EyeTV 4 an unmitigated disaster from start to finish on macOS Catalina

[Dee Cee 7]

Having purchased EyeTV 4 (8521) for macOS Catalina, there have been issues, some documented in the support forum here. I have allowed time since purchase for updates to be issued, which they have and all in all EyeTV 4 is an unmitigated disaster.

 

Exporting is useless.

Video stuttering

Exiting Full Screen takes at least 2 attempts before it exits.

Spinning beachballs galore.

 

It is an unqualified mess.

 

EyeTV 3 and earlier, allowed you to export in whatever format you wanted and guess what? IT WORKED

 

EyeTV 4 exports a file which is unreadable by any player I have tried.

 

EyeTV 4 is a pile of useless junk and a complete waste of money. It's as if Geniatech had absolutely no Mac software experience, but they did with EyeTV 3

 

DO NOT BUY.

[EricL 6]

I have purchased the EyeTV4 software because I want to update my Mac to Catalina. However, like others when I bought the software no activation key was provided and no one is responding to my request. I sent in a note through the web site and even reached out via Facebook. Do I have to beg for an activation key? It should have come via email after I paid right? I do have the email invoices, does anyone have any advice?

[NeilDeWheel 3]

EricL,

seeing as the software is not fit for purpose at the moment I would claim a refund before 14 days from the date of purchase. If they do not respond then claim the money back from your card provider.

I tried to purchase, thought 'Can't be as bad as everyone is saying, surely'. Something went wrong and the payment didn't go through. contacted support and the cancelled the transaction so I'm going to wait till they fix the app. I would like to upgrade to Catalina but I need a working copy of EyeTV so I have to wait.

 

[zanc 5]

Could be a very long wait

[EricL 6]

"angela" replied after a week and I did get a code. Why I had to ask for it, and why I had to wait a week? no one will ever know..... the software is definitely worse than EyeTV3 no question. It is not ABSOLUTELY horrible, just horrible. The audio won;t play in live TV windows and the channel changing is suspect at best. I am running the old version for now and holding off on the Catalina upgrade which I do not have to have at this time...

[nykel 3]

eyeTV 4 Mac is a chinese fake app

 

Nothing dows work as advertized, nothing.

Save your money, don´t buy eyeTV 4 Mac !!

[dsm10 1]

I agree that EyeTV 4 an unmitigated disaster from start to finish on macOS Catalina.  I bought EyeTV 4 in March 2020 to try with Mojave in advance of upgrading to Catalina since it absolutely requires 64-bit programs. My experience with EyeTV 3 under Mojave and previous OS's had been great, but I quit using EyeTV 4 after only a couple of days it was so bad. I had hoped an update would be issued.  Now I feel I was wrong to think an upgrade would ever be issued, as it is getting to be near the end of August.

RIP Eye TV, it was great while it worked.

Edited August 25, 2020 by dsm10
redundant wording

[Ricardo 0]

Wow I am getting very skeptic about purchasing Eyetv 4 for Mac, specially because one can not test Eyetv 4 and the reviews are ALL not great... I was waiting for SMB3 on my fritz.box to update the Macs to Catalina and Eyetv 4 is next in queue ... Does anyone have a license to share for testing purposes? My experience with Eyetv 3 was great! I have heard people installing parallels just to be able to run Eyetv 3 in Catalina... Please get in touch:  ricardo dot rosa at gmx dot net. Thanks  

[paulmacsmurf 3]

EyeTV 4.0.0 (8523) is now available (through in-app update only: no standalone download available yet). Early days, but it looks a bit more promising: video doesn't stutter, more export options, the edit window shows thumbnails again, and editing is now more like it used to be in EyeTV 3. This may actually be the first version worthy of release!

[mavots 3]

Two applications are keeping me from Catalina and beyond.

Logitech software for my older Harmony remote and EyeTV 3. Funny-both TV oriented!

I'll have to buy a new remote for $200+ in order to get 64-bit set-up software. Hard to swallow but that's easy as it's just money.

The 64-bit EyeTV 4 is another kettle of whatever. I like being able edit and export programs to iTunes. I started using Plex when EyeTV's EPG went haywire last year. Plex works fine for me but you can't edit with it. 

Some day I'll have to go all-64 bit but will need something to replace what EyeTV did for so long.

I'm watching this thread carefully for some better news. Perhaps build 8523 is a turning point.

[rml 1]

I purchased EyeTV 4 in August because I needed a new Mac (which does not run 32 bit), and today I foolishly updated to EyeTV build 8523 and now I have no live window.  It worked yesterday, prior to the update.  I am running Catalina, and have done all the usual - power off, disconnect, restart, all to no avail.  I had finally figured out how to edit and compact on EyeTV 4, and the update returns to the edit and compact as it was in EyeTV3.  Frustrating.  Since updating, EyeTV no longer recognizes the tuner, and now there is no way to see or record anything live.

[Sharp Aquaus 0]

I upgraded Monday and have the same problem, no live tv window. I have eyetv 250 plus. could they have   
 
deprecated the hardware? Running latest version of Catalina.

 

[GeoffPh 4]

I downloaded 4.0.0, 8523, running on MBPro and Catalina, since yesterday. I was prompted to do so from within the Eyetv window. Most things seem to work, but no fast forward/reverse arrows down near the stop/go symbols in the live window. They were handy. The the work-around is to activate the editing time line and drag the editing head to and fro. 

Everything else seems adequate. No beach balls, full screen enter/exit is prompt.

 

[paulmacsmurf 3]

5 hours ago, GeoffPh said:

Most things seem to work, but no fast forward/reverse arrows down near the stop/go symbols in the live window. They were handy. The the work-around is to activate the editing time line and drag the editing head to and fro.

Fast forward and reverse are still available from the "Controls" menu, or using the keyboard controls Command + Right/Left.

[Dave 0]

On 10/13/2020 at 6:50 AM, Sharp Aquaus said:

I upgraded Monday and have the same problem, no live tv window. I have eyetv 250 plus. could they have   
 
deprecated the hardware? Running latest version of Catalina.

Same here. Completely killed live tv so no way to check if mobile streaming works which hasn’t on v4

 

[mavots 3]

Is it possible to purchase EyeTV 4 and run both EyeTV 3 and 4 concurrently on Mojave?

I'd like to test EyeTV 4 on Mojave before making the jump to Catalina while still scheduling/recording/editing with EyeTV 3 until I am confidant enough to make the switch permanent.

[Tony powell 0]

Does anyone know how to switch off audio description?

also why does the video track sometimes not move whilst the sound track keeps playing?

why is editing so difficult?

[Ray0 2]

On 10/16/2020 at 3:35 PM, GeoffPh said:

Most things seem to work, but no fast forward/reverse arrows down near the stop/go symbols in the live window.

Same thing here and no one seems to know why or if it can be reinstated. This is why I bought  EyeTV 4

[Ray0 2]

On 10/16/2020 at 8:38 PM, paulmacsmurf said:

Fast forward and reverse are still available from the "Controls" menu, or using the keyboard controls Command + Right/Left.

Not as good as using the arrows each side of the pause button for me. Thanks anyway.

[rml 1]

Build 8524 seems to be working properly!!! 

[Nph 0]

28 minutes ago, rml said:

Build 8524 seems to be working properly!!! 

I agree, except that I’m getting stuttering on HD playback … anyone any suggestions? It was fine with eyetv 3. 

[Nph 0]

2 hours ago, Raphaeliag said:

Can I contact Administration?
It is important.
Thanks.

Try this email address, but don’t hold your breath: they took about a month to answer my initial query: gtesupport@geniatech.com

[paulmacsmurf 3]

Can anyone running 8524 confirm that they are seeing the thumbnails in editing mode of HD recordings? It appears fine here with SD recordings, just not HD. However, if I turn System Integrity Protection off, the thumbnails appear as they should in the HD recordings (obviously I'm not going to leave SIP off for security reasons). Also, as I'm in the UK, my TV programmes come through via Freeview (to an HDHomeRun), I'm wondering if this is an issue specific to this setup.

[Nph 0]

2 hours ago, paulmacsmurf said:

Can anyone running 8524 confirm that they are seeing the thumbnails in editing mode of HD recordings? It appears fine here with SD recordings, just not HD. However, if I turn System Integrity Protection off, the thumbnails appear as they should in the HD recordings (obviously I'm not going to leave SIP off for security reasons). Also, as I'm in the UK, my TV programmes come through via Freeview (to an HDHomeRun), I'm wondering if this is an issue specific to this setup.

Yes, I’ve just checked and mine’s the same: thumbnails on SD, missing on HD. My set up is with Elgato freesat tuner, so it’s not unique to your set up. Does your playback on HD play smoothly?

[paulmacsmurf 3]

3 hours ago, Nph said:

Yes, I’ve just checked and mine’s the same: thumbnails on SD, missing on HD. My set up is with Elgato freesat tuner, so it’s not unique to your set up. Does your playback on HD play smoothly?

No, I get stuttering too. I have reported this to Support, and sent them samples, they are looking into it. Useful to at least know that the problem is not specific to one type of hardware.