It can even stream shows over a wireless network, allowing you to watch recordings on an iPhone or iPod Touch while you slouch on the sofa. We also like EyeTV’s ability to share recordings over a local network. The aerial provided with our review unit couldn’t pick up the digital signal very well in our East London office, but connecting the tuner to the roof aerial wired into a wall socket provided much better reception. If this small aerial doesn’t provide good enough reception you can still plug in a larger, conventional aerial as the EyeTV DTT has a full-sized coaxial aerial connector built into it. Instead of the flexible, extendable aerial supplied with the DTT Deluxe, the DTT has a simpler aerial with a magnetic base and a not-very-high-tech plastic suction cup for attaching it to flat surfaces.
However, the lower price of the DTT does mean that it lacks a couple of additional features found in the Deluxe model.
#Elgato tv tuner elgato eyetv hybrid mac mac
For many Mac users that fact alone will probably swing the choice in favour of the less expensive EyeTV DTT. One of the key advantages of the DTT Deluxe is that its slimline design means that it won’t block any of the adjacent ports on your computer - we’ve got the EyeTV Hybrid plugged into a MacBook, and it’s so fat that we can’t plug our iPod into the second USB port right next to it.įortunately, the fact that the standard DTT is virtually the same width as the Deluxe means that it too can be plugged into a MacBook without blocking any of the adjacent ports. If the reception’s not very good, you may be better off with another product, such as the EyeTV Hybrid, which contains tuners for both digital and analogue TV, useful until the Digital Switchover.Īlthough this new version of the EyeTV DTT is smaller than its predecessor, it’s still quite a bit bigger than the Deluxe, measuring 68 x 18 x 14mm thick, compared to 57 x 17 x 9mm for the Deluxe model. Digital reception across the UK is still quite variable, so you’ll need to check the reception in your area before buying.
#Elgato tv tuner elgato eyetv hybrid mac for mac
That’s just over half the price of the Deluxe model, so it’s clearly the better choice for Mac users wh just want an affordable TV tuner.Ĭomes with tilt'n'swivel aerial and co-ax connectorĪs the name implies, the EyeTV DTT is designed to pick up digital terrestrial TV (‘DTT’) signals, which, here in the UK, refers to the 40-odd channels included in the Freeview digital TV system. However, the Deluxe model does come with a deluxe price – around £70 – which can only really be justified if you specifically need that model’s ultra-compact design - perhaps to accompany the ultra-portable MacBook Air.įor those of us that can’t afford an Air, Elgato has also released an updated version of the standard EyeTV DTT tuner, priced at £40. We recently reviewed the EyeTV DTT Deluxe, which is the flagship of the range and quite possibly the smallest TV tuner in the world. However, the reigning monarch of the Mac TV market is undoubtedly Elgato, with its well-established EyeTV range. Even traditionally PC-oriented companies, such as Pinnacle and Terratec, have started making Mac-friendly tuners. That’s created a big market for TV tuners on the Mac. That’s changed of late, thanks to the Mac’s increasing market share – and also to the success of the now video-capable iPod.