Digital TV on PCs: It's Not as Easy as You Think

Digital TV on PCs: It's Not as Easy as You Think - Digital TV Option 1: Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick
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The PCTV HD Pro Stick is an external device that connects via a USB 2.0 port, which proves to be a very handy way to add digital TV to a PC (or even a notebook system). The unit comes with a stowable telescopic antenna for receiving HD and ATSC broadcasts over the airwaves and can also connect directly to a coaxial cable for analog and Clear QAM signals.

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We were quite impressed with the unit's diminutive size and that it also included a tiny remote control and a media cable for connecting other devices using S-Video and RCA connections. In a pinch, the device could be used to capture video and audio from a camcorder, VCR or DVD player. Out of the box, the HD Pro Stick offers support for ATSC (HDTV up to 1080i or SDTV), NTSC, Clear QAM (HDTV up to 1080i or SDTV) and standard broadcast (nondigital) signals, including FM stereo radio. The unit also features full DVR functionality, allowing users to record broadcasts via a schedule or live. The unit also incorporates, thanks to the DVR functions, the ability to pause and rewind live TV.

We followed the included quick-start instructions to install and configure the device and came across our first problem: The company only offers "beta" support for the 64-bit version of Windows Vista and recommends the use of either 32-bit Vista or Windows XP. We installed the beta drivers and the included TVCenter Pro application and ran into several problems with the software. We experienced lockups and a failure for the unit to scan for available broadcast channels (both digital and analog).

A quick call to tech support led us to download a newer version of the drivers and software, which solved most of our problems. Using the included software proved to be quite easy but at times unreliable. For the most part, we were able to scan for Clear QAM channels and tune the identified stations in. The included EPG (Electronic Program Guide) offered no information on most of our ClearQAM channels, but that is more likely an issue with the cable service provider (in our case, Cablevision), which does not release most of its frequency mapping information to the public.

Vista Media Center failed to recognize the device, so we were not able to test broadcast digital or analog signals with the unit under Media Center. Watching and recording content using the bundled software worked quite well for the most part, but we did run into image distortion and video feed lockups when changing channels. To verify that the problems we encountered were due to the lack of full 64-bit Vista support, we also installed the device on a Lenovo ThinkPAD T61P that was running the 32-bit version of Vista. The device and related software worked smoothly under 32-bit Vista and we only experienced some lags when changing channels. Most users will find the performance and reliability acceptable with a 32-bit version of Windows Vista. The company recommends that a Vista PC be equipped with 1GB of RAM, a modern CPU (Pentium 4 2.4GHz or better), a sound and graphics device that supports DirectX 9 and enough free hard drive space to store DVR content (space directly relates to the length of material recorded).

The high points of the PCTV HD Pro Stick include its diminutive size, ease of installation and broad support for most broadcast standards. The low points are its lack of support for 64-bit Vista and Vista's Media Center application. With a price of $99.99, Pinnacle's product proves to be an affordable way to bring digital TV to today's PCs.

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