Software to watch tv on a mac?

[bigrash]

I already have an antenna and the Pinnacle HD Stick Pro, but I'm looking for software to play tv with it. In windows I just used Windows Media Center and was able to connect it with the Pinnacle antenna, but I'm not sure if something like that exists for the mac.

 

[marketsons1985]

EyeTV Link

Not free, but I've heard great things of it.

 

[Kaido]

EyeTV is fantastic, plus you can capture A/V stuff, which is useful for converting old VHS tapes to DVDs and the like.

 

[mshan]

http://eshop.macsales.com/search/elgato

I bought a refurb EyeTV 250 Plus and EyeTV Hybrid and they both shipped with EyeTV3.

 

[Psycho Donut Killer]

EyeTV is great. I also recommend the HD HomeRun package. I have that and also an EveTV Hybrid. I use the hybrid to record off my basic cable, and the HD HomeRun is ethernet based, its on the other side of the house where the antenna is mounted, so I have a short cable run. Dual tuners means I can almost always get 5 minutes before and after each show. It comes with 2 licenses for the software, so that makes the $199 price amazing when you factor in $79 a copy for EyeTV 3. I did buy the $40 upgrade to EyeTV 3 because I bought the Hybrid before 3 came out, so I have 3 macs in three rooms, one records cable, one does OTA, and all three can see shared recordings over the network.

 

[bigrash]

Thanks for your help guys. I've installed EyeTV and it works perfectly. I like the guide way better than Windows Media Center and the quality seems to be a little better. I do think that WMC is a bit simpler to use, but overall EyeTV works very nicely!

 

[Kmax82]

This is the reason why i wish that the CableCard idea really caught on and Cable/Dish networks would allow you to grab their signal straight from the source and then input it into a system like this. I absolutely love the interface of EyeTV3, and BeyondTV (Windows). There's another one for Windows as well that I like, but can't think of it's name.

I just can't see paying to watch just SD content via my computer, or HTPC. If I still lived in a dorm, however, I would definitely pick one of these up. Hopefully in the future the Cable companies get more lax and allow you to bring your own DVR implementation to the table.

 

[bearxor]

DirecTV will be releasing a add-on that will hook up with Vista MCE for a DVR. I'm waiting on that. I love EyeTV, but don't think it can hold a candle to Vista MCE in terms of TV viewing.

But CableLabs are being complete asses by making you buy a new computer to get cablecard content.

 

[Kmax82]

Originally posted by: bearxor
But CableLabs are being complete asses by making you buy a new computer to get cablecard content.

That is too true.