TV revisited: Pinnacle HDTV stick (USB, for Mac)

[Bobbie Mayer]

I found this on Amazon Pinnacle HDTV for Mac
but actually bought it on WOOT when it was offered for $70.

I am running OS10.4 on a MacBookPro. I installed the software, plugged in the USB stick and attached the included rabbit ear antenna (single ear) and was immediately able to pick up every local digital station, more clearly than the television connected to an outdoor antenna was getting them. (I was in a room full of windows.)

I'm very pleased with the ease of use of this product. It quickly turns my Mac into a TV, and besides using it for camping, I anticipate it will be useful when the power goes out (at least until the Mac power is gone!)

Bobbie

[Lisa H.]

Hey Bobbie! That gadget sounds really cool and a heck of a lot cheaper than the other system you were considering before. Plus, you can still watch your DVDs on the Mac. I'll be curious to learn what kind of reception it gets when you're out in the sticks. Please keep us posted! Also, what is WOOT?

[Bobbie Mayer]

Hey Bobbie! That gadget sounds really cool and a heck of a lot cheaper than the other system you were considering before. Plus, you can still watch your DVDs on the Mac. I'll be curious to learn what kind of reception it gets when you're out in the sticks. Please keep us posted! Also, what is WOOT?

I'm rarely very far out when I'm camping but it may do worse when I'm not surrounded by TV towers. The antenna has a magnetic base so if there is anything to connect it to it could sit outside. The stick also has an adapter for a regular coax cable if you had a real antenna (or cable TV) so you aren't stuck with the mini-antenna it comes with. The included software will also record TV but I don't think I have the HD space for that.

http://www.woot.com

Woot has a one-deal per day (normally) thing which changes over at 10 PM Pacific time. Mostly electronics but some other things, too. About once a month there is a "Woot-off" where a new deal replaces the old as soon as the item is sold out. These go on for 1-2 days usually. Shipping on anything is $5, whether the item is $500 or $.01.

Bobbie

[Harry Young]

Son of a gun Bobbie, I would have never thought of that? Amazing what can be done now days...Thanks for the bit, I put it in my favorites for later use.

Harry

[Lisa H.]

Bobbie,

Do you only need internet connection for the first-time set-up or does the system require an internet aircard for running it away from your home or public access wi-fi? I saw a PC version by the same manufacturer on Amazon for $79.99. Thanks!

[Eddie Longest]

I have one for my PC and you don't need the internet to set it up. One note don't store the antenna too close to your computer. The strong magnetic base could cause problems with your data. Since most of my camping is done in the RF Quiet Zone in Va and WV, I haven't used mine very much, but is does add more time for your start up sequence for your computer even when not connected. The computer is looking for the USB device and can't find it and it sends you a message at start up.
NRFQZ http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.02/quiet_pr.html

[Benita]

The package comes with with the USB plugin, software and antenna that turned my Dell laptop into a TV.

I only needed an internet connection to register the Pinnacle program. You can also use the internet to download the local programming guide. The guide is location specific. So, I never downloaded it as I was moving around too often for it to do much good. Once I got home I found out there is no guide for my area.

[Lisa H.]

It just looks better and better with each post! Thanks for the input!

[Benita]

If the locals need a big antenna, then you will too. If you are in a weak reception area you won't get much.

[Bobbie Mayer]

Bobbie,

Do you only need internet connection for the first-time set-up or does the system require an internet aircard for running it away from your home or public access wi-fi? I saw a PC version by the same manufacturer on Amazon for $79.99. Thanks!

No Wi-fi access needed, I doubt even for set-up although they connect up to Titan TV for program guides and I did register it online.

Bobbie

[Bobbie Mayer]

I have one for my PC and you don't need the internet to set it up. One note don't store the antenna too close to your computer. The strong magnetic base could cause problems with your data. Since most of my camping is done in the RF Quiet Zone in Va and WV, I haven't used mine very much, but is does add more time for your start up sequence for your computer even when not connected. The computer is looking for the USB device and can't find it and it sends you a message at start up.
NRFQZ http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/12.02/quiet_pr.html

You should be able to fix that by taking the device's program out of your startup file.

[Bobbie Mayer]

If the locals need a big antenna, then you will too. If you are in a weak reception area you won't get much.

Well, really not true for me here. Rabbit ears do not do very well here, but the antenna provided with this did just fine, perhaps because I was more in the center of the room. But you can connect it to a big antenna if you need one.

Where I want one has plenty of TV reception so that is not an issue. But clearly if there is no reception there is nothing magic about having the receiver on your computer, you still won't get a signal.

Bobbie

[Bill A]

I've had a ElGato eyeTV hybrid for 2 years and works great . Perfect for on the road.It has a HD as well as a analog tuner.Its also has a DVR.Only works on macs
I think macsales sells them for under $70

[Booker B.]

People take TV's when they go camping? OMG, what will they think of next?

- running for the exit -

[Doug Mager]

Booker.... just for yew;

FLUSH TOIDYS...LOL!!!!

[Alf S.]

Hi: All... People actually go camping to watch TV??? Well there's always the Weather Network!!!
Alf S. North shore of Lake Erie

[Kevin A]

Unfortunately for those of us who try to fit vacations/camping between regular work, we do need to stay up on news, weather, and email. We use our laptops with a Treo phone to have internet where we have a Verizon signal. As a school district administrator, my vacations are always "on call" for some time of emergency. If I don't check my email at least once a day, things get held up back at work and people aren't happy. Just a fact of life for us (my wife has to check on college advisees regularly, too). We keep it to a minimum, but we need to have the connectivity.

[Greg A]

Like Kevin A, I work on the road quite a bit when we're Scamping, otherwise, we wouldn't be out that week.

Guess it all goes to the definition of "camping" which we had a big thread on some time ago. Sometimes we are camping/boondocking, and sometimes it is a mobile inexpensive condo/hotel room in some expensive resort area IE Sedona, AZ. Just depends what we're using it for that particular trip.

I have one of the TV sticks in my laptop bag, don't use it much, but it does prevent having to bring two devices to do different functions.

[Mike Magee]

TV is handy while camping, to see if the weather will cooperate with the next day's plans. And it was nice to have when I was on Superior's north shore (MN) and planning the trip home... I was intending to take 35W through Minneapolis but that bridge collapsed.

What irks me about this TV changeover is that I can't possibly get a converter box for the nice little 2" LCD handheld tv I like to camp with. It was only $50 but still I hate to have to just throw it away. It has a built in antenna, no way to connect a converter, and anyway connecting a big box to a tiny portable tv is senseless. I don't see them offering that type of tv yet with a digital tuner, either.

[Bob H]

TV is handy while camping, to see if the weather will cooperate with the next day's plans. And it was nice to have when I was on Superior's north shore (MN) and planning the trip home... I was intending to take 35W through Minneapolis but that bridge collapsed.

What irks me about this TV changeover is that I can't possibly get a converter box for the nice little 2" LCD handheld tv I like to camp with. It was only $50 but still I hate to have to just throw it away. It has a built in antenna, no way to connect a converter, and anyway connecting a big box to a tiny portable tv is senseless. I don't see them offering that type of tv yet with a digital tuner, either.

Michael, as a Ham Radio Operator & electronics geek, I look at your situation from another perspective. That antenna you have has two wires that might be connected instead of to the antenna, to a connector that could match what output connector that would be on the converter box you would use.

You then would set the handheld TV to what channel the converter would output,(like channel 3 or 4), then use the convrter as your tuner. Find someone you know who is a "real" computer geek, they would be able to make the modification. It's a hack of your beloved little handheld, & would probably limit it's mobility a bit but it's a way to extend it's usefulness.

Here's a handhed HDTV receiver
...and one here at Radioshack.

ConwayBob