Q: What are the minimum system requirements to run AlchemyTV DVR?
A: You will need a PowerMac G4/400 or higher, Mac OS X 10.2.4 or higher and QuickTime 6.4 or higher. AlchemyTV DVR is compatible with Mac OS X 10.3.2.

Q: Are the G4-only and G4/G5 'Silicon' versions similar from a technical point of view?
A: The G4-only and 'Silicon' versions do not use the same tuner chip. While the G4-only version relies on a traditional high performance Philips analogue tuner, The G4/G5 version uses the 'Silicon' Tuner. The latter requires only 3.3V to operate and is compatible with XServe and the PowerMac G5.

Q: Is FM tuning available on the G4/G5 (Silicon) card?
A: No, this feature is not implemented on the hardware side and is only available on the G4-only card.

Q: Is the G4/G5 version a PCI-X card?
A: No. It is a Universal PCI 2.3 card which fits into a standard PCI slot as well as a PCI-X slot.

Q: What standards are supported by the AlchemyTV card?
A: The G4-only version exists in PAL/SECAM (Europe) and NTSC (North America, Japan) versions. The G4/G5 'Silicon' version supports NTSC, PAL and Secam.

Q: What version of AlchemyTV DVR is compatible with the XServe?
A: The G4/G5 'Silicon' (DVRPCI-SIL) version is required for the XServe.

Q: What is the difference between AlchemyTV and AlchemyTV DVR?
A: AlchemyTV DVR features support for scheduled recordings, iCal integration and an infrared remote control, which are not part of the AlchemyTV package. AlchemyTV DVR also supports dual card installations, useful for streaming servers.

Q: Are the Keyspan DMR maps needed for the remote shipping with AlchemyTV DVR?
A: No. The 'maps' are only needed if you are using a Keyspan infrared remote. You can also use the Keyspan key mapping utility to assign the keys if the layout provided does not suit your needs.

Q: Is an upgrade from AlchemyTV to AlchemyTV DVR possible?
A: We are currently considering to offer an upgrade path. More news will be available on the AlchemyTV product page when/if available.

Q: Does AlchemyTV DVR replace AlchemyTV?
A: No. Both products are and will remain available for the foreseeable future.

Q: Will AlchemyTV DVR work with a US Cable TV box?
A: The NTSC version is fully compatible with cable boxes that have an analogue output. If you have a digital cable box, you will have to connect it to the AlchemyTV via the S-VHS input and change programme using the cable box.

Q: Will AlchemyTV DVR wake up my PowerMac to start recording?
A: This feature is not yet implemented. We plan to add this to the DVR software in the future if it is technically possible.

Q: What QuickTime codec's are supported by the Alchemy software?
A: All QuickTime codec's are selectable, however due to processing power constraints on some Macs, MJPEG and MPEG-4 will probably give the best results. Capturing straight to DV-25 or higher is not recommended.

Q: Does AlchemyTV DVR support the French TV signals (Secam)?
A: Yes, the European version of the AlchemyTV DVR supports Secam.

Q: Is AlchemyTV DVR compatible with Mac OS 9.x?
A: No, the software is compatible with Mac OS X 10.2 and higher only.

Q: What is the maximum viewing size?
A: The full viewing size of AlchemyTV for PAL footage is 752*576 and 640*480 for NTSC. A G4/400 processor is usually sufficiently powerful to watch TV in full screen mode.

Q: What is the size of captured videos
A: Capturing videos to your hard drive requires significantly more processing power than just viewing them. Slower PowerMacs should use the M-JPEG codec for best results. Faster PowerMacs can use the MPEG-4 codec. A PowerMac G4 Dual 800 MHz can capture a M-JPEG movie in 752*576 at 25 fps.

Q: Can I capture straight into iMovie?
A: No, iMovie requires a DV source like a digital camcorder or a Director's Cut 'Take 2' . AlchemyTV can create some types of editable files (M-JPEG for example) that can be opened in Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere for limited editing. It is also possible to import M-JPEG files into iMovie, however this process can be rather long and slow and not ideal in terms of quality. For serious video editing a Director's Cut 'Take 2' is a far better choice.