How do I setup EyeTV HD?

The EyeTV HD is designed to be simple to setup and use.

To ensure that all aspects of the EyeTV HD are understood, here is a discussion of the hardware.

Pictured above is EyeTV HD. It can be used on a Mac using EyeTV 3.4 software (or later). It requires an Intel Mac running OS X 10.5.8 or higher.

It captures video in the H.264 video format, using SD and HD resolutions. Audio can be AAC only.

It does not have a tuner input for antenna or cable.

It comes with an Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). It also comes with an infrared remote control.

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

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)
Digital Satellite (DirecTV or Dish Network)
HDTV

Preferences:

Devices Preferences

Connections

When you first want to use the EyeTV HD with EyeTV, you should run through the EyeTV Setup Assistant, available from the EyeTV menu.

The EyeTV HD connects to a Mac via an USB 2.0 port.

It has Composite, S-Video and Component (red, green and blue) inputs for video.

It has stereo (red and white) inputs for audio.

For best video, you can use the Component video inputs (for HD content).

Lights

There is a status LED light located on the front-center of EyeTV HD, and it has two states, green and orange.

Green - indicates EyeTV HD is receiving power.

Orange - indicates that EyeTV software is running, and communicating with EyeTV HD.

Video Standards

EyeTV HD supports various standards, namely:

PAL
NTSC

It supports various video inputs:

Composite (yellow cable)
S-Video
Component (red, green, blue)

It can receive audio as well:

Stereo (red and white cables)

Analog Inputs: General Information

EyeTV HD accepts a number of analog inputs:

1) Premium Cable (using cable box first) - change channels using cable box, via Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster).
2) Digital Cable (using cable box first) - change channels using cable box, via Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster).
3) Satellite (using receiver first) - change channels using satellite receiver, via Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster).
4) DVD/VCR/Camcorder (via A/V inputs) - composite, S-Video, or component
5) Game console (via A/V inputs) - composite, S-Video, or component

Analog Inputs: Antenna

The EyeTV HD cannot receive signals directly from an antenna.

A converter box that can receive signals from antenna can be attached using Composite, S-Video or Component. Change channels using the remote control that comes with the converter box.

Analog Inputs: Cable (No Cable Box)

The EyeTV HD cannot receive signals directly from a coaxial cable line.

Analog Inputs: Cable (With Cable Box)

If you’re using a cable box, connected to the EyeTV HD via Composite, S-Video or Component, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.

When using a cable box, you may change channels manually using the cable box remote.

You can also use the EyeTV Setup Assistant to setup the included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). That Infrared Channel Changer can automatically change channels using your cable box.

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

Analog Inputs: Satellite (With Satellite Receiver)

If you’re using a satellite receiver, connected to the EyeTV HD via Composite, S-Video or Component, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.

When using a satellite receiver, you may change channels manually using the satellite remote.

You can also use the EyeTV Setup Assistant to setup the included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). That Infrared Channel Changer can automatically change channels using your satellite receiver.

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

Analog Inputs: Verizon FiOS (With Verizon Receiver)

If you’re using a FiOS receiver, connected to the EyeTV HD via Composite, S-Video or Component, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.

When using a FiOS receiver, you may change channels manually using the FiOS remote.

You can also use the EyeTV Setup Assistant to setup the included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). That Infrared Channel Changer can automatically change channels using your FiOS receiver

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

Analog Inputs: AT&T U-Verse (With AT&T Receiver)

If you’re using an AT&T U-Verse receiver, connected to the EyeTV HD via Composite, S-Video or Component, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.

When using a AT&T U-Verse receiver, you may change channels manually using the AT&T U-Verse remote.

You can also use the EyeTV Setup Assistant to setup the included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). That Infrared Channel Changer can automatically change channels using your AT&T U-Verse receiver

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

Analog Inputs: Game Console (Playstation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, etc.)

The inputs of the EyeTV HD have a delay from live, which can make gameplay difficult.

However, you can use a splitter or distribution amplifier, to play games on your TV, while you record them on your Mac via EyeTV HD.

Next generation systems like PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 can use Component or other higher end connections. You can receive HD signals from a modern console using the EyeTV HD.

In short, any came console that has Composite (red, white, yellow), S-Video or Component (red, green and blue) output as an option can work with the EyeTV HD.

A partial list of supported consoles would be:

Dreamcast
Gamecube
N64
PlayStation - PS1
PlayStation 2 - PS2
PlayStation 3 - PS3
Saturn
Wii
Xbox
Xbox 360

Analog Inputs: VCR, Camera or DVD Player

If you’re using a VCR, Camera or DVD player, connected to the EyeTV HD 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)

The EyeTV HD cannot receive signals directly from an antenna.

A converter box that can receive signals from antenna can be attached using Composite, S-Video or Component. Change channels using the remote control that comes with the converter box. The Infrared Channel Changer may not work in this case, since it is designed for use with a cable box or satellite receiver.

Digital Inputs: Digital Cable (Clear QAM)

The EyeTV HD cannot receive signals directly from a cable line.

If you’re using a cable box, connected to the EyeTV HD via Composite, S-Video or Component, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.

When using a cable box, you may change channels manually using the cable box remote.

You can also use the EyeTV Setup Assistant to setup the included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). That Infrared Channel Changer can automatically change channels using your cable box.

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

Digital Inputs: Digital Satellite (DirecTV or Dish Networks)

The EyeTV HD cannot receive signals directly from a satellite receiver.

If you’re using a satellite receiver, connected to the EyeTV HD via Composite, S-Video or Component, then go to the Controls menu and choose the correct input.

When using a satellite receiver, you may change channels manually using the satellite remote.

You can also use the EyeTV Setup Assistant to setup the included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster). That Infrared Channel Changer can automatically change channels using your satellite receiver.

See this article for more information about how to setup the Infrared Channel Changer:

How do I setup EyeTV HD to control my cable box or satellite receiver?

Digital Resolution: HDTV

The EyeTV HD can receive 720p or 1080i signals from any Component (red, green and blue) source.

Devices Preferences

You can switch between various modes in the EyeTV HD section of the Devices Preferences for EyeTV (accessible from the EyeTV menu > Preferences > Devices).