Plextor has teamed with Elgato, a worldwide leader in digital video recording for the Macintosh, introducing the first Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Personal Video Recorder for the Macintosh computer.

The Plextor ConvertX(TM) Personal Video Recorder for the Mac combines award-winning Elgato EyeTV(TM) software with Plextor's ConvertX PVR video capture device with built-in TV tuner. The new ConvertX(TM) PVR for the Mac uses a real-time MPEG-2 hardware encoder to capture and compress broadcast, cable, or satellite TV to a hard drive. ConvertX PVR also supports RCA composite audio/video input and S-Video input connections for capturing home video from other sources such as camcorders, DVD players, and VCRs.

During live TV viewing, Elgato EyeTV software supports all the time-shifting features normally associated with PVRs, including pausing live TV, skipping forward, and instant replays. The EyeTV electronic programming guide (EPG) allows users to schedule TV recordings with a single mouse click. Users can edit video scenes using EyeTV software, or they can export files into popular Macintosh software like Apple's iMovie, iDVD, DVD Studio Pro, or Roxio Toast Titanium. EyeTV also can convert video into other popular video formats such as QuickTime, AVI, MPEG-4, and 3G.

"When the Macintosh integrated FireWire into the computer years ago, it unleashed the first real wave of home video editing, and now Mac users are looking to do even more with video on their computers," said Dirk Peters, director of marketing, Plextor. "With the ConvertX PVR, users get the ability to record all their favorite TV shows to their Mac in the MPEG-2/DVD format, which not only saves tremendous amounts of hard disk space, but also is the correct format for burning to a DVD disc for playback in a home DVD player."

"Partnering with an international quality hardware manufacturer like Plextor, Elgato is able to focus on developing the best possible software for customers," said Freddie Geier, CEO, Elgato. "The USB 2.0 solution at the price point of $229 USD has an unbeatable price-performance ratio."

Recommended System:

Macintosh computer with minimum PowerPC(R) G4 500Mhz or G5 processor; Mac OS X 10.2.8 or higher and 256MB of RAM (512MB recommended); 20 MB free space for software installation and USB 2.0 connection. Roxio Toast 6 Titanium is recommended for CD or DVD creation.

Pricing and Availability

The Plextor ConvertX Personal Video Recorder for Mac is scheduled for shipment to distributors and resellers in North and South America in November 2004. The ConvertX Personal Video Recorder for Mac has a Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price (MSRP) of $229.99 USD.