EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) is designed to be simple to setup and use.
To ensure that all aspects of the
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) are understood, here is a discussion of the hardware.
The front of the
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) has a dark window, covering the IR receiver and power light. It also has a round connector with many holes, used for the special video break out cable.
General Information:
Connections
Lights
Video Standards
Analog Inputs:
General Information
Antenna
Cable (No Cable Box)
Cable (With Cable Box)
Satellite (With Satellite Receiver)
FiOS (With Verizon Receiver)
AT&T U-Verse (With AT&T Receiver)
Game Console (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, etc.)
VCR, Camera or DVD Player
Digital Inputs:
Digital Antenna (ATSC)
Digital Cable (Clear QAM) - Not Supported
Digital Satellite (DirecTV or Dish Network) - Not Supported
HDTV
Preferences:
Devices Preferences
Connections
This white cable has red and white composite connectors for audio. Use these audio connections along with either the yellow composite video connector or S-Video input.
The opposite end of the
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) has a mini USB connector - the appropriate USB 2.0 cable is included. Connect this USB 2.0 cable to an USB 2.0 port built in to your Mac.
It also has a tuner input, with a connector for a coaxial cable. That’s usually the sort of cable that antenna/aerial services or cable TV use. If you have one of those services, connect your cable here. The appearance of that coaxial input will vary, depending on if you are in North America (screw on) or Europe/Australia (slip on).
The power adapter connects to a small hole on the back of the unit.
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) has a blue light that will illuminate to indicate if it’s on (plugged into the power adapter or into USB port) or off.
Lights
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) has a bright blue light on the front of the unit that will illuminate whenever power is being supplied to the device.
Video Standards
Each version of the EyeTV 250 Plus was made for a specific part of the world, and won't function in other regions.
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) supports inputs specific to that region, namely:
NTSC
ATSCAll versions of
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) offer composite and S-Video inputs, via an included A/V adapter cable.
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American version) will not function outside of North America.
Analog Inputs: General Information
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) accepts a number of analog inputs:
1) Antenna (channels 1-69) - using tuner input
2) Unscrambled Analog Cable (channels 1-124) - using tuner input
3) Premium Cable (using cable box first) - change channels using cable box
4) Digital Cable (using cable box first - US Only) - change channels using cable box
5) Satellite (using receiver first) - change channels using satellite receiver
6) DVD/VCR/Camcorder (via A/V inputs) - S-Video or composite
7) Game Console (via A/V inputs) - S-Video or composite (turn to Game Mode in the EyeTV software).
Analog Inputs: Antenna
Connect the antenna to the tuner input of
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) using a coaxial cable.
If the EyeTV Setup Assistant is not showing, then please select it from the Help menu.
When prompted, select “Analog - Antenna” as your service, and then Auto Tune. The Auto Tune process will search for channels that the antenna can receive.
Analog Inputs: Cable (No Cable Box)
Connect the cable service to the tuner input of
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) using a coaxial cable.
If the EyeTV Setup Assistant is not showing, then please select it from the Help menu. When prompted, select “Cable” as your service, and then Auto Tune. The Auto Tune process will search for the analog channels that your cable company provides.
Analog Inputs: Cable (With Cable Box)
S-Video Setup
If you’re using a cable box, connected to EyeTV via a coaxial cable, then Auto Tune using “Analog - Antenna”. EyeTV will find the signal on channel 3 or 4.
If you’re using a cable box, connected to EyeTV via composite (red, yellow and white) or S-Video, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.
When using a cable box, you must change channels manually using the cable box or satellite receiver remote.
If you are in the United States, you can purchase a separate "IR
Blaster". Set it up with EyeTV. Then, EyeTV can tell the satellite
receiver to change channels automatically.
These two articles will give more information about IR Blaster purchase and setup.
What IR Blasters can work with EyeTV for Set Top Box control? (US Only)How do I configure EyeTV for Set Top Box support? (US Only)
Analog Inputs: Satellite (With Satellite Receiver)
Composite Setup
If you’re using a satellite receiver, connected to EyeTV via a coaxial cable, then Auto Tune using “Analog - Antenna”. EyeTV will find the signal on channel 3 or 4.
If you’re using a satellite receiver, connected to EyeTV via composite (red, yellow and white) or S-Video, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.
When using a satellite receiver, you must change channels manually using the cable box or satellite receiver remote.
If you are in the United States, you can purchase a separate "IR
Blaster". Set it up with EyeTV. Then, EyeTV can tell the satellite
receiver to change channels automatically.
These two articles will give more information about IR Blaster purchase and setup.
What IR Blasters can work with EyeTV for Set Top Box control? (US Only)How do I configure EyeTV for Set Top Box support? (US Only)
Analog Inputs: Verizon FiOS (With Verizon Receiver)
Please see this article for more information:
Does EyeTV work with Verizon FiOS?
Analog Inputs: AT&T U-Verse (With AT&T Receiver)
Please see this article for more information:
Does EyeTV work with AT&T U-verse?
Analog Inputs: Game Console (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, etc.)
The
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) can turn off the MPEG encoding chips to improve console gameplay. You can turn Game Mode on or off at the bottom of the Controls menu.
The Devices section of the Preferences will also let you toggle Game Mode on or off.
Game Mode will still have a very small delay - the smallest allowed by current available hardware - but most games should be quite playable.
Next generation systems like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 can use component or other higher end connections.
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) can only use composite RCA and S-Video from these systems, and cannot receive HDTV via component or other connections.
Some Games published on Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Wii Virtual Console might not work on the
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model).
PAL 60Hz input is not supported, and some widescreen content may not be accessible.
In short, any game console that has composite (red, white, yellow) or S-Video output as an option can work with
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model).
An inexhaustive list of supported consoles would be:
Dreamcast
Gamecube
N64
PlayStation - PS1
PlayStation 2 - PS2
PlayStation 3 - PS3
Saturn
Wii
Xbox
Xbox 360
All of the above have composite and S-Video output. Component, HDMI, DVI, VGA and other outputs cannot be used with
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model).
The digital ATSC or DVB-T inputs cannot be used to play video games. Use the analog inputs (composite, S-Video, analog RF) instead.
Analog Inputs: VCR, Camera or DVD Player
If you’re using a VCR, Camera or DVD player, connected to EyeTV via a coaxial cable, then Auto Tune using “Analog - Antenna”. EyeTV will find the signal on channel 3 or 4.
If you’re using a VCR, Camera or DVD player, connected to EyeTV via composite (red, yellow and white) or S-Video, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.
If your device uses SCART, then a SCART to composite adapter is recommended - SCART to S-Video adapters often cause errors.
When using a VCR, Camera or DVD player, you must control that device manually using the buttons on that device or its dedicated remote.
Digital Inputs: Digital Antenna (ATSC)
Connect the antenna to the tuner input of
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model), using a coaxial cable.
If the EyeTV Setup Assistant is not showing, then please select it from the Help menu.
When prompted, select "Digital - Antenna" as your service, and then Auto Tune. The Auto Tune process will search for channels that the antenna can receive.
Digital Inputs: Digital Cable (ClearQAM)
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) cannot directly receive Digital Cable. Attach the cable box to the analog inputs of
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model), and change channels using the cable box remote. You will not get HDTV signals from a cable box.
Digital Inputs: Digital Satellite (DirecTV or Dish Networks)
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) cannot directly receive Digital Satellite. Attach the satellite receiver to the analog inputs of EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model), and change channels using the satellite receiver remote.
Digital Resolution: HDTV
EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) cannot receive HDTV from Digital Cable or Digital Satellite. It can only receive HDTV (where available) from digital antenna.
Devices Preferences
You can select your preferred Encoding qualities in the EyeTV 250 Plus (2007 North American model) section of the Devices Preferences for EyeTV (accessible from the EyeTV menu > Preferences > Devices). You can switch between Analog and Digital mode here. You can also turn Game Mode (uncompressed mode, with minimal delay from live) on or off.
