Elgato's EyeTv Hybrid

[bommai]

I have a Dishnetwork box as well. So i'm hoping i can use that!!

That will NOT work. eyeTV Hybrid is a tuner. It will tune radio waves coming in. Dish Network box is already a tuner. Getting an eyeTV Hybrid has no use. eyeTV Hybrid is only for a coax cable going to an over-the-air antenna to receive broadcast television.

If you have dish network, just get their DVR. If you live in a bigger city that has OTA HD stations (I live in Kansas City and get 8 HD stations OTA), all you need is an internal or external antenna to connect to the eyeTV hybrid.

Here is my summary.

For HD and digital content,

Encrypted cable - get a cable box from your cable company or use Tivo Series 3 with cable card, or a now-discontinued Sony DHG-HDD DVR with cable card. You can also use the soon to be released Vista based DVRs.

non-encrypted cable - eyeTV 500 (discontinued). It has a QAM tuner.

OTA HD - eyeTV hybrid or eyeTV 500.

Dish network, DirecTV - use your content provider cable box.

 

[brando06]

Then what is

What is the coax spot on the back for?? Can i not plug my cable from the wall into that?? I watched the video on the Elgato website and that is what it says. My shaw cable can get directly hooked into it, i thought?? I guess i am wrong.

 

[Aperture]

9/10 times the USB/Firewire ports are disabled. They're only there so they could be activated later on with a firmware update if desired.

 

[Aperture]

What is the coax spot on the back for?? Can i not plug my cable from the wall into that?? I watched the video on the Elgato website and that is what it says. My shaw cable can get directly hooked into it, i thought?? I guess i am wrong.

I wouldn't listen to the guy above. EyeTV Hybrid can be used with just coaxial connections, not only over the air. As long as you don't have an encyrpted cable stream, you should be able to plug it straight into the Hybrid and receive basic programming.

 

[bommai]

I wouldn't listen to the guy above. EyeTV Hybrid can be used with just coaxial connections, not only over the air. As long as you don't have an encyrpted cable stream, you should be able to plug it straight into the Hybrid and receive basic programming.

I specifically said that for HD programming, OTA is the only source for eyeTV Hybrid. If you want analog programming, the OTA hybrid's NTSC tuner might work. However, I don't know why you would want to do that since you could probably get a cheaper analog tuner. eyeTV hybrid's compelling feature is HD. Why pay $150 for it if you are going to use it for just good old analog. Also, analog means that software encoder will be in use and that will eat up a lot of CPU. Digital has no processor penalty. The digital stream gets saved to the file directly.

 

[ftaok]

What is the coax spot on the back for?? Can i not plug my cable from the wall into that?? I watched the video on the Elgato website and that is what it says. My shaw cable can get directly hooked into it, i thought?? I guess i am wrong.

bonmai is correct on this. with the Hybrid and your set-up (Dish Network and Shaw Cable) you really can only do SD-analog.

The Shaw Cable coax feed could plug right into the Hybrid's coax input. You'll get channels 2-125 as long as they are not premium channels.

With the Dish, I believe that the Hybrid comes with a breakout cable that gives you a S-Video input (and maybe RCA composite inputs). This will also be limited to SD-analog.

With the Hybrid, there is only software encoding, so you results will depend on the speed of your Mac.

ft

 

[Rammer89]

Helppppp!

I just bought this yesterday and I can't get it to work! I am using a powermac g5 and I downloaded the software, which works. But when I try to auto-tune nothing happens. I am currently splitting the cable and one goes to the tv and one to my room to my computer. I'm also using the front usb port on the powermac. I have tried to auto-tune with antenna, cable and digital and still nothing. I also tried installing it on my powerbook g4 and it didn't work there either. I plugged the cable into another tv and it worked fine so i know it's not the cable. Can someone please help?! thank you!

 

[ftaok]

I just bought this yesterday and I can't get it to work! I am using a powermac g5 and I downloaded the software, which works. But when I try to auto-tune nothing happens. I am currently splitting the cable and one goes to the tv and one to my room to my computer. I'm also using the front usb port on the powermac. I have tried to auto-tune with antenna, cable and digital and still nothing. I also tried installing it on my powerbook g4 and it didn't work there either. I plugged the cable into another tv and it worked fine so i know it's not the cable. Can someone please help?! thank you!

OK,

First of all, you bought a EyeTV Hybrid, right? OK, now, when you say cable, you mean a coax connection from the wall that supplies you cable TV, right?

If both of my assumptions are correct, you could expect to get the following.

Standard Def Analog from the cable connection.
Standard Def Analog from the antenna.
High Def Digital from the antenna.

Don't expect High Def Digital from the cable connection.

I don't have any EyeTV product, so my advice is pretty generic. Make sure that the software has the correct setting depending on the input. The cable connection should be using the NTSC tuner and the antenna should be using ATSC or NTSC.

Also, maybe you live in an area where OTA signals are weak. Try repositioning the antenna. Better yet, if you have an amplified indoor antenna, maybe try that.

Good luck

 

[Rammer89]

OK,

First of all, you bought a EyeTV Hybrid, right? OK, now, when you say cable, you mean a coax connection from the wall that supplies you cable TV, right?

If both of my assumptions are correct, you could expect to get the following.

Standard Def Analog from the cable connection.
Standard Def Analog from the antenna.
High Def Digital from the antenna.

Don't expect High Def Digital from the cable connection.

I don't have any EyeTV product, so my advice is pretty generic. Make sure that the software has the correct setting depending on the input. The cable connection should be using the NTSC tuner and the antenna should be using ATSC or NTSC.

Also, maybe you live in an area where OTA signals are weak. Try repositioning the antenna. Better yet, if you have an amplified indoor antenna, maybe try that.

Good luck

yeah I have a coax cable that comes from the wall, it's not digital. It's just weird that nothing comes up when I auto tune with this. I have no idea how to make channels show up when I auto tune, that's what I need help with. Thank you though.

 

[ftaok]

yeah I have a coax cable that comes from the wall, it's not digital. It's just weird that nothing comes up when I auto tune with this. I have no idea how to make channels show up when I auto tune, that's what I need help with. Thank you though.

Here's what I get with my QAM capable TV and Comcast at my house.

I get all of the regular Analog channels between 2-125. Lots of channels are skipped since Comcast doesn't have anything in that particular channel. So I end up with about 70 analog channels.

I also get a boat load of digital channels that come in when I auto-tune my TV. However, most of them are black and have nothing showing. This is because it's encrypted (and without an active Cable Card, you get nothing). Out of the ~100 (100 is a guess) digital channels that come in through auto-tune, I only get about 50 or so that show anything. And out of that 50, only 8 are HD, the rest are just simulcast SD digital channels (i.e. CSPAN, MSNBC, History, etc.) and music choice channels. The digital channels have a format such as 90.1 or 111.3, etc.

So I would suggest going through each of the digital channels that show up in your list to find ones that have something beign broadcast.

One other thing, with QAM, the cable companies don't typically encrypt the OnDemand stuff. So when one of your neighbors orders an OnDemand movie/show, you can tune in. It's just that you never know what exactly will be showing at any time.

 

[brando06]

Here's what I get with my QAM capable TV and Comcast at my house.

I get all of the regular Analog channels between 2-125. Lots of channels are skipped since Comcast doesn't have anything in that particular channel. So I end up with about 70 analog channels.

I also get a boat load of digital channels that come in when I auto-tune my TV. However, most of them are black and have nothing showing. This is because it's encrypted (and without an active Cable Card, you get nothing). Out of the ~100 (100 is a guess) digital channels that come in through auto-tune, I only get about 50 or so that show anything. And out of that 50, only 8 are HD, the rest are just simulcast SD digital channels (i.e. CSPAN, MSNBC, History, etc.) and music choice channels. The digital channels have a format such as 90.1 or 111.3, etc.

So I would suggest going through each of the digital channels that show up in your list to find ones that have something beign broadcast.

One other thing, with QAM, the cable companies don't typically encrypt the OnDemand stuff. So when one of your neighbors orders an OnDemand movie/show, you can tune in. It's just that you never know what exactly will be showing at any time.

What is QAM??

 

[ftaok]

What is QAM??

QAM is the type of tuner used by many (if not most) cable companies in the US for digital channels. So if you want to tune into a digital channel you need a QAM tuner. However, it's not that easy. Most digital channels are encrypted and you would need to pay the cable company for a digital tier subscription and they'd rent you a CableCard or Digital Box.

However, if you're just interested in the local HD channels, all you need is Basic (or Extended) cable service and a QAM tuner in your TV (or PVR device). Not all cable companies leave their local HD channels unencrypted, so you need to do some research for your specific area.

ft

 

[brando06]

QAM is the type of tuner used by many (if not most) cable companies in the US for digital channels. So if you want to tune into a digital channel you need a QAM tuner. However, it's not that easy. Most digital channels are encrypted and you would need to pay the cable company for a digital tier subscription and they'd rent you a CableCard or Digital Box.

However, if you're just interested in the local HD channels, all you need is Basic (or Extended) cable service and a QAM tuner in your TV (or PVR device). Not all cable companies leave their local HD channels unencrypted, so you need to do some research for your specific area.

ft

Ok i am in Vancouver Canada. How would i find out if they use QAM tuners in my TV or Digital Cable Box??

 

[ftaok]

Ok i am in Vancouver Canada. How would i find out if they use QAM tuners in my TV or Digital Cable Box??

You might want to try avsforum.com for information. Here's a THREAD, although it's not that informative.

I don't know what the laws state for cable companies in Canada. In the US, the FCC makes it so that the cable companies have to push the HD locals without encryption, although there's evidence that not all cable companies do that and the FCC doesn't seem to want to enforce their own rules. I have no idea what the Canadian equivalent to the FCC is.

ft

 

[rogertb]

Timing out in eyetv

Sorry if this is a little off-topic but I used the programme record button in eyetv's programme list but it started recording ten or so minutes before the programme actually started and stopped (therfore) before the prog. came to an end .... it makes me very wary of using it. I'm pretty sure the programme transmitted at the correct time and that my Mac's clock is correct ... anyone any ideas please ? Best Roger

 

[bommai]

Sorry if this is a little off-topic but I used the programme record button in eyetv's programme list but it started recording ten or so minutes before the programme actually started and stopped (therfore) before the prog. came to an end .... it makes me very wary of using it. I'm pretty sure the programme transmitted at the correct time and that my Mac's clock is correct ... anyone any ideas please ? Best Roger

Do you mean you clicked on the little circle next to the program info in the program guide to setup the recording. This circle would have become red. I use that all the time and have never had problems.

 

[Dorr185]

I sorry, as I already know this is going to sound ignorant. Please forgive me as I am only moderately computer savy and completely new to Apple, and yes, I did read everything here, which was a combination of confusing and extremely helpful.

I am going to buy a MacBook Pro that I want to serve the media center of my living room. To that effect, I am buying......... Firewave Surround Sound, Logitech Speakers, and A 30 inch monitor. I will also being getting the wireless keyboard and mouse so I use the laptop in clam mode.

Now, I want to be able to watch and record TV from the monitor. So I assume I will have to run it through the computer which will output to the monitor. I have digital cable and a DVR box from comcast that has two firewire ports on the back of it. Will I be able to hook the DVR box to the computer without any additional equipment or will I need an EyeTV to make this work?

I'm not worried about splitting between the monitor and my TV because if I come up with a suitable way to view television out of the monitor the TV will probably go in the bedroom.

 

[Dorr185]

Nevermind that last post, I think I've figured out my best solution.

I could just leave my current TV and Cable box settings alone, buy an EyeTv 250, connect the EyeTV to my MacBook, and connect my cable box to the EyeTv via two audio cords and an S-video cord?

Right???????

I'm so totally going to have to pay some to set this up.

 

[Tipton]

If I connect the Hybrid to a digital cable set top box, do I still have the full functionality of the EyeTV 2.4 software as I would have with a direct cable connection without the setup box, such as scheduling programs to record?

Also, if I connect to a digital cable set top box, would it be better to connect it to the Hybrid through the coaxial cable or through the composite and audio ports, or better to connect it directly to the computer through firewire without going through the Hybrid?

Last, for ease of use, would it be better to skip the cable set top box and connect the cable directly to the Hybrid? What am I giving up by doing this?

 

[Multimedia]

EyeTV Hybrid Is For Off Air HDTV Recording Not Cable Nor Satellite

If I connect the Hybrid to a digital cable set top box, do I still have the full functionality of the EyeTV 2.4 software as I would have with a direct cable connection without the setup box, such as scheduling programs to record?

Also, if I connect to a digital cable set top box, would it be better to connect it to the Hybrid through the coaxial cable or through the composite and audio ports, or better to connect it directly to the computer through firewire without going through the Hybrid?

Last, for ease of use, would it be better to skip the cable set top box and connect the cable directly to the Hybrid? What am I giving up by doing this?

Everything. You cannot do any of the above. Hybrid is for OFF AIR recordings not from cable nor satellite boxes. OFF AIR has HDTV. OFF AIR is SUPERIOR to anything coming from cable and satellite.

 

[Tipton]

Everything. You cannot do any of the above. Hybrid is for OFF AIR recordings not from cable nor satellite boxes. OFF AIR has HDTV. OFF AIR is SUPERIOR to anything coming from cable and satellite.

Except that the programs that I watch are not broadcast over the air, only on cable. In any case, I thought you could connect a basic analog cable to the Hybrid and get the full functionality of the software for watching tv on your computer and for scheduling the recording of programs. What would be a better alternative than the Hybrid for doing this?

 

[ftaok]

Except that the programs that I watch are not broadcast over the air, only on cable. In any case, I thought you could connect a basic analog cable to the Hybrid and get the full functionality of the software for watching tv on your computer and for scheduling the recording of programs. What would be a better alternative than the Hybrid for doing this?

Here is what I think I know about the Hybrid. Keep in mind that I do not own one.

If you connect the Hybrid to the cable TV feed straight from the wall, you will be able to record any analog channel that is not filtered. Typically, this will include stuff like ESPN, MTV, TNT, Spike, etc.

If you want to connect your Digital STB, you could do it via composite/s-video (using the EyeTV breakout cable) or with coax (I would assume that you'd have to tune the Hybrid to Channel 3 or 4). With this set-up, you'd be able to record digital-SD channels (typically channels above 100 on the box).

For HD channels, you're out of luck with the Hybrid and the cable feed. You'll need to connect an OTA antenna for HD.

Now, all is not lost if you want HD. If your STB is a HD-STB, and it's Firewire port is active, you might be able to use Virtual D-VHS to record the HD streams. There's an extensive post on this topic at avsforum.com. With this set-up, you won't be using EyeTV at all.

ft

 

[kitki83]

wow That sucks, I wanted to do is use my second monitor as replacement of my CRT tv and work as a second monitor. I guess this product is not for what I want to use it, although good if I do not have cable. Is there a forum that may give me information about my cables boxes (1HDR and 2 generic no HDR) and offers tips on how to use them to you advantage or feature the common user wont know?

 

[Tipton]

Assuming that you want to use cable, here are four options.
1. Connect the cable directly to the Hybrid without going through a set-top box--you'll get all of the analog cable stations. The advantage is that you can schedule unattended recordings using the TitanTV program guide. This is a decent replacement for an analog TV. The disadvantage is the picture quality is not great, and analog broadcast may end in 2009.

2. Connect the cable to a set-top box first, then from that to the Hybrid--you'll get all of the SD digital cable stations. The advantage is that you'll get a great digital picture, plus a few extra digital channels not carried in analog. The disadvantage is that the Hybrid needs to be tuned to channel 3, therefore to record something, you need to physically change the station on the set-top box to the channel of the program before it comes on.

3. Get the Miglia TVMini HD+ (or any adapter that has QAM tuning) instead of the Hybrid, and connect the cable directly to that without going through the set-top box. The advantage of that is that you'll get all of the unencrypted digital channels including the HD channels, and you can schedule unattended recordings using TitanTV. The disadvantage is that the number of unencrypted channels may be limited and it's difficult to find out what they are until you actually connect it up. Furthermore, the channel selection varies from city to city even within the same company, the unencrypted channels for Comcast in Atlanta will be different from Comcast in Chicago.

4. Connect the cable to your set-top box first, then directly to your computer with a firewire cable without using the Hybrid. The advantage is that you'll get all of the unencrypted digital channels as in 3 above. The disadvantage is that you'll need to use some non-standard methods to get the picture running on your screen, such as described in this article below;
Cable TV + Mac + Firewire == HD-PVR

 

[Khryz]

Sorry to bump this thread again - but I've been here searching for hours on a way for me to capture video.

I have a Macbook 2.16 Gz 1GM RAM C2D bought this past July. I want to use a capture device to record some television shows as well as capture video from a PS2, a PS3, and an Xbox 360. Lastly let me tell you I am not technologically-savvy beyond the average consumer.

My first problem is I don't know the difference between Analog and Digital TV. How do I know which one I have? Here at my college dorms we connect our TV's from a cable that we connect to the wall. Back at my house, however, we have iO Digital Cable. I'm guessing iO uses Digital TV from the box, but what about my school?

After I figure that out, I understand I have the option of the Elgato Hybrid, or a product from the Miglia product line. The Elgato products seem to be more expensive but I'm assuming you get what you pay for? The Miglia TV Tuners are from about $40 to $60, while Elgato's are almost 3x as well.

I thought the EyeTV Hybrid would be my choice but after reading through these posts in this thread I'm more confused -- again.

I would really appreciate some help and sorry again for the bump.