Elgato debuts Turbo.264 HD Software Edition, cuts price of hardware edition
Here at Engadget HQ, there's hardly a more overused piece of equipment than Elgato's (Mac only) Turbo.264 HD -- in our experience, it chews through bloated video files at a breakneck pace, leaving us with shrunken versions of CES hands-on and the like without any noticeable degradation in quality. Now, that same functionality is being introduced sans an easy-to-forget USB dongle as the Turbo.264 HD Software Edition. For all intents and purposes, the SE version does the exact same thing as the original, albeit at a presumably slower pace. 'Course, it'll still convert videos for use on portable devices (or just shrink the files sizes for easier archiving) far quicker than whatever method you're using now, and the $49.95 price tag is certainly a bit easier to swallow. Oh, and speaking of MSRPs -- Elgato just hacked $50 from the price of the hardware-accelerated version, leaving it at a delectable $99.95. Mmm, files. Delicious.
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Turbo.264 HD Software Edition - The Easy Way to Convert Camcorder & Video Files for iPhone, iPad
San Francisco, CA - July 15, 2010 - Elgato, the makers of the award-winning EyeTV product line, today released a software edition of Turbo.264 HD, a versatile and easy-to-use video converter for the Mac. Turbo.264 HD gives users the ability to instantly edit HD camcorder clips without converting them first, and supports nearly any kind of video source format. It uses advanced encoding technology to convert any video file to a very high-quality iPhone- and iPad-compatible format. The interface is extremely easy-to-use and offers pre-installed output formats for iPad, iPhone, YouTube and many others. The software edition of Turbo.264 HD is available for download immediately in the Elgato Online Store at a price of $49.95 USD. A hardware-accelerated version of Turbo.264 HD is also available.
Get instant access to HD camcorder video
Sharing HD camcorder clips with friends on a Mac, iPad, or YouTube account is easier and faster with Turbo.264 HD. The software automatically detects USB camcorders and enables users to preview and edit video clips before importing them. Unlike other applications, Turbo.264 HD Software Edition does not require a lengthy conversion into an intermediate format.
Superior-quality video for iPad from nearly any format
Turbo.264 HD can handle nearly any kind of video file, including formats that are non-native on the Mac such as MKV or wmv. Turbo.264 automatically adds converted videos into iTunes to sync with connected Apple devices. Video collectors can add details before converting, such as a description and episode numbers, to keep their iTunes library organized.
Convert video to the universal H.264 format – fast
Using advanced encoding technology, Turbo.264 HD converts standard- and high-definition files faster than other H.264 video encoders. There is no compromise on quality since Turbo.264 HD follows Apple's specifications for H.264 videos and uses Elgato's unique Progressive Scan method for video deinterlacing.
Hardware-accelerated version of Turbo.264 HD
Turbo.264 HD is available in a software edition, and a hardware-accelerated version is also available. The hardware-accelerated version of Turbo.264 HD boosts the speed of video conversion from two to four times, even on the fastest Mac. The hardware accelerator connects via USB to act as a "co-processor" and comes complete with the software.
Availability
Turbo.264 HD Software Edition is available for download at a price of $49.95 in the Elgato Online Store (www.elgato.com). A free trial is available here: http://downloads2.elgato.com/turbodownloads/demo/software/turbohd_demo.dmg. The Turbo.264 HD (with hardware accelerator) is available in the Elgato Online Store at a price of $99.95.
About Elgato
Elgato produces award-winning TV software together with a complete range of TV tuners and capture devices to watch, record, and edit TV and HDTV on Macs and PCs. Elgato is the home of EyeTV, the world's leading television solution for Mac computers. Elgato also produces a variety of world-class H.264 video conversion and streaming products. Elgato is privately held with offices in Munich, Germany and San Francisco, California.
