![]() ![]() But the program guide repeatedly failed to download the digital cable channel lineup, no matter what we tried, leaving manual channel entry-and potential scheduling issues-as our only choice. The tuning component of Clear QAM worked perfectly in our testing, and looked fantastic-EyeTV 3 even auto-adjusts the window with every switch of the channel to give you the correct resolution and aspect ratio, useful to making high-def channels look more like HD. Elgato has added support for Clear QAM unencrypted digital cable decoding, enabling users to receive and watch standard- and high-definition cable channels without any additional hardware-assuming it’s on your current cable package. There were unfortunately some issues with the software that detracted from our overall experience. ![]() The feature works exactly as expected, except that the file created is in MPEG-2, and still needs to be converted into an iPod-optimized form source optimization isn’t part of the equation. It turns out that this feature is a little more than a wizard that shows you how to connect up video and audio cables to the EyeTV hardware, offers a preview of the video and audio currently being played back, gives you a chance to title the recording, and lets you either automatically via timer or manually stop it once it’s started. Elgato has noted that EyeTV 3 can help iPod users quickly record non-TV analog video such as VCR or camcorder output directly into an iPod-ready format, assuming that the EyeTV hardware-like EyeTV 250 or 250 Plus-has the requisite composite or S-Video inputs to do so. Elgato simply sets up the software as a web server to let you watch the files from an attractively designed web interface that’s incredibly easy to use on a mobile device.Īnother feature designed for iPod users is somewhat less mind-blowing than it sounds. This feature worked exactly as expected in our testing, permitting viewing in either low-quality cell phone standard mode or a superior, iPhone/iPod touch-ready format. And now, thanks to a surprisingly intuitive, simple new feature, you can actually view the iPod/iPhone-format files wirelessly from your computer’s hard drive without even transferring them using iTunes. You can set the software up to automatically convert files in 640×480 H.264 format, or in lesser, iPod/iPhone-sized versions, once they’ve been initially recorded in DVD-friendly MPEG-2. The big, general differences between EyeTV and a dedicated DVR such as a TiVo are these: EveTV lets you edit your recordings. Our single biggest complaint about EyeTV 3 isn’t Elgato’s fault: we just wish there was a super budget Mac akin to the Apple TV that could be affordably dedicated to its features all the time. If you want to keep EyeTV in full-screen mode and use your computer like a dedicated, powerful TV and DVR, you can otherwise, you can browse the Internet, listen to music, and keep EyeTV doing what it does, all at the same time. Unless you’re on an older machine, you’ll find that switching from feature to feature in the software is surprisingly quick Elgato’s hardware also includes an Infrared remote control to remove your need to mouse or keyboard through common options. Much of the software’s appeal is that it handles almost everything without requiring extensive user adjustment it generally does what it does the right way by default, and provides options solely if you want to make changes.īy comparison with TiVo systems, which tend to lag a little even when you’re navigating through their menus, Elgato’s software is fast, responsive, and almost completely in the background while you’re doing other things with your computer. ![]() Like TiVo, it also supports automatically scheduled season-style recordings of your favorite shows, with daily, weekly, weekend and semi-custom options. Recording any program requires a single click, and thanks to new EyeTV features, such as multiple, user-created Smart Guides that canvas the entire calendar for phrases of your choice, no matter where they appear in the title or keywords, channel name, or many other potential fields, EyeTV 3 becomes an even more powerful recording solution. You still get a program guide, here with a week’s worth of scheduling data so that you can plan out your recordings in advance, and the ability to quickly skip to any date and time on the grid. What’s great about EyeTV is the incredible scope and generally smart, intuitive functionality of the software: what you get here is now officially leagues beyond what TiVo and its many lesser competitors offer in today’s digital video recorders. ![]()
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