[Macworld]

Post your comments for Bugs & Fixes: Elgato's support solves EyeTV problems here

[spiderbat]

I can confirm that Elgato's customer support is stellar.
They even introduced a couple of enhancements to EyeTV I (I guess, with many others) had asked for: the option for a TV-showing windows that floats over any other window and the ability to memorize different sets of found channels, so that a commuter with a laptop had not to undergo the somewhat lengthy auto-tuning procedure after each move.
Elgato's people were also very kind and helpful when the power supply of my 250 plus tuner stopped working.

[JoeC]

I can say that they have good support, too. When my EyeTV died after 9 months of use, not only did they replace it, they let me come to their office (which was local for me), drop off the defective unit, and pick up a new one. So I didn't have to wait for shipping.

[touringsedan]

3.1.1 broke my AppleTV exports using the Turbo.264 as all exports after the upgrade have no audio. After searching the forums, they know about it and only offer the reinstall the prior version.
For that matter, my Turbo 264 fails constantly when used with EyeTV with random export errors, the won't update the software, they keep sending me Betas that expire. For 6 months now I have been dealing with betas and for Elgato making both products with tight integration, all I get is missing audio, poor playback on AppleTV and rogue weird errors from time to time.
I just wish they would accelerate their debugging and release the proper fixes.

[tj6845]

I would like to here from anyone that can use EyeTV to tune in any cable-only stations such as CNN, ESPN, A&E, and FX. I can not. I get ONLY the over-the-air channels, ABC, CBS, PBS, FOX and a few others. My understanding is by law Cable companies are only required to broadcast over-the-air channels in Clear QAM.
Thanks

[waynem]

Keep away from Elgato products, they don't last. I had a Hybrid for 16 months which developed the USB 1 error & support basically told me "bad luck" it's out of warranty.

[People_Eater]

Is this article some kind of CYA move from Macworld? It downplays problems with EyeTV with "it will be fixed with a future update" claims. Is this Macworld's attempt at protecting advertising revenue?

[johndrake]

Ted Landau wrote:
"In other words, this problem is not really a bug that Elgato can fix. Rather, it’s a deliberate annoyance promoted by cable companies."
It's not a deliberate anything, cable companies map their channels to group them to create packages as well as to get the best use of their bandwidth. Contrary to popular belief, and one that is being promote by your statement, cable and satellite companies do not go out of their way to make you unhappy. They are a business and as such they don't do things just to annoy their customers, they would not map their line-up if it didn't make sense from a technical/engineering stand point. It's what allows them to put all the off air channels plus pay like HBO or Showtime (as well as ESPN , etc.) channels in consecutive order so they are easier to find. If you have the HD package from your company that's how they all end up clustered side by side.

[tj6845]

>>technical/engineering stand point.<<
The channels are encrypted to require a cable box to tune-in the channels. If you want to watch a second channel on a second TV (kids in family room and the same time) you need a second cable box and pay for it.
With a EyeTV I can do it but only with the QAM over-the-air channels.

[johndrake]

tj6845 said:

>>technical/engineering stand point.<<

The channels are encrypted to require a cable box to tune-in the channels. If you want to watch a second channel on a second TV (kids in family room and the same time) you need a second cable box and pay for it.

With a EyeTV I can do it but only with the QAM over-the-air channels.

Mapping and encryption are too separate things, neither one relies on the other to work.
Channels are mapped to assign a specific channel allocation for selection on your cable box, or on your cable card ready set, or if you opt out of any of the packages above basic on any of your PO-TV sets.
Encryption is put in place to protect the company's investment when they paid the programmers their fees.
You buy a house, or a car and you insure it to protect it from loss or damage, same thing with encryption.
You go to a concert to see your favorite band, you pay for the ticket which gives you entry into the arena so you can watch and listen.
You rent at movie at your local video store, you pay for the chance to take that home to watch and listen.
And unless you're using P2P sites to steal media you're paying for it one way or the other.
Over the air channels aren't free either, those lousy ads that keep popping up at the most inopportune time, that's the price you pay for over the air "free" stuff.
Which is why I have a DVR from my cable company, so I can fast forward through those commercials, at some point we may drop that, keep the HSD service and basic and go more with Netflix and ITunes.

[bronwyn]

I got the USB 1.1 problem after my EyeTV Hybrid was WELL out of warranty. They replaced it, all the way from Germany to New Zealand. I was really impressed.

[that1guy]

touringsedan said:

3.1.1 broke my AppleTV exports using the Turbo.264 as all exports after the upgrade have no audio.

Odd. Works fine for me. But then i stopped using the default export options a while ago. I now record a program, edit it, then open up the turbo.264 app and convert the raw .eyetv file with a custom apple tv export setting.

[Plan_K]

Yep, touringsedan is right. 3.1.1 did not work with the Turbo.264 stick. Audio files came out silent. I rolled back to 3.1 and it continued to work like it did before (which was not 100 percent). After I rolled back, Elgato informed others with the same problem to roll back to 3.1. We're awaiting word on when we can roll forward again. You first ...

[johndrake]

[quote name='that1guy']
> [quote name='touringsedan']
> 3.1.1 broke my AppleTV exports using the Turbo.264 as all exports after the upgrade have no audio.
Odd. Works fine for me. But then i stopped using the default export options a while ago. I now record a program, edit it, then open up the turbo.264 app and convert the raw .eyetv file with a custom apple tv export setting.
[/quote]

Would you please elaborate on your process, sounds like what we're looking for.
Thanks.