Pinnacle Launches PVR
Pinnacle Systems has released PCTV Deluxe, a digital media device that connects PC and TV entertainment systems for under $200.
PCTV Deluxe lets consumers use their desktop or laptop PC to watch TV and digitally record programs for time-shifted viewing.
The external product can be used to capture and compress video in real time from any video source including a TV, VCR, camcorder, digital set-top box or DVD player. The DVD burn feature lets consumers view video on devices other than the PC.
PCTV Deluxe uses MPEG real-time compression and audio synchronization hardware to encode one-hour of video in only one hour. It stores the video in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 format on the PC's hard disk or can burn it to a CD or DVD discs that can be played back by set-top DVD players.
The PCTV Deluxe is used with USB1 and USB2 Windows ME/XP/2000 systems. Unlike USB2-compatible devices that only operate in USB Full Speed mode (up to 12Mb/s), it provides support for USB2, which allows users to access USB 2.0 bandwith (up to 480Mb/s).
The PCTV Deluxe USB2 device includes a remote control unit, a USB cable, Pinnacle PCTV Vision software, Trex software and a trial version of the Studio 8 video editing software. PCTV Deluxe comes with TitanTV, an electronic program guide that sets up program preferences for automatic recording and viewback.
Get the TV Tech Newsletter
The professional video industry's #1 source for news, trends and product and tech information. Sign up below.