Pinnacle TV tuner sucks!

blazon SG

Just wanna share my bad experience with pinnacle hybrid tv usb stick.
and caution others against pinnacle tv tuner products.

I recently bought a pinnacle hybrid tv usb stick,
and the following list the dissatisfaction I faced:

1) Installation takes like 10-20 minutes

2) Super Buggy Software
a) new channel settings are not saved/updated correctly
b) and sometimes settings are duplicated (eg multiple same Channels settings)
c) garbarge text characters appear on settings sometimes
d) and the tv app totally cannot start when above happens (c)

3) Really Bad reception, cannot receive channel U (HDB tv cable)

4) Application software startup is very slow

5) Installed disk space in application folder takes about 500MB, which is ridiculous!! (I later bought wintv, which is only about 15MB)

Its so bad that i simply cannot believe they release such a product into the market.
As a software engineering guy, I can understand the design decisions
they made, and will totally condemn this product's design and implementaion.

Also, the software is used across all their new tv tuner products.
So DO NOT BUY PINNACLE tv tuner products!!
Infact, I would personally condemn all pinnalce's products,
after seeing their standard of engineering and QC,
simply cannot believe they allow such a product in the market.

Luckily, I bought it from challenger and they allow me to "return"
the product with a service charge of around $10
(Challenger service is great Smile
Subsequently I bought a happauge wintv, and so far quite satisfied with it
(thou not entirely, I have high expectations "-)

regards
Blazon (helping to bring consumer rights to a level where it belongs)

Ito_^ SG

sankyou for ur warning. Very Happy

Phoebie SG

by the way which TV tuner card for laptop is good?

how to install this card into the laptop?

buses_galore SG

the tv tuner must connect to the wall thingy or it can receive on its own?

sermodabian SG

need antenna.

Phoebie SG

Laughing

this

or this

sermodabian SG

Best if attached to wall socket kind. I am using an enhanced indoor antenna, but reception is pretty bad. So i have to bring the antenna all over to find an ideal spot for the best reception. Picture Mr Bean with his new tv set. Embarassed

kenn3th SG

Very Happy

pipipopo SG

igot an older make of the pinnacle PCTV but its a PCi card plug the TV signal cable to my wall and over to the antenna at the top of the flat..not the best but have but using it since.....jan 2004 till now.

thanks for your warning but is this usb stick thing a new product design? can it or has it an antenna on its own strong enough to receive at least local stations or channels?

Phoebie SG

Laughing

Y_Shun SG

how much does this'

Hauppauge WinTV-USB2 thing cost?

do we need antenna for it? this one is plug in, can oredi, right?

blazon SG

Need to look for USB type Tv tuner.
But considering those in the market right now
and also taking technical aspects into account,
internal ones are better.

External USB types u may want to consider wintv USB models,
but i heard the old model got complaints from customers.
New ones dunno.

blazon SG

This Pinnacle stick is a new model, very nice in exterior only,
good Industrial design, but lousy quality.
Other pinnacle models also use simliar software as this one.

Use your wall socket for analog tv.
Antennas not recommended.
Some tv tuners come packaged with antenna but are meant for Digital Broadcast,
but i heard no Ch U yet and reception not guarantee good for ur area.

Hopefully, when digital broadcast is includes ChU,
it will be the best choice.
Or those considering buying can buy those "hybrid ones"
which can recieve analog and digital channels
(with more channels and better reception in the future)

Mr. Green

blazon SG

try look for simlimj pricelist on vr-zone (http://sg.vr-zone.com/)
or hardwarezone (www.hardwarezone.com)

USB ones shld be from 100+ to 200+.