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PCTV HD Pro Stick USB2 HDTV Tuner for Free HD | 
| Brand: Pinnacle
Category: CE
List Price: $232.52
Buy Used: $64.00
You Save: $168.52 (72%)
New (4) Used (2) Refurbished (1) from $64.00
Rating:  41 reviews
Platform: No Operating System
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Operating System: MS Windows XP Media Center compatible
Shipping Weight (lbs): 3
Dimensions (in): 9.6 x 8.2 x 3
MPN: 230100090
Model: 230100090
UPC: 613570219699
EAN: 0613570219699
ASIN: B000IM5GAO
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Package Contents - USB 2.0 TV tuner for ATSC/NTSC reception; Mini remote control including batteries; Telescopic antenna; A/V adapter cable; USB extender cable; Printed QuickStart guide; CD-ROM with Pinnacle MediaCenter | | • | Watch live high quality digital HD and SD TV on your desktop or notebook PC | | • | Break free and PlaceShift with the sleek USB 2.0 powered portable PCTV device | | • | Take the ultra-compact tuner with you wherever you go | | • | Full support for both NTSC analog and ATSC digital TV reception (ATSC available in many areas of USA) |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
Bring digital HDTV with full DVR functionality to your laptop with Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick. Enjoy all of your favorite shows in high quality HD anytime! PCTV HD Pro Stick is the first ultra-compact USB 2.0 powered TV tuner in an attractive stick form factor that brings the brilliant sharpness of HDTV via ATSC to your PC. The new digital TV standard ATSC comes over the air and for free in high or standard definition. In addition to ATSC, also standard analog TV (NTSC) can be received, via cable, satellite or antenna. The included Pinnacle MediaCenter software lets you not only watch TV but also record it. You can even pause live TV and resume exactly where you left off and you can rewind or fast forward. Good looks, great features and minimum size, will make the PCTV HD Pro Stick a must have wherever you are. Transform your PC into a DVR Take complete control of when you watch your favorite shows with TimeShifting Never miss a critical part of your favorite show again with pause, rewind and replay Schedule recordings with the integrated Electronic Program Guide and never worry about missing your favorite show (Web connection required) Eliminate the guess work by automatically recording shows in the destination file format of choice (i.e. Apple iPod - Sony PSP - DivX - more) Create your own DVD collection with direct-to-DVD recording to computer's DVD writer Capture audio and video from most consumer devices with analog composite outputs (e.g. VCRs, camcorders, DVD players, etc.) Create your own masterpiece by adding effects, titles, music and more with Pinnacle Studio QuickStart / Edit out your uninteresting moments using Pinnacle Studio QuickStart Composite A/V ports, S-Video port, F-Connector for optional external antenna For Windows XP and Vista PC
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| Customer Reviews: Read 36 more reviews...
 Works fine as long as... September 1, 2008
Wilma Flintstone (Colorado)
This product works on my computer (Dell Inspiron E1505 - Intel Core Duo @ 1.73 GHz, 2 GB RAM, Windows Vista Home Premium, no dedicated video card), with a few constraints. I feel that using the tuner pushes some aspects of my system's performance to its limits, so I probably would not recommend buying this tuner if you have a less powerful setup than I am using. I should also note that I am really only reviewing the hardware - after reading numerous bad reviews of the bundled software, I decided not to install it. I just plugged the tuner into my computer's USB port, let Windows set up the driver, and I use it with Windows Media Center - no need to install the bundled software.
Overall performance:
- Effortless setup and integration with Windows Media Center capabilities (programming guide, live TV viewing, recording, time shifting). I had the tuner set up and was watching a program on my computer within 20 minutes of taking it out of the box.
- I use this with an over-the-air digital antenna, and get crystal clear picture quality for both SD and HD broadcasts. I use an amplified indoor antenna rather than the included antenna because it's difficult to get a good signal without an amplified antenna at my location, which is in a valley 30-40 miles from my local broadcast towers. If you live in better proximity to your local broadcast towers, you ought to be able to use the included antenna. The base of the included antenna does have a magnet in it, so be sure to keep it away from hard drives and other magnetic media.
- Running with Windows Media Center and not using the bundled software, I have no problems with system lockups or needing to reboot. On very rare occasions I end up stuck while changing channels (it hangs in the transition between one channel and the next), but switching back to the previous channel and then changing it again always gets it unstuck.
- When watching or recording HD programming, I get pauses/choppy picture and audio if I have the viewing window maximized or sized larger than about 1/3 of my screen size. I have better success watching HD programming maximized (full screen) if I record it instead of watching it live, then view it after the recording is completed. I am not a computer expert, but I assume that this is because my computer lacks a dedicated video card, so running the full-screen video while simultaneously handling the HD signal from the tuner may be more than my CPU can comfortably handle. I do not have the same problem watching SD (standard definition) programs.
- I also end up with choppy video if the computer is doing anything else CPU-intensive during viewing or recording.
In summary, this tuner performs acceptably for my needs, and I would expect others to find its performance satisfactory as long as they use it with computer systems that meet or exceed the manufacturer's minimum system requirements. Of course, for optimal performance, I would recommend using it with a system that greatly exceeds the minimum requirements.
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