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  1. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Sweden
    Search Comp PM
    Hi all. Been reading a lot about EyeTV over the last few days, and I'm having a hard time trying to decide between getting that, or getting a DVR with 80GB HD. Where I live (Sweden) right now, it's pretty much the same price for those two solutions.

    What I have today is a Pioneer DVD player, a XBOX (bloody brilliant DVD/media player that) that is Ethernet-linked to my Mac-setup (iMac G4/800 w 450 GB HD), and a DV-CAM with analogue/digital in/out (incl S-VIDEO). If today I want to record/edit/keep anything from TV, I'd have to go via DV which takes a lot of time, and I'm far from sure the result is up there with stand-alone encoding. Not to mention it's a real hassle.

    What scares me a bit about the EyeTV 200 is I read a reviewer that a reviewer said the SVCD option (2500 bitrate MPEG2) was "roughly the same" as the original EyeTV (MPEG-1!) quality. If this is true, it casts a shadow of doubt over my belief in the strength of the encoding. I was a SVCD junkie for some time, and to think a direct capture to SVCD could be comparable to VCD is just... scary

    BTW, this is completely off-topic but on the subject of my DV-CAM and all that - any idea why my iBook G3/500 handles the captures sooo much better than my G4/800? Weirdest thing, but it almost seems the FW-bus is faster on the iBook. It never ever glitches/hiccups, whereas on the iMac it happens quite a lot.

    Thankful for any advice/experience/input. Merry X-mas all!
    "I have not failed. I have only learned what does not work."
    -Edison
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  2. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eugene, Oregon
    Search Comp PM
    I chose the Pioneer DVR-510H-S (now replaced by the 520) rather than get the EyeTV because I didn't want my computer tied up with the TV that much. However, I think you can pretty much dismiss as bogus that comment about the EyeTV SVCD setting looking similar in quality to the older unit's MPEG1 setting. My understanding is the EyeTV does a very good job, so picture quality shouldn't be an issue deciding if it is better for you than a standalone DVD recorder.

    I'm thrilled with the Pioneer's performance and features. After getting it I sold my Canopus ADVC-55. The EyeTV has an advantage for programming ease because it uses a channel guide, but other than that my vote goes to the Pioneer.
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  3. listas

    I'm also considering to buy this eyetv.
    I wanna use it only as an encoder to quickly encode my fcp projects for dvdsp.
    But I can't find in the manual if it has a digital input.
    I think i'll have to trasfer my movie to camera (DV) and then from camera to eyetv (S-VHS)
    I'm I right or is there a better way (cheap) to encode my projects?

    Regards
    Hans
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  4. Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    United States
    Search Comp PM
    I think there is a free program that you can stream directly from a Mini dvd camera that has firewire to Imovie or a quicktime file and you can but cant remember the name of it at the moment (i'll get back to you on that one)

    checkout myvcr
    http://www.pure-mac.com/video.html

    in utilites

    I do love using my xbox with my mac also
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  5. Member
    Join Date
    Oct 2002
    Location
    Sweden
    Search Comp PM
    I caved in - ordered the EyeTV 200 today. I will be posting example clips and give you links when I get it, so you can see the quality and judge for yourselves. Can't wait...
    "I have not failed. I have only learned what does not work."
    -Edison
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  6. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Hawaii
    Search Comp PM
    So, how's it going with your EyeTV 200?
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  7. Have been using my eyetv 200 in the last couple weeks. Quite happy with it so far with the ease of use and picture quality. My only complaint is the software. Very buggy. Have to reboot my powerbook practically after every 2-3 recordings.....
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  8. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eugene, Oregon
    Search Comp PM
    Have you updated to the latest EyeTV software. They're up to version 1.7 now and seem to be issuing frequent updates. My sense is they are working hard to support this product.
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  9. Thanks for the tip.
    I am running version 1.6.7. They must have updated the software to version 1.7 in the last few days..... My powerbook is running OS 10.2.8. Upgrading it to Panther will probably help too.



    Originally Posted by Frobozz
    Have you updated to the latest EyeTV software. They're up to version 1.7 now and seem to be issuing frequent updates. My sense is they are working hard to support this product.
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  10. Member
    Join Date
    Feb 2004
    Location
    Rochester NY
    Search Comp PM
    Besides the usual video enhancements, the latest version of the software supports MPEG-4 encoding at three different levels of quality. If you did get this update the day it appeared, you might want to re-download and install it. It was pulled shortly after it was posted on Jan. 11th (?bugs), but is back up and available as of this morning. I will try and let you know about the quality of the mpeg-4 encoding (nice to have the option of a more compressed format without too much loss of quality).
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  11. What do you export to for buring DVD? I use Toast 6. It takes 7-8 hours to burn a 1.5 hr movie on my G4 tower with a Pioneer DVR-107D burner at 2x speed (my G4 can't handle the full speed at 8x). I am ready to purchase a dual G5 and load it up with 4 gig of RAM so that I can work and burn DVD at the same time.

    Originally Posted by harvid
    Besides the usual video enhancements, the latest version of the software supports MPEG-4 encoding at three different levels of quality. If you did get this update the day it appeared, you might want to re-download and install it. It was pulled shortly after it was posted on Jan. 11th (?bugs), but is back up and available as of this morning. I will try and let you know about the quality of the mpeg-4 encoding (nice to have the option of a more compressed format without too much loss of quality).
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  12. Member
    Join Date
    Aug 2004
    Location
    Hawaii
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by Kakui
    Thanks for the tip.
    I am running version 1.6.7. They must have updated the software to version 1.7 in the last few days..... My powerbook is running OS 10.2.8. Upgrading it to Panther will probably help too.
    More than probably since EyeTV 1.7 requires Panther.
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  13. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eugene, Oregon
    Search Comp PM
    Originally Posted by Kakui
    What do you export to for buring DVD? I use Toast 6. It takes 7-8 hours to burn a 1.5 hr movie on my G4 tower with a Pioneer DVR-107D burner at 2x speed (my G4 can't handle the full speed at 8x). I am ready to purchase a dual G5 and load it up with 4 gig of RAM so that I can work and burn DVD at the same time.
    My guess is you are not burning DVDs from EyeTV MPEGs. Or else you're still using the original version of Toast 6 with your EyeTV MPEGs. If it is the latter, update to Toast 6.0.7. Also, do not encode the video at greater than 8 mbps.
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  14. Within the EyeTV software, I export the file as mpeg format (for Toast). Then burn the mpeg file in Toast. Are you saying that I can simply drag the mpeg file out from the eyetv archive folder and burn directly to Toast?
    The default highest setting for encoding in my EyeTV sofware is 6 mbps.
    After playing with this EyeTV 200 for a few more days, I have started to notice the video quality is good but it is not smooth especially for quick motions.....

    My guess is you are not burning DVDs from EyeTV MPEGs. Or else you're still using the original version of Toast 6 with your EyeTV MPEGs. If it is the latter, update to Toast 6.0.7. Also, do not encode the video at greater than 8 mbps.[/quote]
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  15. Member
    Join Date
    Dec 2003
    Location
    Eugene, Oregon
    Search Comp PM
    Kakui,

    It sounds like you're doing everything right in transferring your EyeTV video to Toast for burning to DVD. However, something is amiss because it should not take anywhere near 7-8 hours for Toast to multiplex and burn your video DVD from those files. It should be closer to about an hour. The original version of Toast 6 re-encoded DVD-compliant MPEGs but Toast 6.0.7 merely demuxes and remuxes the audio before authoring and burning the DVD.

    Are you using Toast 6.0.7?
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  16. Frobozz,
    I am still running Toast 6.0. If upgrading to 6.0.7 will cut down my encoding time from 8 hours to merely 1 hour, it will be stupid for me not to upgrade. Thanks for the tip. But can someone confirm this....?


    Originally Posted by Frobozz
    Kakui,

    It sounds like you're doing everything right in transferring your EyeTV video to Toast for burning to DVD. However, something is amiss because it should not take anywhere near 7-8 hours for Toast to multiplex and burn your video DVD from those files. It should be closer to about an hour. The original version of Toast 6 re-encoded DVD-compliant MPEGs but Toast 6.0.7 merely demuxes and remuxes the audio before authoring and burning the DVD.

    Are you using Toast 6.0.7?
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  17. Originally Posted by Kakui
    Frobozz,
    I am still running Toast 6.0. If upgrading to 6.0.7 will cut down my encoding time from 8 hours to merely 1 hour, it will be stupid for me not to upgrade. Thanks for the tip. But can someone confirm this....?
    Toast 6.0.7 is a free upgrade for owners of Toast. No need for confirmation. just upgrade.
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