PNY XLR8 9800 GT 1GB - Video Card Review

This is part 1 of a 2 part review of the PNY XLR8 9800 GT 1024MB Graphics Card released recently. It is a mainstream card that by looking at the specs alone suggest great performance possibilities for the exceptional price point compared to other higher end cards.

The 9800 GT series have been around for a year now, however this specific model has two main differences, it is using the 55nm die for its G92 GPU and also this specific model comes with 1024MB of DDR3 memory (most cards today have only 512 MB of DDR3 memory). This model is part of the Verto XLR8 servies of performance cards which is the mainstream card of choice these days for the average PC gamer. However like many 9800 GT cards there is always promise

A few things to note about the 9800 GT is that it is using similar architecure as its older brother the 8800 GT. The onboard PNY fan is located on the left side of the card instead of the right.

Watch part 1(below) of PCWizKid's video review for the PNY XLR8 9800 GT 1GB card.

Click here to watch this video in HD high quality

Memory Specs:

Memory Clock (MHz) - 900 MHz

Standard Memory Config - 1024 MB

Memory Interface Width - 256-bit GDDR3

Memory Bandwidth (GB/sec) -57.6

Feature Support:

NVIDIA SLI®-ready - 2-Way
NVIDIA PureVideo® Technology*
NVIDIA PhysX™-ready* - Yes
NVIDIA CUDA™ Technology - Yes
HybridPower™ Technology* - Yes
Microsoft DirectX 10
OpenGL 2.1
Bus Support - PCI-E 2.0 x16
Certified for Windows Vista - Yes

Display Support:

Maximum Digital Resolution - 2560x1600

Maximum VGA Resolution - 2048x1536

Standard Display Connectors Dual Link DVI
Multi Monitor - Yes
HDCP - Yes

Standard Graphics Card Dimensions:

Height -4.4 inches

Length -9 inches

Width - Single-slot

Thermal and Power Specs:
Maximum GPU Tempurature (in C) - 100 C Aprox

Maximum Graphics Card Power (W) -105 W

Minimum System Power Requirement (W) - 450 W

Supplementary Power Connectors -6-pin

Comparison with nearest models and competitors

Conclusion
While the PNY XLR8 9800 GT 1024MB and previous 8800 GT models have similar clock speeds, PNY offers more memory to increase performance and and a smaller die which allows for lower power consumption. For the price point of the PNY XLR8 9800 GT 1024 which hovers currently at around $150 US you are getting more or less the same as the 8800 GT which does not bring much more to the table. If your looking for a solid mainstream card this will give you the value for the money.

Latest pricing for the PNY 9800 GT Hybrid Power VCG981024GXEB-FLB Video Card

Related Article

Learn how to tweak your video card settings for performance

Get the latest pricing on PNY Video Cards

Cooler Master Ultimate Series 700W PSU Review

Cooler Masterhas a UCP series is meant for powering high-end system setups with multiple nVidia SLI graphic card setups with power to spare. These power supplies were made with circuit protection in mind to prolong the life-time of the power supply and protect your PC Components.

The soft-start circuitry limits inrush currents and the usage of quality components such as solid Japanese capacitors and intelligent fan control scream quality and performance.

Watch PCWizKid's video review of the Cooler MasterUltimate Series 700W PSU

Model	RS-700-AAAA-A3
Type	Intel ATX 12V V2.3 / SSI EPS 12V V2.92
Dimension (W / H / D)	150 x150 x 86 (mm)
Input Voltage	90~264V
Input Current	10A@115Vac / 5A@230Vac
Input Frequency Range	47~63Hz
PFC	>0.9
Power Good Signal	100~500ms
Hold Up Time	>17ms
Efficiency	>87%
MTBF	>100,000hrs
Protection	OVP / OCP / OPP / SCP / UVP / OTP
Output Capacity	700W
Max. Output Capacity	840W
Operation Temperature	0~40 C (Nominal Input Voltage)
Regulatory	NEMKO / TUV / CE / GOST / C-tick / UL / FCC
Fan	120mm Fan
Certification	SLI / 80 Plus
Connector	M/B 24 Pin Connector x 1 CPU 4+4 Pin x 1 PCI-E 8 Pin x2 PCI-E 6 Pin x4 Peripheral x 5 SATA x 6 Floppy x 1

The allocation of the AMPS / Wattage is as follows:

The UCP 700W provides 133W across the +3.3V and +5V rails and divides the +12V(1-4) into four 19A rails for a total of 624W. This is enough power for that PC Gamer looking to setup a multi-GPU nVidia SLI setup for example. Thanks to the high efficiency ratings, you can feel confident the power is delivered consistently and reliably when you need.

Conclusions:
One of the best rated PSU's on the market today , Cooler Master delivers a quality product, rated and certified for confidence and backed up with 5 years of warranty its not surprising this is a rugged tough PSU. Though it does not have a modular design for the output cables making it a little messy to contain and hide in your case if thats your thing. Overall the design and looks are of high quality which compliment its power efficiency and energy saving consumption which in my books is all you really need in a performance gaming rig.

Related Hardware Reviews

• Cooler Master HAF 932 - Full Tower Chassis Review

Latest Pricing for these Power Supplies

Sapphire HD 4830 - ATI Graphics Card Review

This is part 1 of a 2 part review of Sapphire's recent addtion to the HD 4000 series graphics cards, brings us the HD 4830. It is a mainstream card that by looking at the specs alone suggest great performance possibilities for the exceptional price point compared to other higher end cards.

The HD 4830 uses the same architecture of Radeon HD 4850 and Radeon HD 4870, but with 640 graphics processors instead of 800 and up from other models. Clocks are also different with the HD 4830 running at 575Mhz which is a little less than the HD 4850 but more than the GeForce nVidia 9800 GT.

Watch part 1 of 2 of the review

SAPPHIRE HD 4830 Graphics Card Key Features

· Support for DirectX® 10.1 and Open GL 2.0

· 640 stream processing units

· 256-bit memory interface

· 512 GDDR3 memory @ 900Mhz (which effectivly runs double at 1.8Ghz)

· 24x custom filter anti-aliasing (CFAA) and high performance anisotropic filtering

· ATI CrossFireX™ multi-GPU support for highly scalable performance

· Dynamic geometry acceleration

· Game physics processing capability

· ATI Avivo™ HD video and display technology

· Unified Video Decoder 2 (UVD 2) for Blu-ray™ and HD Video

· Accelerated Video Transcoding (AVT)

· DVD Upscaling

· Dynamic Contrast

· Built-in HDMI with 7.1 surround sound support

· ATI PowerPlay™ technology optimises power consumption depending on usage

System Requirements:

• A PCI Express® based PC is required with one X16 lane graphics slot available on the motherboard

• A 450 Watt minimum power supply with 75 Watt 6-pin PCI Express® power connector

recommended (550 Watt and two 6-pin connectors for ATI CrossFireX™ technology in dual mode). Certified power supplies are recommended.

Refer to http://ati.amd.com/certifiedPSU for a list of Certified products

• 1GB of system memory

• Installation software requires CD-ROM drive

• DVD playback requires DVD drive

• Blu-ray™ playback requires Blu-ray drive

• For a complete ATI CrossFireX™ system, a second ATI Radeon™ HD 4830 graphics card, an ATI CrossFireX Ready motherboard and one ATI CrossFireX Bridge Interconnect cable per board are required

Sapphire's HD 4830 is basically a capped HD 4850, running at lower clock rates and having less graphics processors available but offers as much performance you can expect for the price making a great choice for your mainstream card. In the next video review we go in depth in installing and benchmarking the HD 4830 against the rest. So far the HD 4830 promises to give the most bang for the buck making it a great choice for those on a budget looking for performance.

In my next portion of this review we look more in depth at the rated specs and benchmark them as well to tweaking an overclocking the card to achieve maximum performance. Stay tuned to PART 2.

Latest pricing on the SAPPHIRE Radeon HD 4830 100265L Video Card


Related Article

Learn how to tweak your video card settings for performance

Top 2008 Electronics Picks - PC's and LCD's

When shopping for a desktop PC or an LCD monitor your looking to ensure that it will last and expand your needs into the future. Below are PCWizKid's top picks on desktop bundles and LCD monitors that give you the best bang for the buck.

---

HP Pavilion
The HP Pavilion A6530F Desktop PC has a 2.10 GHz AMD Phenom X3 8450 Triple Core Processor, 4 GB RAM, 640 GB Hard Drive, DVD Drive, for the price your getting a featured packed PC with a similar display as the iMac
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Apple's iMac
The iMac all-in-one desktop PC sports a sleek, professional aluminum enclosure that's joined precisely to a 20-inch glass cover to create a virtually seamless front surface. It's powered by a 2.4 GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and more
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

HP Touch Smart
This touch-enabled 22-inch high-definition LCD screen is HP's response to the iMac's all-in-one desktop PC. It is designed to fit wherever life happens: in the kitchen, family room, or living room. It actually has a built-in TV tuner and webcam so your all set for your multimedia experience.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

HP LCD's
The HP w2207 with BrightView panel provides an elegant flat panel monitor with a wide view for work or play. Extreme resolution at 1680 x 1050 and 5 ms response time for bright, awesome graphic quality perfect for videos, photo editing or gaming on your PC. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Samsung LCD's
Samsung Touch Of Color T260HD LCD monitor is a great way to get the most out of your PC--as well as watch your favorite 1080p HDTV broadcasts. It features an embedded DTV tuner that enables you to watch digital HD broadcasts without a special receiving set. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Click on any of the category icons below for the "gifts to consider" recommended for this year.

Gadgets	Laptops	Video Games	PC's and LCD's

Top 2008 Electronics Picks - Laptops

When shopping for a laptop or notebook if you require to crunch audio, video, or drawing files and playing demanding video games you need a horsepower machine. If your looking for a laptop that wont be always used for 3d graphics rending, but more for running Office, doing documents, checking e-mail and browsing the web then you will save a few hundred dollars for sure.

Below are PCWizKid's top 5 notebook recommendations for 2008.

---

MacBooks
These will never got out of style and with the latest generation from Apple products you cant go wrong! The slick newly constructed design is not just beautiful to look at but tough! Hey its a Mac!
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Asus Eee PC
ASUS Super Hybrid Engine and 4 cell high density battery pack allow for longer battery lifespan in this mini notebook PC. It has Windows XP, a 1.6 GHz Intel ATOM N270 Processor, 1 GB RAM, 160 GB and Wi-Fi ready.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Acer Aspire Mini
A great choice for business travelers who like to travel light as well as those who need extra-long battery life, this affordable ultra-lightweight Acer Aspire One (LU.S050B.133) weighs just over 2 pounds and is packed with a 160 GB hard drive and Windows XP. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Toshiba Satellite
Offering solid performance, a broad array of features and truly impressive pricing, the Satellite L305/L305D Laptop Series is designed to help budget-minded consumers enjoy a 15.4 widescreen, a 2.0 GHz Core T3200, Mobile Intel Graphics Media Accelerator 4500M with 128MB-1759MB dynamically allocated shared graphics memory, 320GB HD and more. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

HP Pavilion
The new HP DV7-1130US is defined by fluid, modern lines and metalized finishes with surprising innovations inside and out. Comes with a AMD Turion X2 RM-70 Dual-Core Mobile Processor, ATI Radeon HD 3200 Graphics with up to 1918MB total graphics memory, 4 GB RAM, 250GB HD and much more. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Click on any of the category icons below for the "gifts to consider" recommended for this year.

Gadgets	Laptops	Video Games	PC's and LCD's

Top 2008 Electronics Picks - Gadgets

Well they say good things come in small packages, gadgets fit that description perfectly. Best things about gadgets, they are for everyone, gamers, video editors and music listeners not just geeks like me :) .

Below are PCWizKid's top 10 Gadgets of 2008.

---

iPods will never got out of fashion, and with the latest 2nd generation iTouch from Apple you cant go wrong!

The new Apple iTouch has 8 and 16+ GB capacity for 3,500 songs, 10,000 photos, or 20 hours of video, up to 36 hours of music playback or 6 hours of video playback when fully charged, Wi-fi enabled and has a 3.5-inch widescreen multi-touch display with 480-by-320-pixel resolution
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

External Portable Hard Drives

These are indispensable ways of plugging in to your Mac or PC on the fly easily , transfer data or just use it for backups, a terrific way to expand your computer and make it flexible to do work.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Creative Zen Music Player

If the iPod isn't your cup of tea, there are other tiny alternatives that are eye-catching in design, have smooth contours and a discreet size, the Creative Zen for example fits perfectly in your palm and slides effortlessly into your smallest pocket, and comes in many different flavors.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Gaming Peripherals

Gamers will appreciate comfortable ergonomic keyboards, mouses or gamepads when dueling it out in their action games. These are customized for playing games making it easier and hopefully less stressfull to control your super moves and gaming experience.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Smartphones offer unique touch screens and cutting-edge multimedia capabilities aswell as the power and performance you would expect from a wireless high tech device.

They are able to be a MP3 player, game device, GPS, phone, email and so much more all in one! With this kind of power you almost dont need a computer anymore for most common usage, its in your hands now with these devices.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Watch Free HD TV

Plug the Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick into a USB port, and get yourself instant HDTV on a laptop. It also turns your PC into a personal video recorder with its included program guide software, and also gives you a remote control for lean-back comfort. PCWizKid actually wrote a review of this device if you want to see it working in action.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Digital Cameras

One of the most popular gifts that have come down ins price dramatically over the years. Taking high quality photos has never been easier and more affordable. Standard for camera's MegaPixels these days start at 8 MegaPixels and up! Just snap, transfer to your PC and print!
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Headphones

Today's market offers many different types of specialized headphones. Some of these are designed to provide a high degree of accuracy, while others are geared for an active lifestyle and are more suited to the gym than to the studio. And still others are primarily engineered to block the sounds of the outside world. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

USB Sticks

A Portable, reusable storage device. The ultimate mobile storage solution for people on the go. What can I say I have used these for years, ever since the floppy drive when By-by. Its an easy way to share pictures or video with your friends and works with any operating system basically.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Video Cameras

These days its all about capturing in high-definition for that HDTV experience. Digital video cameras can record video to a internal flash drive or SDHC cards, an built in Hard drive or the good old DV tapes.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

Click on any of the category icons below for the "gifts to consider" recommended for this year.

Gadgets	Laptops	Video Games	PC's and LCD's

Top 2008 Video Game Picks

PC Games are still as popular as ever, though you might want to hang on to your xbox 360, Wii or PSP here is a list of hot Games of which some are multi- platform for other gaming consoles aswell and are already released or just about to be on the shelf just in time for those last minute shoppers.

Here is a top 10 summary of choices sure to make a PC Gamer like me happy.

---

Fallout 3

Release Date: 10/28/2008	Publisher: Bethesda Softworks
ESRB Rating: Mature	Developer: Bethesda Softworks
Genre: RPG	Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

In Fallout 3's postapocalyptic world, you must find your runaway father. He left you and your delicious brain to the mercy of mutant zombies, though, so maybe he should just go to hell. Either way, Fallout 3 is a singleplayer action role-playing game (RPG) set in a post-apocalyptic Washington DC. Combining the horrific insanity of the Cold War era theory of mutually assured destruction gone terribly wrong. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Left 4 Dead

Release Date: 11/18/2008	Publisher: Valve Software
ESRB Rating: Mature	Developer: Turtle Rock Studios
Genre: Action	Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

Left 4 Dead is a survival-horror first-person shooter built on Valve's Source engine. Set in a modern day survival-horror universe, the co-operative gameplay of Left 4 Dead (L4D) casts four "Survivors" in an epic struggle against hordes of swarming zombies and terrifying "Boss Infected" mutants. Developed by Turtle Rock Studios and Valve, creators of the Counter-Strike and Half-Life games, the latest AI technology allows for multiplayer games of one to eight players. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Call of Duty : World at War

Release Date: 11/11/2008	Publisher: Activision
ESRB Rating: Mature	Developer: Treyarch
Genre: Shooter	Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

Go to war in the final tension-filled, unforgiving battles against a new ferocious enemy in the most dangerous and suspenseful action ever seen in WWII. Call of Duty: World at War completely changes the rules of engagement by redefining WWII gaming. It brings an uncensored edge to combat, as soldiers face the most harrowing and climatic European and Pacific battles. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Red Alert 3

Release Date: 10/27/2008	Publisher: Electronic Arts
ESRB Rating: Teen	Developer: EA Los Angeles
Genre: Strategy	Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

the fan-favorite real-time strategy game in its latest incarnation with new features, powers, technologies, and a different world. Now, you can play not just by yourself but also cooperatively with a friend as you take on the enemy in this glorious, over-the-top romp. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Mass Effect

Release Date: 05/28/2008	Publisher: Electronic Arts
ESRB Rating: Mature	Developer: BioWare
Genre: RPG	Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

In Mass Effect you are Commander Shepard of the starship Normandy and you are the last hope for all life in the Galaxy. Saren, a rogue member of the elite and untouchable Spectre agents, has discovered the secret to unleashing an apocalyptic force on the galaxy, and only you stand in his way. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

World of Goo

Release Date: 10/13/2008	Publisher: 2D Boy
ESRB Rating: Everyone	Developer: 2D Boy
Genre: Puzzle	Platforms available: PC MAC Wii

Drag and drop living, squirming, talking globs of goo to build structures, bridges, cannonballs, zeppelins, and giant tongues. The millions of innocent goo balls that live in the beautiful World of Goo are curious to explore. But they don't know that they are in a game, or that they are extremely delicious. The most addicting and awe-inspiring puzzle game will set you on an adventure that you'll never forget!" Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Grand Theft Auto IV

Publisher: Rockstar Games
Developer: Rockstar North
Genre: Modern Action Adventure
Release Date: Apr 29, 2008
ESRB: Mature
Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

Stepping off a boat in the shoes of illegal immigrant Niko Bellic as he arrives in Liberty City at the start of Grand Theft Auto IV, you can tell immediately that Rockstar North's latest offering is something quite special. Beginning with the 1997 release of the original Grand Theft Auto, the GTA series has been one of the most prolific, controversial and down right entertaining franchises in video games history. Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

NHL 09
Developer/Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports - Ice Hockey
Release date: Sep 9, 2008 »
Rating ESRB: Everyone
Platforms available: PC PS2 X360 DS

It's more than aiming top-shelf and pressing a button before the goalie gets into position. No, you have to outmaneuver the defense with quick skating and smart passing, work your way into scoring position, and then manually put the puck where the goalie isn't.
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

FIFA Soccer 09

Developer/Publisher: Electronic Arts
Genre: Sports - Ice Hockey
Release date: Sep 9, 2008 »
Rating ESRB: Everyone
Platforms available: PC PS2 PS3 PSP X360 DS Wii

New controls, improved online play, and eight-player support make FIFA 09 All-Play a fine gift for that soccer fan!
Click here for details and the latest pricing

---

Mega Man Games

Developer/Publisher: Capcon / Inti
Genre: 2D action / puzzle
Release date: Sep 22, 2008 »
Rating ESRB: Everyone
Platforms available: PS3 X360 Wii

The original blue bomber returns in an all new adventure that will bring you back to the good old days of incredibly hard but simple games.

Click here for details and latest pricing

---

Video Game Ratings explained

• EC (Early Childhood)
  games contain no material that parents would find inappropriate.
• E (Everyone)
  games contain minimal cartoon or mild violence and/or infrequent mild language.
• E10+ (Everyone 10+)
  May contain more cartoon, fantasy, or mild violence, mild language, and/or minimal suggestive themes.
• T (Teen)
  May contain violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, and/or use of strong language.
• M (Mature 17+)
  May contain intense violence, blood and gore, sexual content, and/or strong language.
• A (Adults 18+)
  
  Click on any of the category icons below for the "gifts to consider" recommended for this year.
  
  

  Gadgets	Laptops	Video Games	PC's and LCD's

  
  

Cooler Master HAF 932 Case - Video Review

Cooler Master has released an affordable full tower chassis for PC enthusiasts that are looking for a feature packed case.

PCWizKid reviews the HAF 932 (High Air Flow) full tower chassis in this video walkthrough of its features.

Whether you are building a performance gaming rig or a server the Cooler Master brand is all about keeping your hardware components cool with their thermal products.

Lets see how this stacks up. Watch PCWizKid's video review.

Feature summary

Model	RC-932-KKN1-GP
Available Color	Black
Dimension (W/H/D)	(W)9.0" X (H)21.5" X (D)22.7"
Weight	29.1 lbs
Motherboards	Micro - ATX / ATX / E-ATX
5.25" Drive Bay	6 (without the use of exposed 3.5" drive bay)
3.5" Drive Bay	5 hidden 1 exposed (converted from one 5.25" drive bay)
Cooling System	Front: 230 x 30 mm red LED fan x 1, 700 rpm, 19 dBa Side: 230 x 30 mm standard fan x 1, 700 rpm, 19 dBa (support 120 x 25 fan x 4) Top: 230 x 30 mm standard fan x 1, 700 rpm, 19 dBa (support 120 mm fan x 3 or 120 mm x 1 + 230 x 30 mm x 1) Rear: 140 x 25 mm standard fan x 1, 1200 rpm, 17 dBa (support 120 mm fan x 1)
Power Supply	Standard ATX PS2 / EPS 12V (optional)
I/O Panel	USB 2.0 x 4, IEEE1394a x 1, eSATA x 1, Mic x 1, Audio x 1

Additional functionality

• Tool-less design with finger-press buttons for quickly maintaining or upgrading 5.25" drive devices
• Removable anti-vibration HDD racks
  
• Cable management routing system
  
• Easy access to liquid coolant fill port
• Retaining holes in the rear is perfect for liquid cooling kit
• 120mm x2 or x3 radiator can be mounted inside the top of the case
• Three 120x25mm fans can be mounted on the top for excellent air exhaust
• Mesh is on all sides but 1 which provides high air flow capability
  
• Independent air intake designed for bottom-mounted PSU or installation of two 120mm fans
• CPU Cooler access hole on motherboard tray or easy install/replacement
  

Conclusions
The HAF 932 delivers great performance with its outstanding thermal and low acoustics. The stock fans that come with it provide more than enough air flow without sacrifice of noise which is music to my ears. The room for expansion and ability to add more fans, a decent amount of drives, motherboard sizes and the innovative tool less design makes this case a top notch chassis for any hard core PC Gamer. However, not having a removable motherboard tray for setting up outside of the case as well as lack of dust filters take 1 point off the overall score which is still excellent.
Relates Hardware Reviews

• Cooler Master Ultimate Series 700W PSU

Google Search Tricks and Tips

Did you know Google Search can be used as a Calculator, World time, Flight Status checker or a Dictionary? These are some of the many things that you can do with a specific type of search in Google.

PCWizKid has put together a video with various quick tips and tricks on how to utilize Google to the fullest. There are many search features that can enhance your experience online. Watch the video for details.

Notes from video
Use Google as your:
- Online Dictionary with define:word
- Calculator for formulas and conversions
- World Time
- Local Movie Showtimes
- Search for Music files using:
-inurl:(htm|html|php) intitle:"index of" +"last modified" +"parent directory" +description +size +(wma|mp3) "title here"

Other related tips users watched

• Google Chrome Browser - Features Walkthrough
• IE 8 - a Firefox 3 killer?
  
• Top Internet Explorer 7 Tweaks
  

Pinnacle USB PCTV - Free HDTV live on your PC

HD Free-to-Air TV viewing has become popular in the past year, specially now that cable companies are switching to fully Digital and HDTV is becoming more of a standard.

However if you arent a HDTV subscriber and would like a free flexible alternative to watching HDTV on your PC, Pinnacle has created a sleek device, the PCTV HD Pro USB Stick.

The PCTV HD Pro handles Standard definition TV cable (NTSC), HD (ATSC) and FM Radio. It also allows you to connect to your cable service directly into the wall using ClearQAM for any unencrypted digital signal (in most cases all your basic channels). The HD broadcast playback is up to 1080i, both on ASTC and ClearQAM and handle over-the-air SD/HD programming.

In our video review below PCWizKid sets up and installs the the PCTV HD Pro USB Stick (model 801e) in Windows Vista Ultimate (64 bit edition). However we also test it in Windows XP Pro 32bit which is basically the same when it comes to using the software provided by Pinnacle.

The Minimum System Requirements from Pinnacle are

• Windows Vista™ (32 bit) or Windows XP with latest service pack or Mac OS X v10.4 or later
• A PC with Intel Pentium® 4 2.4 GHz, Pentium M 1.3 GHz or AMD Athlon 64 processor (for HDTV reception, a Pentium 4 2.8 0GHz or Pentium M 1.7 GHz or equivalent AMD Athlon 64 processor is recommended or a Macintosh® computer with a Dual PowerPC® G5 or an Intel® Core Duo processor
• RAM: Windows Vista – 512 MB (1GB recommended) for Windows XP – 256 MB RAM (512 MB recommended)
• A USB 2.0 port
• Sound / graphics controller with support for DirectX 9 or higher(for Windows users)
  
• Hard drive with minimum 1 GB free space (20 GB recommended for TV recording)
• CD/DVD drive to install the Pinnacle software or burn your recordings to
  

If you are a Mac user click on the banner below for details on the Mac version.



PCWizKid's Test System Specs met and exceeded the recommended
- Intel Core Duo T7400(2.16GHz)
- 2 Gig of memory (PC2-5300 DDR2)
- 100 Gig Hard drive (5400 rpm SATA)
- ATI Mobility RADEON X1400
- Windows Vista Ultimate 64Bit and Windows XP Pro 32bit

Watch PCWizKid's Video Review on the PCTV HD Pro Stick

Feature Summary

• Supports both digital over-the-air (ATSC) and unencrypted digital cable (ClearQAM) HDTV.
  (The new digital broadcast standard, is now available in many areas of the United States and Canada. ATSC reception is dependent on many factors. The provided antenna will allow reception in areas where there is a good ATSC signal. In regions or rooms where the signal is not strong, an amplified rooftop antenna will be required. It is generally not possible to receive an ATSC signal while en route (e.g. in a car or train). Please consult with your local reseller or go to www.antennaweb.org for more information on areas covered and optimizing your reception. For ClearQAM Internet connection required; free 1 year trial. )
• Stereo sound for both digital and analog TV
• Stereo FM radio reception
• Watch SD and free HD TV on your PC with the provided antenna
  
• Mini remote control and high-gain telescopic antenna
• Use your PC as a PVR with TimeShifting: pause, rewind TV
• Electronic Program Guide (EPG)
• Compatible with Windows® Media Center (provided in Windows Vista™)
  
• VideoSpin editing software included
  
• A/V adapter cable included for capture from your cable/satellite box or camcorder
  
• Automatically record to your hard drive in MPEG-1/2 or DivX formats

Conclusions
Overall the PCTV HD Pro Stick delivers a terrific package of features for PC TV viewing. The performance is good as long as you have a fast processor and enough free memory. Multitasking will slow things down, and the software included is a litle slow when changing channels in general, however the TVCenter Pro is intuitive to use. The flexibility in being ablt to connect to your existing cable outlet, receiver box or antenna is a big plus which ensures that where ever you go you have options for TV viewing. The free HD (ATSC) viewing was very good when the signal was above 80% and all the regular digital cable channels (using ClearQam) were excellent.
Considering it all, the value for the buck is exceptional for what your getting.