<![CDATA[Troubleshooting - Knowledgebase Articles]]> <![CDATA[Turbo.264 exports from EyeTV using iPod 16:9 format are partially pixelated]]>
To workaround this problem:

1) Open the recording in EyeTV (double click it)
2) Choose the 16:9 aspect ratio (right-click the EyeTV window and then click "Aspect Ratio > 16:9")
3) Close the recording
4) Click on the "iPod" button in EyeTV toolbar

The recording will be then exported by Turbo without pixelation. The resulting video file will be added to your iTunes library in the "TV Shows" category.

Note: The settings for by the "iPod" button are defined in the "Preferences > General > iPod/iPhone button export format".     

]]> <![CDATA[Losing video with some Aston CAMs when switching the audio track on a PayTV channel]]>
This is a known limitation of using this CAM with EyeTV. The same problem may be experienced with some other Aston CAMs. The problem won't appear if the CAM is used with a set top box.

Workaround 1: pause the live TV for at least 4 seconds and then press the "play" button, video should be back.

Workaround 2: quit and restart EyeTV.

As the problem is related to the CAM, replacing the CAM by another model from another manufacturer may solve the problem definitely.

]]> <![CDATA[What should I do if EyeTV crashes?]]>
Make sure that you try the latest version of the EyeTV software - see this article for links:

How do I upgrade or downgrade EyeTV 3?

If other software does not help, then we'll need to see the crash log that was generated after EyeTV crashed.

1) Open the Applications folder
2) Open the Utilities folder
3) Open the Console application
4) Choose Logs on the top left of the window
5) Choose ~/Library/Logs to find CrashReporter
6) In CrashReporter, you can find eyetv.crash.log - copy and paste that text into your response

If EyeTV "freezes" (stops working properly), but does not quit, then that may not necessarily be a crash. Please describe the situation that lead up to that freeze, so we can track down the cause of the problem.

Another possible event is an OS X crash - that's called a kernel panic. Usually, you'll be prompted to restart your Mac when that happens. EyeTV and other applications can't directly cause kernel panics, but we can examine the panic log to help you track down the true cause:

1) Open the Applications folder
2) Open the Utilities folder
3) Open the Console application
4) Choose Logs on the top left of the window
5) Choose /Library/Logs to find panic.log
6) Copy and paste that text into your response
 
]]> <![CDATA[My EyeTV 250 or 250 Plus records from composite or S-Video with random colored squares]]> Using the workaround below should enable you to digitize your video sources without random squares (pixelation).

1) Go to "Preferences -> Devices", check "Analog" and select "Encoding"
2) Now choose "Custom" for the "Quality" and click "Edit"
3) Then choose "I frames only" for the "GOP Structure"
4) Optionally, double "Average Bit Rate" (default 4 Mbps -> 8 Mbps) and "Maximum Bit Rate" (default 6 Mbps -> 12 Mbps) to avoid a decrease of picture quality
5) Click "OK" and close the EyeTV Preferences dialog
6) Record again, and the pixelation should be gone

NOTE: in order to use these settings, you must start your recordings manually (press [Apple]+R or go to "Controls -> Start recording"). You cannot use the "VHS Assistant" as it doesn't use custom settings but standard ones only.
]]> <![CDATA[Log into an administrative OS X user account before updating EyeTV]]>
1) Each time you start EyeTV, you have to use the Setup Assistant again
2) Each time you start EyeTV, you have to scan for channels again
3) Each time you start EyeTV, your settings are not remembered
4) EyeTV may not wake up from sleep to record
5) You may have problems with the remote control

To resolve this problem, EyeTV needs to be able to read and write to files in the System area of OS X. The easiest was to achieve this is to set your particular User account to have Administrative access, before you install or update EyeTV:

1) Open the OS X System Preferences
2) Choose the Accounts section
3) Select your account on the left side of the window, and choose “Allow user to administer this computer” at the bottom
4) Log out of your user account, and then log back in.
5) Install or update EyeTV

We are working on solutions to minimize the need for an account with Admin access, but until all issues are resolved, please use the above steps to resolve such problems.
]]> <![CDATA[After restarting EyeTV, all of my settings and channels are lost]]>
You need to use an Admin OS X account with EyeTV, when you setup EyeTV, so that your channels and preferences will be remembered.

Go to the System Preferences > Accounts, and change your account to Admin access, under the Security tab.

Then, setup EyeTV. Quit and restart EyeTV for the changes to stick. Then, you can change the account access back, if you like.

As of EyeTV software version 1.8.3, EyeTV will automatically ask you for an administrator password when launching the Setup Assistant in order to be able to save channels and settings permanently.]]> <![CDATA[I keep getting an error mentioning Capture Could Not Be Started]]>
To fix it, erase the "ffffffffffffffff" folder in your EyeTV Archive. Then, in the Recording part of the EyeTV Preferences, set the Live TV buffer to 20MB, and to reside in RAM. Restart EyeTV, and the problem should be solved. At that point, you could change the buffer back to your preferred settings.

For EyeTV 2 and 3 users, erase the "Live TV Buffer.eyetv" package.

Your EyeTV Archive can be found in your Library folder (EyeTV 1), Documents folder (EyeTV 2), or via the settings in the EyeTV Preferences > Recording section. ]]> <![CDATA[I want to install a program, but I can't quit EyeTV Helper]]>
However, this program is a background process that's hidden from view.

You can find and quit the EyeTV Helper in the following way:

1) Go to your Applications folder, and then to the Utilities folder.
2) Start up "Activity Monitor"
3) Find the EyeTV Helper in the list of running processes, and highlight it.
4) Press the Quit Process button.

Now you can install your program. The next time you logout and log back in, the EyeTV Helper will restart.

If problems persist, then quit the EyeTV Helper. Search for it in the Finder (Library/Application Support/EyeTV/) and erase it. It will be reinstalled the next time you launch EyeTV. ]]> <![CDATA[I need to troubleshoot EyeTV]]>
If you have a specific problem with EyeTV, check to see if your issue is covered by the following articles:

Audio Issues:


Video Issues:


Recording Issues:


Status Messages:
Accessory Issues:


If your issue is not listed above, then the rest of this article is an exhaustive list of tests and changes that usually get EyeTV working for users.

Each series of steps is designed to confront different causes for common problems, like instability, the lack of a Live TV window, inactive remote, and the like. After each step, try EyeTV again.




1) Permissions Check

This can help after software installation, or OS X updates

Try to Repair Disk Permissions using the Disk Utility application.

1) Open the Applications folder.
2) Open the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.
3) Start the Disk Utility application.
4) Select your drive, and then Repair Disk Permissions






2) FireWire or USB Bus

This can help if EyeTV software can't connect to the hardware, or if no video is captured

1) Try the EyeTV tuner device on all of your other FireWire or USB ports.
2) Try the EyeTV tuner device with another FireWire or USB cable and also without a FireWire or USB cable.
3) Try the EyeTV tuner device with other FireWire or USB devices detached. There might be a fault with the connection, or some sort of conflict with another device.
4) If you’re using a portable, Mac then also try it while plugged into a wall outlet, instead of using battery power. This will ensure that the EyeTV tuner device is getting enough power over the FireWire or USB cable.
5) If you’re using an USB or FireWire hub, make sure that it’s self-powered by an AC adaptor. We suggest trying an USB hub with an external power supply if you are seeing error messages such as No Signal  and Device Not Initialized.
6) If you are experiencing unusual behavior, such as the Mac not waking up or scheduled recordings not taking place, try connecting your tuner device directly to the Mac (the USB hub or the USB cable may be defective).





3) Refresh EyeTV Helper

This can help if there are problems with scheduling recordings, or with the remote control

You can also remove and reinstall a small program called EyeTV Helper, which is involved in detecting EyeTV on the FireWire/USB bus.

1) Open the hard drive that has OS X installed (System drive).
2) Open the Library folder
3) Open the Application Support folder in the Library folder.
4) Open the EyeTV folder in the Application Support folder.
5) Find the EyeTV Helper, and keep that window open.
6) Open the Applications folder.
7) Open the Utilities folder in the Applications folder.
8) Start the Activity Monitor application.
9) Enter "EyeTV" in the Filter field at the top right corner of the application.
10) Find the EyeTV Helper in the list of active applications, and highlight it.
11) Press Quit Process
12) Back in the EyeTV folder, erase the EyeTV Helper application



Start EyeTV and EyeTV Helper will be reinstalled.




4) EyeTV Preferences

This can help if channels are missing, or if EyeTV is not acting normally in any way

You should also try to erase the four EyeTV Preference files, using the EyeTV Reporter application.

If you erase the EyeTV preference files, then any activation key you may have will need to be re-entered. Don’t erase the preference files unless you have the activation key in hand.

You can download and find instructions for EyeTV Reporter here:

How do I use the EyeTV Reporter utility?

After you erase them and restart EyeTV, then you’ll have to re Auto Tune via the Setup Assistant, or the Setup part of the EyeTV Preferences.




5) EyeTV Program Guide

This can help if the Program Guide is missing, or incorrect.

This will not help if you are having a data download issue.  Do not use Clear EPG Database if you have  problems downloading data - it won't help.  Clear EPG Database will remove your entire Program Guide.

The EyeTV Program Guide is kept in a special database file, EyeTVEPG.db.

You can use the EyeTV software to erase it. 

Removing it will remove all of your color-coded Program Guide, and that won't be refilled until the next network check, as per the Guide section of the EyeTV Preferences.

1) Open the EyeTV Programs window.
2) Open the Program Guide section.
3) Open the Action menu (looks like a wheel or gear).
4) Select Clear EPG database.




You can also find the file on your hard drive, to erase it.

1) Open the hard drive that has OS X installed (System drive).
2) Open the Library folder
3) Open the Application Support folder in the Library folder.
4) Open the EyeTV folder in the Application Support folder.
5) Find EyeTVEPG.db in this folder.
6) Erase the EyeTVEPG.db file.



Then you should setup the Program Guide again. An easy way to do that would be to Auto Tune again, and then update the guide from the Guide Preferences.




6) EyeTV Software

This can help if EyeTV is crashing, or if there is a bug

Please download the latest version of EyeTV, and install it:

http://www.elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/support/Update-Start.en.html

Make sure to unplug EyeTV, start the new software, wait 30 seconds, and then plug in the unit again, to make sure the new software is activated.




7) Mac OS X User Issues

This can help if any of the files associated with EyeTV are conflicting with other applications, or OS X

You can also try a new admin user account, and see if that helps.

1) Open the System Preferences from the Apple menu.
2) Go to the Accounts section of the System Preferences.
3) Press the Lock icon at the bottom right corner of the window, to gain access to all commands.
4) Press the + button at the bottom left corner, to make a new account.
5) Once you create the account, the Password tab will let you select Administrative access ("Allow user to administer this computer").
6) Log out of your current account, and log in to this new account
7) Install EyeTV into this new account, and see if things have improved.





8) PRAM/NVRAM

You can perform two system adjustments that help some mysterious problems.

Try to reset your PRAM and NVRAM (Will not work with an Intel Mac). You will find the most current instructions for these procedures here:

Resetting your Mac's PRAM and NVRAM




9) Mac OS X Update Issues

After an update of the Mac OS X, settings and system files can be corrupted causing EyeTV to not function properly. A reinstallation of the last Client Combo version of the MacOS X can help in these cases.

Please download and install the latest Client Combo version corresponding to the operating system that you are using (10.4.x, 10.5.x, 10.6.x, etc.) here :

http://www.apple.com/downloads/macosx/apple/macosx_updates/


Important Notes:

1. Be sure to download the  Client Combo version of the MacOS X and not just the Client Update version  (unless you are using the first version of a given MacOS X in which case there will be no Client Combo available).

2. Certain versions of the MacOS X (10.6.8, 10.7.5, 10.8.2) require the the installation of of one or more supplemental updates in addition to the Client Combo Update. Please remember to install the Supplemental Updates after you have installed the latest Client Combo Update. Then repeat the permissions check described under section 1) above.




If these steps don’t help, then please contact Elgato Support for further assistance. Please let Support know that you tried the steps in this article (#33).

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