Pinnacle Systems Unveils New Ultra-Compact USB Digital TV Tuners to Bring HDTV to Computers

By NEWS RELEASE | September 9th, 2008

Pinnacle Systems, Inc., the consumer division of Avid Technology Inc., today announced its new Pinnacle PCTV^™ HD mini Stick and Pinnacle TV^™ for Mac^® HD mini Stick – just in time for the U.S. Fall TV season. The new ultra-compact HDTV tuners build on the features and ease of use that have established Pinnacle Systems as number one in the consumer PC-TV viewing market in the U.S.* What makes these USB-powered tuners unique is that they are the smallest TV sticks on the market that offer high reception sensitivity. The affordably priced miniature tuners have been integrated with powerful new signal booster technology that enables them to pick up digital TV even if the signal is weak.

With a Pinnacle HD mini Stick, PC and Mac^® users have a complete solution for viewing and recording crisp, clear live television on their computers at home or when traveling. By including the latest Personal Video Recorder (PVR) software as well as a mini remote control, a high-gain telescopic TV antenna and a travel bag; the sleek, ultra-small tuners are ready to use right out of the box. Both devices support digital over-the-air TV (ATSC) and unencrypted digital cable TV (ClearQAM) for SDTV and HDTV with resolutions of up to 1080i.

Overview
Easy to install and use, the mini sticks are activated by simply connecting them to a computer’s USB 2.0 port and either a cable jack, an existing TV antenna or the included telescopic antenna. Customers will also appreciate the miniature-sized case, which features a built-in protective flip-cap that does not block other USB ports.

Once connected, the new TV tuners instantly turn a PC or Mac into a personal video recorder (PVR) with timeshifting capabilities that enable users to record, pause or rewind live TV. Users can also schedule recordings from TitanTV.com, a free Internet-based Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) so that they don’t miss their favorite programs. Live and recorded programs can be viewed in full-screen mode or in a scalable window while using other computer applications.

Pinnacle PCTV^™ HD mini Stick
PCTV HD mini Stick comes with Pinnacle TVCenter Pro 5, the latest release of Pinnacle’s feature-rich Video Recorder (PVR) application for viewing, timeshifting and recording high-quality SD and HD TV on a PC. With the software, users can record TV shows in MPEG-1, MPEG-2 or DivX^® formats and save the programs on a hard drive or directly to a DVD. A trial version for MPEG-4 support is included which enables users to output to a Sony^® PSP^™ or an Apple^® iPod^®. Also included is the video editing software VideoSpin^™ by Pinnacle, which allows customers to quickly trim the length of recordings. Home Theater PC enthusiasts will be happy to hear that for ATSC, PCTV HD mini Stick is also compatible with Windows^® Media Center (Windows Vista^® Home Premium or Ultimate).

Pinnacle TV for Mac^® HD mini Stick
Compatible with Mac OS X v10.4 or higher, the Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick comes bundled with the latest version of Elgato’s EyeTV Lite software for a full range of recording and playback controls, including timeshifting and EPG or manual recording capabilities. As a bonus, Pinnacle TVCenter Pro 5 and VideoSpin^™ by Pinnacle are also included for users who also own a PC.

Pricing, Availability
Pinnacle PCTV HD mini Stick and Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick will be available in the U.S. from the Pinnacle Systems estore as well as leading retailers and online resellers by September 21. The SRP for the PCTV HD mini Stick is US$119.99 and $129.99 for the Pinnacle TV for Mac HD mini Stick, which is also available in selected Apple^® Stores.

For tips, tricks and techniques on all Pinnacle solutions go to Pinnacle Life.

About Pinnacle Systems, Inc.
Pinnacle Systems, Inc., a part of Avid Technology, Inc., is an industry leader in providing a complete set of home video editing and TV viewing tools for the consumer market. The company’s product lines including Pinnacle PCTV^™, Dazzle^®, Pinnacle ShowCenter^®, and its flagship Pinnacle Studio^™ line, cover the needs and requirements of any level of video storytellers or consumers who simply want to enjoy TV from their computer. Pinnacle Systems has received nine prestigious Emmy^® Awards for its technical innovations and carries the commitment to help consumers enhance, preserve and share their memories with ease. For more information, visit www.pinnaclesys.com.

About Avid Technology, Inc.
Avid (Nasdaq: AVID) is a worldwide leader in tools for film, video, audio, 3D animation, gaming and broadcast professionals – as well as for home audio and video enthusiasts. Avid professional and consumer brands include Avid^®, Digidesign^®, M-Audio^®, Pinnacle Systems, Sibelius^®, Softimage^® and Sundance Digital^®. The vast majority of primetime television shows, feature films, commercials and chart-topping music hits are made using one or more Avid products. Whether used by seasoned professionals or beginning students, Avid’s products and services enable customers to work more efficiently, productively and creatively. Avid received an Oscar^® statuette representing the 1998 Scientific and Technical Award for the concept, design, and engineering of the Avid^® Film Composer^® system for motion picture editing. For more information about the company’s Oscar, Grammy^® and Emmy award-winning products and services, visit www.avid.com.