Hi-Speed USB 2.0 PVR

combines Elgato EyeTV software with Plextor's ConvertX PVR video capture device with built-in TV tuner. It uses a real-time MPEG-2 hardware encoder to capture and compress broadcast, cable, or satellite TV to a hard drive. ConvertX PVR also supports RCA composite audio/video input and S-Video input connections for capturing home video from other sources such as camcorders, DVD players, and VCRs. It will ship later this month for $230.

During live TV viewing, Elgato EyeTV software supports most PVR time-shifting features, including pausing live TV, skipping forward, and instant replays. The EyeTV electronic programming guide allows users to schedule TV recordings with a single mouse click. Users can edit video scenes using EyeTV software, or they can export files into popular Macintosh software, such as Apple's iMovie, iDVD, DVD Studio Pro, or Roxio Toast Titanium. EyeTV also can convert video into other popular video formats such as QuickTime, AVI, MPEG-4, and 3G.



"When the Macintosh integrated FireWire into the computer years ago, it unleashed the first real wave of home video editing, and now Mac users are looking to do even more with video on their computers," said Dirk Peters, director of marketing, Plextor. "With the ConvertX PVR, users get the ability to record all their favorite TV shows to their Mac in the MPEG-2/DVD format, which not only saves tremendous amounts of hard disk space, but also is the correct format for burning to a DVD disc for playback in a home DVD player."



The hardware/software solution runs on any Macintosh computer with minimum 500MHz G4 or any G5 processor. It requires Mac OS X 10.2.8 or higher. The Plextor ConvertX PVR for Mac will ship later this month for $230.

by MacNN Staff