Filed under: Hardware, Peripherals, Video
Miglia TVMax+ "Content Collection Hub"
Miglia is aiming their new Mac Mini shaped TVMax+ squarely at the "missing link" between standard definition broadcast television and the Apple TV (and iPod). They are calling it a "content collection hub" ; the TVMax+ features a SD television tuner together with a hardware encoder that supports MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and DivX allowing it to be used (via USB 2.0) with less powerful machines than products that depend on the host machine for encoding. This should allow the TVMax+ to produce recordings that can be streamed to the forthcoming Apple TV.Given Miglia's recent loss of an EyeTV license (which we previously mentioned), I was curious to see what software they planned to use, but that remains unclear. There is a screencap of a "MigliaTV" controller widget, however, along with announced support for both the TitanTV and tvtv electronic programing guides, so it looks like Miglia is trying to roll their own solution.
The TVMax+ is $199 and requires at least a G4/500 or any Intel processor
[Via MacNN]
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Colin Partridge said 4:52PM on 3-16-2007
Analogue Tuner? Not exactly forward thinking when here in the UK the analogue channels are being shut down over the next few years in favour of digtal channels
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Lonnie said 5:01PM on 3-16-2007
"favour"?? haha
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Dan Shewmaker said 5:09PM on 3-16-2007
No ATSC tuner or at least Component input? - hmm... deal breaker.
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Aron Trimble said 5:24PM on 3-16-2007
Why would you have a tv tuner (mac mini + tvmax) set up to stream to an appletv? Seems like a waste when you could put the combo right by your tv.
I suppose I can see the benefit if you wish to use this setup with multiple TVs... But i'll be damned if I have to buy a mac mini, a tvmax AND an appletv just to get this to work with ONE tv!
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Kenny Ye said 10:24PM on 3-16-2007
i think that the entire industry including APPLE is missing what customers really want. i don't get what AppleTV (iTV) suppose to do. A device that can record TV programs from my CABLEBOX, from which majority of american customers get their TV, and an ability to record the HDTV program, what is most techie customers already have and enjoying. yes, DVR already does this, but we don't have total control of the recorded program to be watched later on other devices.
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Galley said 11:35PM on 3-16-2007
Including an analog tuner in this device will ensure that it will be useless in the U.S. in two years, thereby causing you to have to buy another unit when that time comes.
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Paul said 4:59AM on 3-18-2007
Before Eye TV, some of Miglia's television products used software from a german company called Meilenstein. This was true of the Alchemy TV/DVR products they sold. This worked ok for TV viewing in my experience, but the DVR functions were problematic at best. Meilenstein updated the software regularlly when the product was new, and answered quickly when contacted. They seemed to be trying very hard to make the code better. Perhaps Miglia will use their software again? Just a guess on my part.
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