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| Pinnacle Systems Unveils New USB Digital TV Tuners Pinnacle Systems announces its new Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick and Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick – just in time for the U.S. Fall TV season. The new ultra-compact HDTV tuners are build on the features and ease of use that have established Pinnacle Systems as number one in the consumer PC-TV viewing market in the U.S. What makes these USB-powered tuners unique is that they are the smallest TV sticks on the market that offer high reception sensitivity. The miniature tuners have been integrated with powerful new signal booster technology that enables them to pick up digital TV even if the signal is weak. With a Pinnacle HD mini Stick, PC and Mac users have a complete solution for viewing and recording crisp, clear live television on their computers at home or when traveling. By including the latest Personal Video Recorder (PVR) software as well as a mini remote control, a high-gain telescopic TV antenna and a travel bag; the sleek, ultra-small tuners are ready to use right out of the box. Both devices support digital over-the-air TV (ATSC) and unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM) for SDTV and HDTV with resolutions of up to 1080i. Easy to install and use, the mini sticks are activated by simply connecting them to a computer's USB 2.0 port and either a cable jack, an existing TV antenna or the included telescopic antenna. Customers will also appreciate the miniature-sized case, which features a built-in protective flip-cap that does not block other USB ports. Once connected, the new TV tuners instantly turn a PC or Mac into a personal video recorder (PVR) with timeshifting capabilities that enable users to record, pause or rewind live TV. Users can also schedule recordings from TitanTV.com, a free Internet-based Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) so that they don't miss their favorite programs. Live and recorded programs can be viewed in full-screen mode or in a scalable window while using other computer applications. Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick PCTV HD mini Stick comes with Pinnacle TVCenter Pro 5, the latest release of Pinnacle's Personal Video Recorder (PVR) application for viewing, timeshifting and recording high-quality SD and HD TV on a PC. With the software, users can record TV shows in MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or DivX formats and save the programs on a hard drive or directly to a DVD. A trial version for MPEG-4 support is included which enables users to output to a Sony PSP or an Apple iPod . Also included is the video editing software VideoSpin by Pinnacle, which allows customers to quickly trim the length of recordings. Home Theater PC enthusiasts will be happy to hear that for ATSC, PCTV HD mini Stick is also compatible with Windows Media Center (Windows Vista Home Premium or Ultimate). Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick Compatible with Mac OS X v10.4 or higher, the Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick comes bundled with the latest version of Elgato's EyeTV Lite software for a full range of recording and playback controls, including timeshifting and EPG or manual recording capabilities. As a bonus, Pinnacle TVCenter Pro 5 and VideoSpin by Pinnacle are also included for users who also own a PC. Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick and Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick will be available in the U.S. from the Pinnacle Systems estore as well as leading retailers and online resellers by September 21. write your comments about the article :: © 2008 Computing News :: home page |