Pinnacle Introduces High Quality, Ultra-Portable TV Tuners for Mac
Avid Technology, Inc. (NASDAQ : AVID) today announced that its consumer division, Pinnacle Systems, Inc, is entering the market for Mac peripherals with three new USB TV tuner devices: two for the European market and one for the US market. The new ultra-portable Pinnacle TV for Mac Sticks turn any Mac into a full-featured TV receiver/recorder with remote control.
“Macs are famous for their eye-catching design and the cool features within the OS. Now Mac users can use Pinnacle products to further extend the capabilities of their computers and transform them into personal TVs and video recorders,” said, Pinnacle Systems general manager and Avid vice president Jeff Hastings. “With Pinnacle TV for Mac Sticks, anyone can enjoy an easy-to-use, high quality TV experience on a Mac, whether at home or traveling.”
High-Quality TV Tuners
The Pinnacle TV for Mac family is comprised of three models, including the:
- Pinnacle TV for Mac DVB-T Stick – which allows European users to watch, TimeShift and record their favorite digital TV and radio (DVB-T) programs.
- Pinnacle TV for Mac Hybrid Stick – which delivers the same functionalities as the DVB-T Stick and adds analog TV reception. It also acts as a video capture device.
- Pinnacle TV for Mac HD Stick – which gives US customers access to ATSC HDTV directly on their Macs – in addition to standard analog TV.
The USB 2.0 interface enables high-quality video streaming to the Mac. Pinnacle TV for Mac Sticks are USB powered and therefore require no external power supply. They just plug directly into the Mac’s USB 2.0 port and come with a remote control so that users can sit back and enjoy television programs with the same comfort as a traditional TV viewing experience. The sticks connect to an external antenna thanks to the built-in, standard antenna input and also come with a mini antenna for use outdoors or in buildings where there is no external TV antenna.
Pinnacle TV for Mac Sticks come with the highly acclaimed Elgato EyeTV Lite TV viewing and recording software.
More Than Just Watch
In addition to watching TV, users can take advantage of the TimeShifting feature to pause and rewind their favorite shows. The sticks also turn any Mac into a full personal video recorder (PVR), allowing users to record shows on the fly or schedule recordings ahead of time using the integrated electronic program guide (EPG). Users can save recordings on the Mac’s hard drive in DVD-quality MPEG-2 format. The included A/V adapter cable also enables users to import video from external sources such as a camcorder, making it a handy no-hassle solution for transferring video to a Mac computer.
Pricing and Availability
In North America, consumers can purchase the Pinnacle TV for Mac HD Stick starting in March from the Pinnacle Systems website (http://www.pinnaclesys.com), at major retailers and also at e-tailers. USMRSRP is $129.
About Pinnacle Systems
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™, PCTV to go, Dazzle, Pinnacle ShowCenter™, Pinnacle Mobile Media™ and its flagship Pinnacle Studio™ line. For more information, visit http://www.pinnaclesys.com.
About Avid
Avid Technology, Inc. is the world leader in digital nonlinear media creation, management, and distribution solutions, enabling film, video, audio, animation, games, and broadcast professionals to work more efficiently, productively, and creatively. For more information about the company’s Oscar, Grammy, and Emmy award-winning products and services, please visit: http://www.avid.com.
