What are SD programs? I still don't understand how you can get "free" HDTV channels using a simple antenna. Can someone explain to me what the difference between what the Miglia TVMini HD does versus the EyeTV 250?
If I CAN get an antenna for the EyeTV 250, could I still get the same free-to-air channels as those with the Miglia TVMini HD?
OK,
Here's a quick primer. This info refers only to USA standards.
SD = Standard Definition - resolution is limited to roughly 640x480 (sometimes also listed as 720x480 for stuff like DVDs). SD can be either analog or digital. Analog being 480i and digital being 480p.
HD=High Definition - HD in the US is always digital. The two flavors of HD being broadcast in the US are 720p and 1080i. Most new HDTV (if not all) support both standards.
OTA - over the air. Refers to signals received via an antenna.
NTSC - this refers to the type of tuner a TV uses. NTSC is the tuning system that you're used to receiving. If you use an antenna, you get VHF frequencies on channels 2-13 and UHF on channels 14-69. If you use cable, channels 2-125 are using NTSC.
ATSC - this is the tuning system used for OTA digital broadcasts. This is the type of tuner you'd be using if you wanted to get your HD channels with an antenna. ATSC also include your digital SD signals.
QAM - this is the tuning system used by some (most???) cable systems for digital broadcasts. With just the QAM tuner, you should be able to pick up any unencrypted digital channel, including HD ones. If you want to pick up the encrypted ones, you'll need to get a Cable Card and pay for the appropriate service.
With that said, the difference between the EyeTV 250 and Miglia HDTV mini is that one is a digital tuner and one is an analog one. The EyeTV 250 only has an NTSC tuner. So you will not be able to pick up any digital station ... therefore, HDTV is not acheivable.
With the Miglia HDTV mini, you have ATSC and QAM tuners, but no NTSC tuner. While you will be able to pick up HD channels either through an antenna or your cable connection, you won't be able to get the analog stations. If you're only interested in the local networks, then no problem since the locals usually show the same programs on the HD and SD channels. If you want all of your basic cable channels, then you're most likely SOL.
Other differences are that the EyeTV has hardware encoding while the HDTV mini doesn't. Not that big of deal if you have a newer Mac.
There are other minor differences, but they are too numerous to list.
If you want all three types of tuners, you'd need a 250 and a mini. There may be problems with the EyeTV software incorporating both tuners. Incidentally, if you only want/need NTSC and ATSC, elgato makes the EyeTV Hybrid. But you lose the QAM features.
ft
I don't have to look up anymore!
