Watching Cable on an iMac

[Robert Seltman]

Presently I watch cable TV on a small TV set in my studio next to my computer. If I buy a new iMac with a 24" screen, is there some way I could watch cable TV on my computer?

TIA

[Jimmie]

Yes. All you need is an MPEG encoder such as EyeTV. They aren't cheap, however. Mine was Y40,000 a couple years ago at SoftMap. It was an English version then but I suppose they have Japanese versions now (lucky you!).

[Denny Crane]

Yes. All you need is an MPEG encoder such as EyeTV. They aren't cheap, however. Mine was Y40,000 a couple years ago at SoftMap. It was an English version then but I suppose they have Japanese versions now (lucky you!).

I assume that this connects to the cable, right?

That means the iMac must be at the location where the cable is.

Norm

[Robert Seltman]

Norm the HD Home Run box from EyeTV seems to be a home system with an Ethernet connection. So maybe it would be possible to use it with Airport or another home Ethernet distribution system. In my case, the cable box is not close, but I have a Red/Yellow/White video cable running to my computer area from the Cable box. There is a support page on the EyeTV web site so perhaps there is instructions to help choose the best encoder for you. Also there is this page http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/products/software/EyeTV3/product3.en.html
which lists all the many compatible hardware options by other makers for this software.
I will ask at KitKut next chance I get now that I know it is possible. (Thanks Jimmie).

[Jimmie]

Norm the HD Home Run box from EyeTV seems to be a home system with an Ethernet connection. So maybe it would be possible to use it with Airport or another home Ethernet distribution system.

Uh, no. No Ethernet wired or otherwise. That would be on the _other_ side of the computer. My eyeTV takes input (red-white-yellow RCA plugs, S-video or VHF antenna) and outputs via Firewire to the computer. From there, you might use AppleTV (hmm, why not iTV?) to send it over your LAN to your flat-screen (presumably digital) TV.

Myself, I have two Apple Cinema displays on my desk (15" on a MiniMac and a 2" on my aging Dual-G4 tower). With Spaces I no longer need both displays for work (woo-hoo!) so while working I have the TV (Flet's Hikari TV, actually) connected to the small display while I work on the large one. When I'm finished working, I can move the fire wire cable to my main computer and watch on the big screen.

What I like best about this system (besides the great picture I get with Apple displays) is the ability to 'Rewind' broadcast programming such as CNN or anything, actually. This is possible because the system saves a few minutes past--or more, if you have sufficient disk space--so if you miss something, you can go back and see it again. Or you can put it on hold if you get a phone call, or something. You just pick up where you were and, at the next commercial, you can fast forward through it to get back to 'live' broadcast.

(Thanks Jimmie).

You're welcome!

Jimmie

[Jimmie]

Looking at my post just above, I notice that Robert was talking about the "HD Home Run" from Elgato while I was talking about Elgato's "eyeTV 200" digital TV recorder. I was assuming that the HD Home Run is a similar device but, after looking at the Elgato web site, it seems to be something else altogether. Just what, however, I'm not sure.

It does, indeed, connect to Ethernet but . . . the descriptions there seem to conflict each other. On one page it says "watch TV or cable on your Mac" but on another it says "It does not receive analog television signals [and it] does not have analog inputs, and cannot be used to connect a cable set-top box or satellite receiver to your Mac."

So, what is it, I'm wondering...

Jimmie