El Gato's EyeTV Hybrid digital/analog tuner for Macs

You know you need it: that squishy soft gaze that comes with the kind of numb only a TV can deliver at the end of a hard day. El Gato knows this too, and delivers yet another fix to Mac owners in the form of the EyeTV Hybrid. As the name implies, this USB 2.0 stick delivers both hi-definition capable digital ATSC and traditional analog NTSC tuners to record (in MPEG-2 if your Mac has the muscle), edit, and pause live TV when combined with El Gato's bundled EyeTV 2 software. What's more, the kit works with the Apple Remote and includes a break-out cable for connecting composite and S-Video sources like your gaming rig -- for "zero latency" play on your Mac's display -- or that dusty VCR to convert the ol' VHS collection into digital media. Inputs that owners of Apple's stellar, but otherwise inflexible, 30-inch displays will certainly appreciate. Available now for $150 or €150 for our DVB-T signal lovin' brethren.

[Thanks, Doug]

[dadada2000 @ Aug 17th 2006 10:02AM]

Does this only work with the new Macbook Pros? Will it work with the Powerbooks?? looks sweet!

[Intrepid @ Aug 17th 2006 10:05AM]

Digital TV on a PC isn't anything new, this stuff has been around for years and years! Oh wait... my mistake - this is for Mac.
Why don't you just install Windows...?

[Bob @ Aug 17th 2006 10:08AM]

Finally! I've been holding out for this one to come down the pipes.

[DrWho @ Aug 17th 2006 10:15AM]

Because if I installed windows I'd be using an inferior and out-dated operating system.

[Nick @ Aug 17th 2006 10:16AM]

Intrepid, why are you assuming this is the first Digital TV setup on the Mac? Moron....It's just one of many....Get over yourself.

[bob @ Aug 17th 2006 10:22AM]

intrepid, do you really think this is the 1st digital tv tuner for a mac? then you are very stupid and your post is a waste of time! you do realise macs are at the forefront of video editing dont you? why not stop wasting your time mac bashing and try one out before you post again!

[H the Preacherman @ Aug 17th 2006 10:23AM]

Intrepid - er, digital TV's been around on Macs for years and years too, you know.

[Fred @ Aug 17th 2006 10:27AM]

Why don't you just install Windows...?

Because I'm not an idiot.

[Rob @ Aug 17th 2006 10:29AM]

Would anyone switch from a Mac to an inferior system simply because digital TV has been available longer? I think not!

[Sharon @ Aug 17th 2006 10:32AM]

So when will we see a similar device, for either Mac or Windows, that is capable of pulling in the U.S. version of digital broadcast TV? Is there some sort of technical stumbling block that is keeping such a device, or a portable DTV, from being produced? It's incredibly frustrating to see such devices available in abundance throughout the rest of the world, but not here.

[Mike K. @ Aug 17th 2006 10:32AM]

Nice. I'd jump right out and buy one if Elgato would get off their butts and either release a version of EyeTV with Canadian TV listings support, or open it up so that we could use something like XMLTV to scrape listings from websites.

I like Elgato's hardware and software, but they've been promising that they're "looking into" Canadian listings support for years now.

[brian @ Aug 17th 2006 11:04AM]

For all of those Windoze fanboys who think M$ and Media Center PC's beat Apple to the game, here's a quick reminder from 23 years ago...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Macintosh_TV

[Jon T @ Aug 17th 2006 11:12AM]

Don't know about anyone else, but I am sick and tired of the Windows idiots who continually need to try and score points agains Apple Macs. Especially when almost invariably all they know about is Windows.

I'm sure Freud would have something to say about it, and it would not be complimentary either...

[Elizabeth @ Aug 17th 2006 11:38AM]

As far as weighing into macs vs. pcs, I just got my first mac for school and have fallen head over heels for it. I got an elgato eyetv 250 for mine a few weeks ago. But am I missing something? Wouldn't this work in the US as our digital broadcasts are in ATSC?

[Digger Phelps @ Aug 17th 2006 11:38AM]

@Sharon

This unit apparently DOES support OTA Digital broadcasts.
Note the inclusion of both ATSC and NTSC tuners.
All you need in an antenna.

[chris @ Aug 17th 2006 12:13PM]

can someone give me examples of what i would do with this? or how this is supposed to be used? i currently have an eyeTV 200 and am wondering what this hybrid device would give me that i don't get from the 200.

[Chris Byrd @ Aug 17th 2006 12:17PM]

You get Both Hi Def and Analog on a Tiny USB stick for $150. The 200 is jut analog and a bigger device, and previously the Eye TV 500 was the only Hi Def device and it cost over $300

[Dave @ Aug 17th 2006 12:38PM]

Seriously Apple, just throw a "Live TV" icon to Front Row, hook it into this EyeTV thing, and we're done. Front Row would be all the media center that I (personally) would need. But until then, it's just a toy.

[Leonard Nimrod @ Aug 17th 2006 12:45PM]

'Seriously Apple, just throw a "Live TV" icon to Front Row, hook it into this EyeTV thing, and we're done. Front Row would be all the media center that I (personally) would need. But until then, it's just a toy."

1) Elgato recently released new software that is either ties into FrontRow or emulates the lookand feel of FrontRow.

2) Apple won't relase a built-in DVR as it will rape it's iTunes Music Store's TV, music video and (hopefully soon) movie sales.


I'd really like to see the quality of this device for pulling HDTV. I really don't feelt he antenna shown is large or powerful enough for HD.

[Patrick McCarron @ Aug 17th 2006 1:02PM]

Apparently it doesn't support QAM HDTV like the EyeTV 500 did after a firmware update added that support. If they add QAM support I'll buy it immediately because I'm too far out to use anything but a large external antenna to get OTA HDTV.

Also I find it interesting that the EyeTV 500 isn't listed on their website anymore as a product. You can only buy it refurbished now. Maybe a refresh to that product is due soon?

[Jason @ Aug 17th 2006 2:06PM]

Hey guys,

The picture you're showing is incorrect as of 11:05 PDT - that is the EyeTV for DTT (for Europe). The EyeTV Hybrid does NOT include an antenna, rather it has a standard coax F-type connector on the end.

The breakout cable plugs into the side of the device, in the same little black mini usb port that's pictured on the side.

EyeTV for DDT: http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyetvdtt
EyeTV Hybrid: http://www.elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyetvhybridna

-Jason

[Paul W @ Aug 17th 2006 4:37PM]

damn it i only bought the EyeTV for DTT Stick last week. grrr i may have to return it and get this 1.

[juddsandage @ Aug 17th 2006 4:40PM]

@brian, yeah I own one of those MacTVs it can't record video, nor show it in a window, and amiga has been doing at least the video in and editing for just as long if not longer, so who is copying who? and just for the windows haters, your vaunted OS wouldent be where its at now with out Micro$oft.

[headwerkn @ Aug 17th 2006 7:38PM]

The MacTV may have not been able to record its TV signals, but plenty of Macs from the 90s (ie. 10-15 years old aka A Long Time™) could. I had a lowly Performa 630 with TV and video input - that displayed and recorded TV just fine thanks. Disk space was a problem - DIVX and MPEG4 were some time off. Most of my other Powermacs had AV ports, all you had to do was hook up an old VCR and use that as a tuner. worked a treat! btw... the software to do this was part of the MacOS 7-9 install.

I don't remember Windoze ever having its own multipurpose video/tv/capture application...

[pwfletcher @ Aug 17th 2006 7:43PM]

I just ordered one, but the confirmation screen said that it was for preorder only ... I guess that I'll have to wait :(

[dan @ Aug 17th 2006 9:37PM]

can anyone explain to me exactly what the set up for the hybrid is both analog and digital?
-is there an adapter that attaches to the tv
-is there an antennae that attaches to the usb device

It seems way to easy to just connect a usb device to my mac and have just the stick receive tv channels

[Ari @ Aug 18th 2006 7:00PM]

Is there a good reason the tuner doesn't support QAM?

[miketrogers @ Aug 21st 2006 1:06PM]

What does QAM do that OTA HDTV broadcast doesn't do?

[Steve Bryan @ Aug 21st 2006 4:58PM]

Intrepid

How nicely you combine smugness with your ignorance. It would be worthwhile for you to check that the company offering this product, Elgato, has been providing digital TV for the Mac for as long as it has been available for Windows machines. It also has the distinction that unlike the software that comes with the HDTV tuner for my PC it (Elgato's software) doesn't go ballistic when another video application is launched (e.g. Google Earth or WinDVD) and Elgato's software has never crashed my Mac unlike the regularity of the corresponding PC software failures.

The new factor in this case is the considerably smaller size and smaller price tag. This is not a market that makes running "guaranteed to crash" Windows a necessity. The PC products don't come within a country mile of Elgato (which is, of course, not perfect either). Read some of the AVS forums to get some actual information.

[MUTE MATT @ Aug 23rd 2006 1:45AM]

So would I be able to record LOST from an OTA HD signal? Thats really all I care about.

Any help would be MUCH appreciated!!

[SamW @ Jan 7th 2007 1:50AM]

You can't timeshift cable LiveTV when you use this device with EyeTV. This wasn't obvious when I bought it until I read the FAQ.

http://faq.elgato.com/index.php/faq/more/446/

[SamW @ Jan 19th 2008 4:50PM]

It took a while but EyeTV 2.5 now supports timeshifting for this tuner. I might give EyeTV another try.

http://faq.elgato.com/index.php/faq/more/594/

"6) Timeshifting For Devices Without Hardware Compression

EyeTV 2.5 now supports timeshifting functionality for analog TV tuners without built-in hardware compression such as EyeTV Hybrid. To enable this feature, open EyeTV’s preferences to the Devices pane, and check the “Enable Timeshift” box. "

[John Garvey @ Sep 1st 2007 6:02AM]

Terrible!! I had problems with setup, and they offer no phone support!

[Gerald @ Nov 2nd 2007 1:49AM]

The Macs are absolutely fantastic units. I also have a windows PC but it very often crashes, so it is not my favorite. At the moment, I only have a relatively old G3 powerpc Mac. Does anyone know whether this TV stick will work on it?

[H Rudell @ Feb 17th 2008 12:29PM]

I have at&t u-verse instead of cable or satelite. I can't figure out how to configure it:(

[Gerald @ Feb 18th 2008 1:30AM]

I have now updated to a G4 laptop, as I could not get the G3 to work with this stick. Everything now works fine with free to air TV.