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gadget — Episode 114 – Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick: HD TV To Go!
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The Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick is a USB-connected device that will allow you to watch and record High Definition television on your Windows laptop or desktop. The mini stick is essentially an updated version of the Pinnacle PCTV Pro Stick and shares many of the same features, with the most obvious difference being the much smaller size of the Mini Stick. There are a few functional differences between the Pro Stick and the Mini Stick: for example, The mini Stick doesn’t include the ability to watch NTSC video over analog aerial or cable. It also doesn’t have the inputs on the Pro Stick that allow users to capture video from external devices like camcorders, game consoles or set-top boxes. It also does away with the FM receiver.
Out of the box the PCTV HD Mini Stick comes with everything you need to be up and watching HD TV in no time. Pinnacle has included all the connectors, antennas, adapters, cables and nick to connect your Mini Stick to your desktop or laptop, aerial or cable. Pinnacle has included a short USB extension for those who have difficulty plugging the device into an overly-cramped USB port bay. The Antenna is a flexible, extendable design that screws into a magnetic base. They’ve even included a little carrying pouch that can hold all the gear when you’re on the go. The Mini Stick itself is the size of a small flash drive and has a retractable cover which also serves to protect the USB connector. The Mini Stick has a integrated F-Connector at the end of the unit that links it either to the included aerial antenna with magnetic base, or to a standard RG-58 coaxial cable. To accomplish the later Pinnacle has included a small F-to-RG adapter that clips to the bottom of the unit. The included remote has all the buttons you need to control the majority of functions, including Windows Media Center features. About the size of a small-serving candy bar, the remote is powered by a single lithium battery. Installing the Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick is easy. Simply install the software and plug the Mini Stick into an open USB port. TV CenterPro will automatically detect the Mini Stick and give you the option of setting it up for Antenna or cable mode. It will also give you the option of turning on the signal booster, an option I highly recommend unless you are living in an area of the country that gets outstanding HDTV signal quality. TV Center Pro will now scan for available channels in the area. The PCTV HD Mini Stick Supports ATSC and ClearQAM HDTV up to 1080i as well as standard definition TV. TV Center Pro is easy to use. It has standard channel and volume controls, as well as the ability to instantly take snapshots, record, timeshift and start a direct-to-DVD recording. For those who want to us the Mini Stick to build up their library of recorded programming, TV Center Pro can record in MPEG 1 and 2, DivX, as well as a MPEG-4 format that is compatible with the Sony PSP and Apple iPod. |
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The software comes with an electronic program guide that is much improved over the previous generation and allows you to see, or record up to two days in advance. The Program Settings screen gives you complete control over the various tweakable options in TV Center Pro. You can change languages and behaviors, rescan for channels or change between cable and antenna, look for new Internet Radio stations, choose your recording formats and quality, configure timeshift, adjust the brightness, contrast and color of your picture, and just about anything else you might need to do.
In all, the Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick is a solid piece of gear that delivers exactly what it advertises, High Definition TV on your Desktop or Laptop with a minimum amount of fuss. |
