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SageTV 4
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SageTV 4
Watch and record TV and much more.
Requirements:
Java Runtime Environment 1.4 or greater
DirectX 9.0 or higher
Video capture card
(Reviewed with Hauppauge WinTV PVR 150)
Pros:
- Includes parental controls
- Highly customizable
- No guide subscription required
- Free or very low-cost upgrades
- Revolutionizes your television viewing
Cons:
- N/A
Price:
Media Center - $79.95
Client - $29.95
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Read an Explanation of Our Review Categories |
| Usability |
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| Interface |
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| Intuitiveness |
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| Features |
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| Documentation |
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| Price vs.Value Ratio |
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| Reviewer's Tilt |
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| Overall |
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Introduction
Many years ago, television was available only via the antenna. Your choices of programming consisted of ABC, CBS, and NBC and possibly a UHF channel or two. Some of you won't remember such limited programming, but those who do are undoubtedly blown away by the vast array of choices today. It's not uncommon for television viewers to have a choice of literally hundreds of channels today.
Fortunately, satellite providers and cable providers give you access to a detailed program guide, many offering features that allow you to search or categorize what's available to watch. Some viewers have taken the next step and have purchased TiVo or a digital video recorder (DVR) from their provider. Once you take that step, your whole world changes! Now you can pause TV, watch what you want WHEN you want and easily fast-forward through commercials. It's the best that television can possibly be . . . or is it?
Personally, I don't think it is. There are still some issues, most notably:
- You're limited to the size of the hard drive that comes with your unit.
- You have limited or no ability to transfer the video content to a portable device or DVD.
- Skipping commercials isn't what it ought to be. (Fast-forward isn't the same as skipping.)
- The user-interface you get is not customizable.
- You have to pay for a subscription.
For those reasons (and many more), I choose to stay away from TiVo or ReplayTV, etc. Instead, I use my home computer equipped with a TV card (about $100) and some media center software such as SageTV. The benefits of taking this route are enormous as you'll read in this review.
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