Folks traveling to DVB-T / Freeview land (that would be across the pond for you Yankees) should certainly give thought to how they're going to receive their much needed dose of OTA programming while there. If you're still living without a USB tuner, have a gander at Elgato's latest. The EyeTV DTT Deluxe snaps right into any spare USB port (on a Mac, that is) and picks up DVB-T / Freeview signals within range. Bundled in, you'll find the recently released EyeTV 3 software, two types of aerial antennas and an EyeTV remote. Folks in Europe can snatch the unit right now for €79.95 ($126), and while we're hoping for an ATSC version to surface shortly, there's nothing to signify that our dreams are close to coming true.

[Via 123MacMini]

Merely months after Elgato launched EyeTV 3, along comes an update to make it even more attractive -- particularly outside of American borders. EyeTV 3.0.2 adds in full support for H.264 digital broadcasts in standard-def and HDTV resolutions, and considering that locales such as Norway and New Zealand are already beaming out material via this standard, we'd say it's a welcome inclusion. Beyond that, the new version also provides QuickTime exporting of ATSC / NTSC Closed Captions for use on iPhone, iPod and Apple TV devices (seen above), but obviously, that's for North America alone. You'll also find a few new deinterlacing options, improved on-screen menus and a handful of bug fixes to boot. Venture on down to the read link to read up on all the changes and get your download a-movin'.

[Via ITWire]

It seems that Elgato was most proud of its totally revamped EyeTV 3 software, but we couldn't help but notice two rather substantial hardware updates that it also chose to announce (albeit quietly) at Macworld 2008. Starting today, the firm's EyeTV Hybrid USB tuner and its EyeTV 250 Plus TV receiver / video converter (shown after the break) are both available with built-in support for unencrypted digital cable (Clear-QAM) channels. 'Course, they'll both still pull in NTSC / ATSC signals, but the addition of Clear-QAM support is a real boon for OTA addicts. Pricing for the extra versatile devices remains unchanged at $149.95 and $199.95, respectively, but unfortunately, existing owners will not be able to receive the newfound functionally with a simple firmware update.

Read - Elgato EyeTV Hybrid
Read - Elgato EveTV 250 Plus

For those who didn't realize that Macworld actually does keep on spinnin' once Mr. Jobs darts back to Cupertino, here's a little more proof. Elgato Systems is using the remaining spotlight in San Francisco to showcase its latest iteration of EyeTV, and we must say, we're digging the additions. Aside from the completely new user interface tweaked to match Leopard, users of EyeTV 3 will also notice an "extended program guide featuring intelligent searching and recording functionality," enhanced network sharing, Smart Playlists, bolstered AppleScript support and an integrated video editor. If that rundown has you overcome with the itch to upgrade, you can do so for $39.95 (or free for users of EyeTV 2 who obtained their license after December 1, 2007), and if you're looking to start fresh, you can snag the software right now for $79.95.

[Via PCWorld]

A few days ago we told you about a new product for encoding H.264 with hardware instead of software, which should obviously speed things a long, as well as free up CPU cycles for something else. At the time we didn't know much about the product, but now our friends from Elgato have filled us in. The Turbo.264 will be available in the US by the end of April with a MSRP of $99. We also learned that the device can encode any video that QuickTime can handle, including 3rd party QuickTime components and that any software that supports QuickTime Export, including EyeTV's very own one click export, is supported. The bad news is that while the device can help you encode your HD clips to H.264, the maximum output resolution is limited to 800x600.

It's taking a bit longer than expected, but sure enough, manufacturers are coming out of the woodwork to give the iPod / iPhone-to-be customers an easy way to convert videos to H.264. Following ADS Tech's lead, Elgato is on the scene with a Mac-compatible USB stick that acts as a hardware encoder to get your clips and flicks from whatever format they're currently in (within reason, we presume) into a format widely recognized by Apple-branded paraphernalia. Reportedly, the device speeds up the encoding process "by two to four times," and partially relieves your Mac's CPU of the transcoding duties by handling most of the dirty work (shown after the break) within itself. So if you're more interested in forking over your hard-earned cash for an easy solution to your file conversion needs, Elgato's Turbo 264 should be landing around the April timeframe for €99 ($132).

[Via iPhone-Scene]

It was only a few weeks ago we spied the first ATSC tuner in thumbdrive form but it wasn't Mac compatible. El Gato, maker of the Eye500, has our back though and just announced the EyeTV Hybrid digital/analog tuner just for Macs. The tuner is in the form of a small thumb-drive that utilizes USB 2.0 to deliver analog or digital TV to your Mac. Just plug it and go. Well, you might have to use the antenna if you aren't in an area with generous NTSC/ATSC coverage. Or you the included break-out cables will allow you to plug in an old VCR, DVD player or game system as long as you covert the signal to coax. El Gato's EyeTV 2 software is wrote natively for OS X and will allow you to record in MPEG-2 -- that is if your Mac has enough power. The tuner is currently available for $150 on their site.

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]