HD video comes to PCs and laptops
While most of us have yet to figure out how to watch “Lost” in high definition, some out there are already eager to record HD video on their PCs and laptops. For that crowd, there is the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, a device that can receive high-definition video over the air or from a digital cable box.
The Pro Stick is a small adapter, about the size of a thumb drive, that plugs into a USB port and comes with a remote control. You can connect a digital cable line to it to receive 1080i video – the highest resolution available from most broadcasters right now – or use a standard cable line or antenna to pick up programs broadcast by the major networks.
The Pro Stick includes PC software that turns your Windows computer into an HD digital video recorder. (The company says Macintosh support is on the way.) It can also save video directly to a DVD, an iPod or a Sony PSP.
The device costs $129 and will be available in stores and online later this month. Pinnacle warns that you may not be able to pick up HD broadcasts in a moving vehicle, in case you were tempted to channel-surf in a car or a 747. – John Biggs, The New York Times
Skipless streaming from new router
Many home wireless networks are handling more than just Web surfing these days, as people add things like streaming video and online gaming to the airwaves bouncing around the house. But with this multitude of multimedia comes the need for a clear Wi-Fi signal.
MediaFlex “smart” network gear from Ruckus Wireless aims to keep your streaming video, music and gaming sessions as skip-free as possible over a standard home network.
The MediaFlex line includes a wireless network router ($160) that works with laptops and other Wi-Fi-enabled equipment, and a wireless adapter ($100) that can be used to connect wired devices like set-top boxes to the network. More information and a list of stores selling the products are at www.ruckuswireless.com.
The Ruckus “smart Wi-Fi” components include multiple antennas and software to help signals reroute themselves around physical obstacles and electronic interference from microwave ovens, cordless phones and the like. Having more reliable signals means that a game or digital TV show may suffer fewer skips and glitches as it streams over the network. – J.D. Biersdorfer, The New York Times
