Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick: Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick review

Stumped on what to give yourself this Christmas? Or how about the perfect gift for your techie boss or friend? Worry no more because there's a great gadget just waiting for you (and them) at Woot. It's the Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick, and it will do wonders for your PC or Mac.

Pinnacle brings you easy-to-use TV experience with the Pinnacle PCTV HD Mini Stick for Mac and PC as it enables users to watch high quality digital HD and SD TV without paying for such services. Attach it to your computer with the USB connector and you can watch and record in real time. The integrated signal booster also improves reception sensitivity even if the signal isn’t strong. You can watch, record and plan
your favorite programs - something very useful for toady's busy schedule. What's more, with its compact size and features, you can use it "on the go". Take it with you on your trips. Record that game that you'll miss because of an important meeting or appointment, grab your favorite sitcom episodes or catch the late-night talk shows – Pinnacle TV HD mini Stick makes it happen.

Pinnacle TV HD mini Stick for Mac and PC is available for digital TV reception and comes with a mini remote control for added convenience, and high-gain telescopic antenna. It even comes with its own traveling bag. This gadget will do wonders to you and your family's TV schedule. And at $69.99, it's a reasonable price to pay for the convenience and fun it will add to your lifestyle.

Product Features and Specifications:

* Watch live high quality digital HD and SD TV without service fees from anywhere on your laptop, in a new compact size for easy travel and storage
* Elgato’s EyeTV Lite is included so you can now watch, and record live HDTV on a Macintosh
* 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
* Eliminate the guess work by automatically recording shows direct-to-DVD and/or inthe destination file format of choice (i.e. iPod, PSP, DivX, etc.)
* Supports unencrypted digital cable, ClearQAM
* Integrated signal booster improves sensitivity for over the air HDTV reception
* Built-in slide-cap to protect the USB connector
* Break free and PlaceShift with the sleek USB 2.0 powered portable PCTV device
* Sit back and relax from afar with full remote control access
* The options are unlimited with full support for digital (ATSC) reception, and Clear QAM
* Instantly transform your PC or Mac into a personal digital video recorder (DVR)

Windows System Requirements:

* Windows® XP or Windows Vista™ (32 bit) with latest service pack
* Intel® Pentium® 4 2.8GHz, Pentium M 1.7 GHz, equivalent AMD Athlon 64 processor or higher (e.g. dual core processor)
* RAM: Windows XP – 512 MB; Windows Vista – 1 GB
* Free USB 2.0 port
* Sound/graphics controller with support for DirectX® 9 or higher
* Hard drive with minimum 1 GB free space (20 GB recommended for TV recording)
* CD drive (DVD burner required for DVD recording)
* Internet connection for registration/activation

Mac System Requirements:

* Macintosh® computer with a Dual PowerPC® G5 or an Intel® Core Duo processor
* Mac OS X v10.4 or later
* Free USB 2.0 port
* 512 MB RAM
* Hard drive with minimum 1 GB free space (20 GB recommended for TV recording)
* CD or DVD drive

TV Standards:

* ATSC (HDTV up to 1080i, SDTV)
* ClearQAM (HDTV up to 1080i, SDTV)

Inputs:

* TV/FM antenna (F-connector/Coaxial)

Recording Formats:

* MPEG-1/2
* DivX4
* MPEG-4: compatible with Sony PSP or Apple iPod (Trial Version)

Included in the box:

* USB 2.0 TV Tuner For ATSC/ClearQAM Reception
* Mini Remote Control Including Battery
* Portable Telescopic High-Gain Antenna with Magnetic Foot
* Antenna Adapter (MCX to F-Connector)
* USB Extender Cable
* Printed Quick Start Guide
* Travel Bag
* Pinnacle™ TVCenter Pro and Pinnacle VideoSpin™ Editing Software
* Elgato EyeTV Lite Software