HDHomeRun Replaces EyeTV 500

Posted in EyeTV, HDTV, Hardware | 9 comments

When I read about HDHomeRun being integrated into EyeTV’s software, I immediately ordered one from El Gato. I’ve been using two EyeTV 500 units to watch and record OTA HDTV programming for a while on my Mac HTPC and have been quite satisfied with the set-up. So, why the change? A few VERY compelling reasons.

EyeTV Software: State of The Union @ v2.4

Posted in Applications, EyeTV | 0 comments

Well, it’s been almost a year since so many EyeTV users vented their frustrations about the (de?)evolution of the EyeTV software since they first rolled out a Full Screen interface. I was one of the most vocal and a mea culpa of sorts is in order.

In particular, my furious position on the massive GUI overhaul between v2.3.0 & 2.3.1 that removed the very familiar Front Row-style menu navigation seems pretty naive in retrospect. Frankly, the way Apple smacks anyone who remotely uses an iPod-type interface leads me to believe that El Gato got a cease and desist from Cupertino soon after the release of 2.3.0 that led their designers to quickly strip as much of the “Jonathan Ive” as possible from the next version of their software.

So maybe I was being a bit of an asshole. And for that I apologize. Particularly since a workaround dropped at no less than MacOSXHints, making the royal blue an easily-terminated design choice.

And the very-obvious continued improvement in performance (particularly regarding multiple tuners) has me surrendering to the latest build when they’re released. I’ve said it before and will probably be saying it for a while no longer…EyeTV is the only game in town for my needs and the fact that they continue to move forward despite the silent curses I send their way occasionally speaks volumes about them as a company.

That said…a little friendly (and legitimate) competition wouldn’t bother me one bit!

EyeTV Hybrid Review @ MacWorld

Posted in Applications, EyeTV, HDTV | 0 comments

Macworld offers a pretty thorough review of the EyeTV Hybrid. I shied away from this model due to the USB connection and the reviewer doesn’t mention the 500 (which I use x2), so it’s not entirely complete from my POV.

Regardless, it does sound awesome for folks on the road with Intel laptops…no way I’d drag a 500 with me on a trip.

Read it all here.

Mac Picture-In-Picture HDTV

Posted in EyeTV, HDTV | 2 comments

Among the colossal missteps El Gato has made in recent releases sits a gift…version 2.3.2 introduces a surprisingly robust Picture-In-Picture feature.

DISCLAIMER: For some reason or another, there a lot of folks who think adding PIP means they just gained an additional tuner. They didn’t. You must have TWO EyeTV units to use PIP with two different live TV feeds. You can use it with one tuner, but the other window will be recorded material.

So, assuming you have two tuners, I think you’ll find the PIP to be a very deluxe feature. Not only can it be moved to the four corners of your screen, but El Gato also created two new position/sizing options. I created a small video of the switch between them to illustrate the possiblities.

I was really excited after taking this feature for an initial spin…especially about how dynamic the window position is. But after a few minutes, I realized that PIP has become an outdated feature. Tivo eliminated the need to juggle two live shows by allowing users to record them, making PIP just a very crude, analog form of timeshifting…with no control over the content’s position.To be fair, there are some things I’d like to watch live…in particular, the occassional sporting event. But most of my EyeTV viewing is “regular” programming that isn’t time-sensitive (beyond a vulnerability to spoilers). I’m not a huge sports fan and that’s the only place I see folks really gaining regular functionality out of PIP.

That said, EyeTV adding PIP is more than what it appears on the surface. I’ve written a number of articles about using dual EyeTV tuners and until PIP, El Gato had not officially recognized the feature. But PIP is their first step in making dual tuners a REAL, officially-supported feature. And that is a HUGE move forward for Mac users fiending for Tivo-functionality.

And the implimentation and feature set are thick for a first introduction. As you can from the below screenshots, there are more than a couple of way to enjoy this new feature.

Overall, my contempt for 2.3.2 (and 2.3.1) cancels out the shallow enjoyment PIP offers. Instead of adding new functionality, El Gato needs to get back to the basic application framework and listen to it’s customer’s real needs. Period.

EyeTV 2.3.2 Quick Review

Posted in EyeTV, HDTV | 1 comment

Yesterday around 6pm PST, El Gato released a new version of EyeTV’s software. Despite an avalanche of complaints from users over the major changes made in 2.3.1, El Gato ignored all of the major ones and even managed to cripple functionality a little more. Here we go:

THE GOOD

PIP – Adding Picture-In-Picture explains a lot about EyeTV’s development focus…even before 2.3.1, they were focusing on adding HUGE functionality to the software. So much that they were completely unable to notice huge mistakes they were making in some of the small details (like making their Mac app look like a verison of Windows OS, for instance).

That said, I like fooling around with PIP…expect a post exclusively about this functionality in the next couple of days.

Change Channels via Apple Remote – It’s no longer necessary to exit Live TV to change a channel, but they pulled Jump Forward and Back in exchange. To that end, I’m not sure this is such a huge step forward. Time will tell if users wanted that functionality, I suppose. But making users jump to the menu to navigate channels was nuts to begin with.

THE BAD

deep breath…

It’s amazingly frustrating when a company straight-up ignores a united voice from their customers for functionality change. 2.3.1 introduced the following:

Eliminated the Front Row menu option
Added a heavily Windows-influenced theme
“De-integrated” Front Row from the app
Switched the way menus change away from Front Row’s style
Made the Apple Remote’s Menu Button trigger Front Row from anywhere in EyeTV

These were all quickly and loudly addressed to El Gato in forums and emails, who offered very little communication (in most cases, none) in return. Most of us held out hope an update would fix some of these oversights.

They didn’t.

I knew right away upon seeing the Windows MCE Royal Blue that things weren’t any different from before. And trying it out for a few minutes made me realize I wouldn’t have to elaborate anymore about how disappointed I am…referring people to my 2.3.1 review would accurately reflect my feelings about El Gato’s latest build.

I’ll start hoping 2.3.3 will begin to address the weakened foundation 2.3.1 and 2.3.2 created for customers. But I’m certainly not holding my breath.

Mac HDTV Jukebox #2 = EyeTV 2.3.0

Posted in EyeTV, HDTV | 1 comment

In my previous post, I detailed the compelling reasons why Front Row makes an excellent HD jukebox. But the one huge drawback is VLC’s weak .ts playback control. Jumping back and forward isn’t going to happen. A bookmark feature is nonexistant. Digital Output is not automatically selectable. But all three features are present and available in EyeTV.

Using EyeTV as a video jukebox involves looking beyond the standard feature set. DVD Assist’s developer reminded me recently that one can “import” .ts files into EyeTV’s library by streaming them through EyeTV’s tuner and recording them simultaneously.

I use the word “reminded” because El Gato’s support clued me into this feature when I asked about importing orphaned EyeTV mpeg files back into the program. They pointed me to this article in their FAQs. And it worked beautifully. In the beginning.

But as I began playing back .ts files, I noticed some of them weren’t having their AC3 signals recognized. Files that played back without a problem in VLC were silent in EyeTV. There isn’t any rythme or reason to which files it accepts…even when I “clean” the files up in varous Mac and Windows apps, no joy.

So the good news is you can timeshift exactly as you would an EyeTV recording (ie like Tivo). The bad news is your very favorite .ts file might not offer any sound in EyeTV. To that end, EyeTV is so very perfect with it’s playback control but not stable enough to playback ANY .ts file you’d like…something VLC always seems to able to do.

Beyond HDTV, it’s worth noting that EyeTV can play back any QT file you’d like. It will open in an EyeTV window and allows total playback control. You just can’t import it into EyeTV’s library…Nick at El Gato set me VERY straight about this point.