENCE WITH PLAYON VIA SAGETV HD200:
    The license for Playon includes a 14 day trial and costs $30 to purchase.  My initial experience with PlayOn on the HD200 was good, but not great.  I wasn't able to get Netflix or ESPN working as of yet (only been at it for 30 minutes) and I do not love the way the User Interface is organized although that could easily be fixed with a simple update from SageTV.  The other thing I'm hoping is that SageTV will somehow enable UPnP in extender mode so that this can be added to the extender menu - that way you wouldn't have to switch away from extender mode to get Hulu for instance.  Remember though that I had very little time with this before writing this post.  Also the HD200 is brand new and PlayOn is still in beta so there is plenty of time for further improvement.

    I took a very quick video of me selecting the show Fringe via the HD200 and Hulu - it's a little shaky as I didn't take the time to set up a tripod or anything



    Ideally the folks at SageTV will work out an arrangement with Netflix for instance to deliver Netflix Watch-Now integrated into the HD200's, but for now this should provide everything the HD200 users need. I'll bet there are a lot of HD200 owners who would pay that $30 just to get Hulu and Netflix Watch-Now onto thier Televisions via the SageTV interface.  I think it could also bring even more demand for the HD200.

    Discovered via SageTV Forums

    Stay tuned to GeekTonic for a detailed review (and giveaway!) of the new SageTV HD200

    SageTV HD200 Theater Already Out of Stock

    Remember that new SageTV HD Theater we just told you about earlier this week - you know the one that can act as a faster HD Extender for SageTV as well as a standalone media player that gives you access to all of your network media, YouTube and Google Video?  Well if you weren't quick, you missed out for the moment cause it's already out of stock!

    Here's a screen-shot of the "out-of-stock" notice at the SageTV Store:
    HD200 Out of Stock2
    The good news is that SageTV is projecting to have more in stock by 12/15 and will be taking preorders beginning 12/12.  So if you want one before Christmas you better plan to stop by the SageTV store on December 12th - the HD100s and now HD200s seem to sell like hotcakes and its obvious SageTV orders in relatively small batches so you've been warned.


    SageTV Store HD200 Theater Sold Out Announcement

    BeyondTV Externinator Plugin Updated to 1.7

    If you are a heavy-duty BeyondTV user you probably already know about a little plugin for BeyondTV called "BTV Externinator."  This plugin takes the popular BeyondTV PVR software and adds several amazing features to BeyondTV.  This past week, BTV Externinator (BTVE for short) was updated to version 1.70 which requires BeyondTV 4.8.



    WHAT IS BTV  EXTERNINATOR?
    The goal of BTV-Externinator is to perform recordings, using capture devices not currently supported by Beyond TV (i.e. Firewire, DVB, unencrypted QAM, etc.).  For instance, I used this plugin with BeyondTV before the SiliconDust HDHR was officially supported.  The addon acts as a bridge between BTV's powerful scheduling and an external application, which knows how to perform recordings with that unsupported capture device (i.e. VLC, ProgDVB, FusionHDTV, etc.)  This add-in is free donationware coded by the long-time BeyondTV user Fonceur


    Read more at the Snapstream Forums here and here.  Also the BTV Externinator Website

    Monday, December 01, 2008

    Holiday Viewing Guide

    Wanting to record as many of the Holiday Specials as you can?  Well you'll want to check out the Holiday Viewing Guide put together by CliqueClack.com. 

    They have the most comprehensive listing of Holiday specials I've seen all in one place - everything from The 12 Dogs of Christmas airing today to the 1938 version of  A Christmas Carol airing on Christmas Eve.   Check out the Holiday Viewing Guide at CliqueClack.com

    MediaPortal Refreshed with 1.0 RC4 Update

    Now that the Media Portal 1.0 RC3 release has been available for several weeks and the HD-PVR now works with Media Portal, the MediaPortal crew has been busy working out any remaining bugs in that release.  Just before Thanksgiving they released RC4 with a bunch of bug fixes so if you're using Media Portal RC3, be sure and get your update.



    The final release is set for sometime before Christmas 2008.

    Changelogs for RC4:
    Changelog: MediaPortal 1.0 RC4
    Changelog: TV-Server 1.0 RC4
    Changelog: DeployTool 1.0 RC4 



    Read More at MediaPortal Website

    Deal of the Day - Hauppauge HD-PVR for $183.99 Free Shipping

    Hauppauge Computer HD PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder



    The hot Dell.com deal for $183.99 Hauppauge HD-PVRs went back up to over $200 dollars a few days after I posted it last time, but the deal is now back at Dell Home with a coupon!

    Dell Home is listing the price as $229.99, but with Coupon code "5MNL7?12RHRDD6" it drops to $183.99 with free shipping!

    If you want to time-shift or record your HD content to your HTPC without DRM  Or you are in the market for one of those awesome Hauppauge HD-PVR 1212 devices (read my first impressions on the device here) that let you record any content (HD, SD, digital etc) from your cable box, satellite box or any other device with a component cable output - Dell(affiliate) has the best deal I've seen on these so far with the HD-PVR for $183.99 including shipping!

    Hauppauge Computer HD PVR High Definition Personal Video Recorder
    $183.99 with Free Shipping!  

    This is an awesome deal.  If you've been waiting for an Hauppauge HD-PVR, this is the time to buy!

    Sunday, November 30, 2008

    Cyber Monday Deals

    If you're like me, you skipped the Black Friday madness and decided to see what kind of deals you could get online instead.  Even last Friday there were some good online deals, but today, CyberMonday (the online equivalent of Black Friday) arrives for the really smart shoppers.

    I'm seeing free shipping deals across the board including Amazon, Apple, Buy, ZipZoomFly, Dell and HP.  Beyond that there are plenty of small discounts and even a few really good ones.  If you're looking for the best deals, watch for the HDTV's, cameras, video game machines and even a few of the MP3 players.

    Rather then throw too many deal links at the GeekTonic readers (GeekTonic will still have a few of the best HTPC & Media Gadget Deals), I'll refer you to our new site www.GeekTonicDeals.com for all of the CyberMonday Deal Listings.  Here's the one I've posted so far for CyberMonday:

    If you're looking for the deals and discounts, be sure and take a look or better yet subscribe to GeekTonicDeals keep up with the latest good deals.  I'm working hard to keep all of them updated on a daily basis.

    SageTV HD Theater Arrives - Replacement for SageTV HD100 Extenders


    Big News for this CyberMonday!  If you’re one of the many SageTV users who have been waiting for the return of the SageTV HD Extenders, your wait is over.  The SageTV store has for sale the new version of the HD100 available as of Sunday evening

                       Front of SageTV HD Theater:
    HDTheaterFront450
                      
                         Back of SageTV HD Theater:
    HDTheaterBack450

    The new HD Extender is called the SageTV HD Theater or the more geeky name of HD200.
    Here’s what I can tell you about the new HD200 (most of this is based on the information available at SageTV.com
    • The SageTV HD Theater (HD200) can function just like the HD100 extenders did – it handles all of the same video & audio formats plus some, handles STVs (replacement UI’s) just like the HD100, handles STVi’s just like the HD100, Can act as Placeshifter client etc). 
    • The SageTV HD Theater can also function as a standalone media player without connecting to the SageTV server  and CAN run without a PC if desired to play media it finds on your local network or on a local USB storage device connected to the HD200, without connecting to SageTV server
       Screen-shot of the Stand-alone mode menu for the new SageTV HD Theater
     

    • Price is $200 – so you get the same functionality plus some new functionality all for the same price as the HD100 was selling for.  Alternatively you can buy the SageTV bundle and get the HD200 along with the SageTV software for a PC (required if you want the PC to be the HTPC server).
    • Includes a faster processor with more memory then the HD100
    • User Interface and firmware updates are much faster (probably because of the faster processor and additional memory)
    • Just like the HD100, the unit is fanless (and therefore probably silent).
    • Includes the same remote as the HD100 did
    • Hardware - My guess is that the insides are slightly upgraded with a new Sigma Chip as well although I don't have confirmation of this yet.
    • Form factor is different – smaller footprint then the HD100
    • Control buttons are no longer on the front of the unit like they were on the HD100.
    • There is a USB port on the front and back of the unit –NOW CONFIRMED TO HAVE ACTIVE USB PORTS (see notes on standalone mode)
    • Video Ports Include: HDMI (looks like HDMI 1.2), Component, Composite or S-Video input (NTSC)
    • Audio Ports Include: HDMI, Optical and Left and right audio input jacks
    • Video Format supported:  MPEG1, MPEG2, MPEG4, H.264 up to 1080p, AVI, VOB, WMV9/VC-1 up to 1080p
    • Audio formats supported: MP2, MP3, AAC, WMA, Vorbis (stereo only), AC3 (stereo down-mix/pass-through), FLAC, DTS (pass-through) 
    •  

    Other Details:
    Maximum Number of SageTV HD Theaters: Limited only by your home network bandwidth, each HD video stream may use 20 Mbps or more of home network bandwidth.
    Network Requirements:
    • One 10/100 RJ-45 port on a Router, Hub or Switch network with DHCP server on network or
    • Direct connect from SageTV HD Media Extender to PC running DHCP server via cross over LAN cable (not supplied)
    Included with the SageTV HD THeater:
    • SageTV HD Theater digital media receiver
    • Remote control with batteries
    • 1.5 meter A/V cable set
    • S- video cable
    • HDMI cable
    • 1.5 meter Ethernet cable
    To read more about the new SageTV HD Theater, check out the SageTV Store for more details
    Just keep in mind.  SageTV is saying that the HD Theater device can do everything the HD100 Extender can and then some so it might be helpful to review the SageTV HD100 Extender review if you're not familiar with the device.

    Stay tuned to GeekTonic for a complete review of the new SageTV HD Theater (HD200) coming soon!