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Domain: macintoshdigitalhub.com

Stories and comments across the archive that link to macintoshdigitalhub.com.

Comments · 6

  1. Bubble intact by SuperKendall · · Score: 1 · on iPod Shuffle, Mac Mini, iLife '05, iWork

    For one thing, I would say most people going to the lengths of creating a capture box like this are going to have a larger more modern set where DVI is OK - or be using a monitor and be OK (or more than OK) with VGA. And as you mention there is an S-Video dongle that adapts everyone else (not sure why a dongle is that bad, essentially a small adaptor at the end of the cable). The main problem I could see is I'm not sure all the sets with DVI are that great at displaying computer output, but perhaps the Mac can adapt somehow in that regard to supply better output.

    The other part is the capture. Sure you can't expand the box internally with a capture card, but it's wide open for external firewire devices. One idea is to start making use of the firewire ports on the cable boxes (required by law to work, you may have to ask to get a functional box though) to capture video that way. It seems the best way since you get the raw feed, although the downside is I don't think you can share that with other people easily (encrypted feed only playable by the box that generated it? I seem to remember something like that).

    Another possibility is the EyeTV commercial device, a fair compromise that costs around what a capture card would cost ($199) and does about as good a job.

    Sure it takes away a little of the coolness to start adding extra devices but considering how small the Mini Mac is, at least there will be room.

    So now what OS X needs is a port of MythTV that focuses on other capture means but adds the rest of the features.

  2. Re:Compare Apples and dells by White+Roses · · Score: 1 · on Apple Introduces New G5 iMac
    why is there no TV tuner in the iMac?

    One word: MacTV. I don't think it sold well. A black iMac would be cool though. Or possibly hot. Still, it would be handy for dorm rooms where space is at a serious premium. Aside from that, there is this aftermarket item that may help.

  3. No fix for Apple users yet by gwernol · · Score: 5, Informative · on High-Speed Burning Could Harm Pioneer Combo Drives

    The Pioneer firmware fix won't work on SuperDrives installed in a Mac. As quoted from Macintosh Digital Hub:

    "So what's the resolution? For Mac users, that answer is a bit hazy. Pioneer is releasing updater software that tweaks the internal firmware in its drives so that they are able to use the high-speed media. This firmware updater will be available for download from Pioneer's Web site; you'll also be able to order it on a CD-ROM.

    But this updater will not work with SuperDrives, since they contain Apple's firmware. According to Pioneer senior vice president Andy Parsons, "Apple is aware of the issue, and we expect they will have a solution soon." Those of us with SuperDrives will have to wait or Apple to deliver a firmware update"

  4. El Gato's EyeTV for a Mac by mTor · · Score: 2 · on Microsoft/HP to Market Crippled Entertainment PCs
    If you own a Mac, none of the above solutions will work with a Mac. The only combo - HW/SW - product that has been designed for MacOS X is El Gato's EyeTV. It's nowhere as powerful as a TiVo but it works well and you can even burn the recordings as a VCD. It has no DRM either. It connects to any newer Mac with a USB cable and the installation is a snap. I own it and use it quite often to watch TV (and record Simpsons) on my iBook.

    For a review, check this: http://www.macintoshdigitalhub.com/reviews/eyetv/i ndex.html

  5. More information by ruiner13 · · Score: 4, Informative · on Mac PVR Coming Soon
    There is some information lacking in people's comment's i've noticed. First of all, the lower quality setting is compatible with Toast VCD, as it captures at 320 x 240 resolution. This stores about an hour of video on one CD. The unit also has a higher quality setting which they say is "double" the resoultion of the regular video. I assume they mean 640 x 480, which is really 4x resolution, but we'll see. From what i've seen on screen captures of the quality, looks pretty decent. And this unit is different than a regular capture card because it has a cable ready coaxial connector, not just composite and s-video (although it has those too). So, whereas with a standard vid cap card, you'd ned a vcr to tune the stations, this one just hooks up to the wall jack. Seems like a pretty good solution to me!

    I got most of my info from this link: http://www.macintoshdigitalhub.com/reviews/eyetv/i ndex.html. Hope this helps clear stuff up!

  6. Incase by isorox · · Score: -1, Redundant · on Mac PVR Coming Soon
    Incase slashdot's front page gets slashdotted:

    mgrochmal writes "One of the items bouncing around the rumor mills is EyeTV, a TiVo-like device for Apple computers. Made by El Gato Software, it hooks up to one of the Mac's USB ports and captures MPEG-1 video, with a choice between a VideoCD-compatible recording, or a higher quality recording. You can read about a preview build of it, as well as read a comparison between it and a TiVo." It doesn't come with a hard drive; and here I was, thinking I wouldn't fill up my new 160GB hard drive any time soon. Silly me.