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May 20, 2013

Richard A. Serrano: Is Meir Kahane's assassin now a changed man?

Hannan Adely: Town raises Palestinian flag at City Hall

Melissa Healy: Genetic copies of living people from embryos no longer science fiction
Morgan Housel: When smart investors do stupid things

Sharon Saloman, M.S., R.D.: Hunger games: Eat more, weigh less, without starving

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Jews Inducted into Rock Hall of Fame; Anton Yelchin co-stars in New "Trek" film; Kutcher (but not Kunis) visits Israel; Jewish TV Star Praises Jewish Rap Star

The Kosher Gourmet by Cathy Pollak: WARNING: This WALNUT CAKE WITH PRALINE FROSTING, perfect for afternoon coffee, is addicting
May 13, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Why the giving of the document that would permanently change the world could only be done in desolation

David G. Savage: Church-state, literally? Supreme Court weighing public school graduation in a church

Emily Alpert: Recession dragged down birth rates for less-educated women
Morgan Housel: The deep downside of home ownership

Peter Teffer: Will Dutch police soon be stalking cybercriminals on your computer?

Heidi McIndoo, M.S., R.D.: Meatless 'meat' can have its own set of problems

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Celebrate! This must-try appetizer is delicate yet has depth of flavor: Corn-Leek Cakes with Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Creme Fraiche

May 10, 2013

Rabbi Berel Wein: Be all that you should be

Caroline B. Glick: The dirty little secret about Israel's Arabs

Mona Charen: Hawking's Moral Calculus: The man and the movement he embraces
Morgan Housel: The biggest retirement myth ever told

Sandi Doughton: Eyes may provide new insight into brain problems

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : The Great Gatsby's Jewish Ties; Jews in the "Time 100 list" List; People's Most Beautiful Women

The Kosher Gourmet by Linda Gassenheimer: A sweet-hot meal: Pear salsa spices up salmon

May 8, 2013

Peter Ford: Why China is welcoming both Israel's Netanyahu and Palestinians' Abbas

Warren Richey: Obama administration quietly backs out of appeal over new contraceptive mandate

Fred Weir: At Kerry-Putin meeting, US-Russia relations thaw --- a tad
Amanda Paulson: Study reveals sad truths about community colleges

Harvard Health Letters: Evidence weak that zinc, echinacea are beneficial

The Kosher Gourmet by Leela Cyd Ross : Almost too pretty to eat, this colorful salad with Sicilian inspiration will tickle the taste buds and delight your visual sensibility

May 6, 2013

Edmund Sanders and Patrick J. McDonnell: Think Israel's objective in Syria is to weaken Assad or embolden the rebels? Think again

Brian Bennett: Israeli airstrikes may show weakness in Syrian defense

Michael Ollove: Millions of ex-felons, parolees and those on probation are about to be entitled to tax-payer paid health coverage
Karen Kaplan: Most men can skip PSA test for prostate cancer, urologists say

Kimberly Lankford: How to track down a lost life insurance policy

Dream of Mars exploration achievable, experts say

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan M. Selasky: EGGPLANT WRAPS are an easy, sumptuous and scrumptious meal

May 3, 2013

Rabbi Nathan Lopes Cardozo: Human Courage and the Unavoidable, Disturbing Text

Steven Emerson: Attorney General Fights CAIR in Court, Lauds it in Public

Mediterranean diet helps beat dementia: study
Harvard Health Letters: When to be screened for a hearing problem

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom : Iron Man's Jewish Connections; Marc Maron's New TV Show; Martin Landau Grows Up with Israel; Shalom, Allan Arbus

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: A sweet surprise for Mother's Day dessert

May 1, 2013

Jonathan Rosenblum: An Improbable Journey to Orthodoxy

Jonathan Tobin: Blame Obama, Not Israel for Syria Push

Kids, kittens the Same? With employee perks at struggling Internet pioneer Yahoo! it's hard to tell
Halena M. Gazelka, M.D.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: What you need to know about implanted pain relief devices

Sandy Kleffman: Artificial kidney offers hope to patients tethered to a dialysis machine

Jessica Shugart: When it comes to math, MRIs may be better than IQs

The Kosher Gourmet by Mario Batali: The celebrated chef on how high-maintenance ASPARAGUS RISOTTO need not be

April 29, 2013

Roy Gutman: Poland's new Jewish museum celebrates life, doesn't revisit Holocaust

Mark Clayton: Terrorism in America: Is US missing a chance to learn from failed plots?

Kim Murphy: Boston Bomber's 'Svengali' Revealed
Morgan Housel: He's rich, smart and old: Listen to him

Thomas Salinas, D.D.S.: Mayo Clinic Medical Edge: The safety of amalgam fillings

Harvard Health Letters: Tomatoes and stroke protection

Pete Spotts: Tiny satellites + cellphones = cheaper 'eyes in the sky' for NASA

The Kosher Gourmet by Diane Rossen Worthington: Swing into spring with lemon cream pie

April 26, 2013

Rabbi Abraham J. Twerski: The world is a mirror

Caroline B. Glick: Time to confront Obama

Clifford D. May: Defense in the Age of Jihadist Terrorism
Kimberly Lankford: New strategies ease pain of paying for long-term care insurance

Howard LeWine, M.D.: Ask the Harvard Experts: Too much ibuprofen?

Sharon Palmer, R.D.: How to feel your best -- with plenty of energy, a healthy weight and optimal mental and physical function -- without driving yourself batty

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Jewish Major Leaguers, 2013; New Movies and Comedy Show; Shalom, 'Lumpy' (Leave it to Beaver)

The Kosher Gourmet by Emily Ho : A bright and cheerful salad to herald the warmer months ahead

April 24, 2013

Steven Emerson: Boston Bomber Exposes Islamist Secret

Morgan Housel Admit it: No one has any idea what's going on
Harvard Health Letters: Can you get headaches from headache medication?

Kerri-Ann Jennings, M.S., R.D.: How to easily get more Omega-3s in your diet

Melissa Healy: Pot in a pill: All the pain relief without the smoke

The Kosher Gourmet by Susan Russo: Chipotle Chili Butternut Squash Soup is bold, zesty, hot

April 22, 2013

Ken Dilanian: Counterterrorism's future is unclear

US man departing country arrested on terror charges
Barbara Williams: An unorthodox but growing treatment in a 9-year-old's battle against cancer

P.J. Skerrett, M.D.: How to recognize a good whole grain product

Jewz in the Newz by Nate Bloom: Teen actor Jonah Bobo in New Flick: Hunky James Wolk on Mad Men; Erich Segal's Daughter Writes Prize-Winning Jewish Novel


Jewish World Review March 13, 2009 / 17 Adar 5769

TV on a stick

By Mark Kellner

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http://www.JewishWorldReview.com | Just after I'd written about the many ways you can find broadcast television that do not involve the use of "rabbit ears" or cable TV connections, the folks at Elgato came along to show me some useful purposes for having the aforementioned antenna. And it'll set you back far less than you might think.


The $149.95 Elgato EyeTV Hybrid combines an over-the-air (or cable) TV tuner with DVR capabilities, and puts this all on a USB-friendly "stick" that plugs into the back of an Apple iMac or any current Apple notebook. Add the antenna or cable hookup and you're read for HDTV at your desktop. I'm not sure if the small size or the great price are the more amazing facet here, but I'm also glad a choice isn't necessary.


The EyeTV Hybrid is my second device from Elgato, which specializes in the devices for Mac users; other makers offer similar products for the Windows side of life. Unlike the EyeTV 200 unit I used earlier, the Hybrid is tiny, saving desk space, and draws power from the USB port. Competing products require a separate power supply.


You can also use the EyeTV Hybrid to move recorded shows from your Mac to an iPod or iPhone, or to an AppleTV unit connected to another set in the house. It will also let you hook up a VCR and convert old tapes, such as family movies, to computer-based recordings that can be burned to DVDs or CDs; a "basic" copy of Roxio's Toast 9 software is included with the device.


The only "shortcoming" is that unlike Elgato's EyeTV 250 device, a stand-alone box costing $50 more, the Hybrid doesn't have its own hardware encoder built-in, relying instead on computer software and the Mac's processor to do the heavy digital lifting. The 250 will produce somewhat smaller video files, and those doing a lot of conversions will want to go for the more expensive product.


But the Hybrid should be good for most of us, and certainly good enough for someone like me, who wants to watch more than record. I tried it with my Verizon FIOS cable service, which meant I got standard-definition pictures, not hi-def, since the box I used it with was of that caliber. I had previously used the older EyeTV 200 this way, although I could use an external antenna to pull in high definition broadcasts if I wanted.


The Hybrid did its job nicely, and the new EyeTV 3 software is better than the predecessor. What I do (don't tell my boss, please) is sometimes watch while writing. In default mode, the TV viewing window pops up in a size large enough to watch, but not full screen. Click on a menu option and it'll zoom up to take the full screen area.


Picture quality is excellent, due partly to the tuner and partly to the iMac I'm using at home, which has a 24-inch display. Because it's hooked up to cable, I depend on the cable remote, and not the one supplied with the Hybrid, to change channels on the cable box. There's a small control window that pops up when viewing television; you can (and I do) dump it quickly with the press of two keys on the computer's keyboard.


Recording shows is easy, and can be programmed in advance using the TV Guide service provided, for one year, with the unit, or on an ad hoc basis. You can also "capture" a frame from video, something that bloggers in millions of basements, among others, will likely applaud.


The basic reason for adding a TV tuner to a computer makes sense: you've got processing power, you've got, almost always now, a screen that can easily display HD broadcasts, and most homes are either cable- or satellite-wired and/or have computers in rooms with good access to over-the-air signals. For those in studio apartments or dorm rooms, having this device can add usefulness in small spaces.


I like the EyeTV Hybrid for its price, ease of use, performance and tuck-it-away style. If your needs are similar to mine, you might enjoy it, too. Information can be found online at www.elgato.com

Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.

JWR contributor Mark Kellner has reported on technology for industry newspapers and magazines since 1983, and has been the computer columnist for The Washington Times since 1991.Comment by clicking here.

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