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 What are the differences between EyeTV products and Elgato Video Capture?
Solution EyeTV products and Elgato Video Capture use different software and hardware, and have different features.


Software and Hardware Combatibility


EyeTV software does not work with the Elgato Video Capture hardware. 

Elgato Video Capture software does not work with EyeTV hardware.


Video Inputs


Some EyeTV hardware devices, like EyeTV Hybrid and EyeTV 250 Plus, can accept composite and S-Video as an input.

Elgato Video Capture can also accept composite and S-Video as an input.

EyeTV hardware devices come with TV tuners, to receive things like antenna or cable signals.

Elgato Video Capture does not have a TV Tuner.  It does not accept or record antenna or cable signals, from a coaxial cable.


Recording Format


EyeTV hardware devices capture MPEG Transport Stream video, usually in the MPEG-2 format.  For digital TV, H.264 is sometimes available, depending on the location.  Once recorded, you can export that to many other formats - that exportation process takes time.  For example, if you want to send video to an iPod, you have to record it as an EyeTV file, then export it over many minutes to the special H.264 format for iTunes.

Elgato Video Capture records in MPEG-4 or H.264 formats, directly.  It uses software encoding.  The type of video depends on the speed of your Mac - only faster Macs can record in H.264, but all supported Macs can record in MPEG-4.  Once recorded, that video is immediately ready for an iPod, iMovie or YouTube - no export needed.

Many EyeTV products can receive some HDTV signals over their tuner input.

Elgato Video Capture can only record SDTV over composite or S-Video - never any HDTV.


Software Features


Most every EyeTV feature is not found in Elgato Video Capture.

EyeTV is a general purpose tool for watching and capturing video from a tuner, or other video inputs.  It has the ability to help you find out what will be on TV in the future, and to record it automatically. 

Elgato Video Capture is a highly specialized tool.  It accepts video from composite or S-Video, and captures it directly in MPEG-4 or H.264 formats.  It can then send that video to QuickTime Player, iMovie, iTunes or YouTube. 

Elgato Video Capture is not an EyeTV replacement, since it only has a few features of EyeTV.   It is well suited for users who primarily want to capture video from a source like a VCR or camera, and don't need a tuner or scheduled recordings.


Unique Benefits of Elgato Video Capture


Elgato Video Capture can do some things that EyeTV can't, including:

• Record from analog directly into H.264, in a form suitable for iTunes
• Send recordings to YouTube

In conclusion, there is no easier or more convenient way to transfer home video to your Mac. Elgato Video Capture records from analog video sources in the H.264 or MPEG-4 formats that are native to iTunes. Your video is captured in real-time and no lengthy re-encoding is necessary.

If you want to capture analog video, plus use other DVR features, then please consider EyeTV products like EyeTV Hybrid or EyeTV 250 Plus.



Article Details
Article ID: 3556
Created On: 08 May 2009 05:32 PM

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