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Wanted: Mac-compatible USB TV tuner

G

GPS Pilot

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Jun 27, 2015
2
1
They do exist... or at least they did.

I'm looking for a little Mac-compatible USB unit, with an ATSC tuner, that won't cost an arm and a leg. Here are some examples:
  • Pinnacle 82301003001 is discontinued, and I couldn't find any used ones, not even on eBay.
  • Elgato EyeTV is discontinued... four used units available on Amazon starting at $270 (obviously doesn't meet the arm-and-a-leg criteria!)
  • Hauppauge 80eM PCTV is discontinued... B&H has used units for $75 (a price I'm still not happy with, given that if I didn't need Mac compatibility, I could get a new Kworld UB435-Q for only $25)
Can anyone think of a solution?

Thanks
 
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The elgato EyeTV Hybrid is still available through Amazon.com and other outlets. elgato EyeTV tuner software is the Gold Standard for TV viewing and recording.

The fact that TV tuners for Windows and Mac are no longer on the market means that there is not enough buyer demand for these computer accessories. However, this does not mean that they have suddenly stopped working. If you want to watch TV on your Mac, then buy an elgato EyeTV Hybrid while it is still in stock.
 
MisterMe said:
The fact that TV tuners for Windows and Mac are no longer on the market means that there is not enough buyer demand... buy an elgato EyeTV Hybrid while it is still in stock.
Click to expand...

There are plenty of them on the market for Windows, such as the Kworld UB435-Q ($25 new). Is the EyeTV Hybrid still in stock? Depends whether you consider $270 for a used unit reasonable (MSRP had dropped to $149 before it was discontinued). Sadly, I will not be buying at that price.
 
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dwig said:
The link works fine for me.
Click to expand...

This is interesting. I am located in the US. I have not been able to access elgato's main website for weeks if not longer. I able to access elgato's help site through the link in Kaspin's Post #10. Even here, clicking on the link to the main site on the help page sends me an inaccessible URL.

For a minute, I thought that the main site may be inaccessible from just the USA. However, dwig can access it from Key West, FL. This is all very strange.
 
sevoneone said:
I would take a look at the HD Homerun box. Dual tuners and streams to a wide range of devices over Ethernet for $129
Click to expand...

How specifically would this work compared to the EyeTV? I've had one for several years but always seemed to have problems with it. Just glancing quickly at the specs it seems I would have to connect it to both coaxial cable and ethernet at the point of my router, versus my EyeTV which is connected to cable directly at the TV and connects to the computer by micro-USB. Is this correct?
 
Please don't quote me (as the line goes) but I recall several years ago that the Elgato software worked with some non-Elgato offerings. If this is the case, it would be a matter of getting the software first and then finding which hardware you can grab that is compatible. I had EyeTV years ago (actually a couple of different models). I admit they worked reasonably well but find the exercise a bit tiresome. Before those days, I had an ATI Wonder card in a PC.

I don't know but does ATI still offer a USB version of their Wonder series? That might be worth investigating as well.
 
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GPS Pilot said:
They do exist... or at least they did.

I'm looking for a little Mac-compatible USB unit, with an ATSC tuner, that won't cost an arm and a leg. Here are some examples:
  • Pinnacle 82301003001 is discontinued, and I couldn't find any used ones, not even on eBay.
  • Elgato EyeTV is discontinued... four used units available on Amazon starting at $270 (obviously doesn't meet the arm-and-a-leg criteria!)
  • Hauppauge 80eM PCTV is discontinued... B&H has used units for $75 (a price I'm still not happy with, given that if I didn't need Mac compatibility, I could get a new Kworld UB435-Q for only $25)
Can anyone think of a solution?

Thanks
Click to expand...
Not sure if you are still looking but I have a Miglia TVMiniHD for Mac. It's still in the box and it works flawlessly with EyeTV 3.6.8. It is the US version, comes with USB cord and Remote.
 
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Cox just notified Phoenix area users that ATSC / Clear - QAM is going away this month. For those of us who don't use a converter they rent a MiniBox for $2.50/Month (first 2 years free). I've searched and questioned until I'm blue in the face. Here's the results. Sign up for Contour @ $79.99 month, access Cox via the web. I currently pay $25 a month for the Starter Package which gave me all local and a few other channels using EyeTV. EyeTV will quit working sometime during the month. If anybody has any better information I would appreciate you sharing it. I will not add another $50 for basic Contour just to get web browser access. Back to antenna I guess although tried 3 or 4 different ones and always had to fuss with them depending on channel. This messes up auto-scheduling when channels switch.
 
When they say clear QAM is going away, they are saying that they will be encrypting the data on all channels and you need one of their boxes to decrypt the data stream, or stream via the web. When comcrap did this in our area a couple years ago I just dropped them and went to over the air broadcasts. I installed two decent gain antennas each pointed in different directions (optimum for the broadcasters in that direction). I picked up a couple HD HomeRuns and connected one to each antenna and run a ethernet cable through a $20 network switch to a spare ethernet port on my Mac mini media center. I installed the free Myth program and subscribed to a electronic guide service ($20 a year) and never looked back.

Us digital OTA is optimized for long distance unobstructed line of sight, so it does not deal well with multipath created by trees and buildings. So it may or may not work well for you. But OTA gives you a multitude of subchanels not available on cable or satellite service providers.
 
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ColdCase said:
When they say clear QAM is going away, they are saying that they will be encrypting the data on all channels and you need one of their boxes to decrypt the data stream, or stream via the web. When comcrap did this in our area a couple years ago I just dropped them and went to over the air broadcasts. I installed two decent gain antennas each pointed in different directions (optimum for the broadcasters in that direction). I picked up a couple HD HomeRuns and connected one to each antenna and run a ethernet cable through a $20 network switch to a spare ethernet port on my Mac mini media center. I installed the free Myth program and subscribed to a electronic guide service ($20 a year) and never looked back.

Us digital OTA is optimized for long distance unobstructed line of sight, so it does not deal well with multipath created by trees and buildings. So it may or may not work well for you. But OTA gives you a multitude of subchanels not available on cable or satellite service providers.
Click to expand...
It is not legal to encrypt broadcast TV. That is not what Comcast Xfinity does. Xfinity streams content over a closed network via IPTV. I am willing to bet dollars to donuts that Cox is now going a similar route. For the subscriber, this is a distinction without a difference. However, it appears to skirt the prohibition against encryption of retransmitted broadcast TV.
 
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