eBay hates me

I guess if you buy things on eBay, you're bound to come across some bad luck. I recently purchased an item that's supposed to allow me to use my computer like a Tivo (an EyeTV 200). When it arrived, I was super excited (I had been bidding and losing for about a month).

But after I finally hooked it up (after a trip to Target and moving the computer into the living room), it worked like the TVs of yore – circa 1977. I had to keep connecting and disconnecting it. Turning it on and turning it off. Even hitting the top of it a la Fonzi worked to bring in a picture. But the picture that I did get when the unit reluctantly stirred into operation was static filled and pretty much crappy. Sigh... I'd probably be better off just buying a new TV and a VCR.