| MyTV/fm USB Tuner Reviewed by: Michael Flaminio Rating: ** Review Date: 2.21.00 Manufacturer: Eskape Labs MSRP: $199 (US) |
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MyTV/fm is a combination video input and TV/FM tuner. With the device, USB-equipped
Mac can watch and record different types of media.
At first I thought that MyTV/fm offered quite a few features in a single box. There
are numerous USB video capture devices on the market, but this is the only device
that also offers TV and radio tuning. While an impressive set of features, I was
left with mixed felling for the MyTV/fm product.
About USB Video
In my writings, I've covered 
numerous ways to capture and edit video on
Macs. Even though most of Apple's computers ship with FireWire, there still is a
need for good video USB input devices. While USB isn't as well designed for video
as FireWire, USB tends to be more convenient and less expensive than higher-end DV
equipment. While DV/FireWire has its advantages, less-expensive USB options also
have a lot to offer. Not everyone dreams of becoming an award-winning director. The
bottom line is that a lot of people just want to get video into their Macs.
I want to stress that these devices should not be expected to perform well at full
motion, 640 x 480 pixel resolutions. While it can be done, I suspect that you won't
be too please with the results. If this is ultimately what you're looking to do,
I recommend using FireWire and not USB. On the other hand, if you're looking to add
media to a project, email or a web page, a USB option will work pretty well, especially
for its price.
Outside the Box
MyTV/fm has numerous ports for USB, input antennas and audio/video. MyTV/fm is powered
by USB, so no additional power is required, but it does need to be connected directly
to the Mac or via a powered hub. MyTV/fm can import video from composite or component
video sources and also through a coax cable. There is also a sound input and output
jacks, which use standard mini RCA stereo plugs.
The MyTV/fm ships with a USB cable, a dual RCA to mini RCA audio cable, a composite
video cable and a six-foot RCA mini audio patch cable. As with most USB video devices,
audio is not sent along USB with the video. The scarce USB bandwidth is reserved
for video only, and the audio is connected directly to the Mac's microphone port.
MyTV/fm also has an audio input, which acts as a pass-through for audio
Inside the Box
For video capturing, the MyTV/fm does an excellent job. It is one of the best, if
not the best, USB video capture device I've seen. I tested the device by connecting
a video camera to the box's s-video connector. I managed to grab nearly a full 30
frames per second at 320 x 240 pixels. The picture quality was very good and I didn't
notice any dropped frames or video anomalies. If you're looking to add 320 x 240
pixel pictures or video, this will do a pretty good job.
MyTV/fm also includes a TV tuner. The device allows Mac users to watch TV, whether
from an antenna or cable. When I tested the MyTV/fm with cable, the picture was a
bit fuzzy. Also, when I hooked up the audio to my computer speakers, it produced
a loud hum. When I removed the cable TV connector, the hum nearly went away. I suspect
that the two types of interference were related. Audio from the radio tuner on the
other hand was fairly clear.
While I did get the radio tuner to work, there were still some issues. Unfortunately,
you must have an antenna to use the FM tuner. Eskape Labs does not provide one, and
it will not work without an antenna. The antenna hookup is a coax connector, separate
from the TV tuner connector. So if you're planning on using the radio portion, I'd
recommend also picking up a powered FM antenna.
User Experience
The software that Eskape Labs provides is pretty plain. It was simple to install;
only needing to reboot after running the application. Again, MyTV/fm is powered by
USB, so installation is as simple as plugging into a powered USB port. With the software,
the user selects which type of signal he/she wants to use, whether it is radio, video,
antenna, cable or s-video.
Unfortunately, you can't "surf" through channels with the software. You
must exactly select which channel you want MyTV/fm to use for both TV and FM tuning.
While limiting, you can create channel presets, which will let you quickly jump to
your favorite channels.
For capture setting, MyTV/fm uses the standard video and audio setting for Apple's
QuickTime, allowing changes for compression. Also while MyTV/fm does a good job at
capturing video, unlike some other video devices there is no bundled video editing
software. For simple video work, QuickTime Pro can handle most cuts and effects,
but if anything beyond the basics will require separate editing software.
Conclusions
MyTV/fm was a disappointment. As far as video capturing goes, it worked very well.
The TV and radio tuning on the other hand was a different story. One other problem
I found was that the mini RCA jacks did not work very well. I found that they became
increasing loose over time. After testing the device, the audio jacks would not stay
completely plugged in by themselves. In the end I had to hold the cable in or otherwise
the weight of the cable itself would pull the plug out.
Eskape Labs makes a number of devices that range from TV tuning, capturing and video
mirroring. If you are looking for a specific feature, I'd recommend finding a product
just for that feature. I haven't tested Eskape labs' other products, but I have had
them demonstrated for me.
If you are looking for a mini-video editing solution, you may also want to look elsewhere
for a product that ships with a video-editing package.
Pros: Excellent 320x240 video capturing.
Cons: Poor TV/Radio performance. FM antenna required. Weak software package that
still needs features and polishing.
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