The EyeTV Hybrid is the ideal solution for someone who wants both an analog and digital TV solution for the Mac in one small USB stick. With its classic matte aluminum finish and surprisingly small size for such a versatile product, the EyeTV Hybrid is a perfect complement to the Mac. It features a USB 2.0 interface for the streaming of superior quality, uncompressed TV content to your Mac. It is USB powered and therefore requires no external power supply, and contains a full-size coaxial plug. EyeTV Hybrid works with an Apple Remote. The EyeTV hardware delivers free over-the-air digital TV to your Mac via antenna, as well as analog TV via antenna and standard cable. EyeTV Hybrid also comes with a breakout cable for composite video and S-Video, enabling you to connect a set top box for premium channels, digital cable or satellite.
Connect your game console and enjoy an excellent live play experience. EyeTV Hybrid’s uncompressed analog video signals appear on the screen with zero latency. EyeTV Hybrid records digital TV in one quality setting, Lossless. The digital stream is recorded unaltered and so you’re getting full quality digital content as encoded by the broadcaster. EyeTV supports multilingual programming and Dolby Digital sound. Analog TV can be recorded via EyeTV 2’s software encoder, and the quality depends on the Mac’s processor power. Find TV shows using the built-in program guide (USA only) Export clips and entire episodes to your video-capable iPod Connect game consoles - enjoy zero latency game play EyeTV Hybrid System Requirements - Macintosh with a PowerPC G4, G5 or Intel Core processor, 256 MB of physical RAM (512 MB recommended), a built-in USB 2.0 port, Mac OS X v10.4 or later, Internet connection required to download Program Guide data

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Excellent picture quality with HD
decided to replace an older elgato tv tunter for my imac with a new one. besides the fact that the hybrid is sooo small, the picture quality with HD channels (i use time warner cable) is AMAZING! my 20″ imac immediately became a fantastic LCD tv! recording HD also worked fine (only recorded shorter programs though).

also like the fact that one gets free tv guide programming info….

all in all, i can recommend this product..

1 Star Buyer Beware!
This company has a sneaky upgrade policy, you must keep ALL of the original packaging to get software upgrades (the activation key alone is not enough you need another code printed on the box). Also, if you try to call them expect a rude reception!

5 Stars A rather clunky USB stick that delivers fantastic HDTV and DVR functions to your Intel-based Mac
My MacBook Pro, combined with the EyeTV Hybrid and an over-the-air HDTV antenna, has been my first introduction into the beautiful quality of broadcast HDTV. While the USB stick is a little big and clunky looking hanging off the side of the laptop, the picture and DVR functionality it delivers has been top-notch! I’m certainly buying another one for the new desktop Mac I’m picking up.

I’ve had this product since version 2 of the software, and El Gato has been great about issuing software updates, bug fixes and interface improvements in the 6+ months I’ve owned it. Version 3 of the software is very polished and functioning well. Upgrades for software have so far been free and delivered in just a minute or two over my broadband Internet connection. The EyeTV software always checks for any new versions that might be out and notifies you on-screen that a new version is available.

The only thing I don’t enjoy about the product is the remote control. It’s a bit cheap looking and has some bad ergonomics in regards to controlling the software. Plus it does not take advantage of the Mac’s own built-in infra-red remote receiver, but instead uses one on the USB stick. That can make for some awkward aiming to get the stick to see the remote’s commands.

Other than that, I’d recommend this product to any Mac user wanting an HDTV connection. I’d imagine this would be a great space-saving device for kids in dorms too! Eliminate space taken by a TV. Your Mac will make an excellent HDTV and DVR with this inexpensive device!

5 Stars EyeTV Hybrid-Mac Tuner
This is the greatest little TV you could ever have. Best used with a straight basic cable connection. It is just perfect. All the channels of basic cable right in your computer as you work.

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Tilt: -15 to +15 degrees *
Swivel: -60 to +60 degrees *
Suit TV Size: 32-63 inch *
Extended arms can swivel to any angle you want *
Wall plate with 16″ hole apart suit for 2 US studs *
Capacity: 175 lbs/80 kgs *
Solid heavy-gauge cold steel construction *
Durable powder-coated finish *
Compliant to VESA standard *
Fits most large flat panel plasma and LCD TVs *
Extension arm extends TV from 125mm to 750mm off wall
Easy to install *
Mounting hardware included *
User manual included

User Ratings and Reviews

1 Star There are much better mounts for the money!!
This is just fair Warning!

I am the lead installer for a company that installs RealHomeTheaters, so hopefully my experience can be of some help.

I have used mounts like this numberous times. If you look at the connection point for the arms, all four connect in the center of the wall plate. If your TV weights over 40 pounds the wall plate bowes in the middel, because the plate lag bolts to the wall at the far edges where your studs are (usually 16 inches apart).

Simply put this is a very flimsy mount!

Consider going with something stronger like a OmniMount UCL-XP Dual Arm Cantilever Mount (fits 42″-63″ flat panels)

Hope this helps get your RealHomeTheaters off the ground!

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Take your home entertainment experience to the next level with the Samsung PN50A550 plasma HDTV. The Samsung PN50A550 50″ Widescreen Plasma HDTV with 1080p resolution is big enough to transform any space into the ultimate home theater. Advanced features like a FilterBright to protect against glare and 1,000,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio will simply amaze you and your guests. 1920 horizontal x 1080 vertical pixel resolution presents video and text with outstanding clarity and resolution. Select Game mode with the touch of a button for advanced video-game action. The ACE silhouette editor eliminates visual noise from the deepest dark tones. SRS TruSurround XT offers natural, lifelike HD sound. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through the two speaker internal playback system. Samsung Digital Natural Image engine dramatically improves the picture by enhancing the contrast, detail, and white balance. WiseLink plays MP3 and JPEG files through USB 2.0 connection. Entertainment Mode allows customized picture settings, optimized for different content. Universal Anynet Plus HDMI-CEC allows peripheral devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by TV remote control. Side A/V ports provide easy connections so you can connect a camcorder, digital camera, or any other digital device with no hassles. V-Chip system allows blocking of rated TV and movie programs determined by the parent to contain objectionable content. 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution 175-degrees viewing angle Natural True Color with 18 bit color processing NTSC/ATSC tuners with Clear QAM Sports/Game/Movie modes via hot key 10-watt per channel built-in audio amplifier Direct down-firing speaker system Auto pixel shift (user programmable) Signal pattern processing function Ports - 3 HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface (2 rear/1 side), 2 component video inputs, Side and rear A/V inputs, WiseLink (USB 2.0), He

User Ratings and Reviews

5 Stars Awesome Telly!!!
This telly is so great. Football looks awesome, games are great, standard definition looks pretty good too. It looks stylish and is just beautiful. Not much else to say about the telly that others haven’t said. I spent a ton of time researching and definitely am happy with this buy. Go get it now.

4 Stars Samsung PN50A550
I have done much research before I picked this set up as probably most of the reiviewers have. And I was pretty much between picking this set up or the Panasonic PZ80 model. After much research I concluded that many opinions viewed that the Samsung has more color accuracy and more tune-able options vs the Panasonic. So I went with this one. The advice I have with people researching televisions is that do not rely too much on peoples reviews and opinions and go check out the television yourself…preferably with your bluray/ whatever source you are going to watching most. Many people are nitpicky about things that most people can’t even see(especially people over at AVS forums). But I digress. The TV is awesome..comes included with a swivel stand which some people might not need.

The only nitpick thing I have with the TV is that reflection is so evident in this model. So if you have this placed in front of a window or have lights in front of the tv you will see your reflection. I knew this going in but did not know it would be this bad…since I came from a LCD background. Also don’t get into the hoopla of 1080P…if it fits your need then buy it…if not just get a 720P set and save some bucks for xmas. All in all it is what I expected.

But a recommendation, Amazon is no longer doing pricematch of themselves and they dropped $100 dollars within 30 days since I bought it. They will not refund my money which they changed their policy in September..how convient on their part. I will not make big purchases on Amazon anymore because of this. Just a forewarning to those planning to purchase at Amazon.

5 Stars Excellent picture and great price
Recently purchased the Samsung PN50A550 and not only did I save several hundred off of the store price, but have been really happy with the picture quality. The color and sharpness on this TV are excellent and the setup menus and options are very well thought out. If you are serious about picture quality, this is the TV for you.

5 Stars PERFECT
This television is awesome. Period. The color accuracy is astounding, the setup is quick and easy, and it just looks nice as a piece of furniture.

My ONLY gripe would be that the speakers aren’t loud enough sometimes, and if you turn the volume up high enough, the sound (especially lower tones) can make the cabinet buzz or vibrate a little. But I have exterior speakers, so this was not an issue for me. The sound quality from the built-in speakers is excellent.

I would highly recommend this tv. However, if you have a non-HD source going into it, you WILL know it. If you have HD already, or plan to get it, get ready for one hell of a ride. If you have a Disney/Pixar movie DVD (like The Incerdibles, Cars, etc…) that has a THX Optimizer for your picture settings, USE IT! I did, and the picture quality still makes my jaw drop.

Great tv, great picture, great sound, great looks. Buy it- you will not be disappointed.

2 Stars Defective Plasma
Ordered a brand new PN50A550 Oct 2oth, 2009. It took one week for shipping. Upon arrival I inspected it and looked fine. After taking a hour to set up, I enjoyed the picture for few minutes before noticing a bright line 2 pixels wide going across the middle of the screen. It was much more noticable with lighter backgrounds. To my great disappointment, I called the vendor and they would not ship another plasma if you accepted the shipping. They kindly refered me to Samsung tech support. After waiting 10 minutes Samsung refered me to a local technician. They came over the next day and diagnosed the problem. Apparently its a “rare” defect. BTW - this tv was manufactured in Mexico, there has been alot of chatter with defective sets manufactured there, guess I was one of the unlucky ones…Another week has past, and we are still waiting for the parts from Samsung. So almost a month later, I am still waiting to enjoy my “new” plasma. This model had alot of potential, but this whole experience has been very frustrating. If I could do it over again, I would by the comparable Panasonic plasma.

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Samsung has built a stellar reputation in the fine art of television manufacturing. Besides offering an incredible amount of value, the product itself easily competes head on with similar products costing hundreds of dollars more. How? Simple. Being one of the largest semiconductor manufacturers in the world has its benefits. Utilizing a high percentage of Samsung’s own parts allows it to focus the attention on high quality throughout the design. Result? A world-class product that truly dazzles the eye.

User Ratings and Reviews

4 Stars Great Bargain and Fine Picture
I highly recommend this plasma display panel for anyone who is looking for a great picture at a bargain price. I mean come on a 50″ plasma for under $1600 you can’t beat that. The images displayed with this Plasma are very clear the settings are easy to manipulate. The color, tint, sharpness, etc…were easy to control and optimize. This PDP is HD DNIE. However, it’s maximum resolution is 720pi, but for 720pi it’s picture and performance are unrivaled. I used the HDMI to DVI conversion wire to connect the Satellite receiver to this plasma and I had no synching issues whatsoever, though I had read that there would be synching issues with an HDMI to DVI conversion wire I did not experience that. Bottom line: Big Bang for the Buck.

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Take your home entertainment experience to the next level with the Samsung PN50A450 plasma HDTV. The Samsung PN50A450 50″ Widescreen Plasma HDTV with 720p resolution is big enough to transform any space into the ultimate home theater. Advanced features like a FilterBright to protect against glare and 1,000,000:1 dynamic-contrast ratio will simply amaze you and your guests. 1365 horizontal x 768 vertical pixel resolution presents video and text with outstanding clarity and resolution. Select Game mode with the touch of a button for advanced video-game action. The ACE silhouette editor eliminates visual noise from the deepest dark tones. SRS TruSurround XT offers natural, lifelike HD sound. TruSurround delivers a compelling, virtual surround sound experience through the two speaker internal playback system. Samsung Digital Natural Image engine dramatically improves the picture by enhancing the contrast, detail, and white balance. Entertainment Mode allows customized picture settings, optimized for different content. Universal Anynet Plus HDMI-CEC allows peripheral devices such as a DVD player to be controlled by TV remote control. Side A/V ports provide easy connections so you can connect a camcorder, digital camera, or any other digital device with no hassles. V-Chip system allows blocking of rated TV and movie programs determined by the parent to contain objectionable content. 13650 x 7680 pixel resolution 175-degrees viewing angle Natural True Color with 18 bit color processing NTSC/ATSC tuners with Clear QAM Sports/Game/Movie modes via hot key 10-watt per channel built-in audio amplifier Direct down-firing speaker system Auto pixel shift (user programmable) Signal pattern processing function Ports - 3 HDMI High Definition Multimedia Interface (2 rear/1 side), 2 component video inputs, Side and rear A/V inputs, Headphone, and RS232C Dimensions - Width 48.4 x Height 29.8 x Depth 3.8 / 48.4 x 3

User Ratings and Reviews

3 Stars Great TV but hardcore video gamers BEWARE of ghosting
My girlfriend got this TV and after a hassle getting it home (you HAVE to keep it upright) we finally got it set up. The picture is really nice, even with 720p or 1080i it looks great, and the swivel stand is a nice feature. I played video games on it as well, but after a week and a half of use there was HORRIBLE burn in on the screen from the Ps3. We tried the white screen and shifting pixels with no joy. I looked in the instruction booklet and it said that you should have static images (tickers, video game displays, etc) on the TV less than 10% of the viewing time. What?! If I use the TV for 20 hours a week, I should only use it for games with static displays (health bars, spedometers, etc) for 2 hours a week?! Stick with LCD if you don’t want to worry about ghosting.

4 Stars AMENDED: If you think you need 1080P in a 50 inch think again !
Coming from the graphics industry I’ve always known the spec wars are total ego feeders. At 50 inches 720P is fantastic. 65 inches in the same room and you would be able to see the difference of a 1080P. But not at this size.

If you want amazing HD that is so sharp it will make your eyes bleed… this is your set !

If you want a TV that displays the free HD Cable channels your cable provider provides WITHOUT a cable box… this is the set.

If you want a set not too big to still watch your SD DVD collection… this is the set.

If you buy products based on proper spec for the format rather than EGO… this is your set.

If you don’t already own a surround system and want a reasonable cost system… Buy at least a nice self powered computer speaker system though cause the speakers on this set stink. I recommend the Logitech THX rated 5500 series DOLBY/DTS surround with optical input. In a small living room this will rock the couch at $200.

Amazon’s delivery was 2 days early… called for an appointment… showed up on time.

UPDATE (10/31/2008): I almost want to remove a star. I want to keep my system simple. Have a PC Media Center and a DVD player connected via HDMI. TV has an Optical Out so a single connection for my sound from TV to Surround system seems to be indicated for TV, DVD or PC watching.

WRONG… This TV will pass my Cable TV 5.1 digital sound to the Surround system. But it limits DVD & PC to 2 channel stereo only. I am now forced to have independent sound connections to audio system. Every time you change a source you need to do it twice. This just should not be the case. The HDMI should carry sound to the TV and TV should pass it through the optical interface that I paid for.

WORK AROUNDS… Buy a HDMI switcher that I should not need to buy. Or buy a programmable remote and spend two days setting it up to run all my devices and teach it to change video source on TV and Audio source on Audio system simultaneously.

BOTTOMLINE… The TV should allow digital sound to pass through the HDMI to the Optical Output on the TV. Why they thought passing through 5.1 for a cable TV channel matters more than passing through digital audio for our HD & DVD sources is beyond my understanding. I’m disappointed.

5 Stars Can never watch sports in SD again!
Only had the TV for a week, and I use the settings that CNET recommends for a dark room, and all I can say is WOW! I wasn’t planning on purchasing an HDTV until next year, but with the baseball playoffs and total price of this set ($999); I just couldn’t wait any longer. I spent hours in stores looking at TVs and reading online sites (consumer reports) and this was by far the best TV for the money. I cannot tell the dif between 720 and 1080, though it doesnt matter anyway because I do not have an HD DVD. I have had no issues with burn-in or reflections, even when all of the lights on or sun shining into my living room. My old CRT TV had more reflection issues than this TV does. This TV is just amazing, and I now find it impossible to watch sports in anything, but HD!

1 Star Really Upset over this TV
We had this Samsung 92 days…….and now burn in? Already? The manual states no fixed images more than 5% of the time? well, every station out there has their logo fixed to the screen.

I am really disappointed and mad, feel the tv was just a waste of money.

Have burn in on the bottom and on the left side.

Nice picture though but not worth it if it gets burn in only after 90 days. I also own a 32″ Samsung HD LCD that I have in the bedroom, really makes me wonder if it will do the same. The manual for that says the same thing about burn in/image retention……waaaaaa!

5 Stars Great
It’s simply a great TV, I compared it to my friends 52 1080 LCD Touch Of Red Samsung, and not even for a moment did I regret this purchase.

Phenomenal value/price ratio!

Just be aware of burn in limitations of Plasma TV (zoom in picture when watching 4:3) and have your brightness/contrast settings on 50% or less, an you will be very happy! I had it for over 3 months now and no problems at all.

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Your home theater area is big. So you need a big HDTV with big features for a true home theater experience. And the 50″ Samsung PN50A760 plasma panel delivers. A Digital Natural Image engine™ combines with a variety of picture-enhancing technologies — including Ultra FilterBright™ glare reduction, 18-bit color processing, an ACE2 Silhouette Editor™, and a stunning 1,000,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio — to reveal the full potential of the panel’s HD 1080p resolution. Finally, a red Touch of Color bezel accent adds a stylish, innovative look to your home theater.

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