Elgato EyeTV Hybrid (NTSC)

I couldn't wait for this product to get off back-order status from Amazon so I went to Elgato's web-site and purchased it directly from the manufacturer (for more $). I could not believe my eyes when I saw the extreme clarity of the digital picture! It was noticeably better than the analog signal AND with the digital side you have control of the contents just like a TiVo (meaning, you can back-up several seconds or pause or go all the way back to the beginning). You lose the TiVo characteristics on the analog side (unless you record the show) but it is still acceptable to use if the station doesn't come in digital form at your location. The hard drive space will quickly become an issue if you record several hour long TV episodes per week. An hour long show will eat up about 7 8 GB's on average but this can be cut down 4.5 5 GB once you edit out the 16 minutes or so of commercials.

I have the MacBook Pro 2.0 Ghz Core Duo w/100 GB 7200 RPM hard drive and the 256 MB video card. When I plug into my 30" ACD I have a beautiful HD picture of any TV show I wish. The Elgato TV software works wonderful with the Front Row mini remote control, although, with a great deal of menu jumping, it is fully compatible with all functions just like a full size TV remote.

The TitanUSA web-site gives complete TV listings and downloads these updates to your hard drive for viewing on your Elgato TV software via menu like listings similar to TV Guide. Just clicking on the little red ball next to the listing is all you have to do to record that particular show. You can then edit the listing so that it records this show every week. Works just as well as my TiVo except... excuse me, NO EXCEPTION! It works BETTER than my TiVo because it records in HD! My old TiVo can't do that and the new ones can but you have to pay TiVo monthly subscriptions now because they don't have any more lifetime service contracts.

The available formats that you can convert your recorded content to is truly amazing. It will even allow conversion to your video iPod automatically or you can use Toast to archive your shows to DVD or CD.

One caveat I must mention: This small USB powered TV tuner thumb size device runs very HOT! Mine stopped working after only 3 weeks of occaisional use. The company is sending me a replacement but I would still recommend this product to any Mac user! It is that good! Hey, I might buy another just to have one on spare in case the first one craps out again. I'll not entertain another TiVo purchase with computer products like these available.

Oh yea, to those PC users out there; I was a Microsoft user since the DOS days (for 20+ years) and I switched to a Mac and never looked back! No more spyware and virus downloads or blue screens of death! Mac OS X is so much better than Microsoft could ever hope to be and Apple's next Leopard update will make Microsoft's Vista users enviously wanting to switch. This may be just my opinion, but it is a solid one.

I just managed to get this a few days ago and have been using it since. I own a Macbook Pro core duo and I thought it would be perfect to complete it as an entertainment system in my room. It's practically the size of an ipod mini, but double the thickness. First I tested the analog channels, all of the channels were choppy and had poor reception. I live 25 miles from the broadcast stations in NYC..the day my HDTV antenna finally arrived, I plugged it in and to my surprise after an auto-scan I was able to receive 28 free over the air HDTV signals! The quality is simply amazing and with my antenna next to the window I'm able to receive quality tv shows without much/any problems.

Before I got the eyetv hybrid. I had a tough debate, either it was Elgato Eyetv hybrid or Miglia hd tvmini...which I'll add both are excellent products. After doing the research, the choice was simple, here is the rundown:

Eyetv hybrid functionalities and bundles accessories:

1) receive basic analog tv signals (slated to be obselete by 2009 in USA)

2) receive free over the air HDTV signals in USA and parts of Europe(freeview)

3) comes with tuner, remote, usb extender, video cable, eyetv software

Positive: Can watch VCR, play console games, etc. through video cable on your MAC.

Negative: Antenna not included, cannot decode unencrypted digital cable signals from box (QAM. However it can decode regular analog cable signals from the box through video cable.

Miglia hd tvmini:

1) receive free over the air HDTV signals (USA ONLY)

2) comes with decent hdtv antenna, remote, tuner.

Positives:

CAN decode (QAM) digital cable signals from box.

Negative:

cant recieve analog signals, receives USA HDTV ONLY.

Slightly pricier than the Eyetv hybrid.

has no video cable, so cant use it for any other appliances like consoles/VCR.

Buy Elgato EyeTV Hybrid (NTSC) Now

The video input quality is pretty decent (as long as you set the Preference for Max. Don't even think about the other options, you'll get artifacts all over any motion.) I have no problem with the quality of what their software records.

But, I was expecting that EyeTV would be compatible with other Mac software that deals with video, such as iMovie and iChat Video. Nope. iMovie and iChat don't see it as an input device for either video or audio. It's not DV input to the Mac. It works with El Gato's own propietary software, and only that software. So, either you like the way El Gato's software works, or you don't use EyeTV. No choices. (And I have to hope that El Gato will be updating their software to keep up with future Apple software releases, so I don't end up with a useless dongle with Leopard is released.)

The format of El Gato's software's recordings is likewise proprietary, so if you want to move something to the Mac's iTunes and Front Row software, you have to go through a time-consuming export process. (El Gato does, however, provide software to export to a lot of useful formats, including for iTunes and iPod and Toast.)

El Gato's playback software does work reasonably with the Apple Remote. A minor annoyance is the El Gato playback software doesn't conform to the usual keyboard control keys used by the Mac's Quicktime, iTunes and VLC. (Would it have been so hard for command-3 to fit the video window to the screen, or command-F to be full screen like everything else?)

Read Best Reviews of Elgato EyeTV Hybrid (NTSC) Here

Be careful when ordering this product from Amazon. They are shipping out their old stock and the old version of this product which does not include the ability to record QAM (clear channel cable digital) only analog cable which will expire in 2009.

You should call Amazon before purchasing to make sure they are sending you the second hardware revision of this product as the name is exactly the same and that the new product includes the Version 3 of the software.

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I am using this product with a MacBook Pro Core 2 Duo 2.33 15" with 2g ram:

After reading the reviews on antennas, I found a used Zenith on eBay for $20 and ordered it before I ordered the Elgoto Eyetv Hybrid. Set up was a breeze. Load the disc, drag the file, attach the antenna and plug in the untit. In the words of Emeril, "BANG!" HD TV on my laptop.

The software did an instant scan of my available signals and just started playing. Couldn't be happier. It was everything I hoped for and twice as easy.

I plan on traveling with this (motorcycle camping etc) and the smaller the better. THe Zenith antenna works very well but it is unwieldy for travel packing, so I will probably try some retractable rabbit ears shortly.

I agree with D. Peturn about the heat the unit generates, but I haven't had a problem because of it and as a laptop owner, especially a Powerbook/Macbook, heat is something I've become used to.

BIG KUDOS TO ELGATO: Beyond the extreme ease of use and performance, I just want to take a moment to give props to Elgato for the extent of their attention to detail/service/quality and most especially, functionality...

Aside from the unit and some very friendly software, the Hybrid comes with a few neat and thoughtful extras that the company could easily have left out or offered at additional cost: a remote control (batteries included), a stereo mini female-to-L/R RCA male adapter for headphone jack-home audio connection and a USB mini to S-Video/audio adapter...

And lastly, my favorite, a six inch USB extension connector.

Why do I favor this? Because when I first plugged in the unit, I immediately recognized that that thing was eventually going to snap off because of how far it extends from the USB input on my laptop. Elgatos inclusion of the extension cable eliminates that possibility and protects the unit and your valuable computer.

It also allows the unit to clear when the DVI cable takes up all the space next to it.

Nice job Elgato.

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