As the first decade of the new millennium draws to an end, the internet has become the converging platform for technologies and a hot spot for social interactions. You are in constant touch with your friends through social networking sites, you can email and chat with family members who may be in a different continent. You can watch videos, download movies, and listen to music with a mouse-click. Even the hallowed TV set – a pop culture symbol – is slowly giving way to Macs and PCs that can stream your favorite shows.
Computer monitors that can double as a TV screen are being favored over dedicated TV sets. It makes sense too. Why waste precious decor space for a TV set when you can achieve the same with your desktop/laptop.
With modern day computer screens being favored over traditional TV screens, Elgato Systems has launched its brand new USB TV tuner stick that may just quicken the demise of TV sets. Eye TV Hybrid is the new offering from Elgato and it promises to be a knockout.
The Eye TV Hybrid is a regular sized USB stick that comes with a coaxial plug (for cable/antenna). It does not require any additional adapter. The USB TV tuner also comes with a RCA and S-video cable that will allow the user to connect a number of devices to their Mac: set top box, camcorder, and even an old school VCR.
Elgato’s TV tuner stick allows its users to view free-to-view digital channels, analogue TV, as well as FM radio. Though the hardware of the USB tuner stick is compact and convenient, the kickass feature of Eye TV Hybrid is its easy-to-use software.
The interface has a simple, clear layout that allows the user to search for favorite TV shows, change channels, and record shows. Just like your TiVo. With the Hybrid, the user can even rewind, pause, and fast forward live TV.
With the software, the user can export recorded shows to iTunes and then sync it with their iPods/iPhones.
Surfing, viewing, and recording TV shows on the Hybrid can be done with the press of a button. An infrared TV remote is bundled with the TV tuner stick.
If you are wondering whether this marvelous TV tuner stick will work with PC too, you don’t have to worry. It does. All you need is Windows 7 and a 1GB dedicated RAM.
With the Eye TV Hybrid, the TV can now be experienced on your Mac/PC. If you want to look at their entire layout of products, check out the Elgato official site.
Wonderful, isn’t it? To know more about such product designs, check out Stream Adaptive Computer and Paper iPhone TV.
