The US$229 device has always supported DivX capture, and now the EyeTV software upgrade makes this feature accessible to Mac users. And as I've repeatedly [url=http://www.macsimumnews.com/index.php/archive/overhauled_eyetv_a_must_have_upgrade]noted[/url], EyeTV one fine piece of Mac software.
Installation and set-up is a breeze. Just connect the ConvertX to a cable or TV antenna with a coaxial cable, and plug the USB 2.0 cable into your Mac (Macs with only USB 1.1 connections are limited to recording at long play quality, which is watchable despite some MPEG artifacts). Not that for satellite or digital cable, you'll need a digital decoder box to convert the incoming video to analog.
After running a setup tool, the ConvertX automatically finds all the channels in your area and adds them to the list. The biggest gripe, software-wise, is that you can't add or remove channels without running the assistant again.
The ConvertX PVR sports USB 2.0 connectivity and offers overall great picture quality for a medium-priced device. It can capture just about any type of analog video and store it as MPEG-1, MPEG-2, MPEG-4, or, as we mentioned, DivX AVI files. It's a capture-only device so can't route captured video back to a VCR, camcorder, or TV. However, it sports composite and S-Video inputs so can transfer DV video to and from digital camcorders.
The ConvertX isn't as compact as some Mac TV tuners and it's not especially attractive (not ugly, but not beauty contest winner -- just sorta bland). USB, coax, and power cables are connected to the back of the unit. The front has inputs for RCA audio, RCA video, and s-video. There’s also a pair of LEDs to indicate if the ConvertX is getting power and if it’s ready to record.
I do wish the Plextor device had a FireWire port (as Elgato's EyeTV 200 once had) but, like many competing products, it doesn't. I also wish it sported a remote, something that's pretty much standard on similar devices. However, you can use a third-party remote if you wish.
System requirements are: Mac OS X 10.1.5 or higher; 20MB of free space for software installation; QuickTime 6 or 7; and a USB connection. Roxio Toast 6 Titanium is recommended for CD or DVD creation.
There's a plethora of TV tuner/DVR/PVR products available for the Mac. If you need one that you can slip into your pocket, the ConvertX won't suit your needs. But if you need such a device that will mainly sit on your desk and which has plenty of connectivity options for TV and video devices, Plextor's product is worthy of your consideration.
Macsimum rating: 7 out of 10.
