The software includes one year of TV Guide program data ($20 per year in subsequent years) that shows, among other things, what episodes are coming up on what channels and whether they are new episodes or repeats. (Using the $5 EyeTV iPhone app, you can watch live and recorded TV on your iPhone or iPod touch, as well). Program listUsing the EyeTV software you can watch live TV pause and rewind live shows thanks to a storage buffer (by default, 2GB, but you can change the size, and therefore the length of buffer time) schedule and record future programs and watch recorded programs on your computer. I tested it with a small antenna on my desk at work with a clear view of San Francisco’s Sutro Tower, from which I could pick up nearly 40 channels. Unlike the previous version, the Hybrid no longer includes an FM tuner. There’s an included break-out cable offering analog-only inputs for game consoles, DVD players, VCRs, and the like.

Plug the Hybrid into a USB 2.0 port (either directly or using the included USB extension cable), attach the coaxial adapter, connect either an antenna (not included) or cable, and you’re ready to go. The latest version of Elgato’s EyeTV Hybrid TV tuner lets you access over-the-air SD and HD channels (ATSC) and unencrypted analog (NTSC) and digital (Clear QAM) cable channels, as well as signals from cable and satellite boxes (more on that shortly).

Or, to put it another way, letting people watch, record, edit, and export TV shows on their Macs. For many years, Elgato has offered Mac users the hardware and software to turn their computers into TV-tuning, DVD-functioning wonderlands.

Elgato eyetv hd