First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

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    As an update to earlier products with the same name, Elgato System’s new 2009 version of EyeTV Hybrid ($150) is a small USB-based hardware TV tuner that can decode non-encrypted analog and digital SD and HD broadcasts. This year, Hybrid includes a built-in FM radio tuner, and improved TV recording software — version 3.1 of EyeTV, and a basic version of Toast 9 to burn your recordings to disc. Elgato also promises better reception, which we haven’t seen in our brief tests, along with visible streamlining of both the Hybrid device and the EyeTV 3.1 software, which still include a coaxial port and component cables for video input purposes, plus a remote control and USB extender cable. One major change: free program guide information is now disappearing for EyeTV users, so the company has included a year of TV Guide service for U.S. and Canadian buyers, with subsequent years costing $20. Update: After experiencing a number of bugs during our testing of the latest EyeTV 3.1 software, we discussed problems with this solution in a separate, extended article here.

    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)


    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

    First Look: Elgato Systems EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

     

    Our Rating

    NA
    Not Rated

    Company and Price

    Company: Elgato Systems

    Website: www.Elgato.com

    Model: EyeTV Hybrid (2009)

    Price: $150

    Compatible: Macintosh

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    Jeremy Horwitz

    Jeremy Horwitz was the Editor-in-Chief at iLounge. He has written over 5,000 articles and reviews for the website and is one of the most respected members of the Apple media. Horwitz has been following Apple since the release of the original iPod in 2001. He was one of the first reviewers to receive a pre-release unit of the device, and his review helped put iLounge on the map as a go-to source for Apple news.