pinnacle pctv hd card

You don't need to spend big bucks to watch high definition television on an expensive flat-screen TV.

Pinnacle Systems has created a much cheaper way. All you need is their $129.99 PCTV � HD Pro Stick and a laptop computer.

The Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick lets you watch high quality, over-the-air digital, high-definition and standard definition TV shows. No monthly fees or subscriptions are necessary.

The HD Pro stick package contains an HDTV video and audio card built inside a small USB 2.0 device.

You attach a portable, telescoping, magnet-mounted antenna to a metal surface and it works with a little remote control and all the software you need to work the device. It takes less time to attach all the parts, run the software and watch TV on your computer than to describe the process.

The HD Pro Stick worked flawlessly on a number of different notebook computers that I tried. The HTDV picture looked great on everything from small, 12-inch screens to a somewhat larger 20-inch model.

From my New York City test lab the PCTV HDTV Pro Stick was able to find and receive more than 20 over-the-air HDTV stations. That's a lot better than the tuner in my two-year old Samsung direct-view TV can find at any given time.

Quality of the received HDTV signal was pretty amazing. Tuning an over-the-air digital TV signal is easy. There's no snow, ghosts, shadows or static. With a digital station you either get perfect picture and stereo sound or nothing at all.

The supplied Pinnacle MediaCenter software does more than only control the tuner � it turns your laptop into personal digital video recorder. You can schedule recordings easily by accessing the PCTV's electronic program guide, record your favorite shows directly to DVD, or save recorded shows in your favorite video file format for your iPod, PSP or other portable device.

Pinnacle also provides you with an S-video A/V adapter cable to attach any analog video device (like a VCR, DVD or camcorder) to the HD Pro Stick allowing you to record and edit those videos on your computer.

The PCTV HD Pro Stick works with Windows XP and Windows Vista computers � both regular and Media Center models. There is also a PC TV Stick model ($99.99) with fewer features and a brand new Pinnacle TV for Mac HD stick ($129.99).

I found the HD Pro Stick to be one very clever device, which delivers on its claims. Highly recommended.
Psst! You with the laptop. Wanna watch some TV? And I'm talking HDTV, pal, not that standard-def garbage. All you need to do is plug in Pinnacle's HD Ultimate in your USB port and you're done. Yep, that's it. The stick has its own antenna, receiving HD broadcasts from the airwaves (remember those?) for you to enjoy on your monitor. An improvement on the old PCTV HD Pro, the Ultimate doesn't need you to install any software and includes some flash memory for recording shows (about 2 hours' worth).

Of course, if analog broadcasts are the only thing available the Ultimate can pick those up, too. Anything you receive, you can record, and converting the video to something your iPod (or whatever) can handle is a fairly painless process. You'll be able to pick one up by Halloween for $130. The PC card version for desktops will be $80 Pinnacle, which manufactures TV and video cards and software for PCs, has released a new range of USB Freeview TV tuners.

The tuners come on a 1GB USB 2.0 memory stick which can also be used for data storage.

The Pinnacle PCTVT DVB-T Stick Ultimate, priced at ￡50, claims to provide improved reception through a new chipset.

The tuner, which comes with a remote control and antenna, can stream live TV to three PCs on a home network with the included DistanTV software.

TV programmes can be recorded to a computer's hard drive in both MPEG-1/-2 and DivX formats, directly to a DVD, or to the memory stick itself.

Teletext and digital radio are also included.

The Pinnacle PCTV DVB-T Stick, which costs ￡40, comes without the streaming or video editing features.

At the bottom end of the range, the PCTV DVB-T Stick Solo costs ￡30, but does not include streaming, video editing or recording features. Tech guy Gary Krakow of MSNBC recently wrote a review of the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, a $129 device that contains an HDTV video and audio card. The stick plugs into your computer and receives over-the-air HD signals. There are no subscriptions to satellite or cable services required because HD signals are broadcast over-the-air as digital television, or DTV.

The Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick works with Windows XP and Windows Vista computers. There is a non-HD model (PC TV) that sells for $99. If you work on Apple computers, a Mac HD stick has just been released that also sells for $129.

There is not much installation involved. You simply attach a portable, telescoping antenna to a metal surface, and plug the device into your USB port. Then, using the supplied Pinnacle Media Center software you can tune the channels. The software also digitally records programming onto a DVD, iPod, PSP or other portable media devices. A remote control is also included for those of you who can't get off the couch to change the channel on your laptop. Does that make sense?

The Pinnacle HD Pro Stick also acts as a video input card, allowing you to capture any analog source material via a supplied S-video A/V adapter. I'm not sure where they were going with this but if you want to go "back in time" to analog, you have the option.

DTV signals that are captured over-the-air are clear and sharp. There is no snow or ghosting of images as there was in the old days of antenna reception. Krakow says, "From my New York City test lab the PCTV HDTV Pro Stick was able to find and receive more than 20 over-the-air HDTV stations. That?s a lot better than the tuner in my two-year old Samsung direct-view TV can find at any given time."

The PCTV HD stick is available at major retailers like Best Buy and Circuit City, as well as other electronic retailers and online stores.