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Elgato rolls out smaller, Windows 7-supporting EyeTV Hybrid
Elgato's original EyeTV Hybrid USB tuner wasn't exactly oversized, but the company has nonetheless managed shrink things down a bit for the device's latest revision, and it's added some Windows 7 support for good measure. Most of the size reduction comes from ditching the analog connector found on the previous model (you'll still get an adapter), and you'll also now get a sturdier aluminum enclosure that stays in line with the company's Mac-only roots. Otherwise, you'll get the same support for over-the-air HD broadcasts as before, along with Elgato's EyeTV 3 software, and an included remote control -- all for the same $150 that the original model cost.
EyeTV app for iPhone released
Elgato, maker of EyeTV, has released EyeTV for iPhone [iTunes Link], an app that allows access to both live and recorded video content from any Mac running EyeTV 3.2 or later. The $4.99 app lets you view live and recorded TV on your iPhone or iPod touch over your local network, and it also allows you to access the same content from a remote WiFi location using a service called MyEyeTV. Unsurprisingly, just like SlingPlayer, access over 3G isn't possible. Accessing either live or recorded TV over your local network is simple, and usually works well. Recorded content plays back almost immediately with barely a stutter to be seen -- the caveat to this is that all recorded content has to be rendered into a format the iPhone will understand, which can take a while if you have a slower Mac. Live TV takes longer to load on your iPhone and is far more finicky. I found the only way to get reliable, stutter-free playback on my iPhone was to close the EyeTV playback window on my Mac. Apparently the strain of displaying content on my Mac and simultaneously streaming it to my iPhone was just too much for a 2.6 GHz processor to handle. You can set video quality on Live TV from 80 kbps to 800 kbps, and there's also a setting that allows you to always use highest quality when you're on a local network. Again, streaming over my local network almost always worked well, so long as I wasn't trying to play back content on my Mac at the same time.
Miglia TVBook Pro, records live DTV
When you're not pounding away on your computer, you probably like to chill out in front of your TV. Now you can veg out on your MacBook Pro with Miglia Technology's new TVBook Pro, which was announced today. This portable digital TV receiver (it handles DVB-T) fits nicely into your ExpressCard slot (with an included amplified antenna that plugs into your USB port) and also includes Elgato's EyeTV software, which will let you watch and record your favorite shows direct to your Mac. But American TV fans, start emailing Maglia now, because for now there's no word on when we'll get it stateside, but our lucky European cousins will get the TVBook Pro will retail for €149 this October. That aside, Maglia seems to also have included time travel equipment inside this little device. As the press release says: "Reinvent your TV experience by pausing, rewinding or even skipping forward live TV, ensuring you never miss any part of what you are watching." Yes, we understand that the company means you can fast forward stuff you've already recorded, but that's not how it's written. Unless they mean to say that they've torn the flux capacitor out of Doc Brown's DeLorean, in which case Miglia needs to call us right away to explain how it works.
