Black Boxes: PCTV Pro capture/tuner card

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by Melinda Adams
Winter 2001

Pinnacle Systems
(650) 526-1600
[www.pinnaclesys.com]
$89

Buyers might be tempted to lump the new Studio PCTV Pro capture card/software package together with similar products in the under-$100 price range. But don't be fooled this feature-rich combo is a cut above the rest. With the ability to output to three popular formats, an infrared remote and an FM radio tuner, Pinnacle Systems' latest offering will please even the most jaded multimedia enthusiast.

The PCI capture/tuner card is outfitted with coaxial inputs for both FM and television reception. Users can choose between broadcast or cable modes, though as with most PC tuners, we experienced static interference from other hardware in and around the computer when we hooked up to broadcast-only reception. The card also has RCA and S-video inputs for capture from VCR, DVD, camcorder or other sources. The captures we made from a standard VCR were clear and had fine sound quality.

The Software
Pinnacle's software package consists of three modules: PCTV Radio, PCTV Vision and Studio PCTV. Each has an easy-to-understand interface. Even novices won't have any trouble figuring out the control panels; designed to look and work just like a physical TV/VCR combo.

PCTV Vision is the TV viewing portion of the package. We toggled between a low-resolution 160x120 screen and a full screen (640x480) with little loss of image quality. You can save captured files for later viewing, open them in the editor for output as .avi, MPEG or Real media formats, or save them to a video device (if your video card supports it).

The Editor
The editing module's three-step system of capture, edit and output were extremely user-friendly. We used the tuner to capture clips from several television shows, and then added our own sound, wipe effects and titles and mixed them together using the simple click and drag interface. Studio PCTV features a stock library of about 40 fully customizable titles, as well as a utility to make your own. A large library of music is included, or you can add tunes or other sound effects from an audio CD or .wav file.

The Tuner
The PCTV Radio feature is a nice bonus. When we attached it to an external antenna, it scanned our local FM radio signals, picked up most of them, and saved the selection for later surfing. The radio tuner has a record function that automatically saves files to Windows Media format; it also plays .wav, .wma and MP3 files.

While many capture/tuner card combos on the market sell for over $150, Pinnacle's full-featured product beats the competition at little more than half the price, with a wide range of features that should appeal to a wide range of users.

SMART SPECS