Elgato Systems has released a hardware encoder in USB Stick format that rapidly converts video files to the high quality H.264 (MP4) format for iPod, Apple TV, and Sony PSP. Turbo.264 accelerates exports by a factor of 4 on an Intel Core 2 Duo up to a factor of 10 on a Power PC G4. The rate of acceleration depends on the Mac processor type.
Turbo.264 offloads the computationally intensive software conversion of video files away from your Macintosh, leaving it free for other tasks – a virtual co-processor for the Mac. Turbo.264 supports all Macs with USB 2.0.
There is no need to acquire additional software to convert videos, since Turbo.264 comes with video conversion software by Elgato. Simply drag-and-drop videos into the application and chose one of four formats: iPod Standard, iPod High, Apple TV, Sony PSP).
Turbo.264 supports batch conversions and even offers exports of unprotected DVD content (VOB files). Turbo.264 also accelerates exports from the most Macintosh video applications such as iMovie, QuickTime Pro, Final Cut Pro, and EyeTV.
Turbo.264 supports resolutions of up to 800 by 600 pixels, enabling videos and TV recordings in PAL or NTSC formats to be converted to Apple TV with no scaling. In addition, Turbo.264 supports standard resolutions for iPod and Sony PSP. When conversion is complete, Turbo.264 automatically transfers video files to iTunes, making them immediately available to Apple TV or the iPod.
Turbo.264 is available immediately for US$99.95 in the Elgato Online Shop as well as through distribution. The package includes the USB 2.0 Hardware Encoder, the Turbo.264 software on CD-ROM, a user’s guide on CD-ROM, a quick start guide as well as a USB extension cable.
More info: http://elgato.com/index.php?file=products_eyetvturbo
[Thanks to MacDailyNews Reader “M.X.N.T.4.1.” for the heads up.]
The most obvious question: does it work with Handbrake?
doesnt look like it supports handbrake 🙁 damn, lovin the new chapter feature and options
we should all get on to the handbrake forum, and request THEY reverse engineer the software and add support
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Its all in the hardware. There should be a final cut firewire encoder box you can buy so you dont need to drop so much money on a 8 core Mac Pro. you just buy the dual 2.0 and the box for like 200$
Thats Cool!! Very Creative! Raises a lot of questions for other uses.
It doesn’t support Apple TV HD resolutions. 800×600 max is an oversight.
Shame.
I’ll buy an HD version…
yeah…i can’t believe the 800×600 resolution. How terrible. I’d be ALL over this if not for this ridiculous limitation.
So since it doesn’t work with Handbrake, does this mean that this software does not work with protected DVDs? If so, why would one want to buy this thing in the first place, if it doesn’t convert your DVDs?
Where exactly do you stick it?
“Where exactly do you stick it?”
too…tempting…cant ….not….say…..urgh
If it ripped protected DVD’s it couldn’t be sold. It would be illegal.
I find it is faster to use MTR then Handbrake then it doesn’t have to access the DVD drive, also lets me queue the titles up and run overnight.
I love EyeTV and like most of ElGato’s stuff. However, nothing that doesn’t support at least 720 24FPS (Apple TV HD spec) isn’t going into my shopping bag.
“Where exactly do you stick it?”
As in life, choose the slot you are most comfortable with. Close your eyes and trust your instincts. Remember, slots were meant to be filled. It’s perfectly natural and quite beautiful.
Speaking of the 800×600 limitation, their specs seem to indicate that it’s only when at 30fps. Perhaps 24fps could deliver better resolution for the AppleTV.
HD conversion would be nice, but my guess is that there are bandwidth limitations on usb2. You try to increase the resolution to high def, and that’s a ton more data to move through a relatively slow usb2 port.
Now if it were an esata port or a card you could plug directly onto the data bus, then you could get the through put to do high def video. I’d also guess that there’s some caching involved in this device and again it would have to be much bigger to hold the much larger video files.
Just my guess.
“Where exactly do you stick it?”
That’s what she said!
Three words a man hates to hear:
“Is it in?”
Doesn’t look like this thing will convert DivX/XviD without additional third-party software installed. Forget it.
It seems like this product “hooks” to the encoder codec. They describe that exporting from Quicktime or iTunes will go through this device. 800×600 do seem pretty poor, but regular DVDs are not higher than that, are they? They also say that this thing encodes unprotected VOB files. So one could use MacTheRipper to quickly rip a protected DVD and make it convert to H.264 so I can watch it at my Apple TV. I like the jukebox approach of the Apple TV and I would love to move my personal DVD library to an external HD as a LaCIE 1TB, for instance. This device has a lot of potential. Anybody owns one? Can someone please describe if movies in 800×600 are at least 2500kbps?
I don’t know what you guys are complaining about. I convert movies all the time into at least 640×480 to play on my Apple TV, and they look fine. All the first season of House looks fine at that size.
MDN Magic Word: “Corner” as in “A lot of people on MDNews live in a corner.
It also only supports 128K AAC for audio. But it looks like you could use MTR to rip your DVD and then use this to encode it in H.264
My big question is how fast does it actually encode?
I have a 1.5GHz Powerbook… takes about 3 hr to encode mp4 and like 12 hours to encode h.264. How fast would this encode… that would determine how valuable it is for $100
One other question…
Does this support Pro Logic II in its file exports?
“Where exactly do you stick it?”
I believe it’s supposed to go where the sun don’t shine.
Are you getting enough of it? TMF
I would recommend three times a day, after meals preferably!!!