SiliconDust, makers of the popular HDHomeRun TV tuners, have built DVR service into their standard TV app. At $8 a month, it's one of the most expensive long-term options for Mac DVR service. It also offers built-in, non-destructive commercial skipping, a feature with which Plex and EyeTV both struggle. The cable industry demands hefty fees for the keys to unlock those codes, and none of the current Mac apps has yet been willing or able to shell out that much cash.Ĭhannels DVR records video on your Mac, but will only stream it to an AppleTV, iOS devices, or a web interface. It's important to note that no Mac DVR apps, including EyeTV, Plex, or any of the following rivals, can currently display or record encrypted premium cable channels such as HBO, Showtime, or Starz, even if you're a subscriber. The other players in the Mac DVR arena have their merits, but they all fall short in key ways.

But only one of them is your best bet for squirreling away hours of The Walking Dead. We've sifted through the growing pile of Mac DVR solutions to compare the two top contenders: veteran EyeTV and relative newcomer Plex. A once-sparse market for Mac DVR apps now overflows with increasingly powerful and user-friendly choices for recording your favorite TV shows, via antenna or cable. We just need some CableCARD support.There's never been a better time to trade your cable company's rented DVR for your own Mac-based solution. At least you don't have to deal with commercials or spend $1.99 on less-than-stellar video quality. This puts your own content on your iPod, and now, your live TV recordings on Apple TV.Įlgato is dubbing the tandem of their hardware and Apple's hardware 'a perfect match.' I'm not sure that the combo is the perfect match, but it certainly is getting there as far as a decent DVR solution goes for Mac users. What might be a big deal for many seems to be a pretty simple thing for Elgato to implement.ĮyeTV has an easy 'iPod Button' to export EyeTV recordings into iTunes, where they automatically appear under 'TV Shows'.

The best enhancement associated with this update, and the one that will undoubtedly get the most press, is the addition of Apple TV support. There is additional localization support, Program Guide enhancements, support for Spotlight searching, and further multiple monitor support. There is now improved set-top box support and 'IR Blasters' are now supported in the US. Elgato Systems, makers of the popular digital video recording eyeTV hardware, has updated its highly-acclaimed EyeTV software with a number of improvements and bug-squishing enhancements.

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