How to get TV on your Mac

[sandyman]

The Register


A fairly comprehensive review of options


Sandy

[krissel]

Thanks, good article though some of it is European specific.  

[Gregg]

I will definately read that top to bottom this weekend. Thanks a bunch!

[Gregg]

Well, when I went to that link just now, the article was not there. I hope they haven't removed it permanently!

[sandbox]

hey Sandy, that EyeTV has too many to choose from, it's a toss up between the diversity and hybrid, ok the hybrid.  

Gregg it's very slow, 3 min. to pop for me, I almost shut it down and then, and then....well I let the dog out.

[Gregg]

Well it was back this morning, so I pasted the article into an e-mail for safekeeping.

[sandyman]

QUOTE(sandbox @ Aug 24 2007, 08:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hey Sandy, that EyeTV has too many to choose from, it's a toss up between the diversity and hybrid, ok the hybrid.  

Gregg it's very slow, 3 min. to pop for me, I almost shut it down and then, and then....well I let the dog out.

Sandbox

Personally I subscribe to the "Springsteen Theory"

57 Channels and nothing to watch

I used to get loads of channels free through my job.  When it came to paying for them I had to think a bit.  The bottom line was "No Way". Loads of repeats and low quality programming.  

I tried out the cable company's "Entry Level" package and came to the same conclusion.

I've now gone back to Cable + Telephone and a Freeview box

Sandy

[Highmac]

Freeview here too. We have the Miglia TV-Mini on the Mac. Very useful when we find that there are more than three programmes we want all on at the same time. We also have a twin-tuner PVR (record two channels, watch a third). It does happen.... occasionally

By the way, Sandy, we're told that older TVs will no longer be usable after the analogue switch-off, but it's not true. We have a 1980s Philips set we use in the kitchen. We got a Maplin universal modulator which converts the Scart signals from the Freeview box (we've got the Wharfedale from Argos) into a signal carried on ordinary coax cable plugged into the aerial socket. Tune a TV button in the same way we used to set it for a VCR and away you go

We still have a satellite dish and receiver, but we don't pay subs any more. Got the Sky card converted to 'Freesat'. In case anyone outside the UK is wondering, it IS all legal.

[sandbox]

Sandy, I have a hybred system or selective services that I hand picked myself.
I run a cable modem because they are the fastest and most reliable in this Florida location and because FiOS is not available here just yet. I run an independant VoIP service (No Telephone) on that cable as well because it's better than what is offered in the Cable package. I don't care for cable TV so I have DirecTV Satellite, that provides programming from around the world. It also has XM Radio built-in. Also built-in to the satellite is an option to watch free over the AIR channeling, as if I was using an old style antenna. In this location I can pick up about 20 free channels, including the ones that are broadcast from our government buildings. So-if there's a Emergency Broadcast (Hurricane Evacuation) or City Counsel meeting that I needs to watch but not attend, I can from the link you supplied, EYETV will pickup local channeling and I can view it out on the water or as I'm driving down the road.... I could also plug it into my satellite!

QUOTE(sandyman @ Aug 24 2007, 10:32 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

QUOTE(sandbox @ Aug 24 2007, 08:02 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>

hey Sandy, that EyeTV has too many to choose from, it's a toss up between the diversity and hybrid, ok the hybrid.  

Gregg it's very slow, 3 min. to pop for me, I almost shut it down and then, and then....well I let the dog out.

Sandbox

Personally I subscribe to the "Springsteen Theory"

57 Channels and nothing to watch

I used to get loads of channels free through my job.  When it came to paying for them I had to think a bit.  The bottom line was "No Way". Loads of repeats and low quality programming.  

I tried out the cable company's "Entry Level" package and came to the same conclusion.

I've now gone back to Cable + Telephone and a Freeview box

Sandy

[Gregg]

I've tried to do a little more research on this. It's not so easy, not being a real geek about such things. Seems it's getting more complicated all the time.

As I've mentioned in other threads, if not above, I have a VHS VCR connected to the Xclaim VR video card in my old G3. The VCR has a tuner in it of course, so I can get broadcast TV on my Mac now. I had purchased a device with a TV tuner in it originally, but returned it when I figured out the direct connection was possible. So far, I've been unable to confirm that such a setup still works with a newer iMac.

The specs on the iMac indicate that you can connect an adapter to bridge the iMac's mini-DVI port and an S-Video port on another device. It doesn't appear that my VCR is so equipped. I've also been unable to confirm the existence of a USB to RCA A/V adapter. But, I don't even know if a USB port is useful for A/V signals. I suppose I better quit before my limited knowledge of the subject leads me to making any more ridiculous statements...

[Gregg]

Your topic title appears to be prescient.

[Gregg]

Ok, I got the answer from a co-worker:

There's no comparable product (that I've found) to the video card that I have in my G3 for an iMac. In other words, if a product has the "Video In" components that the iMac lacks, it also has a TV tuner. That's redundant in my setup, since I have a VCR to use with the Mac. But, the gadgets one would need to hook the VCR up to the iMac cost about as much as a DVR. Since VHS tapes are on the way out, the DVR seems the way to go.