One of my favorite Home Theater PC software programs is SageTV. SageTV turns your PC into a souped-up TiVo providing DVR functions, a movie and music interface, plus so much more. For new users of SageTV, the first plugin I always recommend they install is the user-created and supported SageTV Web User Interface. The Web Interface allows you to remotely view your personal TV guide, view streamed live or recorded TV programs, remotely schedule and manage your recorded television programs, manage and view (or listen to) your music, pictures, DVDs and videos that reside on your SageTV at home. By installing SageTV Web Interface on your SageTV PC, you can access your content from any machine by using a web browser, including a cell phone or mobile device. It works with any Windows operating systems, as well as Linux. Even if you already use SageTV and Web Interface, it’s likely that there are features that you didn’t even realize were present.

Head on over to Brent Evans Geek Tonic for a complete SageTV Web User Interface feature listing with installation and customization guidance.

Snapstream has released an update to Beyond TV, the software-based PVR application. Their focus continues to be ease of setup, ease of use and powerful PVR functionality. This version, a free upgrade for existing BeyondTV customers, includes the following significant new features:

• Record by saved, keyword searches (like Tivo)
• Frame by frame playback
• Conflict notifications via e-mail
• Separate levels of access using user accounts
• Sort your recorded shows library by name, original air date, or date recorded
• Speedier recording scheduler

Check out more of Brent’s reflections on tech, gadgets, software and media at Brent Evans Geek Tonic.

I’m later than I’d have liked in pointing out Chris Lanier’s thoughts on the the relatively new Linksys DMA2200 Microsoft-based v2 Media Extender. Overall Chris seems pleased with the form factor and basic extender functionality, though he dings the unit for lacking more comprehensive media format playback capabilities:

I’d give the Linksys DMA2200 a 6/10. It still needs a lot of work, and I really feel at this point with it being a second generation product that these issues shouldn’t exist. For simply extending the “core� Media Center experience (minus videos), the DMA2200 is fantastic. However, it still lacks in providing format support to bring the device to the level it should be.

Check out the entire series:

• Linksys Extender Review Part 1: Media Center & PC Setup
• Linksys Extender Review Part 2: Extender Experience
• Linksys Extender Review Part 3: Wrap-up

Chris also notes that the D-Link DSM-750 v2 extender should be shipping soon. In addition to Windows MCE extender functionality, the D-Link unit should provide more flexible media playback options via it’s Media Lounge interface.

I believe the Xbox 360 is still a better value (gaming, content downloads, and media extender) than these devices, assuming one can deal with the noise and bulk… and that the types of media one intends to play are supported.

I’ve been using Netflix’s Watch Now feature much more lately mostly because of the excellent Netflix plugin for SageTV that allows me to browse, search, and play the Watch-Now movies from the comfort of my couch.  The plugin has been improved by Morgan (the plug-in developer), but once you start a movie or show there were still some issues controlling everything without pulling out a keyboard and mouse. This has been a stumbler due to the fact that Netflix offers very few keyboard shortcuts for the service. Well, I’ve been tinkering with a program called girder to make my remote control communicate with my PC. And in doing so I discovered a few hidden windows commands that give you more control over the Netflix Watch-Now feature.

Grab your IR receiver and head on over to Brent Evans Geek Tonic for complete instructions (or to just download the gml file).

I’m setting up my SageTV HD100 and a key component is the HDMI cable used to connect the HD media extender to the LCD television. One thing I learned long ago was to not buy theater cables from the big-box retailers, including Best Buy, Circuit City,Walmart , etc. Instead, I save myself a bundle by purchasing online. Why not cave to convenience and purchase at the store? Despite what the kid at the store tells you, those Monster Cable and lesser known “high quality” cables are being sold at huge margins and no noticeable differences in performance.

Best Buy sells the fancy packaged, 16′ Monster Cable - Ultra Series 800 HDMI A/V Cable (not rated for in-wall installation) for the low, low price of $149.99. While Monoprice.com, my favorite cable vendor, sells a HDMI Tin-Plated Copper CL2 Rated (For In-Wall Installation) Cable (22AWG) - 30ft (Gold Plated) for $36.87. Feel free to include shipping fees, and you’re still way below the big-box cost. Delivery is very quick and you’ll end up with a better cable for less. Another retailer with good, inexpensive cables is Newegg.com.

Next time you have a home theater project, do your homework and shop around to save in places you didn’t expect. Trust me, you’ll need that money later for something else in your theater.

Check out more of Brent’s reflections on tech, gadgets, software and media at Brent Evans Geek Tonic.

Both Mari and I have a Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, though neither one of us is currently using it. However, don’t let that deter you… If you have a need, this is a decent product and a decent price (refurb): $45 shipped via Woot. In addition to using it with Pinnacle’s software, I believe it’s also successfully powered my Windows MCE and BeyondTV. The antenna is nicer than you generally find with these devices and I’ve used it with other products, such as a Miglia review loaner. What they don’t show in the picture, but you’ll hopefully get, is a little USB dongle of composite and SVideo inputs - which comes in handy for displaying or recording alternate sources.

Chris Albrecht on NewTeeVee posted an interesting analysis last week on Yahoo’s difficulty integrating its video properties and services on the Web. While Yahoo has re-launched its video section, it hasn’t managed to highlight all the things you can with video using Yahoo’s services. Specifically Albrecht points to the fact that there’s no link to Yahoo content that complements a movie trailer shown on the new video page, and the fact that there’s almost no reference (just a tiny link at the bottom) to Yahoo’s Jumpcut video editing application, which would dovetail nicely with the video-uploading app featured at the new Yahoo Video.

I’ll add to Albrecht’s list by mentioning that there’s no link to Yahoo Go TV. Go TV is designed to bring video from Yahoo to your television, and seems like a natural fit with the Yahoo Video site. Of course, Dave predicted the demise of Go TV over a year ago, and since it’s still hanging on only in beta, maybe it’s being left online by Yahoo higher-ups only to die a slow death. (Also, where’s My Channel? - debuted at CES 2007 and shown bottom right above)

In any case, the point about Yahoo not being able to consolidate its assets into a single compelling video platform is valid. And it’s a problem many other companies face as well. I always hear how well positioned Sony is given the combination of its movie studio and CE business, and yet the two divisions of the company seem to operate worlds away from each other.

Yahoo does have a lot of goodies in its war chest, but if it can’t sell the value of its treasure as a whole to consumers, then spinning off pieces of it or selling out to Microsoft may be Yahoo’s only options.