Entered CNET Catalog: 03/19/2004
SKU: S-TV3-c
Manufacturer: SnapStream Media
Manufacturer description
No video tapes or VCR timers - Beyond TV brings powerful PC television recording within everyone's reach. Watch, pause, rewind and record your favorite TV shows on your PC using Beyond TV's simple and easy-to-use ViewScape interface. No subscription fees - SnapStream Media's free program guide displays what's on and gives you one-touch TV recording. Skip commercials and other parts of TV shows using Beyond TV's SmartSkip. Take your TV with you on your Pocket PC or laptop using the ShowSqueeze feature. And burn TV shows to DVD with Beyond TV and third-party software.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 03/29/2004
 You can set recording preferences such as where to store video files on your hard drive and in which format. You can also set the number of minutes to pad recordings for a game you think might head into overtime. |
Originally designed as a streaming media server and client, Beyond TV 3.0 has slowly morphed into a feature-rich, digital-video-recorder (DVR) program to compete with the likes of TiVo. Unfortunately, the transition isn't complete. Half of the Beyond TV 3.0 product is a DVR with a slick, 10-foot remote-control interface (so named because it can be controlled from 10 feet away with a remote) and the other half is a streaming media server/client with an Internet Explorer-based interface. We probably wouldn't complain if you could get to all pertinent settings from both interfaces, but many features are accessible or configurable only via the IE interface.
 Beyond TV provides program information in an unobtrusive way. |
Installing Beyond TV 3.0 is painless, once you get beyond entering an interminable 40-character serial number. Configuring the program is also quite easy, thanks to a step-by-step wizard that detects your capture hardware and remote control and downloads the free SnapStream.net TV schedule.
When you're up and running with the 10-foot DVR interface, you'll enjoy using SnapStream Beyond TV 3.0. It's equally easy to navigate with a remote control, a mouse, or a keyboard and looks quite handsome to boot, rivaling Microsoft's Media Center. We particularly like the way that SnapStream renders its program information and free program guide translucently across the main screen; they slide into view when you want them, then disappear when you're through. The interface's organization is, however, confusing in spots; for instance, the program guide is available in at least three different locations but can be searched from only one.
Beyond TV's interface is similar to ATI Multimedia Center's or Nvidia's Personal Cinema's, but SnapStream allows you to purchase just the software if you already have a TV tuner card in your PC. It's definitely a step up from other Media Center-esque apps we've seen, such as MSI's Media Center Deluxe program (see our review of the Zeus Thunder DV for details about the MSI app). SnapStream's Beyond TV 3.0 covers all the features you'd expect of a digital-video-recording program: TV viewing and capture, the ability to schedule recordings, playlists, a TV-programming guide, a 10-foot interface, remote-control support, and more. Plus, it's the only program we're aware of that marks commercials in recordings so that you can easily skip them during playback. It's also full of nifty flourishes such as the ability to pad the start and end times of scheduled recordings in case your PC's clock doesn't match the TV network's. You can even define the amount of video skipped by the manual forward and backward jumps (30 seconds, 2 minutes, and so on).
 Similar in appearance to Microsoft's Media Center OS, Beyond TV 3.0 provides you with large icons you can navigate via remote control. |
Beyond TV 3.0 makes choosing which programs you wish to record a snap. Simply select the guide button and choose the program from Beyond TV's own programming guide, which is updated every 15 minutes via your Internet connection. You may scroll through up to two weeks' worth of TV schedules and choose your material by clicking the programs that interest you and selecting a recording option. The downloaded guide is searchable by title, but you'll have to browse to SnapStream.net to search by actor or general category (and there's no way to record every program featuring your favorite thespian or director as there is with TiVo).
Which brings us to another very cool feature: Beyond TV 3.0 lets you schedule recordings remotely. When you leave for a trip, just leave your PC running (standby is okay; Beyond TV 3.0 will wake it up) to make recordings. If you later discover that a rare movie you've been waiting for is going to be on that night, surf to SnapStream's Web site with any computer, log on, and schedule your recording. By default, Beyond TV periodically checks SnapStream's Web site and adds these remotely scheduled items to your record list. This feature requires an always-on Internet connection and that your machine stay either fully on or awakened by another scheduled recording--the program won't wake your PC just to check for updates.
Beyond TV captures programs in both MPEG-2 and WMV formats, so you don't need to reencode files before burning to DVD, though you'll have to provide your own DVD-burning app. It also supports a large variety of TV and video-capture hardware (here's a list of compatible video and TV-tuner cards). And Beyond TV's ShowSqueeze feature lets you recompress recordings to smaller, space-saving WMV and DivX files so that you can watch video on your handheld. In our hands-on tests with two generations of Nvidia Personal Cinema cards, an ATI All-In-Wonder 9800 Pro, and Hauppauge's WinTV-PVR-250 card, SnapStream Beyond TV 3.0 performed flawlessly while recording and playing back video. Our only problem occurred when we ran out of space on our rather small Windows partition during our first recording. Neither the configuration wizard nor Beyond TV 3.0 bothered to see if there was enough room or to search for a more capacious location. After using Beyond TV 3.0's Web Admin program to define a new video-capture folder on a drive partition with more room, things went smoothly. One minor gripe: initial downloading of the program guide was quite slow, even on our fast cable connection. Though no telephone support is available, SnapStream Beyond TV 3.0's friendly installation guide and quick-start sheet should be enough to get you up and running. If not, online support is available in the form of an extensive, searchable knowledge base, FAQs, user forums, and e-mail to a tech-support agent. Alas, our single inquiry to tech support went unanswered. Point updates to Beyond TV 3.0 are free to registered users.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
8/10
Beyond TV version 4.4 is worth buying
Pros: Easy to use interface, no monthly fees
Cons: Cannot burn to DVD from within the program
User Rating: 
2/10
What a piece of trash
Pros: Lovely guide when it works
Cons: Non-existent support, costly upgrades
User Rating: 8/10
We Don't Need No Stinkin' TIVO!!!
Pros: Easy to use, reasonably easy setup, GREAT price for what it does, EXCELLENT quality support.
Cons: SLOW tech support response time, weak documentation.
The documentation is somewhat lacking in so far as explaining how some things work. For instance, if you have multiple tuners, how do you tell BTV which tuner to use? The answer: you don't. It automatic. Seems obvious, but...
On the plus side, the techs responding to your email are thorough and give spot on answers even if it takes a while to get an answer.
Other than that, it's been a rock solid app running on my computer. Picture quality is excellent given I'm using it with the WinTV 500 MCE dual tuner card from Hauppage which has dual onboard MPEG encoders.
The BEST part of the whole package - the output is 100% DRM free. No one is going to delete your shows unless you do it or you have it set to automatically delete stuff when your hard drive gets full. None of that TIVO style delete shows when the network says so stuff. And you can burn directly to DVD or reencode to make the files fit multiple episodes on one disc better.
User Rating: 
9/10
Even my wife can use it! (Should be BeyondTV 4.0 by the way)
Pros: Inexpensive, full featured, responsive vendor
Cons: X10 remote integration could be a little more targeted to the Media operations
One of SnapStream's greatest charms is that there is no subscription fee for the online guide / listings downloads, forever, and you don't even have to buy the upgraded versions unless you want to. Of course, they offer such great new features - 4.0 is supposed to be able to "start" recording from its time shifting buffer while watching live TV, eliminates license costs for additional tuners, adds FM radio support... They'll be getting a bit more of my money as soon as version 4.0 is available for purchase.
The SnapStream Firefly remote is wonderful. It integrates great with SnapStream's Media products (BeyondTV, BeyondMedia, ...). My only concern with it is that as it is an X10 device it integrates with Windows rather than specifically with the SnapStream software, so if you happen to switch application focus on the PC, the button presses on the remote may not go where your I'm-controlling-my-TV-minded fingers were expecting. Of course, you fix that by just pressing the 'TV' (or 'Music', or 'Video') button on the Firefly remote, and the focus returns properly to the SnapStream application.
SnapStream listens to its customers: in an earlier version of BeyondTV, the company formally did not support a configuration with both software and hardware encoding tuners. They were nice enough to not do anything to specifically prevent it from working - they just warned that it might not work right or at all. In fact, my ATI Radeon 9000 All In Wonder (software capture) plus Hauppauge (hardware capture) worked just fine with a little tweaking of the capture formats and qualities .. and I understand that BeyondTV 4.0 eliminates this restriction and fully supports the combination!
We asked SnapStream to add FM radio support, and they did!
Another fabulous thing about SnapStream is their integration with the snapstream.net online guide - not only can you view upcoming schedules within the BeyondTV software on your home media PC, you can also view those schedules - with your localizations and customized grids and layouts - on the www.snapstream.net web site, and from there select things to record (once / new episodes only / all). Your BeyondTV installation phones home to the Snapstream web site from time to time and downloads any new recording requests you have submitted there.
SnapStream's BeyondTV Link remote interface in to the central BeyondTV installation also works well for people with home networks and multiple PCs who want to watch the recordings in other rooms.
The integrated web interface to BeyondTV is also very useful to me. Here I have one continuing request to SnapStream: make that web interface secured and more industrial strength. As useful as it is today, it still seems to be treated as a bit of an administrative afterthought, but like the ability to safely control the lights and heat in my house from remote locations, I want to be able to do the same with my excellent BeyondTV software.
I haven't tried SageTV, so maybe it is as good as SnapStream's products.
Surely SnapStream, able to run on modest equipment, available as individual products or economical bundles, and really really easy to use, should have been treated better by the formal CNET reviewers.
-Jay in Atlanta
User Rating: 9/10
Why bother with MCE when there is something better?
Pros: A piece of programming to marbel at. Very fluid function.
Cons: Needs just a bit more integration with its software
I bought the bundle which came with "beyon tv3, beyond media, and the firefly remote."
A complete system for setting up your home media center for about $100. All the components ********* without a problem. I was blown away by the easiness with which all the software components worked with my system.
If you are building a media pc for recording video, music, or working with your images don't look any further than the combination of the ATI 550 Theater chip and the Snapstream solution.
For those of you that have been suffering under the arrogance of ATI and their corporate inability to admit that they made a mistake pairing their best image processing chip with a crappy piece of software, look no further than the solution that I am talking about here or you will continue to suffer.
Make sure that you have pleanny of 72rpm disk space, an up-to-date video card with at least 120BM memory, and at least 1ghz of system memory.
Also, disregard the CNET review of this product. It is a bit outdated by now.
Thank you CNET for having pointed out some of the problems in your review of an earlier version of the Snapstream product.
It would be nice if you pay the package offer that I describe above a visit again.
your discoveris will continue to push the company to continue with its innovations.
User Rating: 8/10
Better than TiVo
Pros: Easy to use, good compatibility
Cons: may slow computer at times
User Rating: 9/10
Supplement Beyond TV with Beyond Media
Pros: Recording and other options are superior
Cons: Additional search capabilities planned
User Rating: 8/10
The review was not accurate (Apples vs Oranges)
Pros: One remote realy does all. Well integrated. Hard to beat.
Cons: Very difficult to get right, requires tech expertise
User Rating: 
6/10
Good functionality, not solid
Pros: great features and active user base
Cons: not reliable
User Rating: 
10/10
You want the best-you got it!
Pros: There is so much to say about Beyond TV but one thing I can say is it's the best I've seen. I was thinking about trying TiVo but could'nt make up my mind, then I saw and ad for Beyond Tv, it was everything I was looking for and more. I'm having so much fu
Cons:
User Rating: 8/10
sweet computer TIVO
Pros: web interface to watch/setup recordings, and manage system. simple GUI even my wife likes;-) DivX encoding
Cons: support sucks. want multi tv card support
User Rating: 
7/10
Best PC PVR there is!
Pros: Love the interface. I have a terabyte of storage devoted to it. Let's see a Tivo do that!
Cons: Lack of support for HDTV cards.
User Rating: 
4/10
Would rather have SageTV
Pros: Relatively easy setup Good looking interface Wide array of supported cards Good community based support
Cons: Crashed all the time Had problems with audio installation Picture not that great (with AIW boards or any software encoding tuner card) No Intelligent recording Had to use Internet Explorer to change options (very poor in my opinion) Lack of "official" sup
User Rating: 8/10
Steep Learning Curve, But woth it.
Pros: This product is great. My wife will not watch normal TV anymore. This product has a million settings to tweak, which I actually enjoy. You can fit a lot more TV shows on the same sized hard drive when your shows get recompressed into Windows Media or D
Cons: Really need to use the encouraged tuner (PVR-250). Really steep learning curve.
User Rating: 8/10
Easiest to use PC-PVR solution yet
Pros: Easy to use, passed the wife test with flying colours. Has full support for Canadian TV listings. Developer and user community is very active.
Cons: It doesn't work on all video cards. Don't even try to use it if you have an integrated video chipset on your motherboard.
User Rating: 7/10
Good Product, Next Version Should be a Great Product!
Pros: good UI easy to configure Canadian listings
Cons: can be flaky multi tuner support not until next version
User Rating: 
3/10
TiVo is 100X better
Pros: It can record television.
Cons: Just because it *can* record television doesnt mean that your PC is better or cheaper solution then TiVo - sometimes a dedicated solution is 100X more usable. SnapStream has a notorious support history also. I bought it and tossed it for 2 new TiVos. Wors
User Rating: 8/10
Mops the floor with the competition.
Pros: Much cleaner interface, higher quality recordings (with a little tweaking), and higher wife-acceptable-factor than MCE or other competitors. Very stable, very intuitive, and extremely easy to use. I've had this product crash only once in 5 months of 24/7
Cons: No multiple tuner support currently but apparently it's in the works. Though I haven't once yet had to use it, the users on the Snapstream forum seem to universally agree that service and support are lacking. Fortunately there are plenty of knowledgable a
User Rating: 8/10
Easier than a VCR, Cheaper than TiVo
Pros: User interface makes it so easy to record a single show, new episodes, or all episodes. Pausing and replaying live TV is great. Program guide is quick and easy to navigate. Recently added support for mouse.
Cons: Performance on older equipment degrades image quality without dedicated mpeg decoder. Not all functionality available from main interface. Have to use web portal to search listings.
