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New Pinnacle PCTV HD Sticks Deliver HDTV on a PC
By Shane Sturgeon
Publisher & Chief Technologist
Posted on April 4, 2008
Category: Products & Equipment
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New Pinnacle PCTV HD Sticks Deliver HDTV on a PC

Sleek, Ultra-mobile USB Sticks Add Support for Digital Cable TV


Mountain View, Calif., April 3, 2008 - Pinnacle Systems, Inc., the consumer division of Avid Technology Inc. (Nasdaq: AVID) , announced today the next generation of its Pinnacle PCTV™ HD Stick, and Pinnacle PCTV™ HD Pro Stick-the number one selling TV tuner for PCs in the U.S. retail market in 2007, according to NPD. In addition to delivering free digital HD and SD TV over-the-air (ATSC), these new Pinnacle PCTV HD and HD Pro Sticks now support unencrypted digital cable (ClearQAM) channels and include a next-generation tuner/demodulator with more sensitive reception of both analog and digital TV signals and, in the case of the PCTV HD Pro Stick, even FM radio.

About the size of a flash drive, the new Pinnacle PCTV HD Sticks provide consumers with the brilliant sharpness of digital HDTV with resolutions up to 1080i, by simply plugging the device into a USB port on their PC. The addition of ClearQAM support allows cable TV subscribers to enjoy their favorite over-the-air (OTA) digital channels with optimal quality by connecting the digital cable directly to their PC.

The affordable, easy-to-use Pinnacle PCTV HD and HD Pro Sticks are for laptop users, travelers and students, who want to experience HD-quality TV at home or on-the-go without having to pay expensive service fees. They are also compelling solutions for Windows Vista™ and Windows®XP MCE owners who did not purchase a PC TV tuner with their systems.

"With the February 17th, 2009 shut down of analog television approaching, users are considering cost-effective alternatives to paying for cable and satellite TV or buying a new HD TV," said Tanguy Leborgne, Pinnacle Systems Vice President of Worldwide Marketing. "At just $99 U.S., the new PCTV HD Pro Stick can provide consumers with savings of up to $1,000 on their subscription fees and it even works as a Personal Video Recorder (PVR). All you need is your laptop or desktop computer."

The Pinnacle TVCenter Pro software bundled with the new tuners delivers fully functional PVR capabilities that make it easy to watch, TimeShift and record SD and HD TV. For added convenience, users have the option of viewing programs in full-screen mode or in a scalable window while using other applications. An integrated Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) is included to locate programs and schedule recordings. Shows can be recorded to the user's hard drive or direct to DVD for playback on a DVD player.

The new Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick offers all of these features plus a broad range of additional capabilities ranging from stereo sound for both digital and analog TV, stereo FM radio reception and the ability to capture a video signal from a cable/satellite set-top box or camcorder with the A/V adapter cable provided. It also supports the DivX® format and includes a trial version for MPEG-4 support which enables output to a PSP™ or iPod®.

Pricing, Availability
The Pinnacle PCTV HD Stick and the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick will be available through leading retailers and online resellers by April 6, 2008 with U.S. pricing at $69.99 and $99.99 respectively. Both devices are fully certified for Windows Vista™ and Windows® Media Center.

For tips, tricks and techniques on all Pinnacle solutions go to Pinnacle Life.


About Pinnacle Systems, Inc.

Pinnacle Systems, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Avid Technology, Inc., is an industry leader in video editing solutions, TV tuners for the PC and digital media adapters for the consumer market. The company's product lines include Pinnacle PCTV™, Dazzle®, Pinnacle ShowCenter®, Pinnacle Mobile Media™, Scorefitter™ and its flagship Pinnacle Studio™ line. For more information, visit www.pinnaclesys.com.


About Avid Technology, Inc.

Avid is a worldwide leader in tools for film, video, audio, 3D animation, gaming and broadcast professionals - as well as for home audio and video enthusiasts. Avid professional and consumer brands include Avid, Digidesign, M-Audio, Pinnacle Systems, Sibelius, Softimage and Sundance Digital. The vast majority of primetime television shows, feature films, commercials and chart-topping music hits are made using one or more Avid brands. Whether seasoned professional or beginning student, Avid's products and services enable customers to work more efficiently, productively and creatively. For more information about the company's Oscar®, Grammy® and Emmy® award-winning products and services, visit www.avid.com.

Posted by Shane Sturgeon, April 4, 2008 09:21 AM

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About Shane Sturgeon

Shane Sturgeon is the Co-Publisher and Chief Technologist of HDTV Magazine, an industry publication with HDTV roots going back to 1984, when Dale Cripps founded The HDTV Newsletter. Today, HDTV Magazine is a leading online resource for HDTV news and information and captures the eyes and imaginations of over 3 million visitors annually. Mr. Sturgeon has a background in information technology and has served in various consulting capacities for Fortune 500 companies such as J.P. Morgan Chase, Verizon Communications, Proctor & Gamble and Nationwide Insurance. He has a Bachelor of Science in Computer Science from Wright State University.