Anyone tried Pinnacle PCTV?

[moree golfer]

I am deliberating as to whether I use my laptop to view and record HD transmission or buy a HiDef set top with HDD. I came across the following product from Pinnacle:

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/uk/Products/Consumer+Products/PCTV+Tuners/PCTV+Flash_TV+Stick/PCTV+DVB-T+FlashStick.htm

It does look like a solution to my dilemma. I wish to know if anyone has used it or has any experience with the product?

[Toolish]

I have not tried that product, but I have a Pinnacle PCTV tuner in my desktop and have had no trouble with it.

If you are using the lappy to record and want to keep good quality make sure the HDD is plenty big enough.

[markTHEblake]

just read up on the different between using a dedicated tuner and a usb one that obviously uses the CPU instead.

you may not be able to record in HD, or record/watch 2 channels at once if you dont have a high end CPU

there is plenty of websites with the Fors and Againsts

[kpac]

will work fine - and cost effective - i've got one for a mac laptop and coupled with eyeTV (program) works very well. There are more sophisticated setups out there - just depends what you're after. It will let you watch tenHD's golf :)

[Rusty]

giving one of these Pinnacle PCTV dual DVB-T Diversity sticks ("Stick 2001e") a go with the laptop. to be in addition to the SD HD Panasonic PVR. just really as a backup to record HD TV with a bit of portability. though it is tempting, if i wasn't that concerned about portability, to buy one of the Topfield HD PVRs - 'specially the TF7050HDRt (http://search.dse.com.au/search?w=topfield+pvr&asug=topfi&sessionid=493c60e00ff62454273fc0a87e010688&ts=new) for just $429.

[3oneday]

They're a bit like rocks though aren't they ? What about a Pro V1 ?

[Rusty]

rocks, definitely rocks. but straight rocks. V1 - too much rock for me.

[Fishman Dan]

I tried one of the HDTV USB sticks, but found it was utterly useless with the aerial that came with it. It was fine with the house aerial, but that sort of works against the portability factor!

It was $50 at Harvey Norman (Martin Place) - down from $99. I returned mine, it was pointless if I couldn't watch the cricket at work!

[moree golfer]

Excuse my ignorance but do these give you transmission through the net? If so then I might be able to get TenHD that is broadcast in the big smoke, solving my isue with Southern Cross TenHD not showing WGC events and so forth.