Elgato releases EyeTV 2.4 with AppleTV support

Elgato has released EyeTV 2.4, an update to its DVR (digital video recording) application that introduces Apple TV support. The latest release of EyeTV allows users to send clips to the device in a single click, much like sending clips to an iPod.

EyeTV 2.4 is a free upgrade to owners of EyeTV 2.0 or later. You can download it here.

What's new in EyeTV 2.4?

• Apple TV Support

  EyeTV 2.4 supports exporting recordings to Apple TV. Simply select the recording and click the new Apple TV button in the EyeTV toolbar.

• Spotlight Importer

  EyeTV 2.4 now includes support for Apple's Spotlight search. You can find EyeTV recordings by typing any portion of the recording's name or description into the Spotlight search field.

• More Detailed tvtv Program Descriptions

  EyeTV now supports a newer data feed from the tvtv programming service that can deliver up to 4000 characters per program description. This feed also provides more frequent picture previews in prime time television programs.

• Support for Set Top Boxes (USA only)

  Set Top Box support is limited to the USA, and all satellite or cable providers for which information is available from TitanTV. The satellite or cable programming guide is now displayed within EyeTV.

  Although EyeTV is now able to schedule recordings from your set top box, it alone cannot change channels on your set top box. For this, additional infrared (also referred to as “blaster”) hardware and compatible software is required. EyeTV indicates its intention to change channels by posting a notification on your computer, which the application that controls the infrared hardware listens to.

• Infrared Blaster Support (USA only)

  EyeTV now supports Set Top Box channel changing using 3rd party hardware and software packages. Currently, two different packages provide solutions that are compatible with EyeTV 2.4: ZephIR from studioZee, or IRTrans and iRed.

• Programming Guide User Interface Improvements

  EyeTV 2.4's EPG display shows the time periods that contain scheduled recordings with pink highlights. EyeTV 2.4 displays the next scheduled EPG update in the Guide section of the Preferences dialog. Because the amount of EPG data downloaded for set top boxes is much larger and EPG downloads can take a lot longer, EyeTV displays a new progress indicator at the bottom of the EPG display window.

• EyeTV Menu

  EyeTV can be controlled completely through the EyeTV Menu running in a window and no longer requires playing back content at full screen. To enter the EyeTV Menu in windowed mode, select Enter Menu from the View menu, or use the keyboard shortcut Command-Esc. To enter the EyeTV Menu directly in Full Screen mode, use the EyeTV infrared remote control or the Apple Remote.

  To navigate the on screen Menu, use the mouse and/or the keyboard. If your Mac came with an Apple Remote infrared remote control, you can use it for navigation as well.

  To leave the EyeTV Menu, move the mouse to the top of the window and select Exit Menu. To transition the EyeTV Menu from windowed mode to Full Screen, move the mouse to the top of the window and select Full Screen, or use the Cmd-0 (zero) keyboard shortcut.

• Full Screen Preferences

  For users with multiple monitors, EyeTV 2.4 contains a Full Screen preference pane that supports designating a specific monitor to run the Full Screen menu, and has a preference to black out the other screens.

• Infrared Remote

  Several changes were made to EyeTV's support for infrared remote controls. After EyeTV's sound output volume has been increased to the maximum, continual presses of the volume up key will cause the System sound volume to be further increased (if not already at the maximum). The infrared remote can now send the Macintosh to sleep. While EyeTV is running, press and hold the EyeTV Remote control's Power button (excluding EyeTV 300/310/410/500/610/EZ models); for the Apple Remote, press and hold Pause to make the Mac sleep.

• Miscellaneous

  Taking screen captures is now a menu item: select “Snapshot" from the Edit menu to take a snapshot of the currently playing television window.

  The keyboard shortcut Command-G now leads to the built-in EPG. Command-Shift-G now leads to the selected web EPG for remote scheduling.

  The EyeTV Dock icon now contains a red dot while EyeTV is recording.

  The keyboard shortcut Command-R now works for stopping recordings as well as starting them.

• Hardware Support

  EyeTV 2.4 now supports the Hauppauge WinTV Nova-TD, a dual-tuner DVB-T stick with antenna diversity available in Europe and Australia.

• Various Bug Fixes

For more information, visit Elgato.com.