Elgato EyeTV2 with Front Row-style interface for Macs (link to video)

15 Comments

This week’s ScreenCastsOnline has a first peak at Elgatos new EyeTV 2 software which is to to be released in the next few days.

Together with any of the range of Elgato hardware, the software finally allows Mac users to get Live and recorded TV on their Mac and control it via their Apple remote. The new “Full Screen Menu” mimics Front Row for a seamless experience in media management on the mac.

ScreenCastsOnline also takes a look at the new EyeTV for DTT just released in Europe which is a small USB tuner device about the size of a memory stick.

EyeTV 2 will play on any Mac, Intel or PPC so users can have a “Front Row” interface for their TV viewing on any Mac.

Direct link to view this weeks episode (.mov) here.

More here: http://www.screencastsonline.com

15 Comments

  4. So, the full screen version of EyeTV resembles FrontRow contains a link to launch FrontRow… but this doesn’t actually become part of FrontRow? Why can’t EyeTV be another item in the FrontRow circle of apps?? I would assume EyeTV would have done this if possible so that means apple is preventing the addition of new items to the FrontRow “menu”. Not a smart move on apple’s part.

    Reply

  6. This is the problem.

    There is a big switch going on from analog 4:3 aspect ratio, NTSC 400×600 pixel ratio content to 1980 x 1000, 1080p, 16:9 aspect ratio, digital content (ClearQAM for cable, ATSC for over the air) for High Definition in the United States.

    The process is to be completed by 2008 by law.

    Most all TV’s being sold will require a digital cable box to hook up to them to get content.

    To protect the content is a bunch of DRM schemes, most notable the HDCP that encrypts the content all the way to the monitor. A special license is required to design these DRM chips as well as a authentication process that can change with keys being exchanged.

    It’s not bulletproof, but it allows content providers to sue anyone who makes a product like the EyeTV or other TV video devices to get TV on a computer screen.

    So this might sound like a great idea for now, and there is the EyeTV 500 that decodes ClearQam signals, but the EyeTV 500 doesn’t have the HDCP DRM decoding chip.

    So this is the problem. You can buy a analog EyeTV and enjoy this with the regular analog stations in poor quality. Soon to be obsolete.

    You can use the EyeTV 500 for the “free HD” channels that don’t have HDCP (very few now) and as the analog stations switch, you can still be fine.

    But for all the present and future HDCP encrypted HD channels, HBO, Showtime, Playboy etc., etc, you are completely and totally screwed

    HDCP was created by Intel for Hollywood, and the Intel processors can decode HDCP, it’s up to Apple to provide a DRM solution to the monitor. Which new monitors will be needed that have the DRM chip inside.

    So we should expect to see something, as Apple is rumored to have a new monitor for Mac Pro’s with built in iSight, so I expect the DRM for HD chip to be in there as well, as well as BlueRay DVD drives.

    I should be a very exciting August.

    Although I would wait until Apple produces a eight core Mac Pro before buying, as Intel is releasing these chips at the end of the year.

    Reply

  8. I know….

    I’ve been visiting the El Gato website daily because I really am looking forward to the newer version of the software..

    Now if only they can improve it with a ‘season pass’ like feature that Tivo has, I wont be cursing Tivo for dumping ‘lifetime’ subscriptions anymore. I’ll be replacing Tivo altogether.

    Reply

  11. SO… if you wanna record programs, do you have to leave your mac on with EyeTV2 running all the time? sorry if its a dumb question.

    Yes, and it’s processor and disk intensive when recording because the processors in the Mac are used to decode the signal on the fly (that’s why you need to wait a bit at first, then skip ahead for the “rewind” ability). Then the Mac’s that have Front Row standard from Apple all have slow drives.

    Now a PowerMac G5 with a very fast boot drive for SD TV or a RAID O external for HD TV can record the content no problem.

    Still as with all hard drives, the more you fill them, the slower they get.

    Of course some kind of hardware and software hack is needed to get Front Row working on PowerMac’s.

    Apple obviously has something very special lined up for the new Mac Pro’s.

    1: BlueRay DVD

    2: Front Row

    3: iSight integrated monitors w/ HD DRM chip

    Reply

  14. Darn! I keep getting “The operation cannot be completed because you do not have sufficient privileges for some of the items”!!?? even though I am in my admin account. I have 2 other users accounts that are logged off right now… Any ideas?

    Reply

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