Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

The most powerful HDTV recorder for your Mac, the EyeTV 250 Plus combines the advantages of an analog/digital TV receiver and a video converter.

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Questions & Answers

40 Questions + 23 Answers

3.5

Based on 28 reviews

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Purchase Information

$179.95

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Features

EyeTV 250 Plus is a hybrid TV tuner for the Mac with a powerful hardware encoder for higher-quality recordings and smaller-sized video files. EyeTV 250 Plus receives both free over-the-air HDTV, analog TV, and Clear QAM digital cable. It offers a complete solution for moving your video collection from VHS tape to DVD-Video.

Future-proof television for your Mac

EyeTV 250 Plus is future-proof for the upcoming switch to digital broadcast TV in 2009, and is ideal if you want the flexibility of a digital and analog TV tuner together with a hardware encoder in one device. EyeTV 250 Plus delivers free-to-air digital TV to your Mac (ATSC), unencrypted digital cable (Clear QAM), as well as conventional analog TV via standard cable or antenna. EyeTV 250 Plus also comes with a breakout cable for composite video and S-Video, enabling you to connect a set-top box directly to your Mac.

Superb quality digital and analog TV recordings

EyeTV 250 Plus records digital television in a single quality setting--Lossless. The ATSC digital stream is recorded unaltered, so you're getting full-quality HDTV content as encoded by the broadcaster. EyeTV supports closed captioning and Dolby Digital sound.

Convert videotapes into digital files

Use EyeTV 250 Plus to capture video and convert VHS tapes into high-quality digital files. EyeTV 250 Plus' easy-to-use VHS Assistant will walk you through each step, from connecting your VCR or camcorder right through to burning a DVD or sending the recording to iTunes. The iPod Assistant will also help you capture movies from an analog video source, and convert them to the appropriate iPod/iPhone/Apple TV format.

Highlights

  • All-in-one scan converter and analog/digital video converter
  • Ideal for video editing, video presentations, tutorial video creation
  • One-click software and remote control operation
  • Supports scan conversion of resolutions up to 1600 x 1200
  • Track, zoom-in and output to video any application window or desktop area, or dynamically track area around mouse pointer
  • Clean and enhance analog video
  • Mac OS and Windows compatible
  • Infrared remote control unit included

Technical Specs

General

  • Compression Type: MPEG-2,MPEG-1
  • Other Features: TV Tuner

Compatibility

Mac

  • Mac OS X v.10.4 or later
  • 512 MB RAM
  • Mac PowerPC G4, Intel processor or faster
  • USB
  • An Internet connection to download program guide data

What's in the Box?

  • EyeTV 250 receiver/recorder
  • EyeTV 3 software (CD-ROM)
  • Infrared remote control with battery pack
  • Power supply
  • USB cable
  • Break out cable for Composite, S-Video, and Stereo Audio connections
  • Quick start guide

Manufacturer Information

Warranty

  • Warranty: One-year limited (For details, visit elgato.com/elgato/na/mainmenu/buy/terms.en.html.)

Part Number

  • UPC or EAN No.: 852095000751
  • Mfr. Part Number: 10020780
 

Ratings & Reviews

3.5

Based on 28 reviews

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Most Useful Reviews

  • Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

    5.0
    Easy to setup - works great!
    • Written by MG from San Francisco
    • May 8, 2008

    I'm not sure what "BM" is implying by saying it doesn't come with everything you need to start watching TV. Everything is listed on the box it comes in. You buy this thing, you hook it up to your Mac and load the EyeTV software (which is excellent) and you attach your video source (antenna, standard cable, cable box, game console, etc.).

    Read description of product:
    "EyeTV 250 Plus delivers free-to-air digital TV to your Mac (ATSC), unencrypted digital cable (Clear QAM), as well as conventional analog TV via standard cable or antenna."

    Did he think that it came with free cable service or an antenna? Does he want Elgato to specifically state "Video source not included."? Anyway, this is a great product!
    …More

    397 of 462 people found this useful

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  • Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

    5.0
    Awesome with Mac mini
    • Written by CP
    • May 9, 2008

    I have this setup in my living room with a Mac mini connected to my Philips HDTV. The setup wizard made it pretty easy to configure and I'm now happily watching many standard and HD channels from my Comcast cable. The picture is perfect and the recording features are fantastic. I even programmed my Harmony remote so I can operate EyeTV and FrontRow. …More

    313 of 370 people found this useful

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  • Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

    4.0
    really good but
    • Written by JE from East Elmhurst
    • Sep 5, 2008

    glad i discovered this gem.
    I just took delivery of a 24in imac and this nice little tv reciever saved me $200 because i returned the 22in flat tv that was no longer a neccessity and now i even have DVR for FREE and a tv guide like on sat tv or digital cable. this is great (internet required)

    this thing has a fine picturer on my iMac even better than the dedicated flat panel lcd. you can even export recorded shows to your iPod ect ect.

    id like to give it a five "BUT" here are my gripes:
    The blue led is way way to bright in a dark room
    The remote is really kind of Cheesey but it works
    There is no control on the remote that will sleep or shutdown the computer. making the remote only useful for changing channels and volume if you are going to bed.
    the software will not sync the tv signal comming out of sleep mode if eyeTV was running when you go into sleep mode.

    i highly recommend this device.

    …More

    277 of 304 people found this useful

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Most Recent Reviews

  • Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

    1.0
    Consumer hostile
    • Written by WD from Philomath
    • Jan 9, 2012

    Other than the minor issues with the hardware (absurdly bright blue light, running hot, etc.) It's a fine hardware product.

    At least I think it is.

    You can apparently only use it with their awful, barely functional software. The worst part is that they make you pay for the software even if you've bought the hardware. Lost the activation key? too bad.

    In my opinion, if you've paid for hardware you should be able to use it, in at least some basic way, for free and forever. It's O.K. if the paid software gives you better support, more features, etc., but now I have an expensive brick. Thanks, Elgato!     …More

    1 of 6 people found this useful

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  • Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

    3.0
    Worked great while under warrenty
    • Written by KV from Midvale
    • Jun 21, 2011

    It had it bugs but over all worked great while it worked.
    about a year and a half after I purchased it it started making a loud noise it still works... but I can't watch anything because of the loud noise it makes anytime its turned on. Plus I won't just leave it on when I'm not watching to record shows because I can hear it throughout the house. …More

    5 of 9 people found this useful

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  • Elgato EyeTV 250 Plus Digital TV Recorder

    5.0
    I love it
    • Written by JJ from florence
    • Apr 18, 2011

    I really like this product. I just got it the other day it works fine, easy to set up. I'm living in Iraq on a military base in a small room so it saves a lot of space. The picture comes in clear I havent had any trouble with anything. I read a lot of reviews saying they had trouble with the remote. Yes it is cheap feels cheap in you hand but mine seems to work fine. I would recomend this to anyone. …More

    5 of 9 people found this useful

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Questions & Answers

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See all 40 Questions

Most Interesting

  • Can I use this to connect my iMac to a DVD player so I can watch dvd using the dvd player instead of the iMac DVD drive?
    • Asked by WL from Los Altos Hills
    • Jan 2, 2010

    1 Answer

    Best Answer

    Yes. You could also record DVD's to your computer. Follow the step by step that comes with the EyeTV for recording VHS, only substitute the VHS player with your DVD player. Watch or record your Tv, VCR or DVD.

    From the elgato website;

    "Watch, record, edit and enjoy TV on the Mac with EyeTV 250 Plus, a hybrid Mac TV tuner with a powerful hardware encoder for higher quality recordings and smaller video files. EyeTV 250 Plus receives free-to-air digital TV, analog cable, and unencrypted digital cable, and offers a complete solution for transferring video from VHS tape to DVD-Video."

    If your DVD player connects to your TV in the same way that a VHS VCR does, it will work as a DVD player to computer solution.     …More

    • Answered by SC from Grand Junction
    • Jan 9, 2010
  • Can I hook up my Xbox 360 to this device? If so does work with HD or must I go with S-Video?
    • Asked by MA from Calgary
    • Mar 3, 2010

    1 Answer

  • Can I use this to watch DirecTv on my computer?
    • Asked by GL from Los Gatos
    • Oct 11, 2009

    1 Answer

    Best Answer

    in other words, you just want to use the eyeTV as a tv, correct?

    Then yes, you just plug the eyeTV into your DirecTV top box by using the red, white, and yellow plugs (video and sound).

    EyeTV is, basically, just a TV. it uses your computer as the screen for the TV. you don't need to record, and you don't need to use the on screen display. you can just plug it into your to box, and use it as another tv.     …More

    • Answered by SM from Tucson
    • Oct 20, 2009

Recently Answered

  • does this work with cox cable's analog cable service?
    • Asked by GS from Annandale
    • Jan 6, 2010

    2 Answers

    Answer

    Yes. It can do both analog and digital. I have Cox cable and use it without any tuner box. I record both analog and the unencoded digital channels. …More

    • Answered by OM from Tulsa
    • Feb 24, 2011
  • Will EyeTV 250 work with my macbook in Japan???
    • Asked by PC from Amherst
    • Jan 12, 2010

    1 Answer

    Answer

    Primarily no. The digital signal in Japan is different from the US, so your US bought EyeTV will not work on digital signals in Japan. Japan uses ISDB signal, not ATSC.
    Currently Japan does broadcast analog signals, I think until 2012. Once the full switch is made, though, your EyeTV will become a paperweight. I am not sure about how the satellite and cable systems work, however, because I have never subscribed to them.     …More

    • Answered by SR from Kendall Park
    • Jan 9, 2011
  • Can this device work with EYE TV 3.4.3
    • Asked by RM from Juneau
    • Nov 21, 2010

    1 Answer

Featured Question

Does this product work in S. Korea?
  • Asked by DH from Seoul
  • Jan 31, 2012
Answer
† Exceptions apply. The shown delivery date may encounter additional time for some localities. Click here for details.