Anybody use an EyeTV?

[Cursor]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I was wondering if anybody can answer some questions I have about Elgato's EyeTV.

I was going to get an EyeTV and hook it up to a new Mac Mini, 2.26Ghz, 160GB hard drive, with 2Gb RAM (could I install 3GB RAM or would it have to be 2 or 4?).

Anyway, I wasn't sure whether I should get the EyeTV Hybrid or 250. Will the Mini be strong enough to encode video if I get the Hybrid, which is $50 less than the 250? Anybody have any experience with these things? Thanks in advance.

 

[Queso]

My EyeTV DTT is connected to a 2GHz iMac. It more than handles encoding. That's true of any dual-core Mac.

 

[toolbox]

I have one too, used for recording the old home movies. Now i just use it to watch tv with when i am too lazy to go into my lounge

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Wasn't sure where to post this, but I was wondering if anybody can answer some questions I have about Elgato's EyeTV.

I was going to get an EyeTV and hook it up to a new Mac Mini, 2.26Ghz, 160GB hard drive, with 2Gb RAM (could I install 3GB RAM or would it have to be 2 or 4?).

Anyway, I wasn't sure whether I should get the EyeTV Hybrid or 250. Will the Mini be strong enough to encode video if I get the Hybrid, which is $50 less than the 250? Anybody have any experience with these things? Thanks in advance.

Your mini will easily handle EyeTV. If you're interested I just got a TV and no longer need my EyeTV Hybrid (2008 North America). I have everything with it and it's in fine working order. $110 shipped?

(if you're not in the US then just ignore me)

 

[Cursor]

Your mini will easily handle EyeTV. If you're interested I just got a TV and no longer need my EyeTV Hybrid (2008 North America). I have everything with it and it's in fine working order. $110 shipped?

(if you're not in the US then just ignore me)

I am in the US. Do you have the latest software (EyeTV3 software)? Could I get back to you about it (I am in the process of researching this whole setup)?

Also, do you know anything about the TV Guide programming that it uses? Would I have to pay $20/year to keep that up and running, or will the EyeTV work and be able to record shows without it?

 

[dmr727]

I have one too, used for recording the old home movies. Now i just use it to watch tv with when i am too lazy to go into my lounge

How is the quality? I've always thought about using one to import a lot of old 8mm tape to burn back out to DVD, but was curious how well it worked.

 

[GimmeSlack12]

I am in the US. Do you have the latest software (EyeTV3 software)? Could I get back to you about it (I am in the process of researching this whole setup)?

Also, do you know anything about the TV Guide programming that it uses? Would I have to pay $20/year to keep that up and running, or will the EyeTV work and be able to record shows without it?

Yes, I do have the latest EyeTV and serial will come with it. As for the TV listing it is based on a titantv.com account (which is simple and free site to sign-up for). There are no fees with EyeTV, it is literally just the hardware/software to turn your computer into a TV. But you do, of course, need a cable provider. You can record anything that you can get reception on, which if you have cable TV then you can record whatever you want.

Anyway, take your time on learning about it all, I'm in no rush.

How is the quality? I've always thought about using one to import a lot of old 8mm tape to burn back out to DVD, but was curious how well it worked.

The quality is just like a TV, though you can get artifacts from time to time because you're using a computer monitor (high resolution) for a standard def TV signal. Though if you get any HD channels you get a very nice, clear HD picture.

 

[Cursor]

Then what is the point of the TV Guide subscription? What benefit foes it give? Is Titantv.com something separate?

 

[GimmeSlack12]

Then what is the point of the TV Guide subscription? What benefit foes it give? Is Titantv.com something separate?

I'm not sure what you mean really. It has nothing to do regarding the real magazine "TV Guide" if that's what you're referring to. But the TitanTV thing keeps an up to date TV listing of your local area and then you have the EyeTV sync with that account. It makes perfect sense to me. Maybe I'm not sure what you're asking.

 

[Cursor]

I'm not sure what you mean really. It has nothing to do regarding the real magazine "TV Guide" if that's what you're referring to. But the TitanTV thing keeps an up to date TV listing of your local area and then you have the EyeTV sync with that account. It makes perfect sense to me. Maybe I'm not sure what you're asking.

It referred to some TV Guide program guide subscription on the product page of Elgato.com. I wasn't sure what it was or if I needed to keep renewing it, but I guess not. I will let you know by the weekend about your offer for the Hybrid. Thanks!

 

[Gentile]

Eyetv had Titantv for it program guide for an earlier version of Eyetv software. With the upgrade to a more recent version of Eyetv 3 they used TV guide for its program guide. You get 1 free year of TV guide then I believe you have to pay.

If you were already using Titantv you can continue to use it through the end of 2010. If not the choice to use Titantv will not show up in the program.

 

[Cursor]

Eyetv had Titantv for it program guide for an earlier version of Eyetv software. With the upgrade to a more recent version of Eyetv 3 they used TV guide for its program guide. You get 1 free year of TV guide then I believe you have to pay.

If you were already using Titantv you can continue to use it through the end of 2010. If not the choice to use Titantv will not show up in the program.

Thanks for the clarification. If I choose not to continue TV Guide, can I still set it to record certain shows at certain times?

 

[0098386]

I've been using an EyeTV since I signed up here (check the date yo <) and never had a problem with it on my original Powerbook G4, my 2ghz C2D iMac or my slightly better UB Macbook. As it has been said already; any dual core intel chip will be good for it!

 

[Ttownbeast]

It's wonderful having the extra DVR

 

[Gentile]

Thanks for the clarification. If I choose not to continue TV Guide, can I still set it to record certain shows at certain times?

I'm not sure about that. You normally would pick a recording by using the program guide.

However, you can add the free XMLTV listings into eyetv. I have not done that so don't know much about it.

It is possible to bring back the Titantv option by coping an old .plist file. That would let you use it to the end of 2010 and then you could sign up for the 1 year free of TVguide after that.

Anyways, I am not sure how this will play out. Elgato may change the pricing of TVguide.

 

[Perrumpo]

If I choose not to continue TV Guide, can I still set it to record certain shows at certain times?

This is what I am wondering, too. Seems silly to require. Seems like you should be able to tell it when you want to record. But I'm not sure!

 

[cAPS lOCK]

Can anyone explain to me how you get the HD channels from your cable company on the EyeTV tuner?

I have Comcast everything package with all the channels. Will I be able to see all those HD channels on my Mac with this? I was thinking you had to have Comcast's special box.

What and how many HD channels can you really get? Also, how much hard drive space does say, an hour of recorded HD take up?

Thanks.

 

[xlii]

Can anyone explain to me how you get the HD channels from your cable company on the EyeTV tuner?

I have Comcast everything package with all the channels. Will I be able to see all those HD channels on my Mac with this? I was thinking you had to have Comcast's special box.

What and how many HD channels can you really get? Also, how much hard drive space does say, an hour of recorded HD take up?

Thanks.

I have comcast cable and I have eyetv. I use tvguide with the eyetv. I hooked the eyetv directly to my cable (used a splitter). If I hooked it to my cable box I would need to set the eyetv tuner to channel 3 and use the cable box to change channels.

Now with the eyetv directly hooked to the cable line the channels are in a different location that what tvguide tells me. The local channels are in the correct place but the digital cable channels are all over the map and are sent as qam channels. Yesterday I hooked my pc and eyetv up to my cable and mapped all the channels.

Now I don't get any premium (HBO, TMC) channels but some of the channels were encrypted and eyetv couldn't decode them. But every channel that I am paying for I am able to tune with the eyetv hooked directly to my cable line and not going through the cable set top box. But I think for the premium channels you will need to go through the cable set top box and tune the eyetv to channel 3 and use the set top box to change channels.

 

[xlii]

Attempting to attach a screenshot of my eyetv channels. This shows the some of the regular and some of the QAM channels.
Edit... not bad for a first timer attachment... Starting with channel 3 (the blue channels) I had to type in the channel discription as I had no clue what channel they mapped to until I tuned in and saw the channels watermark.

 

[cAPS lOCK]

Thanks for the info. I'm getting an iMac soon and am also going to get an EyeTV.

 

[Gentile]

Can anyone explain to me how you get the HD channels from your cable company on the EyeTV tuner?

I have Comcast everything package with all the channels. Will I be able to see all those HD channels on my Mac with this? I was thinking you had to have Comcast's special box.

What and how many HD channels can you really get? Also, how much hard drive space does say, an hour of recorded HD take up?

Thanks.

I can get my local channels in HD because they are unencrypted and can be picked up under clear QAM (which the most recent EyeTv's can pick up. I am able to get about 8 local channels in HD. I think an hour of HD programming would take up about 3 GB of hard drive.

I believe it is possible to hook up the box through the EyeTV, but I have never done this. Check out the elgato site to figure that out.

 

[toolbox]

How is the quality? I've always thought about using one to import a lot of old 8mm tape to burn back out to DVD, but was curious how well it worked.

No so good actually. The movies captured ok, they then needed to be exported into DV format for imovie that was ok too. But editing them became a problem. They imported ok but upon editing i noticed that some of the frames would freeze sound a little distorted.

I then a few months later got a ADVC 300 - That works a lot better, and imports straight into imovie with out using some other software to capture then export