TV on my 24" iMac

[wakerider017]

Hey,

I really need a TV capture device for my 24" iMac... But I do not know which device I should buy...


I have been looking at the Elgato EyeTV 250... It seems pretty good as it can pause live TV and has Hardware Encoding.

There is also the Elgato EyeTV Hybrid...

And then there is Miglia....

I will be hooking it up to a digital cable box...

I would really appreciate if you guys could help me with this!

I have reposted this in this section b/c I think it fits better here than where I posted it before. Thanks!

 

[nagromme]

Someone may be able to correct me but my impression is that hardware encoding is expensive and NOT worth paying for if you have a fast Mac that can do the job well in software. (And digital content need not be re-encoded at all.)

The Hybrid handles both analog and digital--you may not need both, but it's a good price, and it's what I plan to get.

Miglia is a different brand of hardware, but still uses the EyeTV software/channel guide. I see smalldog.com has a $50 rebate on the TV Micro HD, but it still costs more than EyeTV Hybrid.

EyeTV Hybrid is cheaper in part because it does not come with an antenna or remote. But your iMac already HAS a great remote, and the little antenna that comes with some HD tuners is probably not enough anyway--and you may not care about an antenna if you have cable.

Also I have never had cable, but I think you have to receive the digital signal with your cable box and send it to the Mac as ANALOG (and thus lower quality).

 

[twoodcc]

do you want HD content over this cable box? the hybrid doesn't do it. i have one, and it works great with HD over-the-air broadcasts

 

[Flyinace2000]

do you want HD content over this cable box? the hybrid doesn't do it. i have one, and it works great with HD over-the-air broadcasts

If you have a HD cable you can get a cable box with firewire, then use apples FireWire SDK to record directly from the box to your mac with only a firewire cable. I am still workign on getting it to work, but check out AVS Forum for lots of info.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=386740

Over 1400+ responses, happy reading.

 

[Dale Sorel]

I'm pretty sure any DV camcorder will do what you want.

 

[wakerider017]

Hi,

I do not use an antenna for TV. I just get digital cable.

I have Verizon FIOS TV. Right now I have a Motorola QIP 2500 Set Top Box.

The cable goes into that box then goes into my TV.


Will I be able to get rid of the Motorola cable box and just use the Elgato or Miglia TV capture device?




Here is a link to the cable box I am using:
http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/dct2500/

Here is a link to my cable company:
http://www22.verizon.com/content/FiOSTV/


I need help very badly!

I am just switching over to a Mac from a PC and I have no idea about this stuff!

Thanks so much!

Someone may be able to correct me but my impression is that hardware encoding is expensive and NOT worth paying for if you have a fast Mac that can do the job well in software. (And digital content need not be re-encoded at all.)

The Hybrid handles both analog and digital--you may not need both, but it's a good price, and it's what I plan to get.

Miglia is a different brand of hardware, but still uses the EyeTV software/channel guide. I see smalldog.com has a $50 rebate on the TV Micro HD, but it still costs more than EyeTV Hybrid.

EyeTV Hybrid is cheaper in part because it does not come with an antenna or remote. But your iMac already HAS a great remote, and the little antenna that comes with some HD tuners is probably not enough anyway--and you may not care about an antenna if you have cable.

Also I have never had cable, but I think you have to receive the digital signal with your cable box and send it to the Mac as ANALOG (and thus lower quality).

 

[nagromme]

I don't think you can get rid of your cable box.

Search through ElGato's FAQs for more details.

 

[twoodcc]

i don't think the hybrid is the best for you, even though it still might work.

i think the eyetv 250 would be better for you

 

[TEG]

Hi,

I do not use an antenna for TV. I just get digital cable.

I have Verizon FIOS TV. Right now I have a Motorola QIP 2500 Set Top Box.

The cable goes into that box then goes into my TV.


Will I be able to get rid of the Motorola cable box and just use the Elgato or Miglia TV capture device?




Here is a link to the cable box I am using:
http://broadband.motorola.com/consumers/products/dct2500/

Here is a link to my cable company:
http://www22.verizon.com/content/FiOSTV/


I need help very badly!

I am just switching over to a Mac from a PC and I have no idea about this stuff!

Thanks so much!

NO. You will not be able to not have the cable box (in so far as I understand FiOS). With FiOS you do not have the traditional Cable signal + and Digital Signal, you only have Digital Signal. Digital Cable Signal != Digital Terrestrial Signal, therefore you will still need the cable box. There are some analog channels on FiOS, but they are only local and special interest. All other cable channels are digital so you will need the cable box.

TEG

 

[TEG]

The Hybrid does look best for you.

TEG

 

[wakerider017]

The Hybrid does look best for you.

TEG

That is what I am thinking too!

Do you know a good place to buy one?



Thank you so much for helping me with this!




OH, Will I be able to use this in Front Row with my apple remote?


Thanks again!

 

[nagromme]

EyeTV does use the Apple Remote, and if you choose the full-screen option is works much like Front Row (with a blue style).

But it's not PART of Front Row, it's a separate app you launch for TV.

See screenshots in this UK review:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/25/review_elgato_eyetv_hybrid/

The only problem with using EyeTV with your digital cable box is that you will be getting analog quality rather than preserving the full digital data. But very GOOD analog quality I expect (Nothing like HD of course.)

Also, that review mentions that the program guide has a fee after one year. I dug through ElGato's FAQs to see if that's true in the US. It's not! The program guide is free through 2008, and they hope to offer it free beyond then but have not yet negotiated that: http://faq.elgato.com/index.php/faq/more/362

 

[wakerider017]

EyeTV does use the Apple Remote, and if you choose the full-screen option is works much like Front Row (with a blue style).

But it's not PART of Front Row, it's a separate app you launch for TV.

See screenshots in this UK review:
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2006/09/25/review_elgato_eyetv_hybrid/

The only problem with using EyeTV with your digital cable box is that you will be getting analog quality rather than preserving the full digital data. But very GOOD analog quality I expect (Nothing like HD of course.)

Also, that review mentions that the program guide has a fee after one year. I dug through ElGato's FAQs to see if that's true in the US. It's not! The program guide is free through 2008, and they hope to offer it free beyond then but have not yet negotiated that: http://faq.elgato.com/index.php/faq/more/362

It says this on Elgato's site:

Navigate with an Apple Remote
Tired of remote controls scattered around the living room? So are we. EyeTV Hybrid works with an Apple Remote. It will certainly work with an EyeTV IR remote control as well.

The only problem with using EyeTV with your digital cable box is that you will be getting analog quality rather than preserving the full digital data. But very GOOD analog quality I expect (Nothing like HD of course.)

How come? Is there anyway to prevent this?

 

[nagromme]

It says this on Elgato's site:

Right--it uses the Apple Remote, but it is not part of Front Row. In other words, when you press Menu and Front Row pop up, EyeTV is not there. EyeTv is a separate app you launch, and then it works similar to Front Row using the same remote.

How come? Is there anyway to prevent this?

Not with the EyeTV product AFAIK--but maybe the Firewire thing mentioned above is more useful to you. What you need is digital output of some kind from your cable box, and a digital input to the Mac, and I don't know what those options would be. EyeTV Hybrid only has analog inputs. It can receive digital TV over the air but not, apparently, from cable (because cable uses encryption I guess?)--but I'm sure someone who HAS cable can clarify this better than I

 

[wakerider017]

Someone may be able to correct me but my impression is that hardware encoding is expensive and NOT worth paying for if you have a fast Mac that can do the job well in software. (And digital content need not be re-encoded at all.)

The Hybrid handles both analog and digital--you may not need both, but it's a good price, and it's what I plan to get.

Miglia is a different brand of hardware, but still uses the EyeTV software/channel guide. I see smalldog.com has a $50 rebate on the TV Micro HD, but it still costs more than EyeTV Hybrid.

EyeTV Hybrid is cheaper in part because it does not come with an antenna or remote. But your iMac already HAS a great remote, and the little antenna that comes with some HD tuners is probably not enough anyway--and you may not care about an antenna if you have cable.

Also I have never had cable, but I think you have to receive the digital signal with your cable box and send it to the Mac as ANALOG (and thus lower quality).

It should be the same quality as what I see on my TV.

Right now I have a coaxial cable that goes to my cable box and a coaxial cable that goes from my cable box to my TV.

With the Mac setup I will have:
A coaxial cable that goes to my cable box and a coaxial cable that goes from my cable box to the Elgato Hybrid.

I think this would be the same quality.


Also I think the Program guide will be useless as I am using a digital cable box to do all the tuning. Right?

EDIT:
I just read your above response.

Only problem is that my cable box does not have firewire... It has USB... ??

 

[pjo]

Right--it uses the Apple Remote, but it is not part of Front Row. In other words, when you press Menu and Front Row pop up, EyeTV is not there. EyeTv is a separate app you launch, and then it works similar to Front Row using the same remote.

slightly OT: am I the only one who wishes it were possible to add applications to frontrow? (read: VLC instead of quicktime, etc)

 

[wakerider017]

I see what you guys are saying...

All I really need is the EyeTV software and a way for me to get the digital TV on my PC...



Hmmmm I hope the USB port on the back may work?

 

[isight]

Wakerider,

I am also planning to buy EYETV Hybrid. But i have concern about the encoding? So, trying to decide between Hybrid and 250.

Are you able to watch TV? did you get the Hybrid or 250?

Any input would be great.


Thanks
Isight

 

[ftaok]

Qam????

wakerider,

Just wanted to confuse the issue a little further and talk about QAM. No one else has mentioned it on this thread.

AFAIK, VerizonFIOS TV uses the same type of coax that standard cablecos use. Also, VerizonFIOS is compatible with QAM tuners for digital cable. So here is something you might want to look into. Does VerizonFIOS have unencrypted digital channels on their system. It's also called "in the clear" channels.

I know on my cable system (Comcast SE Pennsylvania), I get 8 HD channels and a handful of digital SD channels with my TV's QAM tuner. The HD channels are basically the national networks (ABC, Fox, etc.) and Universal HD.

You should do a search over at dslreports.com and check out their VerizonFIOS TV forums to see if people are getting unencrypted HD channels using a QAM tuner.

OK, with that said, if you are able to get unencrypted HD channels over V-FIOS, you might want to look at these products. Migila TVMini HD. It has a QAM tuner and uses USB2. Alternatively, if you can find one, the Elgato EyeTV 500 has gotten lots of good press. They've been discontinued for quite a while and Elgato hasn't gotten around to producing a replacement (I don't consider the EyeTV Hybrid a replacement as it doesn't do QAM) yet.

The advantage in using a QAM device is that you'll be able to record HD, but you are limited to what Verizon passes through unencrypted. But at least you're not messing with the VirtualDHS stuff.

If you have the money, a combo of an EyeTV 500 in conjunction with a EyeTV 250 would cover all bases.

ft

 

[ftaok]

Wakerider,

I am also planning to buy EYETV Hybrid. But i have concern about the encoding? So, trying to decide between Hybrid and 250.

Are you able to watch TV? did you get the Hybrid or 250?

Any input would be great.


Thanks
Isight

The 250 only does analog. So there has to be a conversion from analog to digital. The 250 has hardware that allows you to do the conversion, but with the new Intel Macs, software encoding isn't all to taxing. Especially since SD is limited to 640x480.

The Hybrid can do analog and digital, but there is no hardware encoding for either. Encoding will only take place for analog channels since the digital stuff is just saved to the HD in the broadcast format (typically MPEG2).

If you have a fast Mac, the Hybrid can do more. I only wished it had a QAM tuner.

ft