TV Tuner for Mac Mini?

[jayeskreezy]

Is it possible to have tv tuner for the mac mini? Do you have to have a cable tv connection in order to get channels via your desktop?

What type of tv tuner do I need to get for a mac mini? laptop? powerbook? etc.

 

[varmit]

Is it possible to have tv tuner for the mac mini? Do you have to have a cable tv connection in order to get channels via your desktop?

What type of tv tuner do I need to get for a mac mini? laptop? powerbook? etc.

EyeTV, best TV tuner for the Mac out there. I would say that its only worth while doing if you have cable or satelite TV.

 

[rainman::|:|]

Question about EyeTV, is this an acceptable alternative to Tivo? I'd like the features but I'm not willing to pay $10/month subscription for a digital VCR.

 

[macbaseball]

Question about EyeTV, is this an acceptable alternative to Tivo? I'd like the features but I'm not willing to pay $10/month subscription for a digital VCR.

I've never had a Tivo, but I believe it's a good alternative. You can schedule recordings, watch live TV, edit down footage, and compress video if you want. I'm not sure what else Tivo can do. I like the EyeTV because it's Mac only, and Tivo doesn't support Mac.

 

[MacPassion]

I had the TiVo a few years ago, and it looked alright at that time. I saw EyeTV in action on a iMac 20'' and it was absolutely fantastic. The image was perfectly clear and no delay at all. Now at home I have Hauppauge (that I watch on a laptop pc) and it is alright....nothing that really excite me...

I'd definitely go for EyeTV...

 

[jayeskreezy]

I had the TiVo a few years ago, and it looked alright at that time. I saw EyeTV in action on a iMac 20'' and it was absolutely fantastic. The image was perfectly clear and no delay at all. Now at home I have Hauppauge (that I watch on a laptop pc) and it is alright....nothing that really excite me...

I'd definitely go for EyeTV...

oh so you still need to have a cable tv or satellite connection? what if you have cable internet? is that enough?

 

[ravenvii]

oh so you still need to have a cable tv or satellite connection? what if you have cable internet? is that enough?

No. You don't get free cable TV with a TV tuner, and even if it's possible somehow, the cable companies would crush it. So quit dreaming and pay up.

 

[jayeskreezy]

No. You don't get free cable TV with a TV tuner, and even if it's possible somehow, the cable companies would crush it. So quit dreaming and pay up.

YOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO you need to calm down. I was asking the question because I don't have it, but am considering it because I'm always on my computer. I'm not trying to hijack cable TV-it's really not that serious to me. I just don't understand the hype over a TV tuner on your computer if it's really no different than a standard tv. I mean I have my own television already...I honestly just wanted to know.

 

[northernleitz]

ElGato makes several varieties of EyeTV. I got an EyeTV 200, which has firewire 400 interface. You can plug it into either Cable or RCA (as in from a VCR or satellite box). I believe they also make an HDTV version with a built-in antenna.

It's a great product. Pause live TV, convert to quicktime, edit out commercials, import it to Toast and slap it on a DVD. I remember going out of my mind trying to describe Most Extreme Elimination Challenge to a friend with no TV... I just recorded four hours of an MXC marathon, edited out the commercials, and, well, you know the rest. I also use it quite a bit in recording documentaries and the like for my classes.

 

[macbaseball]

No. You don't get free cable TV with a TV tuner, and even if it's possible somehow, the cable companies would crush it. So quit dreaming and pay up.

Actually with the EyeTV 500 you don't need to subscribe to cable if you live in a well developed area, or if oyu jsut have the standard cable package you can receive free HD content. The EyeTV receives unencrypted digital signals, which basically means:

1) If you have standard cable then you can receive the braodcasted HD channels which basically means Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC.

2) If you have the digital package through your cable company you can record/watch all of the channels you could if you had an HDTV.

3) If you don't pay for cable you can receive the braodcasted HD channels which basically means Fox, CBS, NBC, and ABC over the air.

In cases one and three you are getting channels you didn't pay for.

 

[varmit]

Question about EyeTV, is this an acceptable alternative to Tivo? I'd like the features but I'm not willing to pay $10/month subscription for a digital VCR.

You get a free TitanTV account when you get the EyeTV.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

Threads like this want me to go out and get a Mac mini, EyeTV, and large screen with DVI input. With the new season starting, I think will end up missing my Cable DVR.

 

[jayeskreezy]

so how do you get your cable internet to work as well as your cable tv on your computer? There's only one cable wire coming from the wall.

 

[Chip NoVaMac]

so how do you get your cable internet to work as well as your cable tv on your computer? There's only one cable wire coming from the wall.

With Cox cable they have a splitter that they give you for free, that allows to split "regular" cable and the "internet" cable singles. So far it seems to work well....