The Blog

Apple TV and Elgato DTT

Posted on 10. Mar, 2007 by Philip in Apple, Hardware, Video

Well it seems that the times are a changin’…again.

Elgato, having released the superb DTT USB stick for Digital HD TV on the Mac, now intend to have the export files compatable with Apple TV 720p streaming capability.

I have been testing the Elgato on a 17 inch iMac Core 2 Duo and despite it’s small size it is amazing. It pulls 1080i digital signal straight through with the original compression as MPEG2 from “Free to air TV” providers. It also handles DIG radio amongst others. It can record this file for later viewing or export as some other Quicktime format for playback on DVD, iPod or even HD BlueRay DVD and burn disks using Toast. This system comes with a fairly optimistic antenna but works best when a roof mounted TV arial coax is connected.

You can subscribe for 12 months to Ice TV so that Eye TV software included with the Elgato DTT can make a scheduled recording of any show. Elgato are working with Apple to formulate the exact nature of the 720p spec that is best suited to AppleTV’s stream. When recorded it is likely that the file will be re-encoded for that specific format and then passed on to iTunes for later retrieval using the Apple TV device that is connected to your Plasma or LCD TV.

For a system that was built initially as a way to watch TV on your Mac, the Elgato may become your best way you record live TV. No more tapes, DVR’s, DVD recorders, just a stream from your Mac that has been recorded to the hard drive, firewire drive or indeed network drive.

All this for a fraction of the set up cost and complexity of traditional Digital TV home theater system. You don’t need a set top box, DVR, VHS tape recorder, tuner, or DVD player for that matter.

The biggest advantage I see to using the AppleTV is the ability to view all video on one device, DVD, BlueRay, Free to Air Digital, and most importantly the small but emerging video podcast content. Some shows are now up to 1080p HD and are available as a free subscription via iTunes. I suspect that the upper standard for this downloaded content will be 720p to match ApplTV. Check out MacBreak in HD to see what I mean.
Call us if you are interested to try the system.

Eye TV and Elgato DTT sells for $175

Apple TV around $449

12 Month subscription to IceTV $99.

Depending on Network, either Gigabit Ethernet or Airport Extreme (80211n) $259, will be required.

UPDATE: Elgato also make a EyeTV Diversity which is a similar device with two tuners. One of the difficulties faced when using the Mac to record is that TV shows often overlap and having two tuners means you can watch one channel and record another or indeed record two shows at once. It is also sort of possible to add another Stick or Diversity and have more than two tuners.