Pinnacle Systems announced last week, the next generation versions of their PCTV HD Stick and PCTV HD Pro Stick HDTV Tuners. The new versions now support unencrypted digital cable (a.k.a. ClearQAM) channels and also feature a new tuner/demodulator with more sensitive reception of both analog and digital TV signals (including FM radio for the PCTV HD Pro Stick). Both USB sticks still support free digital HD and SD TV via over-the-air (OTA) ATSC support.

By offering ClearQAM support to the HD Stick and HD Pro Stick, cable TV subscribers will be able to plug their digital cable directly to the USB devices and receive free over-the-air digital channels.

Both models are fully certified for Windows Vista and Windows Media Center. Both tuners also come bundled with Pinnacle’s TVCenter Pro software which provides a fully featured PVR application with support for Time Shifting and recording of television shows.

Features and specs of the PCTV HD Stick include:

• ATSC/NTSC support
• ClearQAM support
• TV Antena input
• MPEG-1/2 and MPEG4 recording formats
• USB 2.0
• Stereo sound for digital TV

Features and specs for the PCTV HD Pro Stick include:

• ATSC/NTSC support
• ClearQAM support
• TV/FM antenna (F-Connector/Coaxial)
• S-Video, Composite Video (RCA), Stereo Audio (1/8 inch)
• MPEG-1/2, DivX, and MPEG4 recording formats
• USB 2.0
• Stereo sound for both digital and analog TV
• Stereo FM radio

Both tuners should be available now with the HD Stick selling for $69.99 and the HD Pro Stick going for $99.99.

[Check it out via Dvice.com]

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