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Words by Keoni Chavez
June 2008
I will admit to being a digital TV novice. My partner and I decided some time ago to stop watching television entirely, saving our viewing for movies on DVD and the occasional iTunes download of a series that gets a lot of buzz. So it was with a little trepidation that I decided to review the Pinnacle HD Stick for Mac, because not only am I new to the world of digital TV, I also know very little about High Definition (HD) viewing - really, only that it's better than standard resolution.
I needn't have worried on either score, as the HD Stick makes setup, viewing, and even recording simple and jargon-free. For your benefit, this review will eschew the use of tech-talk and focus on the essentials.
First of all, let's examine the hardware. The stick itself, in its entirety, is merely a few inches long, and plugs into your Mac's USB 2.0 interface. This may be a slight annoyance to MacBook users, as its width causes it to partially block the second USB port, but on the new iMacs, the ports line up vertically next to each other in a row, so this won't present the same problem.
The included antenna plugs directly into the back of the Stick with its own coaxial cable. The antenna, when telescoped to its full length, measures about 26 inches in length. It's got a magnetic base, which is useful to keep it solid to prevent a wavering signal, but it does mean you need to keep it far enough away from your Mac to prevent any magnetic interference. The coaxial port on the end of the Stick will also serve to connect an analog cable, if you want your Mac to record shows from your existing cable service.
Once the hardware is set up, you must install the Elgato EyeTV Lite application from the included CD, which allows you to configure your Mac to receive the digital (and analog) TV signals floating around over the airwaves. Depending on where you live, this process might take longer than other people's experience. It's dependent upon a range of factors, including what buildings are between you and the nearest signal tower, and how isolated your Mac is. After it's run its course, however, you'll be ready to start watching television on your Mac.
The EyeTV program is simple to use and its controller interface looks somewhat like the controls for any DVD player, with a fast-forward, a rewind, a play and pause, and next and previous channel buttons. The main difference is the record button, which lets you save video to your hard drive whenever you want.
Above that is the running time, the current channel display, and buttons for Menu and program information (which, depending on the channel you've chosen, may include what program will be next on that particular station). This controller can be set to remain on top of all programs, making it simple to quickly change the channel. For that matter, the HD Stick comes with a remote control that operates quite well with the application and does everything you'd need it to, unobtrusively.
Finally, one of the best features of the EyeTV application is that you can schedule your Mac to record programs in advance of their actual run time. Who needs to buy a separate DVR?
All in all, the Pinnacle HD Stick (despite having Ôstick' in its name - Ôstick' doesn't sound particularly high-tech) makes getting up to speed with HD television surprisingly easy and welcome. It's portable, simple to set up, and right out of the box, just works.
Name: Pinnacle HD Stick for Mac
Web site: pinnaclesys.com
Price: $129.99
Pros: Simple to set up and use
Cons: Channels subject to signal availability in your area
Summary: An inexpensive way to get HD TV on your Mac
Rating: 5 stars (out of 5)
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