Elgato EyeTV HD DVR Bridges Cable/satellite TV To iPad & Macs

Elgato have updated their media streamer range with the EyeTV HD DVR, a small box that allows you to hook up a cable or satellite receiver and stream that content – including premium channels – to a Mac, iPhone or iPad.  The EyeTV HD box allows for either permanent recording of video – which can then be transferred to a mobile device via iTunes – or live streaming via their EyeTV app.

Connectivity includes component audio/video for hooking up the cable or satellite receiver, and USB for linking to the Mac.  An IR blaster controls the STB, so that you can change channel or even set up recordings remotely, and there's an IR remote in the box for local control.

The $199.95 sticker price includes a year's access to the the Elgato TV Guide, and the included software apparently makes editing ads out of the final recordings straightforward.  If you're looking to transfer old video content you can do that too, plugging in via the analog inputs.

Press Release:

Elgato Debuts EyeTV HD – The Ultimate DVR for High Definition TV

Full-featured DVR captures television, including premium channels, from cable or satellite receivers and delivers it live to Macs

Updated EyeTV 3.4 software will enable streaming of live or recorded TV on Apple's® iPad

San Francisco, Calif. – May 24, 2010 – Today, Elgato debuted the world's only DVR solution which provides full access to premium cable or satellite TV content on a Mac – EyeTV HD. Customers can now watch record, edit and enjoy cable and satellite in high-definition, including all their premium channels. EyeTV HD includes a unique dual-format capture mode that records in iPad and iPhone formats at the same time, allowing users to stream live and recorded TV to an iPhone or iPad using the optional EyeTV app.

Easy Setup

EyeTV HD is a breeze to setup and use; simply connect EyeTV HD to the outputs of the cable or satellite receiver with the included component cables, and to the computer via USB. Then position the included infrared channel changer cable nearby. The EyeTV software setup assistant takes you through a simple configuration process and in just a few minutes you'll be enjoying all your premium content like never before.

Unique dual-format capture mode

EyeTV HD also has a unique dual-format capture mode so that you can record in iPad and iPhone formats at the same time. EyeTV HD enables super-fast exports to iTunes from EyeTV. It is also possible to stream live TV, including high definition TV, to iPad or iPhone, using the optional EyeTV for iPhone/iPad app.

Superb quality digital TV recordings

EyeTV HD records in the pristine H.264 format for a crystal clear, high-definition digital picture. The H.264 format delivers beautiful image quality and a superb compression ratio, which produces smaller file size when compared to MPEG-2 recordings. H.264 can match the best possible MPEG-2 quality at up to half the data rate.

Capture HD and SD video from a camcorder or VCR

EyeTV HD can capture video from analog and digital sources such as a VCR or a camcorder. EyeTV HD includes component inputs for HD sources, as well as S-Video and composite inputs for standard definition sources. Simply connect the video source to your computer using the included breakout cable, then watch and even record the picture on your computer as an EyeTV recording.

Archive recordings

EyeTV HD also comes with Toast Basic disc-burning software so you can archive your favorite movies and TV shows and save space on your hard drive.

Award-winning software

EyeTV HD comes with EyeTV 3, the award-winning TV software for Mac. Watch, pause, and rewind live TV – at the desk or on the couch. Search the Program Guide using multiple criteria, and record one show or create Smart Series Guides to record the entire season of a TV series. Edit recordings, and share them with other Macs on the network. EyeTV can even export TV shows to iTunes automatically for playback on iPhone or iPad.

EyeTV 3 includes one year of free data from TV Guide, with optional renewal for only US$19.95 per year. An optional EyeTV app is available to stream live or recorded TV to an iPhone or iPad. Smart Series Guide functionality requires a TV Guide subscription.

System Requirements

• Macintosh: 2.26 GHz Intel Core® 2 Duo processor or better, Mac OS X v10.5.8 or later

• 2 GB RAM, built-in USB 2.0 port

• Cable or satellite receiver with analog video and audio outputs (component output required for HD)

• Internet connection required to download Program Guide data.

What's In The Box

• EyeTV HD recorder

• EyeTV 3 TV software for Mac (CD-ROM)

• Infrared remote control with battery pack

• EyeTV infrared channel changer

• USB cable (6 ft)

• Component video cable (6 ft)

• Stereo audio cables (6 ft)

• Breakout cable for composite and S-Video inputs

• PDF product manual (CD-ROM)

• Quick start guide

Availability

EyeTV HD is available from the Elgato Online Store (www.elgato.com) and from the Apple Store at a price of US $199.95