Miglia Digital TV Recorder for Mac Review

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(More customer reviews)If you're anything like me, you spend a lot of your time with your Mac, Browsing the web, listening to itunes, making the occasional iMovie. The only thing other than work and friends that competes for my time is the occasional TV show. That is where the folks at Miglia come in. They know you love your mac and they know you're busy and don't always have time in your schedule to sit down and watch a full hour of "LOST." They even know that you get up during the commercials to send a quick email, but that invariably something will happen that keeps you from getting back to the show and you miss the next segment. They know all this... and they've done something about it.

The TVMini HD is a cute little peripheral about as big as a mouse (optical not animal). The design appears to draw from the iPod, as the majority of it's smooth rounded case resembles stainless steel (iPod mini) and the front and back are adorned with shiny white plastic (Classic iPod good-ness). The TVMini HD(tm) is a compliment to any desktop and looks especially nice next to my 20" iMac. The front of the unit contains three blue LED's which at a glance can tell you if it's on, how good your signal strength is, and when a show is being recorded.

The rear of the unit has but two connections, USB-2 and a coaxial cable terminal. The fact that the unit is powered via USB means there is no power-brick to worry about and keeps potentially messy cables to a minimum.

The TVMini HD has the capability to decode, pause and record ATSC/Clear QAM broadcasts. It will let you watch unencrypted digital TV content, but is not compatible with paid digital cable or satellite services. Many cable TV providers broadcast free-to-air digital channels on their networks. TVMini HD(tm) supports resolutions of up to 1080i (1920x1080) and transfers the digital video stream to your Mac without modifying it in anyway keeping the original quality.

I am cheap, I don't pay for digital cable so I haven't been able to use the TVMini HD in the latter capacity. However I do have a nice ATSC antenna in my attic and when I plugged the TVMini HD into it, I was able to pick up 26 channels 6 of which are HD. The TVMini HD ATSC video fills the majority of my 20" monitor and gives a much better picture than Standard Definition TV.

1920x1080 signals are crisp and will fill many Mac screens - leaving just over 2" on the bottom of my iMac. You can view the broadcasts at "Half size" and "Small size but they look too good at the normal size, not to make this your default. If you have a 20" monitor and a Dual G4, G5, or a CoreDuo processor you will find that the Miglia TVMini HD provides a wonderful TV viewing experience on your Mac.

The included Elegato EyeTV software is intuitive, good looking, and just plain works great.The program guide is what I was most interested in and it works well, at first I had a hiccup getting the actual program information to show up so that I could schedule a recording, but once it started working, it was flawless. Once you have a show recorded, the EyeTV software continues to be useful, allowing you to edit out commercials (saving space on your HDD!) and includes one button support for burning the content to DVD, and/or conversion to the iPod's video format (it will also automatically import the file into iTunes for easy synching or playback via Front Row).

Out of the box you have everything you need to watch HDTV on your mac. The small antenna they provide will get you by in a pinch (I was able to pick up 7 channels, 3 being HD).The included remote control is nice and works well, but it would be nice if you could access EyeTV's new full screen menu (which functions much like Apple's Front Row) using only the remote. The included "protective carrying case" is a nice touch, keeping it looking good on your travels and your friends drooling.

For people who don't want to spend a fortune to get the benefit of HDTV Miglia's TVMini HD is perfect. You get HDTV (as well as SD) decoding, PVR capability, and program guide data from a small portable device. Plus the small size and attractive appearance compliment your desktop.

I recommend this product to anyone who loves TV.The TVMini HD is especially nice for those of us in the military, since we're often loo

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Product Description:
Miglia TVMini HD - TVMini HD consists of a small external decoder, portable antenna, and remote control. Together, they allow you to watch and record live digital TV on your Mac. With good enough reception, you can enjoy HDTV resolutions up to 1080i (1920x1080). You can even pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or if you can't stay and watch, easily record your shows to your hard drive or burn them to DVD.Pause, rewind, and skip forward Live TV Export recorded TV shows to Apple iPod and Sony PSP Compatible with ATSC/Clear QAM broadcasts Not Compatible with paid digital cable or satellite services

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