Cable HDTV on a G5 (software)?

hotwire132002

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 24, 2004

• #1

OK, I've read all about the HDTV over Firewire dealio:

http://www.macosxhints.com/article.php?story=20040426151111599

My question is--is there any more user-friendly way to do this? I'd give up the capability to record, If I could just watch live. Any ideas?

BTW--The reason I want to do this is that I can't afford an HD set right now, so I'd like to just subscribe to Charter HD, and use it with my Mac.

 

LeeTom

macrumors 68000

• Oct 24, 2004

• #2

Have you seen this PCI card?
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/site/decklinkhd.htm

Lee Tom

 

jsw

Moderator emeritus

• Oct 24, 2004

• #3

LeeTom said:

Have you seen this PCI card?
http://www.blackmagic-design.com/site/decklinkhd.htm

Lee Tom

Click to expand...

I must be missing something, but how does this $600 card help someone watch HDTV broadcasts from a cable box?

 

hotwire132002

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 24, 2004

• #4

jsw said:

I must be missing something, but how does this $600 card help someone watch HDTV broadcasts from a cable box?

Click to expand...

You're not missing anything--that's not quite what I'm looking for. Any other ideas?

 

crazzyeddie

macrumors 68030

• Oct 24, 2004

• #5

How's this look?

Edit: Nevermind, thats just for terrestrial HDTV, which isn't widely offered in the US yet.

 

LeeTom

macrumors 68000

• Oct 24, 2004

• #6

hotwire132002 said:

You're not missing anything--that's not quite what I'm looking for. Any other ideas?

Click to expand...

Well, it has an HDTV input via BNC. I'm sure you could get an adapter from your cable box, and then see live HDTV from the cable box on your screen.

Lee Tom

 

jsw

Moderator emeritus

• Oct 24, 2004

• #7

crazzyeddie said:

How's this look?

Edit: Nevermind, thats just for terrestrial HDTV, which isn't widely offered in the US yet.

Click to expand...

Actually, there are a fair number of people who can get the signal (see here), and that number's increasing. For people in a broadcast area with a Mac and decent monitor, that $349 isn't too bad.

 

hotwire132002

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 24, 2004

• #8

jsw said:

Actually, there are a fair number of people who can get the signal (see here), and that number's increasing. For people in a broadcast area with a Mac and decent monitor, that $349 isn't too bad.

Click to expand...

That was my backup plan--but cable would be nice 🙂

 

ftaok

macrumors 604

• Oct 25, 2004

• #9

hotwire132002 said:

That was my backup plan--but cable would be nice 🙂

Click to expand...

Wouldn't you still need an HDTV tuner if you're going to use off-air HDTV signals?

 

jsw

Moderator emeritus

• Oct 25, 2004

• #10

ftaok said:

Wouldn't you still need an HDTV tuner if you're going to use off-air HDTV signals?

Click to expand...

That's what the EyeTV 500 does (which crazzyeddie linked to above).

 

ftaok

macrumors 604

• Oct 25, 2004

• #11

jsw said:

That's what the EyeTV 500 does (which crazzyeddie linked to above).

Click to expand...

Oh, OK. I got lost in the direction of the thread. (Must be some sort of record on a 7 post thread)

I was thinking that the original poster was looking soley for a software option.

 

hotwire132002

macrumors 65816

Original poster

• Oct 25, 2004

• #12

ftaok said:

Oh, OK. I got lost in the direction of the thread. (Must be some sort of record on a 7 post thread)

I was thinking that the original poster was looking soley for a software option.

Click to expand...

You're not lost--I'd prefer a software only option. (Not including the HDTV Cable box) I know there's a way to RECORD HDTV with a Mac, then watch it. I'd like to watch it live through the Mac, I don't care so much about recording. I'm looking for a better program than VirtualDVHS to do this.