The team at SageTV continues to grind out new beta releases at a has been releasing beta's for SageTV 6.5 at an almost non-stop pace since November. Today, they released 6.5.12 with a bunch of bug fixes and even some significant new features.
NOTE TO SAGEMC ADD ON USERS: This update breaks the Video OSD if you use SageMC (extenders and PCs). The developers are working on a fix. Already fixed by SageTV - gotta love how fast they are
Some of the important updates in SageTV 6.5.12 include:
- Official (in beta) Support for subtitles! One of the most asked for features in the history of SageTV and other HTPC programs really is subtitle support for the TV/PVR side of things. The new subtitle support included is listed below:
- Added support for external text based subtitle files in all media players with formats SRT, SUB (MicroDVD or SubViewer), SAMI/SMI, SSA/ASS
- Added support for embedded text based subtitles when played back with the HD200
- Added support for external IDX/VOB (VobSub) subtitle files when played back with the HD200
- Added check for external subtitle files whenever a file is played back
- Added psuedo-outlining to text that is rendered as subtitles (it's not a *real* outline; it's just four text shadows, one done in each corner's direction; much faster than calculating a real outline though and doesn't require additional glyph storage)
- Added audio & subtitle track selection to SageTVPlayer. Audio tracks should work in all cases; subtitle selection is still limited though (this is in addition to the core support for external text-based subtitle files)
- 4. Video playback: Made subtitle on/off toggle dependant on whether any subtitles exist and extended the option to videos instead of only DVDs.
- TIFF photo file support. Another often requested feature from SageTV users is to provide support for viewing of TIFF photos.
- Added .tp file extension to default imported video file extensions. You no longer need to rename or convert your .tp video files to get SageTV to recognize them.
- Several updates for those SageTV users who use Mac and DirecTV
- Many behind-the-scenes Studio Improvements – While this might not sound like much to the non-developer, just know this – SageTV has just eneabled the ability to store and use custom metadata that opens up a whole host of new capabilities for add-on developers. Such as sort by season/espisode for TV series, improvements to fan support and possibly even one of my most often requested items, sort by date added for movies. Before we were limited with a very specific set of metadata allowed by SageTV.
- Many, many more bug fixes and performance enhancers (no not those kind) that should make SageTV that much more enjoyable.
Get the download and Read the full changelog at the SageTV forums.
Not to be left out, the SageTV HD Theater Has a beta firmware update: 20090313 2 with the following highlighted updates:
- Subtitles support
- BDMV directory support (Blu-Ray)
- MJPEG decoding in media player mode.
- Increased number of image reference for H264 to match profile 5.1.
- Add wma pro audio decoding.
- Fix some bad cases with files using low resolution pcm audio.
- Fix access to files larger than 2GB over UPNP in media player mode - this is a big one especially for those SageTV users that use PlayOn. Now all your Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Video On Demand Movies will work with no problems on the SageTV HD200!
- Tiff images support
- Various minor bug fix
- Many fixes and improvements to the HD Theater Media Player (Standalone) Mode.
The full changelog on the HD Theater at the SageTV forums
To update your HD Theater to the latest beta firmware: While using the HD200 as a Media Player (standalone mode), use the remote's number pad to enter the code 2382 ('beta') on the HD200's Settings -> System Update menu.
