Over the weekend we revealed the world’s first Freeview HD tuner on the way from PCTV Systems, now part of Hauppauge. The PCTV nanoStick T2 290e is on show at IFA and is exciting news for UK Media Center users in a Freeview HD area, who will be able to receive BBC HD, BBC1 HD (coming soon), ITV HD and Channel 4 HD via their PC.
The nanoStick T2 will require a PC with a dual core processor for HDTV reception as high definition decoding takes a fair amount of processing power – that should be no problem with a modern PC, but it’ll be interesting to see whether dual-core Intel Atoms will be supported in low power, mini-HTPCs. The tuner will ship with PCTV’s DistanTV software, which streams live and recorded TV remotely to an iPhone or iPad via the Safari browser. The software cleverly adapts the video stream bitrate depending on your device and network speed to provide the best possible service.
If you want to know more about the new DVB-T2 tuner, here’s an early view of the nanoStick T2’s specs and data sheet, courtesy of the guys at PCTV. The nanoStick T2 will ship in the UK in October for £99.
The world’s first DVB-T2 receiver turns your PC into a Freeview HD PVR!
Product Overview
PCTV nanoStick T2 is a compact USB tuner for the next gen digital terrestrial TV (DVB-T2). Now you can watch, time shift and record free HDTV (Freeview HD) in perfect picture quality on your PC and laptop.
PCTV nanoStick T2 also supports SDTV reception (DVB-T) and its streaming from a Windows PC to an iPhone or iPad. TV recordings with nanoStick T2 on your hard disk can be scheduled and played back from these mobile devices as well as from any PC or MAC via its web browser – never miss your favourite TV show.
Target Market
Digital HDTV enthusiasts: The only DVB-T2 tuner for PCs that offers unmatchable reception quality also for regular DVB-T (Freeview) is a must-have peripheral for every advanced PC user. Not only can he watch TV, he can also schedule recordings remotely, stream the TV programme to other PCs and mobile devices throughout the home.
Key Features
Enjoy future-proof DVB-T2 technology on your PC – Now!
Free Digital Terrestrial TV on your Windows PC in HD (DVB-T2) and SD (DVB-T)
- Superior DVB-T reception capabilities
- Support for DVB-T radio
- Remote control
Stream TV wirelessly to iPhone and iPad
Imagine you can watch your home TV program on your iPhone in a cafe or hotel lobby. The included DistanTV software lets you stream Live-TV and TV recordings to your iPhone and iPad. You can even schedule TV recordings over the Internet with your smart phone. DistanTV works in your home network (W-LAN) as well as over the Internet (Wi-Fi hotspot and 3G).
TVCenter: turns your PC into a full digital video recorder
- Watch TV in full-screen or scalable window
- Use time shifting to pause and rewind live TV
- Record your favourite shows or schedule future recordings
Minimum System Requirements
- Microsoft® Windows 7® or Windows Vista with latest Service Pack, 1 GB RAM
- Or Windows XP (32 bit) with latest Service Pack, 512 MB RAM
- Intel® Pentium® 4 2.0 GHz, Pentium M 1.3 GHz or equivalent AMD® Athlon® XP
- For HDTV: 2,6 GHz multi core processor
- Hard disk with min. 1 GB free capacity (20 GB free capacity recommended)
- Sound and graphics with support for DirectX® 9 or higher
- USB 2.0 port
- CD/DVD drive for software installation
- Recommended: Internet connection for software updates and activations
TV Recording Formats
- MPEG-1 (off-line trans-coding)
- MPEG-2 transport stream
- MPEG-4 H.264 (AVC)
- MPEG-4 compatible with PSP/iPod (try&buy)
Tuner
- Interface: USB 2.0 (Hi-Speed)
- Supported TV standards:
- DVB-T2, DVB-T
- Stereo / dual channel sound
- Antenna input: MCX connector
Package Contents
- USB 2.0 TV tuner for DVB-T2, DVB-T,
- Mini remote control (battery included)
- DVB-T antenna
About Terry Walsh
Terry Walsh is the founding editor and owner of We Got Served. Since February 2007, the site has provided detailed coverage and analysis of the emerging home server category, and has subsequently grown into a trusted outlet for digital home news and reviews.
