Filed under: Accessories, Gaming, Multimedia, Video
EyeTV Hybrid
TV on a Mac is a foreign concept to most people, but EyeTV hopes to change that with the introduction of the minuscule (just a bit larger than an iPod Shuffle) EyeTV Hybrid USB TV tuner. Capable of receiving both digital (S-Video via an adapter) and analog (using the built-in coax plug or the included composite adapter) signals, the Hybrid can pick up regular run-of-the-mill standard standard definition TV, as well as up to 1080p HDTV over-the-air programming (if you have either a dual G5 or Core Duo). With that delicious combination of input options, I can hook up both my Xbox OR digital cable to my PowerBook, sit back, and relax. The EyeTV Hybrid goes for an extremely affordable $150. [via OhGizmo!]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
andrew said 12:15PM on 8-21-2006
S-Video isn't digital.
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MUTE MATT said 12:37PM on 8-21-2006
So I'm pretty dumb with this stuff ...
Can I use this to record LOST in HD over the airwaves?
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Jon said 12:40PM on 8-21-2006
Does anyone else worry about having massive peripherals sticking out of the machine? I'd worry about accidentally breaking it. It'd be better with a cable in my opinion.
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Raz 4 life said 12:44PM on 8-21-2006
Jon, the Elgato website says it comes with a USB extension cable. Besides saving it from snapping off, I'd say it would look better, too...
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mikeyrogers said 12:58PM on 8-21-2006
MUTE MATT
If your area supports HDTV over the air then yes, this product should pick up the signal.
Now my question, when is this available? Once added to cart, it tells me this item is a pre-order.
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Steve said 12:59PM on 8-21-2006
$150 is hardly extremely affordable. There are devices out there for PC that do this for less than $50.
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Paul said 1:18PM on 8-21-2006
@steve - but this isnt a PC blogsite now is it....
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Stephen said 1:40PM on 8-21-2006
This is basically an advanced version of the elgato eyeTV for DTT.
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citizen said 1:45PM on 8-21-2006
I just bought the Miglia MiniHD and this comes out... ARGHH! I too am looking forward to finally seeing Lost in HD, the question now is do I try and pawn off my current solution... oh well, this looks like a good buy people, go for it!
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superg said 1:50PM on 8-21-2006
It says in the comparison that the EyeTV Hybrid can't convert VHS to digital files, anyone know why not?
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Steve said 2:41PM on 8-21-2006
But if they can produce them so cheaply for PC it just shows how over priced this one is.
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fishpatrol said 2:52PM on 8-21-2006
#2, Find out whether you can likely record shows in HD by punching in your address at antennaweb.org to see a map of HD signals.
#3, Any USB extension cable should work, not just an official one from Elgato. Just keep in mind how much data is moving through it (~3GB for 30 minutes of HD) and use a decent cable.
#4, Quality is as good as your signal, for HD anyway. For analog, it's dependent on your CPU for recording. When it comes to playback, both depend on fast CPUs to decode. You'll need a dual-G5 or Core 2 Duo or a STB with hardware decoding (I have a LinkPlayer2 networked DVD player) for smooth playback.
#7, Those products aren't available for the Mac. Plextor's ConvertX PVR has the same hardware for Mac and PC, but the PC version is $30 (MSRP) and isn't interchangeable. The Hybrid is certainly cheaper than Elgato's older EyeTV500, which was $300 and didn't include an analog tuner. It was, however, able to decode Clear QAM and connected via Firewire.
#10, Your TVMiniHD does include Clear QAM. Might make a difference to you in the future, might not. (How about we assume it will save your butt a little down the road.)
#11, Yeah that doesn't make any sense. If it can record analog and accepts composite and coax inputs. I'd guess this is an error, but hopefully we'll see a review soon.
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Tony said 3:11PM on 8-21-2006
"Plextor's ConvertX PVR has the same hardware for Mac and PC, but the PC version is $30 (MSRP) and isn't interchangeable."
Except that Plextor's ConvertX PVR doesn't support HD, and requires an external power supply.
The EyeTV using is a HYBRID, that supports regular cable/satellite, plus OTA HD...and it gets its power from USB.
So, they're not the same thing at all.
Just curious: what are the PC products for $50 that can capture both HD and non-HD signals?
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bradskins said 3:45PM on 8-21-2006
Where the heck does it say that this thing can do 1080p? I looked through the site, and nowhere does it mention 1080p. I think the author just tried to play up this product too much, and made stuff up.
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Jonathan said 4:42PM on 8-21-2006
#6 I ordered mine last week and was told that it would be shipping from Germany today (21/08/06) and should arrive here on Wednesday 23rd.
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schmod said 6:41PM on 8-21-2006
does anyone know how the EyeTV software compares to BeyondTV on the PC?
I definitely agree that prices need to come down.
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mikeyrogers said 8:47PM on 8-21-2006
Since you need an antenna to view OTA broadcast in HD does this mean I need to mount an antenna on my roof for this to work? Seems like a hastle, especially if I want to use this on my laptop. Will this work without one or perhaps just a small one that I can sit on my desk (ex. rabbit ears)?
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fishpatrol said 10:47PM on 8-21-2006
#14, If you'll look at the comment I'm referencing, he's talking about PC options that are cheaper. I'm agreeing that yes, TV products on the Mac market are more expensive, not at all that the ConvertX does the same thing.
#15, Yeah, since no one is broadcasting in 1080p, the chances of your recording it is nil. Either a typo or an exagerration. It does record HD at 720p or 1080i without breaking a sweat.
#18, A roof antenna isn't necessary. It has a standard coax hookup, so your average rabbit-ears can get you started. What you need depends on where you are relative to the broadcast towers.
#17, Probably not very favorably. The Mac HTPC section of the AVS Forum is probably a better place to ask--lots of folks with lots of experience there. EyeTV's software isn't the most graceful, but it seems to be the only hardware/software combo for the Mac that works.
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Sam Ormes said 7:29PM on 9-16-2006
I would love to buy an EyeTV Hybrid.... but can't find them available anyplace!
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jake said 10:23PM on 9-20-2006
I got my Eye TV Hybrid today. So far, the results are awesome on both my dual 1.8 G5 and my 12" Powerbook. I've been watching full screen HD on both with just a $20 set-top antenna. There is some MPEG2 artifacting, but overall, the image is far better than anything else I've seen on a computer. The only thing I can't figure out is why my HD is only coming in at 720p so far... I can't seem to find anything 1080. I'm not sure if that's just my area (NYC) or what. If I figure anything else out, I'll repost.
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