"The system requirements include Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later and a G4, G5, or Intel-based Mac with native USB 2 support."

So, that would rule out a G4 Tower that only has USB2 through a PCI card? I mean, I may just need to get a newer machine for the task, but the G4 has worked so well as a video/iTunes server so far (my Turbo 264 even makes it a capable transcoding machine), I've been thinking about a tuner and this looks good, but I would have to use the iBook.

Your G4 with PCI USB2 would most likely work just fine for standard def programming but would drop frames for HD content.

the mpeg 2 ATSC HDTV video stream ist not very, but for a g4 too demanding..

you need to get a new/used mac that fits that decription... you might get video running with your g4, but noin HDTV resolution and or not the full frame rate...

the elgato eyeTV hybid HD tuner is much smaller, but only has one tuner... i like that one better...

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DaiMac wrote:
"The system requirements include Mac OS X 10.4.10 or later and a G4, G5, or Intel-based Mac with native USB 2 support."

So, that would rule out a G4 Tower that only has USB2 through a PCI card? I mean, I may just need to get a newer machine for the task, but the G4 has worked so well as a video/iTunes server so far (my Turbo 264 even makes it a capable transcoding machine), I've been thinking about a tuner and this looks good, but I would have to use the iBook.

DaiMac, you're good to go with the G4 Tower and the PCI addon card. What is meant by "native USB 2 support" just means that the version of the operating system that you're running needs to have USB 2 natively, rather than running through an emulation mode. Considering USB 2 support is native in OS X 10.4.10 and later, it's just a stressing of the required feature.

As far as the ATI Wonder 650 goes, I have the PCI version, the hardware works great, the software sucks. Quite honestly I'm left with the feeling that they put no real effort into the software, rather relying on anyone who is actually going to use the Wonder 650 is going to use it with Windows Media Center Edition or Vista Home Premium or Ultimate (the only versions of Vista that have media center capabilities) rather than their software. I'm unaware of specific software under OS X that is designed to interface with tv tuners, but if you're serious about it, yer probably going to want to take a look at the enthusiast sites for the AppleTV.

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daemon wrote:
As far as the ATI Wonder 650 goes, I have the PCI version, the hardware works great, the software sucks. Quite honestly I'm left with the feeling that they put no real effort into the software, rather relying on anyone who is actually going to use the Wonder 650 is going to use it with Windows Media Center Edition or Vista Home Premium or Ultimate (the only versions of Vista that have media center capabilities) rather than their software. I'm unaware of specific software under OS X that is designed to interface with tv tuners, but if you're serious about it, yer probably going to want to take a look at the enthusiast sites for the AppleTV.

Oh, I'm not shocked to hear ATI's software sucks. I was mostly interested in this because of the dual tuner capability, but I think the first couple posters have a point about not being able to get true HD from the G4 (just a dual 500mhz Processor in it). If I want to do it I'm probably going to have to get a Mini or something like that, at least for this specific box. Again I could use my iBook (its 1.42ghz G4 should be enough muscle), but I've been trying to get away from using my Laptop in the "media center chain" I've constructed between my main iTunes library (265GB at last count) and the AppleTV/Xbox 360 (which I honestly didn't realize could be enabled to play h264/AAC files with a free download from MS until the other day, I thought it required some type of softmod).

My favorite AppleTV enthusiast site is AwkwardTV, even though activity there has died down a bit recently. Hopefully an AppleTV update is coming soon, add some cool stuff like Folder Organization (cmon, the PS3 even does it now!), movie rentals from iTMS, etc.

Anyway, appreciate the input!

Why does the PC version say it's supports Cable Clear-QAM but the Mac version does not?

Does anyone know if there is a difference in the hardware? (Beside the plastic case going from Black for the PC to White for the Mac.)

[edit] reading the features for the PC version is says

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With the advent of Windows Vista®, digital cable reception of Clear-QAM channels (unencrypted Digital Cable TV) is now possible. Enrich your Digital Cable TV media experience with ATI Catalyst Media Center™ in Windows Vista® with full Clear-QAM TV clarity2

and the "2" refers to this footnote:

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Clear-QAM is unscrambled digital TV over cable. Digital TV channel support is dependent upon your local cable provider. Please contact your cable provider for a listing of digital channels supported in your area. Clear-QAM is supported in Windows Vista® using ATI Catalyst Media Center™.

What's the deal? Does Clear-QAM need DRM or something?

*Edited for stupidity

Clear QAM is unencrypted HDTV. That is what my EyeTV 500 (in the US) can pick up.

"Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is a modulation scheme which conveys data by changing (modulating) the amplitude of two carrier waves. These two waves, usually sinusoids, are out of phase with each other by 90° and are thus called quadrature carriers—hence the name of the scheme."

QAM is used by cable companies in the US to transmit digital cables' thousands of channels. "Clear QAM" is not DRM enabled, infact it's very clear that those TV's that have QAM tuners are only able to view channels that are not scrambled (protected by DRM) and that if you wished to be able to see the scrambled channels you would need to get a cableCARD device that handles the DRM of the scrambled channels.

I know the difference between "scrambled" QAM stations/broadcasts and Clear QAM broadcasts. I receive my local HD channels via my cable company in Clear QAM on my HDTV. There are many more QAM stations that I cannot receive because I don't have the CableCARD or Box.

BUT, that doesn't mean that DRM isn't involved. I was thinking of the "Movie" bit that causes TIVO and the like to refuse to record etc.

In any event, why doesn't the Mac version of this device receive Clear QAM broadcasts? It seems there's no Hardware reason, and the ATI web site talked about Vista being the reason, so what is it about Vista?

And if the El-Gato device can receive Clear QAM, what are they doing? Are they paying a license fee? What?

Or... has ATI just screwed up and left it off the specs because, hey those Mac people aren't technical anyway!

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ctopher wrote:
I know the difference between "scrambled" QAM stations/broadcasts and Clear QAM broadcasts. I receive my local HD channels via my cable company in Clear QAM on my HDTV. There are many more QAM stations that I cannot receive because I don't have the CableCARD or Box.

BUT, that doesn't mean that DRM isn't involved. I was thinking of the "Movie" bit that causes TIVO and the like to refuse to record etc.

In any event, why doesn't the Mac version of this device receive Clear QAM broadcasts? It seems there's no Hardware reason, and the ATI web site talked about Vista being the reason, so what is it about Vista?

And if the El-Gato device can receive Clear QAM, what are they doing? Are they paying a license fee? What?

Or... has ATI just screwed up and left it off the specs because, hey those Mac people aren't technical anyway!

My Wonder 650 PCI card is able to decode QAM stations from Comcast. I doubt there is any difference between the 650 PCI and the 650 USB, so my guess is that either it's not included in the software that ships with the Wonder 650 USB for Macs (which goes back to my point that the software that shipped with it sucks) or it's a marketing oversite, you're point that most companies have the perception that Mac people aren't technical anyway.