ElGato EyeTV

[NEENAHBOY]

OK, can someone please explain to me how exactly it works???

 

[Kwyjibo]

plug tv source, ie dvd player, coax, svideo, or other into eyetv, plug eyetv into mac via USB or firewire, load software, enjoy tv on your mac, its not very complex.

now if you mean the dynamics of the tv tuner and things like that or the conversion schemes you'll need someone much more inteliigent.

 

[robbieduncan]

Only thing to add to the above is that not all EyeTV hardware is equal in terms of inputs. I have a 410 ordered with my mini from Apple (still waiting...) and it only has an input for a standard TV antenna as it does not have an digitising hardware (it's for digital TV).

Also I note that the record/pause functionality was not mentioned. How this works is that it saves the digital stream to the hard drive (either after digitising it in the EyeTV hardware or in the case of a digital TV tuner version just passing it straight through).

 

[Symtex]

I bought a Plextor TV402U for pc last year and I was told that I had to buy the Mac edition in order just to get the elgato software that support my PVR on MacOS.

I'm really bummed out because i really wanted to use this device on my mac. Since the hardware for the PC and MAC edition are exactly the same, just having the software would definetly work.

the pc capture software wasn't that good and of course being force to use windows xp is not the perfect solution for home video

 

[robbieduncan]

You can download the standard Elgato EyeTV application from the Elgato website. It does not need any sort of activation or serial number. I've downloaded it to play with whilst I'm waiting for the hardware. Do you need some special version?

 

[Symtex]

You can download the standard Elgato EyeTV application from the Elgato website. It does not need any sort of activation or serial number. I've downloaded it to play with whilst I'm waiting for the hardware. Do you need some special version?

I don't think so. Can you send me a link for the download ?

***EDIT***
I thought you had to have the software and it's was just an update that was available thru the website

 

[Symtex]

I have found the download that woks with my plextor by at the installation process it's asking for an activation key. I'm desperate. I want to use this product that I bought for pc on my mac. It's ridiculous that plextor won't supply me the mac software needed.

/cry

 

[Dont Hurt Me]

Elgato also has a new product out called the tv wonder that uses usb2 to connect to your Mac. Ati is involved in the product somehow. Concept is good but the case is butt ugly and i dont think i would have it sitting next to a Mac.

 

[Symtex]

Elgato also has a new product out called the tv wonder that uses usb2 to connect to your Mac. Ati is involved in the product somehow. Concept is good but the case is butt ugly and i dont think i would have it sitting next to a Mac.

I already have the equipement, i'm referring to the software only which was not provided by plextor because i bought the pc version. the only differences between the pc and mac version is the EyeTv on apple and WinDVR on pc

 

[varmit]

Basicallly, the hardware converts the TV signal into something the program, EyeTV, can read. The EyeTV software can record and play back TV. I like that it can play back a show as you are recording another. Just don't like when it switchs to what is being recorded when it starts to recording a new show.

 

[NEENAHBOY]

OK, so just that I'm clear, there would have to be a TV, DVD player or other source actually next to EyeTV, correct?

 

[Symtex]

OK, so just that I'm clear, there would have to be a TV, DVD player or other source actually next to EyeTV, correct?

I want to use it to capture my xbox, ps2 and gamecube in order to make video content of gameplay. It works already on my pc but as you might know working with video on a pc is asking for trouble.

 

[ravenvii]

OK, so just that I'm clear, there would have to be a TV, DVD player or other source actually next to EyeTV, correct?

You'll have a source to feed into the eyeTV, yes. But the TV itself is not the source, it simply received the source and displays it on screen. The eyeTV already has a TV tuner in it, so if you want toe merely watch TV, just plug in the cable. For DVDs and gaming consoles and whatever, then yes you'll have to have one of them next to the eyeTV. Think of the eyeTV as a TV without a screen.

As for gaming on a console, the eyeTV's encoding is not fast enough for actual gameplay - what you actually see on your computer is about 2-3 seconds after the display was sent from the console. So your character will move 2-3 seconds after you press a button on yoru controller. Not ideal at all.

 

[Converted2Truth]

As for gaming on a console, the eyeTV's encoding is not fast enough for actual gameplay - what you actually see on your computer is about 2-3 seconds after the display was sent from the console. So your character will move 2-3 seconds after you press a button on yoru controller. Not ideal at all.

Are there any encoders that work in realtime? no (noticable) delay?

 

[mowogg]

EyeTV WonderUSB

Elgato also has a new product out called the tv wonder that uses usb2 to connect to your Mac. Ati is involved in the product somehow. Concept is good but the case is butt ugly and i dont think i would have it sitting next to a Mac.

I ordered one of those two weeks ago with the MacWorld special offer. They were supposed to be shipping around now, but I haven't heard anything from them since the original order confirmation. I agree it's not the best looking box, but it will go "under the desk" after hooking up to the DirecTV box.
8^)

 

[Symtex]

Are there any encoders that work in realtime? no (noticable) delay?

I used the Plextor TV402U and it's hardware encoding. the delay is around .5 sec.You can't play but good to record replay or playback

 

[AWishForNoOne]

Are there any encoders that work in realtime? no (noticable) delay?

The new eyetv wonder usb 2.0 claims to have no noticeable delay so if you want to play video games on your mac this sounds like the way to go.

The difference between the wonder and the eye tv 200 is that the wonder uses your computer to convert whilst the 200 converts "in itself" and then feeds it to your computer. That accounts for the $200 price difference. The negative to this is that it uses your computer resources and if you only have a single g4, it can't encode to dvd quality.

Hope that made sense..

 

[robbieduncan]

I have found the download that woks with my plextor by at the installation process it's asking for an activation key. I'm desperate. I want to use this product that I bought for pc on my mac. It's ridiculous that plextor won't supply me the mac software needed.

/cry

I downloaded 1.7 from here. I seem to remember that the install was just drag-and-drop from a disk image? As I have no encoding hardware at the moment I can't do much with it but it will start up and open Quicktime movies fine without any key. Perhaps it only needs a key if it detects your encoding hardware?

 

[Symtex]

I downloaded 1.7 from here. I seem to remember that the install was just drag-and-drop from a disk image? As I have no encoding hardware at the moment I can't do much with it but it will start up and open Quicktime movies fine without any key. Perhaps it only needs a key if it detects your encoding hardware?

It onlly needs an activation key if you choose my hardware. /cry. Also it seems that Elgato do seem the stand alone application. The activation key is only give to OEM by plextor. Plextor tells me to buy it from them../confuse

I think i'm going to have to make a few phone call today and yell a bit.

 

[varmit]

OK, so just that I'm clear, there would have to be a TV, DVD player or other source actually next to EyeTV, correct?

No need for a TV or DVD player if you just want to watch and record TV. The TV station you want to watch will show up in a little window, or if you full screen, on your Mac's monitor.

 

[varmit]

The new eyetv wonder usb 2.0 claims to have no noticeable delay so if you want to play video games on your mac this sounds like the way to go.

The difference between the wonder and the eye tv 200 is that the wonder uses your computer to convert whilst the 200 converts "in itself" and then feeds it to your computer. That accounts for the $200 price difference. The negative to this is that it uses your computer resources and if you only have a single g4, it can't encode to dvd quality.

Hope that made sense..

I have the 300, and my playstation seems to show some delay. I'll see if the new EyeTV program helped, tried it back when the software version was 1.6. And what he said, EyeTV box does all the encoding and taxes less resources on your Mac unlike a internal card.

 

[tutubibi]

It onlly needs an activation key if you choose my hardware. /cry. Also it seems that Elgato do seem the stand alone application. The activation key is only give to OEM by plextor. Plextor tells me to buy it from them../confuse

I think i'm going to have to make a few phone call today and yell a bit.

Try to exchange your PC version for Mac version if you can. I purchased Mac version of TV402U and then downloaded stuff for PC. Now it works fine for both.

 

[csimon2]

If you really want no delay viewing of your source (especially essential for video game systems), then you need a real-time encoder without delay such as the Miglia AlchemyTV DVR PCI card. I have one of these and there is no delay and console games can be played without issue. Any device that is external will likely have at least a slight latency, mostly because of the bus bandwidth limitations. If ATI's hardware combined with EyeTV's software has no latency whatsoever, then that is very impressive, and my hat goes off to them.

As far as the Plextor device's compatibilty with the mac, I wouldn't be surprised if the hardware doesn't have some sort of firmware protection from allowing it be used with a mac. Why else charge an extra $30 for the same hardware, one that includes less features? ADS did this afterall for their MPEG-2 USB boxes. But, there is a note on the Plextor homepage that Mac users can upgrade their box to the PC version for $49, so maybe they are the same and compatible?

 

[tutubibi]

If you really want no delay viewing of your source (especially essential for video game systems), then you need a real-time encoder without delay such as the Miglia AlchemyTV DVR PCI card. I have one of these and there is no delay and console games can be played without issue. Any device that is external will likely have at least a slight latency, mostly because of the bus bandwidth limitations. If ATI's hardware combined with EyeTV's software has no latency whatsoever, then that is very impressive, and my hat goes off to them.

As far as the Plextor device's compatibilty with the mac, I wouldn't be surprised if the hardware doesn't have some sort of firmware protection from allowing it be used with a mac. Why else charge an extra $30 for the same hardware, one that includes less features? ADS did this afterall for their MPEG-2 USB boxes. But, there is a note on the Plextor homepage that Mac users can upgrade their box to the PC version for $49, so maybe they are the same and compatible?

Hardware is the same, check Plextor's FAQ (http://www.plextor.com/english/support/faqs/TV402Mac0001.htm). Mac version is more expensive probably because software licence for EyeTV is more than one for WinDVR. It's good to see Plextor is now offering Mac users opportunity to make their device work with PC. But what about PC users that want to make it Mac compatible (like Simtex above).

 

[wdlove]

OK, so just that I'm clear, there would have to be a TV, DVD player or other source actually next to EyeTV, correct?

If you happen to have Cable then your in business. The Cable is plugged into the EyeTV 500 hardware. The software will allow the viewing and recording of TV on your Mac.