"For instance, we tried the telescopic aerial first, raised to its maximum extent and pointing straight upwards. Elagto's EyeTV 3 software reported an average signal strength but a poor signal quality - visually obvious from the blocking in the picture. So we pushed the antenna down so it was horizontal. The signal strength barely changed, but the signal quality rocketed up to 90 per cent, and we were able to watch BBC News without interruption."
That's probablk more due to the fact that OTA tv signals are horizontally polarised, and the fact that if you have a vertical antenna and a horizontal signal (or vice-versa) you lose 20db oof signal on average. it can be a boon to cut out noise, but when you have a marginal signal or one with a lot of reflections (which cause ghosting) it can be a pain..
Wouldn't it be more usefull to have a WLAN DVB-T tuner? Beeing a terrestrial standard you will most likely not be able to have any reception at the place you have your PC. A WLAN DVB-T tuner could be placed where you have reception. It could then recompress the video to fit onto normal networks. The DVB-T tuner could then be at a place with reception, i.e. London while the computer can access it from anywhere in the world.
I don't have a TV license, nor do I own a TV or have a TV card/dongle for my PC.
The BBC are threatening me for not paying their tax simply because I have an internet connection, regardless of whether I actually visit the BBC streaming web sites (now it seems like ITV and CH4 could go the same way).
With the introduction of these dongle tuners, I can foresee them further amending their exemption clause such that they can be allowed to tax PC owners (laptop or otherwise), regardless of whether they have internet access, simply because they could own a TV tuner dongle.
Make no mistake, they are already attempting to force us all into a position where it is impossible to not have to pay their fee/tax ('no subscription fee for Freeview' - makes me laugh); no doubt they will take this chance to further extend their anti-competitive behaviour!
Round here you need to stick up a 40-foot mast with at least an 88-element antenna on it - and also an inline signal-booster - just to receive a grainy ghost-ridden analog-TV picture.
Perhaps if Elgato were to partner with the altogether much more successful Sky - and include a 'free' 90cm dish with your purchase - they might win some business?
If you don't have the hardware to receive live broadcasts you're in the clear. The TV Licence fee terms and conditions already cover "PC hardware" - even mobile phones with TV tuners - for some time now. If you can view programme content as it is broadcast live (as opposed to watching it recorded or time-shifted) then you are liable to pay the TV Licence fee.
If the BBC are trying to make you pay because you only have an internet connection then the BBC don't have a leg to stand on, and you have nothing to worry about.
What makes me laugh though are people who fork over £500+ per annum to watch dross on Sky then belly ache about the TV Licence fee and the relative quality it provides. Get over it.
Didn't think it would be long before someone came on for a moan. Not entirely surprised you can't spell it either: It's licence with a 'c', being a UK noun,
You pay plenty of tax for watching non-BBC programmes - every time you inadvertently buy a product which is advertised on them. They're not funded by some magic cash cow in the sky you know, but if you haven't got the imagination to realise this then be my guest, and carry on moaning about the TV licence.
Or, you could investigate Rupert Murdoch's tax avoidance schemes if you prefer.
Listen up buddy boy! Why the hell should you get out of paying for a TV licence just because you don't watch any BBC programmes. The BBC is a public service broadcaster, charged with the lofty goal of enriching our cultural ecosystem and bringing enlightenment to the masses. Even if you don't directly watch the beeb, you benefit from the improvements to our society that programmes such as "Freaky Eaters" and "My Man Boobs and Me" undoubtedly make. So stop your moaning and pay up like everyone else, you damn refusenik.
Got me all excited thinking they were doing a Freesat HD version of it then :(
I have an earlier version of the Elgato and only use it with a rooftop aeriel, but have to say it's the best TV app i've used on any OS.. very simple and easy to use, the company are excellent too, my unit developed a fault out of warranty but they repaired it FOC (cost me return shipping but hey..)
You could avoid the TV licence fee, the price of a Mac, the cost of electricity to run MythTV and so on.
Just get an empty cardboard box and cut a hole in the front. An old coathanger makes an excellent pretend aerial, and an empty cigarette packet can be the remote control.
Simply take turns putting the box on your head and recreating your favourite programmes in the comfort of your own home. Hours of fun for all the family.
Normally I'd expect to be flamed for this, but I expect your keyboards are just made of cereal packets with the letters drawn on in marker pen.
Ever since TiVo left the UK, the default PVR has been the horrible, buggy, crashy, retarded Sky+, but it looks like EyeTV could be the replacement for my TiVo.
Unless TiVo actually decide to start - oooh I dunno - selling their product?
Either Elgato or AppleTV with TiVo software? Unbeatable!
As for "Is it coming out for real computers instead of the fisher-price versions?", for which presumably by "real computers" you mean PC's, well let me just say that I'd rather have a "fisher-price version" as opposed to having wasted four hours of my life at the weekend trying to get digital TV software working with a USB digital TV tuner dongle under Windows XP (and having to ultimately resort to a full reinstallation of Windows).
And the software didn't work properly when it was finally persuaded to display a picture, which was distorted due to (presumably) video driver problems, meaning I had to resort to using inferior third-party software or spend another three hours trying to configure open source PVR software.
I don't know the status of "standard broadcast" over there, but here all broadcast will be cut off in 5 months... I see no mention of HDTV reception on the device review... So...
Logitech Harmony ONE Advanced Universal Remote
Logitech Harmony 1100 Remote Control
Logitech Harmony 700 Universal Remote (LCD, 6 Devices)
Logitech Harmony 900 Universal Remote (LCD Touch Screen, Macro Control, 15 Devices)
Panasonic DMW-BCG10 Replacement Battery
Elgato EyeTV DTT Deluxe 'world's smallest' USB TV tuner
charles blackburn
well of course... #
Posted Sunday 28th September 2008 08:29 GMT
"For instance, we tried the telescopic aerial first, raised to its maximum extent and pointing straight upwards. Elagto's EyeTV 3 software reported an average signal strength but a poor signal quality - visually obvious from the blocking in the picture. So we pushed the antenna down so it was horizontal. The signal strength barely changed, but the signal quality rocketed up to 90 per cent, and we were able to watch BBC News without interruption."
That's probablk more due to the fact that OTA tv signals are horizontally polarised, and the fact that if you have a vertical antenna and a horizontal signal (or vice-versa) you lose 20db oof signal on average. it can be a boon to cut out noise, but when you have a marginal signal or one with a lot of reflections (which cause ghosting) it can be a pain..
Tux, cus will it work on a pc with loonix ? :P
dave
winders? #
Posted Sunday 28th September 2008 08:29 GMT
Does it work on windows? Wouldnt mind one of them if so.
Christian Berger
Uhm, what's the use? #
Posted Sunday 28th September 2008 08:29 GMT
Wouldn't it be more usefull to have a WLAN DVB-T tuner? Beeing a terrestrial standard you will most likely not be able to have any reception at the place you have your PC. A WLAN DVB-T tuner could be placed where you have reception. It could then recompress the video to fit onto normal networks. The DVB-T tuner could then be at a place with reception, i.e. London while the computer can access it from anywhere in the world.
Anonymous Coward
So where's the Windows version? #
Posted Sunday 28th September 2008 08:29 GMT
Until this appears, the device is largely of academic interest...
Steve
TV license #
Posted Sunday 28th September 2008 08:29 GMT
I don't have a TV license, nor do I own a TV or have a TV card/dongle for my PC.
The BBC are threatening me for not paying their tax simply because I have an internet connection, regardless of whether I actually visit the BBC streaming web sites (now it seems like ITV and CH4 could go the same way).
With the introduction of these dongle tuners, I can foresee them further amending their exemption clause such that they can be allowed to tax PC owners (laptop or otherwise), regardless of whether they have internet access, simply because they could own a TV tuner dongle.
Make no mistake, they are already attempting to force us all into a position where it is impossible to not have to pay their fee/tax ('no subscription fee for Freeview' - makes me laugh); no doubt they will take this chance to further extend their anti-competitive behaviour!
Tanuki
Bah! #
Posted Sunday 28th September 2008 08:29 GMT
Round here you need to stick up a 40-foot mast with at least an 88-element antenna on it - and also an inline signal-booster - just to receive a grainy ghost-ridden analog-TV picture.
Perhaps if Elgato were to partner with the altogether much more successful Sky - and include a 'free' 90cm dish with your purchase - they might win some business?
Anonymous John
Didn't El Reg try it on a Windows PC? #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
Vista is a multi-media OS and it may have found suitable drivers on the net.
Anonymous Coward
So when #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
Is it coming out for real computers instead of the fisher-price versions?
Anonymous Coward
@christian berger #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
that's called the slingbox
Neil
@Steve - TV LicenCe #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
If you don't have the hardware to receive live broadcasts you're in the clear. The TV Licence fee terms and conditions already cover "PC hardware" - even mobile phones with TV tuners - for some time now. If you can view programme content as it is broadcast live (as opposed to watching it recorded or time-shifted) then you are liable to pay the TV Licence fee.
If the BBC are trying to make you pay because you only have an internet connection then the BBC don't have a leg to stand on, and you have nothing to worry about.
What makes me laugh though are people who fork over £500+ per annum to watch dross on Sky then belly ache about the TV Licence fee and the relative quality it provides. Get over it.
Anonymous Coward
"TV License" #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
Didn't think it would be long before someone came on for a moan. Not entirely surprised you can't spell it either: It's licence with a 'c', being a UK noun,
You pay plenty of tax for watching non-BBC programmes - every time you inadvertently buy a product which is advertised on them. They're not funded by some magic cash cow in the sky you know, but if you haven't got the imagination to realise this then be my guest, and carry on moaning about the TV licence.
Or, you could investigate Rupert Murdoch's tax avoidance schemes if you prefer.
tony72
@steve #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
Listen up buddy boy! Why the hell should you get out of paying for a TV licence just because you don't watch any BBC programmes. The BBC is a public service broadcaster, charged with the lofty goal of enriching our cultural ecosystem and bringing enlightenment to the masses. Even if you don't directly watch the beeb, you benefit from the improvements to our society that programmes such as "Freaky Eaters" and "My Man Boobs and Me" undoubtedly make. So stop your moaning and pay up like everyone else, you damn refusenik.
Andreas
Windows solution #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 08:08 GMT
For those asking for a Windows solution, try one of the following Pinnacle products...
http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/uk/Products/Consumer+Products/PCTV/PCTV/
If you want a small USB tuner then I would recommend the Pinnacle PCTV nanoStick, but forget the aerial, it's pure junk as is the software.
If you need a TV viewer then I would highly recommend DVB Viewer (well, it's more than just a viewer, it's a full-featured PVR)...
http://www.dvbviewer.com/en/index.php
P.S. Just yesterday I saw a (hardware-accelerated) system running nanoStick and DVB Viewer and the quality was absolutely stunning!
paul
Nice but no mythtv #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 09:34 GMT
linux mythtv box in cupboard with dvb-t
+
wireless linux eee pc
=
much better mobile dvb-t experience.
all for 1/4 price of a macbook air.
Scott Mckenzie
Grrrrr, Freesat Memory Key #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 13:26 GMT
Got me all excited thinking they were doing a Freesat HD version of it then :(
I have an earlier version of the Elgato and only use it with a rooftop aeriel, but have to say it's the best TV app i've used on any OS.. very simple and easy to use, the company are excellent too, my unit developed a fault out of warranty but they repaired it FOC (cost me return shipping but hey..)
Evil Graham
You could save even more money #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 13:26 GMT
You could avoid the TV licence fee, the price of a Mac, the cost of electricity to run MythTV and so on.
Just get an empty cardboard box and cut a hole in the front. An old coathanger makes an excellent pretend aerial, and an empty cigarette packet can be the remote control.
Simply take turns putting the box on your head and recreating your favourite programmes in the comfort of your own home. Hours of fun for all the family.
Normally I'd expect to be flamed for this, but I expect your keyboards are just made of cereal packets with the letters drawn on in marker pen.
Mike Richards
Excellent! #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 13:26 GMT
I like this!
Ever since TiVo left the UK, the default PVR has been the horrible, buggy, crashy, retarded Sky+, but it looks like EyeTV could be the replacement for my TiVo.
Unless TiVo actually decide to start - oooh I dunno - selling their product?
Either Elgato or AppleTV with TiVo software? Unbeatable!
David H
@AC #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 14:13 GMT
As for "Is it coming out for real computers instead of the fisher-price versions?", for which presumably by "real computers" you mean PC's, well let me just say that I'd rather have a "fisher-price version" as opposed to having wasted four hours of my life at the weekend trying to get digital TV software working with a USB digital TV tuner dongle under Windows XP (and having to ultimately resort to a full reinstallation of Windows).
And the software didn't work properly when it was finally persuaded to display a picture, which was distorted due to (presumably) video driver problems, meaning I had to resort to using inferior third-party software or spend another three hours trying to configure open source PVR software.
Steve Jobs? Well of course...
TonyZ
Little Late? #
Posted Monday 29th September 2008 20:17 GMT
I don't know the status of "standard broadcast" over there, but here all broadcast will be cut off in 5 months... I see no mention of HDTV reception on the device review... So...