Is an ATV4 app ever going to be released?

[Ton 29]

DVBlink is similar to EyeTV. So what reason could there be for DVBLink to be able read/play EyeTV's recordings.

 

You do know that the .eytev is actually just a folder containing a regular .mpg. Infuse has no problem playing them. However, caused by EyeTV's weird naming scheme, it's a bit hard to find the wanted movie. Anyway, recordings are located at the end and all before that are just .eyetvsched ie packages containing scheduling information.

Same for Handbrake (most used conversion prog) has no problem reading/converting EyeTV's output.

 

(No idea if and when there will be an aTV4 app. Livezapp has been revoked from the App Store)

 

 

 

[rtraill 8]

I know that the eyeTV is just a container with an mpg file within but it is not a standard mpg file.  There is some header information (I think) that means most programs will not play the mpg file even when you navigate into the container (I have infuse, nastily and AirVideo HD) and only fairly occasionally does it work).  

If you export the mpg file (at least for non-mp4 TV broadcasts then that file is read by everything I have tried on it.  That however involves an extra step of exporting the file manually from within EyeTV (which is what I do).  In Australia our HD TV has shifted to mp4 which brings a further degree of complexity even though it should improve things.

I use EyeTV with my Diversity Tuner on my Mac.  I use an Australia EPG provider called IceTV.  What I want is the ability to play the EyeTV files on my Apple TV without the hassle of exporting the files manually and ideally without doubling the size of the EyeTV files by having EyeTV "prepare" them for iPad use.  Modern Macs are powerful enough to transcode on the fly.  

I was hoping DVBLink on the Apple TV would read the EyeTV files.  I am not interested in replacing EyeTV on my Mac nor watching live TV on the Apple TV.

[Ton 29]

I think there must be something wrong on your side. On the aTV4 I can play .eyetv files with no problem using either: Infuse or VLC, Infuse does a good job while VLC has problems with a smooth playback.

 

If you want you can give DVBlink a good try. You have 2 options:

1. DVBlink Player. 100% functional, free but only runs on the Mac so no aTV4 possible.

2. DVBlink Server, works with aTV4. Paid version but a trial (100% functional) period of 30-days.

 

Presently I use both EyeTV & DVBlink because I also have a HDHR3-4DC which is not supported by EyeTV. I would prefer using EyeTV because of the better scheduling but Elgato has always refused to update their software and Geniatech does not much effort either.

 

 

 

[toyotakurtis 1]

I have found that Plex will play EyeTV recordings just fine as well. By adding the location of EyeTV recordings to your Plex server you can then play them on the AppleTV through the Plex app. You still have the old school method of automatically exporting after the recording to iTunes and playing back your recording.  The issue with both Plex and iTunes is you have to wait until the recording is finished, longer for iTunes as it has to convert to MP4 as well.

I think your experience with playback will depend on the transcoding that is done on the fly and how efficient your Mac is with transcoding. EyeTV does not transcode on the fly so I think an EyeTV app would have a problem playing video. Think of EyeTV running on the Mac as s backend and the AppleTV (if it ever comes out) as a frontend. The backend would need to transcode on the fly.  

My ideal setup would be for EyeTV to take advantage of the HDhomerun Extend tuner that transcodes itself. This would solve playback issues on the AppleTV, minimize file sizes, make exporting files to iTunes near instantaneous and renew the partnership between EyeTV and Silicondust. The holy grail for what we want in the EyeTV app on the AppleTV must also have an interface with the TVguide, allow to setup recordings and delete shows that have been watched. I prefer that the ability to set recordings has same function as the actual EyeTV program but would be happy if it at least is as good as what can be done from the iPad EyeTV app.

With all this being said I still feel that EyeTV is a pretty good DVR program. Runs well on my Mac and overall cost is extremely low. If a fee was to be charged for EyeTV 4.0 that allowed EyeTV to serve as a backend and work with Silcondust I would be okay with that.

 

[thomaskud 13]

Unfortunately, EyeTV App for tvOS will come at the beginning of january.

EyeTV 4 is also in plan. See http://ipfelgruen.de/articles/32221-geniatech-im-ipfelgruen-de-interview-die-zukunft-der-eyetv-produktpalette

[toyotakurtis 1]

Thank you Thomaskud for the reply.  I will patiently wait for the first of the year.  I translated the link you posted with google.  

Mike Decker of Geniatech in iPfelgruen.de Interview 

• The Chinese OEM manufacturer Geniatech has taken over the TV product line from Elgato this year. Geniatech not only takes over the hardware line EyeTV with all the corresponding tuners, but also the responsibility and development of the software EyeTV, which in its current version 3 has been unchanged for a long time and yet unmatched reception and recording of live TV on the Mac Is possible. 
  
  We are pleased to note that the EyeTV product line, which has only been neglected for a long time, is getting a new wind. After the release of the NetStream 4Sat, which was developed in the Forum in the first months even in a separate development area between our users and Elgato, it quickly became quiet and our contact with Elgato unfortunately terminated. 
  
  Mike Decker, VP at Geniatech, was so friendly to spontaneously get iPfelgruen.de to an interview and asked us some questions about the future of EyeTV and thus a little bit out of the box, but read ... 
  
  iPfelgruen.de: Hi Mike, thanks for the spontaneous interview and I want to start directly with the first question: How Geniatech and Elgato come together? 
  
  Mike Decker: Thank you from me and of course I am ready to answer a fan community our new EyeTV product line a few questions. 
  Geniatech is an OEM manufacturer from China, which supplies large TV and telecommunication manufacturers in 42 countries with its products. We are a small family with about 400 employees, you can almost say. Our company combines efficiency and dedication in equal parts. We were primarily software-compliant and in the area driver / firmware, but also smart TV at home. In Germany, we currently have 12 employees, which form the EyeTV team and also a new EyeTV team in SchenZhen. 
  Elgato, we are one of our business partners since the TV line was lifted. We always supply Elgato with know-how and hardware, so we can say that a large part of the Elgato products have always come from our productions. So we've known each other for a long time. 
  When we learned about Elgato's focus away from PC TV to other product lines, we saw the opportunity to adopt a great product line. 
  This step, however, is also new to us. So far our focus has been on business customers and with EyeTV we dare to go to the front and thus directly to the customer. We have to learn that and we find that exciting. 
  
  We are all the more pleased that there are already fans like you who can help us to develop our ideas close to our customers. 
  
  iPfelgruen.de: That sounds promising. So they knew each other for a long time, so they could get in touch quickly. This of course saves a lot of work in the run-up to handing over. 
  Since Geniatech has now taken over the EyeTV business in February, so far has not been much to see. The new homepage offers the same products, as before Elgato. Only DVB-T2 can now be seen on some products. 
  What are we expecting now with regard to new products or even a new software? 
  
  Mike Decker: Such a transition takes place not even just overnight. The software had to be examined intensively by us first. Even though Elgato's guys code very cleanly, it's all about countless lines of code, and so far, we have been concentrating on structuring the code of EyeTV and the drivers as we usually work to make it easier to do in the future To get along with it. Also the current release of EyeTV 3 is owed. Even if you can see little on the front, there has been a lot under the hood. The current EyeTV is now written on the basis of our core and allows us to bring further developments. 
  I am not saying too much when I say that EyeTV 4 is currently being intensively developed and we expect a beta from July 2016, continuing to the IFA with an RC1. Obviously, EyeTV 4 is a native 64-bit program. It will differ fundamentally from the previous approach. We want to bring the entire EyeTV range into the cloud. TV enjoyment always and everywhere and also the possibility, to a range of value-added services, which one can assemble individually. 
  But it will be even better for the hardware customers soon, because there are new tuners in preparation. On the one hand, all existing DVB-T products will be upgraded to DVB-T2; Here, by the way, even for all customers of an EyeTV Hybrid with production after 2014 firmware upgrade. 
  
  And then the NetStream palette is overhauled. The new NetStream will come as DVB-C, DVB-S / S2 and DVB-T / T2 version. There will be - Achtung - variants with one, two or four tuners! And this is not enough, the images of the NetStream models are generally provided via cloud functions (yes, internet connection is also a topic) and the EPG is managed centrally in the NetStream, so that every end device, whether Android, iOS or Mac data ". 
  
  iPfelgruen.de: Wow, a NetStream with central EPG via the cloud. This sounds like processing my wish list. How does it look with multiuser access? I mean, if you buy a NetStream with only one tuner, how does it run? 
  
  Mike Decker: Here we will generally ensure that always allows multiple users to access. If you have, for example, a single-tuner-netstream, then you can also access it, but you have to stop within a transponder.However, several people can use the same tuner at the same time. We want to bring several people together with our new products. This is clearly our claim 
  
  iPfelgruen.de: Thank you very well for this purpose. I already see you have a lot in front of and very hard on the development. I'm talking about another point, because in the list just called Android, iOS and Mac. How does it look with AppleTV or FireTV? Will something come here? 
  
  Mike Decker: But of course. EyeTV 4 will be available for both FireTV and AppleTV 4. There will be an app with which you can watch the NetStream TV streams directly on these devices. If you have a FireTV or AppleTV 4, you do not need a tuner or HDD receiver more. Our NetStream delivers the image live or from built-in HDD as recording, the EPG data, everything in HD (if available unencrypted) and you look at it over the box. The AppleTV 4 app will soon shcon into the Betaphase. Maybe we'll see a report on this in the forum  We will see. 
  
  iPfelgruen.de: So then would thus be all gone in fulfillment of what you can ask for. Only PayTV I hear raus will not be implemented. Is that correct? 
  
  Mike Decker: That's right. PayTV does not fit into an open cloud structure and we want to offer all available content in the same way. We are big fans of eg Kodi and we will see what you find in this corner. But it is not planned to integrate PayTV. 
  
  iPfelgruen.de: Ok, but classic PayTV anyway seems more and more to be separated from the streaming services, so it is possible, you would put on a dead horse in terms of PayTV. One last question: What would Geniatech want to give our readers or generally to all customers? 
  
  Mike Decker: It's not hard. Geniatech will bring EyeTV away from linear TV to a hybrid (cloud, etc.) experience.We will expand the scope of the functions massively and take the customer wishes seriously. I have already enumerated a lot, which is coming soon and clearly corresponds to what has been called for a long time. We are massively moving forward and usability is very important. It has to be easy, just better, as you say. 
  And we will quickly integrate into all DVB-T products T2. 
  
  iPfelgruen.de Thank you! Nice day and thanks for the nice interview! 
  
  Mike Decker: You're welcome and that applies to me as well. See you soon

[Ton 29]

On 14-10-2016 at 10:25 AM, rtraill said:

Any word on the release of the EyeTV TVos app?

Will it require transcoding of the files in order to view recorded files (like the iPad version does)?

It is about time that this was updated so on the fly conversion is done use the CPU or GPU power on the Mac hosting EyeTV.  There is plenty of power to do this on modern devices.  There are plenty of programs that do this already however the EyeTV mpg files inside the EyeTV file are unusual so that most/all programs can't read them properly (eg. Airvideo or Infuse or Nastify.

As a side question does DVBlink read and play EyeTV files without conversion?

DVBlink does not read files. See it as a backend. It produces a .ts which can be converted *by DVBlink) if one wishes to an .mkv. Recordings can be played by DVBlink or any external program.

Same for TVHeadend, this produces the format you wish (.mkv, .ts) and recordings can be played either by TVH or any external program.

Both were never designed to play recordings made outside of their own program. Same for EyeTV (though there is a rather complex way  to play from outside). 

 

Much more interesting is that all (programs I checked) use "H.264/MPEG-4 AVC" as format. It is the container (.mpg for eyetv, .ts & .mkv for others) that causes the problem when playing EyeTV recordings outside the EyeTV program. This also means that Geniatech could (if they wish so) easily change the container from present .mpg to either .mkv or .ts in a minor update since there is IMO no recoding necessary.

 

 

[toyotakurtis 1]

Hi Thomaskud, 

Any updates on when the Apple TV App will be released and any news on when EyeTV 4 will be released?

Thank You!

[Ton 29]

I am afraid the answer will be: 

 

[Markus 0]

Sorry Geniatech but you will lose your steady Customer by treating us like fools. 

Your Apple TV App is a farce. Don't come with new cheap promises. 

It's Time for facts. 

[ibrewster 1]

Well, it's now the END of January, and still nothing as far as I can see. Any updates?

[Ton 29]

DVBLink is primarily software for recording. Playback can be started from DVBLink but playback is not the prime use. It's more or less the same as EyeTV which is also meant for recording.

neither will playback recordings made with another programm. No reason and also too complocated because both offer informatieontsluiting on the recording show which is not available for external recordings.

 

[toyotakurtis 1]

Hi Thomaskud, 

Please respond with some update. 

On a side note, Channels, an Apple TV app now has DVR available. It is in beta but has a great interface. Also HDhomerun DVR can be used with Insta Pro on Apple TV.  

I still think that Eyetv has the potential to be a better DVR program if Geniatech can get a move on it and push out the Apple TV app. 

[thomaskud 13]

I need to say sorry that EyeTV app is still not available now. But a good news is: EyeTV App will be coming in February. I feel so sorry about this issue and hope the EyeTV App is exactly as you all expected. Sorry again.

[ibrewster 1]

Is there any way we can be notified if that ever actually happens?

[Ton 29]

12 hours ago, thomaskud said:

I need to say sorry that EyeTV app is still not available now. But a good news is: EyeTV App will be coming in February. I feel so sorry about this issue and hope the EyeTV App is exactly as you all expected. Sorry again.

@thomaskud

First we were told end 2016, then end of jan 2017, Now end of feb 2017. If you are to be believed then there must already a beta version. Give proof of your words my letting people here use that version.

It is simple, lot of developers do that and nowadays you can even invite up to 1.000 people in such a program.

 

Maybe also you can take another look in your Crystal bowl and make some prediction as to when there will be an EyeTV 3 (or better v4) that allows the use of modern day devices like HDHR3-4DC and/or is able to use all 4 decoders of Netstream 4C?

Serious answers are highly appreciated.

[Mikyesun 26]

some leakage, not too far away ..: 

[toyotakurtis 1]

This is awesome! Thank you. Sure hope this will work with EyeTV and tuners that are not on Netstream as well. 

[Mikyesun 26]

understand, will start from eyetv products first, step by step ... 

[Joda99 0]

@Mikyesun

will this app also work with tuner which are no netstream products? Like EyeTV Sat?

[Mikyesun 26]

9 hours ago, Joda99 said:

@Mikyesun

will this app also work with tuner which are no netstream products? Like EyeTV Sat?

you mean - stream from Mac / eyetv to your home network?

[Joda99 0]

25 minutes ago, Mikyesun said:

you mean - stream from Mac / eyetv to your home network?

Yes, streaming from the mac to the ATV4 via an app.

Maybe the EyeTV App for iPad come to ATV4?

[Mikyesun 26]

5 minutes ago, Joda99 said:

Yes, streaming from the mac to the ATV4 via an app.

Maybe the EyeTV App for iPad come to ATV4?

got you, then you mac need to be always on, basically good idea, but honestly too much for the moment, first get to release for the netstream models, then selected 3party ...step by step

[Joda99 0]

28 minutes ago, Mikyesun said:

got you, then you mac need to be always on, basically good idea, but honestly too much for the moment, first get to release for the netstream models, then selected 3party ...step by step

I do not understand, you allready have this app for iPad and iPhone. Is it difficult to bring this app to atv?

eyetv sat is not a third party product, it was from elgato.

[Mikyesun 26]

4 hours ago, Joda99 said:

I do not understand, you allready have this app for iPad and iPhone. Is it difficult to bring this app to atv?

eyetv sat is not a third party product, it was from elgato.

3party I mean other vendors hardware, all old eyetv hw from elgato and geniatech will be included, if they are capable.