EvolutionTV a nice addition to the digital lifestyle
Posted by Dennis Sellers 
Jul 27, 2005 at 12:46am
I’ve long been a big fan of Miglia’s AlchemyTV DVR, a PCI digital video recorder/TV tuner solution that works great with my Power Mac G5. And the company’s new EvolutionTV makes a nice addition to my son’s iMac G5.
Evolution TV is a digital video recorder for your Mac that offers full MPEG-2/4 and DivX recording support. It works with Macs that have USB 2.0 connectivity. With Evolution TV, you can record TV programs and VHS videos to create digital files in industry standard formats. With the wide availability of MPEG-4/DivX compatible DVD players, users can store several full-length movies on a single DVD and watch them directly on their TV. EvolutionTV follows the PAL (720×576) and NTSC (720×480) standards for maximum resolutions.
Set-up is very easy. Installed the software from the supplied CD, plug in the hardware and launch the TV icon from the dock. The setup assistant pops up to help tune in all your channels (you’ll want to give them names that make sense to you) and that’s it.
EvolutionTV offers a scheduled recording function, so that you can program times and dates for recording TV shows days or weeks in advance. It integrates with Apple’s iCal, so you can schedule recording via the calendar application. Also, Evolution TV integrates Decisionmark’s TitanTV EPG (Electronic Program Guide) directly into the software. Shows are recorded onto your hard drive and can be exported to VCD or DVD. However, video eats up hard disk space, so if you plan on recording and saving lots of video, better make sure you’re got the storage space you’ll need.
You can watch TV in window mode or full screen on your Mac. Your Mac won’t be bogged down while recording thanks to Evolution TV’s built-in video compression technology. You can implement the MPEG-2 format or use MPEG-4 and DivX, the latest video compression technology. The MPEG-2 format is suited for creating S-VCDs and DVDs without any additional software conversion step. MPEG-4 files are directly compatible with iMovie 5.
EvolutionTV has inputs for TV/antenna, composite and S-VHS inputs, as well as a stereo audio connector. If you have digital TV, you can connect your receiver box to Evolution TV via S-Video.
As with the Alchemy solution, the Mac OS X compatible software that Miglia includes has a lot of nifty features. You can choose which QuickTime plug-in to implement, allowing you to fine tune the level of video quality and size you desire. Fast Power Macs can even capture straight to the MPEG-4 codec (as well as capture to the hard drive in full size, full motion video). Time, date, channel, video format and more are all fully configurable, as is capture size. It can range from quarter size to full screen mode, depending on the speed of your processor and the space on your hard drive.
You access all the codecs available in QuickTime, such as including Motion JPEGs A and B, Sorenson Video 3 and MPEG-4. Additionally, you can choose 8-bit or 16-bit audio, and mono or stereo sound, as well as adjust the gain.
My biggest beef is the bulky power supply. It would be great if EvolutionTV were self-powered as is El gato’s EyeTV 200, which has FireWire connectivity (the unit draws its power over FireWire, so there’s no need for a power adapter). (See our Sept. 15, 2004 review). Otherwise, just as with the AlchemyTV DVR, Evolution makes a great component of a digital lifestyle.
System requirements: A Mac with a PowerPC/800MHz processor or better and USB 2.0 connectivity, 256MB of RAM, and Mac OS X 10.3 or later.
Macsimum rating: 8 out of 10
Have a product you’d like us to review? E-mail dsellers@macsimumnews.com
Stevie Stets Says:
So which is better on a PowerMac G5? EvolutionTV or EyeTV?
Posted on July 27, 2005
David Gregory Says:
As the owner of BOTH an Eye TV and a Miglia Alchemy DVR card for my PowerMac G5, I can confidently tell you that the ElGato product is much better. The ONLY advantage that Miglia offers is an internal install option.
If all you want to do is watch TV, they both work fine. If you are interested in DVR, get Eye TV. Miglia’s software is like cheap shareware compared to the EyeTV software, laking the integration and features of ElGato’s product.
Want an Alchemy internal card for a PowerMac G5 on the cheap? Make me an offer and I will gladly send it along to you. The money will be applied to an EyeTV 500, which handles HDTV.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Tom A Says:
If you don’t have cable/satelite, but would like to receive HD programing, the EyeTV 500 is the way to go. Hooked into a Turk 55 antenna, this puppy picks up every available channel in your city. With analog, I used to have six channels to choose from; now I have 15!
Posted on July 27, 2005
Mike Gordon Says:
Thanks for the review - among the first I’ve seen for the Miglia EvolutionTV. What I really wish is that someone would do a head to head comparison that includes three products: Miglia EvolutionTV, Elgato EyeTV 200, and the Plextor ConvertX PVR for the Mac (which uses the EyeTV software but costs a lot less). All three seem to do hardware encoding of analog TV signals to MPEG-2 and 4. The Miglia and Plextor products also support DivX encoding. The key advantage of all of these products for me is that they do hardware encoding, relieving me of the need for a super-fast computer to do the encoding. All I want to be able to do is play back programs I’ve recorded to VHS or to a DVR set top box into my machine, and then burn them to DVD, either for storage or for viewing on TV. But these devices are priced very differently: EyeTV 200 is the most expensive at $329MRSP. EvolutionTV is about US$279MRSP, and Plextor’s ConvertX is the cheapest, selling for US$229MRSP. Since I’m buying in Cdn$, the prices are even farther apart. I don’t really see what justifies the higher prices or what I give up with the lower prices. The only distinction that’s obvious is that EyeTV uses Firewire, but the other two use USB 2.0. Bandwidth does not appear to be a problem with encoded video. Anyone have anything to say or can you point me to a good resource? Does anyone know of other products that work with Mac and do the same thing?
Posted on July 27, 2005
Rafael Fischmann Says:
The really good thing about the FireWire interface in EyeTV 200 is not the bandwidth. It’s because it makes the product self-powered through the interface, you don’t need a power adapter do use it. That is awesome.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Mike Gordon Says:
Raphael Fischmann, thanks for your input - you’re a big fan of the EyeTV 200, I see!
What I have to decide is whether it’s worth spending the extra money to get either the Miglia Evolution TV or the El Gato EyeTV 200 instead of the significantly cheaper Plextor ConvertX DVR for the Mac. Is not having to use a power adapter worth all that money? I’m trying to find out if there are any other advantages to going with the more expensive products, or any significant drawbacks with the Plextor unit.
You also posted earlier that the EyeTV 200 “supports compression for all formats QuickTime 7 understands, including THE LATEST VIDEO COMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY: H.264.” My question on this is: yeah, but does it do all this encoding in hardware? I get the sense that it must be software encoding. The major attraction of these devices for me over capture cards like the Miglia AlchemyTV PCI card is that the box does the heavy work of encoding in hardware, so you don’t have to have a very powerful machine to use it. I don’t have a very powerful machine, which is why I’m interested.
Lastly, it seems to me that both El Gato and Miglia regularly update their software with new functionality, so any comments about the software are just based on current releases.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Colin Thompson Says:
I just got the Elgato eyeTV Wonder USB 2.00 which is the cheapest of the lot and it works brilliantly on my dual G5. So it’s got a power supply, but that’s in it own power outlet and is a neater way of turning the whole thing on and off rather than pulling cables in and out. The Elgato software is faultless. Only analogue but that’s all I can get here.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Rafael Fischmann Says:
I’m not really sure about how the video encoding is made through Elgato EyeTV 200, Mike, haven’t bought the product yet and even if it does the compression using the computer’s CPU, that won’t be a problem for me, I’ve just received my new iMac G5 2GHz this week (wee!!). I also noticed through Elgato’s website that they do update the Elgato software quite often, and I’m really happy to know that the company is committed 100% to the Macintosh community, so we’ll never be waiting weeks/months for updates of their software.
Posted on July 27, 2005
KenC Says:
The ElGato software allows for easy editing of your programs, which may be an advantage over the Miglia, cause I didn’t see anything about editing in the above review. I suppose you could record in mpeg4 and import to iMovie5, but why have another step, when ElGato does it very easily.
Oh, also look into refurb specials, at the ElGato site if you decide upon that box.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Stephen Says:
I am trying to decide whether to purchase an EyeTV 200 or Miglia Director’s Cut Take 2. My primary interest is in getting my old Beta and VHS Tapes on to DVD.
Any comments regarding image quality, limitations, et cetera is appreciated.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Rafael Fischmann Says:
Well pointed, KenC. Removing commercials from recorded shows using Elgato’s software is even easier and faster then using iMovie.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Vincent Philion Says:
Hi, I agree with Mike Gordon. We need a good head to head comparison. But I would like to see “MyTV.PVR” compared with the others:
http://www.eskapelabs.com/myTVPVR.html
It seems the cost/features ratio is much better for the Hauppauge product.
About 150$ US gets you hardware encoding, a remote, and full PVR functions including pausing live TV.
Posted on July 27, 2005
Phil Christensen Says:
I was wondering if any of the products mentioned are compatible with iListen voice control, specifically in the EyeTV series, because it would be worth paying more to get one that would work with voice control. Thanks!
Posted on August 03, 2005
Alan Lamon Says:
I just purchased the Eskape Labs myTV.PVR. In all the years I have worked with computers I have never seen a product like this. The package looked good, specs were impressive, and the product looked neat and clean. That’s where it all ended. From the moment I plugged in the power and USB cords I was disappointed. The auto scan wizard, for channel selection, is so buggy the manufacturer has a workaround, quit the program?. Even the update does not correct this. The remote, what a fantastic feature, if it actually worked ...consistantly. Even after new batteries, same result. Even after getting the update off eskapelabs.com website, I could not get a TV reception. I thought it may be the antenna. I even plugged a DVD player into the composite connections, no video. All in all I would recommend any other product, just don’t waste your time.
Posted on August 04, 2005
Paul Findley Says:
The Plextor ConvertX is a piece of junk. Deinterlacing CAN’T be turned off on it. I confirmed this with El Gato. They were “surprised” by this “feature” during their software development. Shamefully, they have remained very hush hush about it. I returned mine to Newegg and bought an EyeTV 200.
Deinterlacing is very bad if you are going to view on regular TV or create DVDs for regulat TV. You get two cycles of degradation (deinterlace and reinterlace for TV).
Posted on August 09, 2005
Toby Says:
I have the Miglia TV.DVR on my Dual 2.0 G5 and it isn’t too bad but there are some problems. Longer shows anything over an hour suffer from audio sync issues. You have to ensure that your computer isn’t doing anything else during the recording or else it starts dropping frames and you get the sync issue. the video quality isn’t the best in DivX since it is doing software encoding as opposed to doing the encoding in hardware. I just purchased and am awaiting a Miglia Evolution TV. I’m hoping that it will rectify the issues that I have been having. If you have the money then I would spend it on a dedicated harware encoding box and stay away from the PCI card versions.
Posted on August 26, 2005
Paul Says:
Toby,
I strongly recommend the eyetv 200 over the miglia evolution. The miglia software will be about the same as for the pci card which I had, which means no where near the maturity of the eyetv software. You can get they eyetv at a good price at http://www.macsales.com and there is a $30 rebate.
Posted on August 26, 2005
Paul Says:
P.S. Only downside to the eyetv 200 is no hardware divx.
Posted on August 26, 2005
Dave Says:
I tried the Miglia TV.DVR pci card in my dual 2.0 G5 and it worked OK for tv recording, but when I tried to import some old laser disks I kept getting static in the sound track while recording. If you just watched it without recording, it sounded fine. After several rounds of e-mail tech support (they are in England) it could be resolved so I returned it to CompUSA before my 30 day return window expired. So now I want an exterior box. EyeTV 200 will probably be my choice-- no more Miglia products, I’m afraid-- but has anyone used a Formac DVR? I think it only records in DV, but they claim the highest quality.
Posted on September 24, 2005
Giorgio Says:
Hey guys ! The best solution for me is the Evolution TV with the Elgato EyeTV software, 100% compatible and the maximum of the two ! Works great, but obviously it’s the most expensive solution.
Posted on October 21, 2005
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Dennis Sellers
Dennis has been a newspaper editor/reporter (seven years) and teacher (seven years). He has over 4,000 magazine, newspaper and online articles to his credit. He has also covered the Mac and tech industries for over a decade for such online publications as MacCentral, MacMinute and now MacsimumNews.
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Rafael Fischmann Says:
"You can implement the MPEG-2 format or use MPEG-4 and DivX, the latest video compression technology.” --> Come on, DivX labeled as the latest video compression technology? Since when that’s true? Go for Elgato EyeTV 200, guys. It supports compression for all formats QuickTime 7 understands, including THE LATEST VIDEO COMPRESSION TECHNOLOGY: H.264.
Posted on July 27, 2005