My Current EyeTV4 Issues

[Cluttered 6]

Also the latest EyeTV Reporter I can find is 1.8.7 from 2015!!!

Wonder if that was around the time they closed down their support & development departments...

I don't understand their behaviour, surely we all have the same goal, make the program as good as it can be!

Find problems, fix them. The issues  won't go away just because they ignore them.

[Voltarius 0]

If you want to get feedback from Geniatech, you must look for it in google maps. There you find the company and you can rate it. I do that and I get the response very soon.

[Oz Mac User 0]

I updated to OSX 12.6.1 Monterey just now and, when starting up some apps (including EYETV), my jaw dropped!! EYETV Version 8528 update announced itself. I've installed it with no issues noticed so far - fingers crossed.

[Sandy 3]

19 minutes ago, Oz Mac User said:

I updated to OSX 12.6.1 Monterey just now and, when starting up some apps (including EYETV), my jaw dropped!! EYETV Version 8528 update announced itself. I've installed it with no issues noticed so far - fingers crossed.

That's amazing. I'd feared it was an abandoned product.

Updating now!

[Cluttered 6]

Hmmm, I am currently on 8526 (It was getting the display aspect ratio wrong every time I went to full screen, I would have to exit, re-enter full screen to fix it), 8526 seems to be the best of a bad lot, it offered 8528 to me a couple of days back and I declined, 300 times bitten...

Just looked back on this topic and both Roland B and I installed 8528 a long time ago (20th December 2021), it didn't help. (I notice 8528 hasn't been on the download page for a long time). I don't know if that makes it not abandoned or just that the version from a year ago has resurfaced for some reason.

I am stuck on Catalina (my Drobos won't work on anything newer and Apple & Drobo are blaming each other and thus refusing to fix it). I will give it a go and see what happens, I am not holding my breath 😉.

It has been years and I have contacted Geniatech in many different ways and I am yet to get any real replies. I did get one from an odd address from their main German site I think it was (support@mygica.com) and they asked me to tell them the problems, I sent them a link to this topic, I never heard from them again, that was 30th May 2022.

EyeTV v3 was wonderful, v4 has been nothing but trouble and their 'support' has been pretty much non-existent. To be honest I had long since given up. 

I don't understand them, they could have an amazing product if they could be bothered. I suppose the fact that there is little to no competition is the issue, they don't have to try, there are no other options so it's take it or leave it. A wonderful business model!!

Edited October 29, 2022 by Cluttered

[Cluttered 6]

Still downloading, but looking at the info in MacUpdater it doesn't sound promising on either count. 8528 has a date of 17/11/2021 so there doesn't seem to have been an update in the last year, I went to 8526 a few days back which is when MacUpdater offered it to me.

 

[Cluttered 6]

Hasn't helped for me, I have had a quick check and all the cosmetic problems (upside down thumbnails, inability to sort guides, programme guide jumping all over etc) are still there.

It is the version I installed back in November last year so it isn't new, it is the last version I have seen from them and it isn't listed on the normal site under downloads, 8527 is the last one shown there. I kept copies of the DMG's from 8524 on just in case.

Not convinced that they have any support personnel and certainly don't believe there is any active development. The only thing they seem to be doing is selling it.

[Roland B. 19]

45 minutes ago, Cluttered said:

Hasn't helped for me, I have had a quick check and all the cosmetic problems (upside down thumbnails, inability to sort guides, programme guide jumping all over etc) are still there.

It is the version I installed back in November last year so it isn't new, it is the last version I have seen from them and it isn't listed on the normal site under downloads, 8527 is the last one shown there. I kept copies of the DMG's from 8524 on just in case.

Not convinced that they have any support personnel and certainly don't believe there is any active development. The only thing they seem to be doing is selling it.

Hello Cluttered,

As you remember for sure, approx. one year ago we were already fighting for a better EyeTV 4. After exchanging a lot of mails with Geniatech staff and after posting many messages in this forum, not much has changed. EyeTV 4 ist still missing features Geniatech promised a long time ago. And still the same chaos whenever Apple updates its OS. Everybody expect Geniatech seems to know: Apple makes developer versions available many months in advance for one reason: the developers have a lot of time to adapt their apps accordingly, allowing a smooth transition for the users.

It looks like Geniatech is neither able not willing to learn. Maybe missing knowledge, maybe they simply don't care as long as they are able to sell the software unfinished like this. However, we, the customers are part of this game. Instead of sending them our complaints by using all possible channels, we relief our frsutration by writing our frustration in this forum. And most of us assume, all this stuff is systematically read by Geniatech staff. If only a fraction of the forum users would direct their complaints directly to the Geniatech staff concerned, the pressure on the company would increase much more. It doesn't make too much sense to keep our frustration within this closed user group in a forum nobody at Geniatech cares about.

Flood the mailboxes of Geniatech staff and they will act. Put all addresses below in your «send to» boxes. I would name this «the unified power of the customers». Just act...

kelly.li@geniatech.com (Geniatech EyeTV Support Team)
abbey@geniatech.com (Sales Director Geniatech headquarter Shenzen)
cpf@geniatech.com
dgg@geniatech.com
sales@geniatech.com
suggestion@geniatech.com    
GTESales@geniatech.com (Geniatech Europe GmbH, EMEA HQ in Germany, Director is Mike Decker)

 

[Oz Mac User 0]

Hmmm....this is really strange. Everything you folks (Cluttered / Roland B) are saying rings true about 8528 except for one really weird thing. When I finished upgrading to OSX Monterey, I started EYETV and the ETETV updater appeared and notified me that the available update (8528) was supposed to fix compatibilty issues with Monterey. That's what made me think the EYETV update was new.

How does all this work?? I don't doubt for a second what you guys are saying about 8528 being a 2021 release but I'm 100% positive about what I read in the update notification. 

[Cluttered 6]

Well Monterey was released in October 2021 and 8528 was released in November 2021 so it’s reasonable that they would quote Monterey compatibility as their reason for that release.

[Roland B. 19]

1 hour ago, Oz Mac User said:

Hmmm....this is really strange. Everything you folks (Cluttered / Roland B) are saying rings true about 8528 except for one really weird thing. When I finished upgrading to OSX Monterey, I started EYETV and the ETETV updater appeared and notified me that the available update (8528) was supposed to fix compatibilty issues with Monterey. That's what made me think the EYETV update was new.

How does all this work?? I don't doubt for a second what you guys are saying about 8528 being a 2021 release but I'm 100% positive about what I read in the update notification. 

I rather suspect that there are now two different versions of 8528 in the wild.

1) The old version, which was released about a year ago and removed from the download area after new issues.

2) The new version with some corrections regarding macOS Ventura.

Poor management of software versions ends up in exactly this kind of discussion. And absolutely no official statement from Geniatech staff confirms all negative experiences with Geniatech, until now.

[Oz Mac User 0]

Ok.....I now see what I've done. My apologies everyone

I have two Mac Minis that I was updating today. The one on my desk I updated to Ventura (it's a newer Mac mini) and the one that I have EYETV on (older Mac mini) I also upgraded but only to 12.6.1. I assumed both Mac Minis were on the same version of OSX and that's not the case. 

For some reason, I've never had EYETV updater notify me about 8528 and when that happened today, I thought it was a new EYETV update for a new version of OSX. 

Again, sorry. My mistake

[Almorack 1]

I launched EyeTV on my old Mac it begun an automatic update to the version 8528 (updated Ventura support). So I copied the updated version in my old Mac to the new Mac and it works.

The version 8528 is dated 2022.08.08, I don't know why Geniatech didn't post anything about it.

[Almorack 1]

It doesn't start anymore, I don't know why... I tried reinstall but nothing works

[Almorack 1]

30 minutes ago, Almorack said:

It doesn't start anymore, I don't know why... I tried reinstall but nothing works

EyeTV Reporter solved the problem

[Cluttered 6]

I don't work for these idiot's, I don't support their crappy software, if you read the rest of the posts in here you will notice I have one or two problems with their software myself, I also have had zero success getting them to provide support.

So I would suggest you start your own threads, post your problems in there nd keep your fingers crossed.

[Almorack 1]

I suggest to everybody to use EyeTV Reporter to delete every preference and re-do the configuration. EyeTV works fine now.

[Cluttered 6]

Two more issues:

  ⁃  If you select the File menu, press OPTION, then a menu item "Open All Live TV Windows" appears, I have a diversity in dual tuner mode, so it should open 2 windows, it doesn't it opens one. If you then repeat the process but choose "Close All", then it of course doesn't, it closes the Program Guide window but any TV windows that are open are left open, so much for close *ALL*.

  ⁃  Upgraded to Monterey and a new problem has cropped up. If I am watching a full screen TV/recording then a schedule starts, a new desktop space is opened which is a duplicate of the one that the EyeTV app is in, it shows a black screen and if you select it then it looks like the desktop that the app is in (it has the same desktop image). If another schedule kicks off then another space opens. They have the window name under them so something like "EyeTV/2 - 2- BBC TWO". The only way to get rid of them is to wait until you can close the EyeTV app and then they vanish.

[Cluttered 6]

Another one:

In the channels list views, as you scroll then the title headers 'Channel', 'Name' etc all appear to be transparent so the content becomes unreadable. The headers should be opaque.

There's no attention to detail. 

[Cluttered 6]

One more:

If I am watching a recording full screen, then close it with CMD+W ie. close window, EyeTV crashes.

[Cluttered 6]

I'm just a user, not sure why people keep asking me, especially given my lack of success.

You can try https://www.geniatech.eu/support-contact/?Product=eyetv 4 macOS but it hasn't done me any good for the last couple of years.

Personally I don't think they have any support staff anymore. But give it a go.

[Cluttered 6]

My best advice to anyone with problems:

1) Try searching the web.

2) Try searching the forums.

3) Don't just tag on your request in here, no one will see it. Create your own forum post, make sure the subject has some detail in it, that gives you more chance that someone will help, it may be a known problem.

4) Try going to their homepage and look under support, then raise a new ticket and/or post to the relevant address(s).

Posting in here is likely only going to be seen by me and as I don't work for them isn't going to do you much good.

Oh, and posting with, URGENT, HELP ME NOW, or similar phrases will just make me switch off and ignore it. Like I say, I DON'T WORK FOR THESE PEOPLE, I have enough problems.

Good luck.

[Oz Mac User 0]

Hi Cluttered.  I get all updates so please don’t feel you’re on your own here. 
 

Natasharpj, all the best. 

[Cluttered 6]

I'm afraid to say after 3 posts I set the user to ignore, I couldn't cope with it.

Posting in here demanding help for an unrelated problem is unhelpful to everyone. It is the wrong approach. As I said in the previous post, search the web first, then search the forum, then create your own post, or go to the support page and email support - I even provided a link to just click on, don't try hijacking someone else's post.

It isn't helpful. If they post their own question, and importantly specify what that problem is in the main subject, then they have much more chance of getting help. Just saying HELP ME NOW, is not going to get them anywhere. I don't work for them, nor do I work for geniatech, I have many problems of my own, my health both physical & mental are very poor, I also am not a mind reader, this user wants help now, don't we all, but what help? We have no idea what their problem is other than "it's urgent" (in their opinion) or whatever it was (I can't see the posts any more as I said).

Had the person said something like "it won't accept my licence" or "it won't recognise my device" or "I have no sound", whatever, then someone can say "oh yes I had that, try this" but to repeatedly demand help now for an unspecified issue and of a user who has obviously been trying to get help themselves for years with zero success!, I mean it is just foolish. This is the third or fourth time this has happened (though I notice the other ones have vanished so hopefully they got help).

This post is meant to be a list of the very many issues I have found in my setup, some people have the same issues, if so then it's helpful that they note that, it's also helpful to see that you're not alone and that this is happening to another user, maybe one day support will actually do something (though that seems increasingly unlikely). If I find a solution to any of those problems then I post that too so other's can benefit.If I haven't posted a solution then it's because i haven't found one.

It's upsetting to see people repeatedly demanding help especially when they do not state what their issues are, I have none to offer, I do not work for geniatech, I get the impression that the only staff they have are in sales, I wish there was a decent alternative.

Elgato made a great product - EyeTV3, unfortunately thanks to Apple that is no longer viable as it was a 32-bit app. Typical Apple. Geniatech bought it, they have no idea how the product works, they have little skill in software and even less in customer support, as such nothing gets fixed. The last update I know about was November 2021 since then nothing.

My iMac is from late 2015, I can't afford a replacement, I am on Monterey as that is the last one it can support. I suspect most of my software will become obsolete over the next couple of years, it's a race now between what expires first, the iMac, the software or me. Hopefully me.

I don't know what the answer is, maybe someone with some ability will produce a decent alternative or else a better company will buy the product and actually start taking it seriously. It was a good product and could be a massively profitable one, it has no real competition, if it worked properly it would be a gold mine.

This unfortunately is the way of the world, someone creates a great product, someone else see's pound/dollar signs and buys it, they rake in as much as they can while spending as little as possible, existing users suffer. 

Hey ho.

Thank you for your post though, and I apologise for the length of this one 😉

Mark.

Edited February 8, 2023 by Cluttered
typo

[OldTimer 0]

So I have a Mac mini 2012 on Sierra.  Yeah, that’s old, but it has served me forever.  That with Elgato EyeTV 3.6.9 (7520) was PERFECT for me.  Unfortunately that hard disk just crashed.

I am currently trying v3 7528 on High Sierra on a secondary drive.  That doesn’t work nearly so well, would go back to Sierra/7520 in a heartbeat on the upcoming replacement drive.

The reason I keep resisting advancement in the MacOS is EyeTV.  It is one of my most important apps.  So before I advance, I need to know EyeTV works, before I permanently commit all my drives to APFS.  No going back then!

So 7528 on High Sierra sucks compared to Elgato's 7520 on Sierra, which was golden.  I see tons of problems mentioned here with v4, but the last version you guys mention is 8528, which is 2 versions back from 8531, the version currently listed on the download page.  I get no visibility when 8531 was released (or what might have been released afterwards that doesn’t show up on the download page), but so far no one has mentioned it.  Are all things quiet because 8531 addressed all of your issues???

My 2012 mini is capable of running up to 10.15 Catalina, which I’d quickly move it to if I had a working EyeTV app.  Otherwise I’d probably install Sierra/7520, and buy a new Mac for the rest, which is what many of you may have already done.

BTW, I have a 4th generation HDHomeRun, and the drivers Gentech provides for the HDHomeRun are not for the 4th Gen.  No big problem, as the worst issue is confusing flashing lights and double recordings.  It does record properly when there are two separate programs to be recorded, which is my focus.  ATM it doesn’t appear Gentech intends to support the 4th gen series of HDHomeRun.  But I would be up for buying a new receiver if I just knew the app didn’t have as many issues as are listed here, lol.

Any other app recommendations to replace EyeTV would also be welcome.  🙂