#EYETV HYBRID INSTALL#
#EYETV HYBRID SOFTWARE#

After years of having cable, it seemed odd to move the antenna around for better reception. I was able to tune four stations offering brilliant HD broadcasting, along another total of 13 analog channels of varying quality.

#EYETV HYBRID SOFTWARE#

The software gave me a list of channels with the strongest, clearest signal, but it was also possible to manually click through unlisted channels that suffered poor reception. I was also impressed by the quality of the EyeTV 3 software. The iMac was truly working as a LCD television. I was truly surprised by the great HD video quality.

Image quality looked fantastic on the iMac’s widescreen monitor.

#EYETV HYBRID INSTALL#

When you plug everything in and install the software, you need to allow the EyeTV 3 software several minutes to scan the airwaves for analog broadcasting, and then again for digital broadcasting.Īfter this was accomplished, I was able to instantly begin watching live broadcast HDTV on the iMac. EyeTV Hybrid comes with a composite video and S-Video break-out cable to connect a set-top box or video game console.ĮyeTV also receives free over-the-air ( OTA) HDTV, Clear QAM, and traditional analog TV. You plug the USB port into your Mac (Intel Mac definitely recommended), and the other end into your antenna or analog cable connection. The EyeTV Hybrid itself is a small, aluminum stick with a USB port at one end and a full-size coaxial plug on the other end.

With some trepidation, I purchased the EyeTV Hybrid, along with an inexpensive antenna that supported both digital and analog broadcast signals. With EyeTV Hybrid, I could easily move these recorded HD shows to an AppleTV or iPod to watch on the big TV. Plus, if it worked, I’d have the ability to tune and record HDTV on the iMac – including shows I currently pay to subscribe to in the iTunes store. For only $135, it cost much less than a second TV. However, I’d read good reviews of the EyeTV Hybrid USB receiver, and decided to give it a try. The software was either wonky, reception was bad, or the video ended up being pixilated and unpleasant to watch. The various TV tuners I’ve tested for the Mac in the past have always let me down. However, upstairs, I have a 24” Intel iMac, which was the perfect size to use as a second TV in a seperate room. I have a TV room with a nice wall-mounted HD television, but this room was simply too small to accommodate all my guests. For an election night party, I needed a second television. Like most “wow cool!” moments, it actually began as a conundrum. This past Tuesday, I had a “wow cool!” Mac moment.

Eyetv hybrid