Anybody have any experience with a T.V. tuner for the iMac?
I just bought the new EyeTV 200. Running it on a Mac Mini. It works just great. I am using an antenna to receive the signal. Works like a Tivo. While watching live TV you can hit pause and start the program up again after you're done with a call or trip to the kitchen (EyeTV defalts with a 200 buffer for live programs - about 10 mins.) The remote works very well too. There are no intstructions on how to use it but with playing with it for a while you get the hang of what each button does. You can change from small desktop window view to full screen with one button. Signing up for Titan TV gives you a program schedule that you can chose a program to tape just by clicking on a dot in the program's description (you'll need an internet connection to use this feature.) There are buttons on the remote to fast forward 30 seconds and to back up 3 seconds (these times can be modified.) You can have more than one window open at once! I have had as many as 4 windows open with different channels or recorded programs playing back. A button on the remote lets you chose which one is active. The sound only plays for the actively highlighted window.
All in all, a very nice unit. Oh yes, with the 200 you can hook up your VCR and digitize programs that you have on tape. I've already tested this feature.
does eyeTV work worldwide? or is it a US only unit?
I'm in the UK, and a TV function for the apple would be neat here too.
Yes, EYETV works here in the UK. I use the EyeTV 410 which is a Freeview (Digital Terrestial) box. It is great. Great picture, scheduled recording to hard drive just like sky+ (but better than sky+ because you can burn to dvd) and 30 odd channels for free.
I live in London and use a portable aerial and reception is good but reception is even better with fixed aerial.
I bougt my brother the EYEtv EZ for xmas. It is tiny and just as good as my 410 box. Think EYEtv also make a satellite version but I haven't seen it in action.
Oops, Just wanted to correct myself: You can only have one live channel view going at any one time. But you can play back at least three more recorded programs while viewing a live channel. The frame rate drops a little with with 4 simultaneous windows going, but this is a Mac Mini that I'm running it on with a 5400 RPM drive. Pretty impressive for this lower end Mac system. I have even watched a program while another program is being recorded! I do have a gig of RAM on my Mini which may help. But this software must make a lot of use of the drive to play back the files I would assume.
The Elgato site mentions that the performance will be poorer on the new Mactel systems. Their stuff makes heavy use of Alvitech processing. They said it will run through the emulation on the Mactel, but hey are working on a version for Mactels.
Oops, Just wanted to correct myself: You can only have one live channel view going at any one time.
Not always true...
Since digital TV here in the US can broadcast 4 regular definition sub-channels using one frequency for HDTV, my EyeTV500 can actually receive up to 4 live TV windows without retuning. This feature is possible using EyeTV software and digital TV hardware.
Hmmm... I don't think I can record multiple sub-channels, but I can watch them. Linky Note that all are technically Channel 9, but multiple shows can be broadcast using the same frequency. That is how I can get several sub-channels with only one tuner. Analogue receivers don't work this way.
Now, all these windows are actually playing full resolution video (704x480... strange number but that's what it says) Problem is my Dual 2Ghz G5 can't keep up and stutters with that much video. When I took a screen pic, everything paused for a few seconds so no video and therefore black screens. Oh well.
Comments
Originally posted by sammick
Anybody have any experience with a T.V. tuner for the iMac?
I just bought the new EyeTV 200. Running it on a Mac Mini. It works just great. I am using an antenna to receive the signal. Works like a Tivo. While watching live TV you can hit pause and start the program up again after you're done with a call or trip to the kitchen (EyeTV defalts with a 200 buffer for live programs - about 10 mins.) The remote works very well too. There are no intstructions on how to use it but with playing with it for a while you get the hang of what each button does. You can change from small desktop window view to full screen with one button. Signing up for Titan TV gives you a program schedule that you can chose a program to tape just by clicking on a dot in the program's description (you'll need an internet connection to use this feature.) There are buttons on the remote to fast forward 30 seconds and to back up 3 seconds (these times can be modified.) You can have more than one window open at once! I have had as many as 4 windows open with different channels or recorded programs playing back. A button on the remote lets you chose which one is active. The sound only plays for the actively highlighted window.
All in all, a very nice unit. Oh yes, with the 200 you can hook up your VCR and digitize programs that you have on tape. I've already tested this feature.
-Scott
I'm in the UK, and a TV function for the apple would be neat here too.
Originally posted by fisha
does eyeTV work worldwide? or is it a US only unit?
I'm in the UK, and a TV function for the apple would be neat here too.
Yes, EYETV works here in the UK. I use the EyeTV 410 which is a Freeview (Digital Terrestial) box. It is great. Great picture, scheduled recording to hard drive just like sky+ (but better than sky+ because you can burn to dvd) and 30 odd channels for free.
I live in London and use a portable aerial and reception is good but reception is even better with fixed aerial.
I bougt my brother the EYEtv EZ for xmas. It is tiny and just as good as my 410 box. Think EYEtv also make a satellite version but I haven't seen it in action.
www.elgato.com
The Elgato site mentions that the performance will be poorer on the new Mactel systems. Their stuff makes heavy use of Alvitech processing. They said it will run through the emulation on the Mactel, but hey are working on a version for Mactels.
-Scott
Originally posted by scott_r
Oops, Just wanted to correct myself: You can only have one live channel view going at any one time.
Not always true...
Since digital TV here in the US can broadcast 4 regular definition sub-channels using one frequency for HDTV, my EyeTV500 can actually receive up to 4 live TV windows without retuning. This feature is possible using EyeTV software and digital TV hardware.
Now, all these windows are actually playing full resolution video (704x480... strange number but that's what it says) Problem is my Dual 2Ghz G5 can't keep up and stutters with that much video. When I took a screen pic, everything paused for a few seconds so no video and therefore black screens.