As a stopgap measure-and a way for customers to get a taste of the service-Elgato has a free stripped-down web version () that lets you watch live and recorded programming.
This app lets you watch TV remotely, schedule recordings, browse the program guide, and launch EyeTV on your home Mac. (Ahem.)Ĭurrently, Elgato sells the EyeTV app for the iPod and iPhone for $4.95, and is waiting for the iPad-compatible version to be approved. Better yet, we were even able to watch TV while in the office.
With the EyeTV box connected to the MacBook Pro and the laptop and iPad connected to our wireless network, we were able to watch TV wherever we found a Wi-Fi signal. The neatest feature of the EyeTV HD is its ability to stream your TV to an iPad, iPod, or iPhone over Wi-Fi or 3G. However, the EyeTV HD has an edge on the Slingbox in that, after you record programs to your Mac-such as on-demand movies-you can export them to whatever device you like the EyeTV app will even format the video for the iPad or iPod.įor remote viewing, both the EyeTV HD and the Slingbox will save you money over the long run considering MLB.TV costs at least $80 per year, this device will pay for itself in two seasons-to say nothing of other sports, which aren't even available over the web. If your primary reason for getting the device is so you can watch shows while you're across the country, you'd be better served with a Slingbox and a cable box with built-in DVR.
If the Mac is your only computer and you have to take it on the road, you won't be able to watch programs, such as baseball games, remotely. This has its advantages and disadvantages. In order for the EyeTV HD to work, it has to be connected to a Mac that's on at all times. Scheduling a recording was simply a matter of finding the show, and clicking a little button next to the title. The EyeTV app automatically pulls in station listings (in our case from Comcast), which it shows in another window here you can schedule recordings and search for programs using Apple's search utility. A small icon in its upper right-hand corner brought up a menu where we could view details of the program, recordings, channels, a guide, and more. The app automatically filled the screen with a TV show you can adjust the aspect ratio to your liking.Ī small floating control panel showed the station name and number, and had buttons for recording, volume, play/pause, and forward/back. We hooked the EyeTV HD to a 15-inch MacBook Pro, and were up and running in about 5 minutes. Setup walks you through configuring the device to work with your cable box. If you're a Mac-having TV addict who isn't already outfitted with a TiVo and a Slingbox, the Elgato EyeTV HD may be just the solution for taking your favorite shows on the go.Installing the EyeTV HD was straightforward just copy the folder on the included CD to your Mac.
The same app can be used to dive into your recording schedule and make changes. By installing the optional EyeTV app ($4.99), users can stream live TV or any of their recordings over the Internet from their computers using Wi-Fi or 3G. The killer feature, though, is that iPad, iPhone, and iPod Touch users never really need to sync to their computers to transfer their recorded content.
Recordings are made in the h.264 video format with a maximum resolution of 1,920×1,080 pixels at 30 frames per second. Thanks to hardware acceleration, the EyeTV HD can simultaneously encode two versions of any incoming video: one optimized for HD playback on your Mac, iPad, or Apple TV and a smaller file for use with an iPhone or iPod. Unfortunately, scheduled recording of over-the-air transmissions is a no-go. A plug-in IR blaster communicates between your EyeTV and your cable box to tune in the appropriate channel when a show is ready to rip.
The EyeTV HD comes with recording schedule software powered by TV Guide. The EyeTV HD is bus-powered, so all it needs to get the job done is an available USB 2.0 port on your Mac. There's no HDMI, but by going analog, users are able to escape the headaches of digital video DRM. The box sports component and S-Video inputs capable of 1080i capture resolution or 720p. The sandwich-size hardware isn't much to look at, but put it between your Mac and your cable/satellite box and you've got a powerful tool for capturing the TV you're already paying for.