Upgrading from an EyeTV 200 + Turbo.264
Using this on my older iMac Core Duo (first Intel iMac); I'm just using 480/Composite input from a DirectV D12 Standard Def box. This EyeTV HD works great. No more CPU power needed for transcoding from EyeTV's program format to export to iTunes. All my content is for an iPod Touch (which also plays on Android devices too). I have an iPad but don't use it for native iPad res.
If you're looking for a way to get content from your Sat/Cable and have a spare Sat/Cable STB this is a great device. Ideal more so for iPhone/iPod Touch - I'm leery to use on an iPad as I would need to bump up to a HD STB and use Composite but this would also increase CPU requirements - maybe when I upgrade the iMac (BTW: HD viewing/recording works fine on newer iMac's - tried it on my Macbook Pro - NO issues)
Great way to avoid buying content from iTunes (TV Shows, etc) if you already have access to that content on your Sat/Cable subscription.
It records the stream in EyeTV's format + h.264 native to iPhone (and iPad if desired) so this means you can pick shows (I setup a Smart Guide to find the shows I want and set it to filter new episodes only) - then set those shows to export to iPhone/iPod Touch. This will automatically at the end of the recording import those shows to iTunes - NO user interaction needed. Every time I sync iTunes I have loads of content without purchasing the same content on iTunes. Import to iTunes is instantaneous as there is no transcoding needed as this device does as mentioned record an h.264 stream - import is simple repacking the stream into a proper file and it takes under a minute.
This device DOES have SD inputs - though the composite input wiring is flaky - I used S-Video and analog audio as I'm not in the mood yet to upgrade to an HD STB.
Gotchas's: If upgrading from an older EyeTV device were you use a 3rd party IR blaster; download EyeTV Reporter from Elgato's support site and use that to FULLY remove your old EyeTV install (it will keep your library of old content - but backup to be sure). Remove the IR App and drivers (drag the app to trash and remove from Login Items/Users System Preferences then reboot and EyeTV should allow their built in IR blaster to work fine) - I wasted 2 hours on this and Elgato should have had better sense in the EyeTV software to catch this! IR commands to the new built in IR blaster were being bypassed to my removed Zephir blaster. Following previous steps though fixed this.
Dislikes: Would like if EyeTV software had an option to delete the recording from EyeTV's software once it has a successful export to iTunes; Once a month I go to EyeTV and delete all recordings. You CAN HOWEVER set it to store only the LATEST ONE episode of each show in EyeTV so worst you get is one recording stored in EyeTV with all previous recording being imported to iTunes no issue.
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Elgato EyeTV HD turns your Mac into a DVR, streams to iPhone
This review taken verbatim from my tech column... Overall, great product but requires some computing horsepower to really shine.Last week, Elgato announced a new TV tuner/DVR solution for the Mac. It is called the EyeTV HD and pulls 720p HD cable content right from your cable box. The device was born out of the need to get television shows and movies out of the living room and on to the multitude of devices people are using to get their daily fix.After one week of using the EyeTV HD, I have come to the conclusion that for Mac users, there is no better way to move content from cable box to computer. Initial setup time is less than 15 minutes and is very straightforward. As soon as the cables are connected and software installed, the little guy can be put to work recording content to your computer's hard drive. By using an IR blaster to control the cable box, cannels can be switched by the EyeTV software, thus enabling scheduled recording- just like a standard DVR. The programming guide is powered by TVGuide and matched up accurately with my FiOS on-screen listings. This service is subscription based ($19.99/year) but Elgato includes one free year with hardware purchases.Programs can be recorded manually, or by adding them to the record schedule. The EyeTV HD works just like a stand-alone DVR, but only one program can be recorded at a time. Content is stored in a proprietary EyeTV format that weighs in at about 5GB per hour- small hard drives need not apply. To set up a recording, all it takes is a click on the record icon located beneath the show listing, the EyeTV software does the rest.Once recorded, content is converted for playback on the iPhone, iPad, or both. In addition, recordings can be exported to all the popular formats, including DivX, Windows Media, and native H.264. The converted content is also automatically added into iTunes, complete with title, description, cast, rating, and more. This makes searching for specific shows or moves extremely easy and I found it to be a nice touch. Want to edit the recordings before sending them to you mobile device? That can be done within the EyeTV app as well. Users can trim out commercials and split up long recordings with a few clicks of the mouse. The process is very intuitive and also nondestructive, as original recordings are kept alongside the edited copies.In addition to functioning as a DVR, the device can also stream both live and recorded programs to an iPhone using the optional EyeTV app ($4.99). My experience streaming over WiFi was flawless. Content streamed from a 2.66GHz MacBook Pro to an iPhone 3GS looked as if it were being played locally. Viewing over 3G also worked well, though video would frequently re-buffer, especially in congested areas. Current 3G speeds are not really designed to stream high quality video, but as the faster networks come into use, apps like this will really begin to shine.Overall, the EyeTV HD works as advertised. The video quality is high, the conversion process works without a hitch, and the video editing is simple. One thing to keep in mind is the reality that you will need to have the HD set-top box near your computer for this all to work. Component video cables can easily be found in 10-foot lengths, but beyond that, the risk for signal quality loss comes into play. Bottom line, Mac users serious about their television will not be disappointed with Elgato's latest offering.The good:- TV lovers' dream come true, only limited by the size of your hard drive- Setup instructions are clear, takes less than 15 minutes- Captures high quality 720p HD- Quickly converts video to iPhone and iPad friendly formats, about 5 minutes per half-hour of video- Editing is very easy- Can also record from S-video and composite video with included adapter- Ability to stream to iPhone over Wi-Fi and 3G (see below video for demo)The bad:- Core 2 Duo Mac required, very processor intensive to run- Cable/Satellite box needs to be located near the EyeTV HD and computer- Annual subscription to TVGuide required after first year, $19.99- Decreased productivity levels resulting from 500 channels of television on computer and in pocket
