Daily Giz Wiz 582: EyeTV HD250

Episode 582 of the podcast

EyeTV HD250
Subject: Review of EyeTV HD250
Released:Tuesday 3 June 2008
Length:about 20 minutes
Download file:DGW-582.mp3 (9 MB)
Bookmark: Bookmark and Share

Listen to the episode

Short info

The EyeTV 250 Plus is like a TV plus Tivo for your Mac, only better.

Also, this week we remember the passing of William M. Gaines, founder and publisher of Mad Magazine who died 1992. See Dick's page about Bill at WilliamMGaines.com

(source: twit.tv/dgw582)

Detailed information

EyeTV HD250Probably the reason the Apple TV could not be called the iTV, the EyeTV series of TV tuners have been around for a while.  The North American version of the EyeTV 250 Plus receives free-to-air digital TV (ATSC), conventional analogue TV (via cable or antenna), and Clear QAM (unencrypted digital cable).  You can connect it to your Mac via USB, scan for TV channels and watch TV on your monitor, in a window or full screen.  It comes with  a remote control, and like a TiVo, you can rewind, fast forward and pause live TV.  You can also record TV using the EyeTV software.  In the US, you can use the TitanTV Guide.  ATSC digital signals are recorded unaltered at broadcast quality (at the original compression level).  Analogue signals are compressed within the EyeTV 250 Plus itself.

It also acts as a digitisation device for your VHS tapes and sends the MPEG-2 converted recordings to iTunes or burns them to DVDs (using Roxio's Toast 8 Basic).  The iPod Assistant will also help you convert to the recommended format for the AppleTV, iPhone or iPod.  The break-out cable includes S-Video, composite and stereo inputs.

The EyeTV supports video resolution up to 1080i (for digital) and 720 x 480 (for analogue).

The product also comes in an international version supporting DTT or Freeview in countries which use DVB-T system of digital television.

For once, it's for Mac only.  Windows users can check out Pinnacle's PCTV HD Ultimate Stick in Episode 419.

Mad Tour

While Dick was on the Queen Mary 2, Alessandro Abate visited New York.  Although he missed Dick, he was thrilled to be able to do a tour of the Mad Office which Dick had arranged for him.  Sandro also defended Leo for the Spork, but not the Toothpick Bird.  He had bought his own set of Match Game Cards from Dick.  The Match Game was his favourite game show, never knowing that Dick was the writer of the questions.

And for those who want a laser, Sandro recommends Wicked Lasers.

Bill Gaines Anniversary

Today is the 16th anniversary of the death of Bill Gaines who died on 3 June 1992.  Dick has found a transcript of Bill Gaines's memorial service, at Instant Classics, where you can read the eulogies delivered at the service, including those by Dick and Bill Sarnoff (who was then the head of the Time Warner division that included Mad).  Dick has kept up a website in memory of Bill Gaines, at williammgaines.com.

Here are a couple of pictures taken from Dick's website.  Please go to his homepage to read what Dick has to say about Bill Gaines.

For more stories on Bill Gaines, listen to DGW generally and in particular Episode 76: A Tribute to William M. Gaines.  Better yet, buy Dick's autobiography "Good Days And Mad".  Make a donation of $20 or more to Animal Haven online, send the electronic receipt to Dick by email, and he will send you an autographed copy of the book.

Or, you can buy the book at The Mad Store.

Mad Minute

Specialised phone numbers, such as BROKE, RAINY, and SCAM.

(source: insidedgw.vox.com)

Related gadgets & episodes

Subscribe on Twitter or Twit Army