EyeTV Video Sources - Knowledgebase Articles

Does EyeTV work with Verizon FiOS?

Verizon is offering a new video service in some areas of the United States, called FiOS.

Instead of offering video via antenna, cable, or satellite, Verizon is using fiber optic cables to get the video signals to homes. These signals are in the Internet Protocol (IP) format.

Verizon gives a special receiver to FiOS users, and only this device can receive the full range of FiOS signals. The FiOS receiver has a number of outputs, including standard analog ouputs that EyeTV can receive, and high-end digital outputs that only some EyTV products can use.

Using FiOS with EyeTV HD

EyeTV HD is recommended for all FiOS users, since is offers the possibility to receive HD signals (720p or 1080i) from the FiOS box.

A typical FiOS user can attach their receiver to EyeTV HD, using Component cables for video, and red and white cables for audio.

You can select Component video input from the Controls menu in EyeTV, and then the video from the FiOS receiver will appear in EyeTV.

EyeTV HD can also control the FiOS box using an included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster).

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?

Using FiOS with EyeTV 250 Plus or EyeTV Hybrid

EyeTV 250 Plus and EyeTV Hybrid can also work with a FiOS box, but they cannot receive HD signals from the FiOS box. They can receive SDTV signals (up to 480i) from FiOS.

A typical FiOS user can attach their receiver to a product like EyeTV 250 Plus or EyeTV Hybrid, using a S-Video or Composite cable for video, and red and white cables for audio.

You can select S-Video or Composite video input from the Controls menu in EyeTV, and then the video from the FiOS receiver will appear in EyeTV.

To change channels, you can use the FiOS remote - aim it at the FiOS receiver. Out of the box, EyeTV is not able to tell the FiOS receiver to change channels.

They can also control the FiOS box using an Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster), which is sold separately.

See this article for more information about IR Blaster usage:

What IR Blasters can work with EyeTV for Set Top Box control? (US Only)

Does EyeTV work with AT&T U-verse?

AT&T is offering a new video service in some areas of the United States, called U-verse.

Instead of offering video via antenna, cable, or satellite, AT&T is using fiber optic cables to get the video signals to homes. These signals are in the Internet Protocol (IP) format.

AT&T gives a special receiver to U-verse users, and only this device can receive the full range of U-verse signals. The U-verse receiver has a number of outputs, including standard analog ouputs that EyeTV can receive, and high-end digital outputs that only some EyeTV devices can use.

Using U-verse with EyeTV HD

EyeTV HD is recommended for all U-verse users, since is offers the possibility to receive HD signals (720p or 1080i) from the U-verse box.

A typical U-verse user can attach their receiver to EyeTV HD, using Component cables for video, and red and white cables for audio.

You can select Component video input from the Controls menu in EyeTV, and then the video from the U-verse receiver will appear in EyeTV.

EyeTV HD can also control the U-verse box using an included Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster).

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?

Using U-verse with EyeTV 250 Plus or EyeTV Hybrid

EyeTV 250 Plus and EyeTV Hybrid can also work with a U-verse box, but they cannot receive HD signals from the U-verse box. They can receive SDTV signals (up to 480i) from U-verse.

A typical U-verse user can attach their receiver to a product like EyeTV 250 Plus or EyeTV Hybrid, using a S-Video or Composite cable for video, and red and white cables for audio.

You can select S-Video or Composite video input from the Controls menu in EyeTV, and then the video from the U-verse receiver will appear in EyeTV.

To change channels, you can use the U-verse remote - aim it at the U-verse receiver. Out of the box, EyeTV 250 Plus and EyeTV Hybrid are not able to tell the U-verse receiver to change channels.

They can also control the U-verse box using an Infrared Channel Changer (IR Blaster), which is sold separately.

See this article for more information about IR Blaster usage:

What IR Blasters can work with EyeTV for Set Top Box control? (US Only)

Which EyeTV products support HDTV?

There are several HDTV formats that EyeTV products can support:

HDTV over Antenna (ATSC) in North America

EyeTV 250 Plus
EyeTV Hybrid
EyeTV One
EyeTV 500
TVMini HD
HDHomeRun
Any ATSC product that supports EyeTV

HDTV over Antenna (DTT/Freeview/DVB-T) for International Users

EyeTV 250 Plus INT
EyeTV Hybrid INT
EyeTV Hybrid INT (2008 model)
EyeTV Diversity
EyeTV for DTT
EyeTV DTT Deluxe
EyeTV 410
FireDTV T/CI
Any DVB-T product that supports EyeTV

HDTV over unencrypted digital cable (Clear QAM) in North America

EyeTV 250 Plus (2008 model)
EyeTV 500
EyeTV Hybrid (2008 model)
EyeTV Hybrid (2009 model)
HDHomeRun
TVMini HD
Any Clear QAM product that supports EyeTV

HDTV over unencrypted digital cable (DVB-C) for International Users

EyeTV Hybrid INT (2008 model)
EyeTV 610
FireDTV C/CI
Any DVB-C product that supports EyeTV

HDTV over satellite (DVB-S/S2) for International Users

EyeTV Sat
EyeTV 310
FireDTV S2
Any DVB-S/2S product that supports EyeTV

HDTV over Component

EyeTV HD
Hauppauge HD PVR

The International standard used to broadcast HDTV in MPEG-4 AVC and H.264 is supported as of EyeTV 2.5.

Please note that Clear QAM represents only a few, random channels out of hundreds of digital cable channels. There is no guarantee that you will receive any one channel, or even any channels, when using a Clear QAM tuner with your particular cable service. Clear QAM support does work, but it will not replicate your full cable lineup.

ATSC and Clear QAM are formats primarily used in North America, and not in Europe or Australia.

Two EyeTV compatible products can receive HDTV from an external receiver, like a cable box or satellite receiver. One is the Hauppauge HD PVR - with EyeTV 3.1 or higher, it can work and receive HDTV from component cables. The EyeTV HD, used with EyeTV 3.4 or higher software, also receives HDTV from a cable box or satellite receiver via component cables.

EyeTV products with analog inputs can receive standard and premium channels from a cable box or satellite receiver, in SDTV format.

To play full resolution HDTV, you need any Core Duo Mac, a Core 2 Duo Mac, or a Dual G5. A slower Mac will play the recording, but scaled down from HDTV resolution to 1/4 resolution (similar to DVD quality).

How do I setup Clear QAM channels with EyeTV?

Some new EyeTV tuners can be set for unencrypted digital cable (Clear QAM).

Clear QAM Channels Using EyeTV 3.3 (or later)

If you are using EyeTV 3.3 or later, then EyeTV should automatically find most of the Clear QAM channel names, during the Auto Tune process for Cable.

Those channels will automatically be assigned to use your Program Guide.

If any channels are not correctly identified, then you can use the steps listed in this article, under Manually Naming and Assigning Clear QAM Channels. That manual process may take up to a few minutes per channel.

Clear QAM Channels Using EyeTV 3.2.1 (or earlier)

If you are using EyeTV 3.2.1 or earlier then there may be many Clear QAM channels that EyeTV can’t identify.

You can use the steps listed in this article to manually name and assign those channels, under Manually Naming and Assigning Clear QAM Channels. That manual process may take up to a few minutes per channel.

Manually Naming and Assigning Clear QAM Channels

In order to see program information, you’ll need to go through those manually and match them up with their names in the TV Guide guide. It’s well worth the little effort, as you’ll end up with many more channels to watch.

After you Auto Tune, visit the Channels section of the EyeTV Programs window. You’ll see three different types of entries:

• The channels which could be identified are at the top of the listing and already have their EPG source set to TV Guide. Their check-marks will be set to ‘on’ and they will show up in the Program Guide window.
• Next you may see some channels which have names, but that could not be automatically matched to entries in TV Guide. Their check-marks will also be on, but they won’t show up in the Program Guide until you match them up.
• Finally there will be channels with no names. These will be ‘unchecked’ initially.

TV Guide Setup

When identifying channels for TV Guide, it’s helpful to log into your your favorite web based Program Guide account using a web browser. A free option is TVGuide.com. You can then look at the current schedule for your area, which makes it a lot easier to figure out what a particular program might be.

• Log in to the guide web site and add your cable provider’s Digital Cable lineup to your account, then go to the Digital Cable program listings grid.
• Go through all the un-matched channels, tuning to each one and trying to identify it. Watch this channel’s content for a while until you know which channel it actually is. Many channels show their name or logo, which really helps.
• When you’ve identified a particular channel, select it in the list and choose the TV Guide entry in the EPG column.

• The TV Guide channel list will open. You can use the search function at the top to narrow down the list if you like. Find the channel in the list and select it. Click the Assign button.

• Repeat the process for all the unknown channels.

When you’re done, you should have program information for all your channels