Pinnacle Systems Launches PCTV Deluxe, a Tapeless Personal Video Recorder/TV Tuner

[Gregg Lengling]

11/14/2002  
MOUNTAIN VIEW, Calif., Nov 14, 2002 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX/ -- Pinnacle Systems, Inc. (Nasdaq: PCLE) today introduced PCTV Deluxe, a state-of-the-art digital media solution that connects PC and TV entertainment capabilities into a single, cost-effective product for under $200. With PCTV Deluxe, consumers can use their existing desktop or laptop PC to watch TV and digitally record programs for time-shifted viewing. Consumers can now easily record TV programs using quality digital video technology to CD or DVD discs. PCTV Deluxe includes Titan TV, a state-of-the-art intuitive Electronic Programming Guide (EPG) that empowers this enhanced digital solution so consumers can easily set up their program preferences for automatic recording and then view them at their convenience.

"Stand-alone Personal Video Recorders (PVRs) empower consumers to control their own TV viewing preferences," said Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research. "Pinnacle has increased the value proposition by adding functionality to the PCTV Deluxe and making it compatible with the consumer's existing PC so they don't have to pay the higher cost of a PVR integrated with a hard drive." Peddie went on to say, "This is a big market that is going to accelerate in growth over the next few years." Peddie Research estimates that the number of US households using a PVR to manage their television viewing will increase from nearly 2 million by the end of 2002 to nearly 5 million in 2003."

"PCTV Deluxe offers features consumers want in a PVR, including easy installation and ease of use, but without forcing them to buy expensive single purpose hardware or sign up for yet another monthly service fee," said Jerry Thomson VP & General Manager of the Business and Consumer division at Pinnacle Systems. "PCTV Deluxe is a powerful digital media solution that can pause live TV shows, create instant replays and zooms, and record programs to watch at more convenient times. They can watch what they want, when they want," he emphasized. "And, they can use Pinnacle PCTV Deluxe with their existing computers to manage the media or make CD or DVD copies for their archives."

Easy to install and use, the all-in-one external device can be used to capture and compress video in real-time from any video source including a TV, VCR, camcorder, digital TV set-top box, or DVD-player. Using the DVD burning feature means viewing can be done from other video devices away from the PC.

To ensure optimum video and audio quality with low system overhead, PCTV Deluxe uses the latest MPEG real-time compression hardware technology and audio synchronization hardware to encode one-hour of video in only one hour. PCTV Deluxe stores the video in MPEG-1 or MPEG-2 format on the PC's hard disk or can burn it to a CD-R, CD-RW, DVD-R, DVD-RW, DVD+R, or DVD+RW disc that can be played back by set-top DVD players.

Unlike "USB2-compatible" devices that only operate in USB Full Speed mode (up to 12Mb/s), PCTV Deluxe provides full support for USB2, which allows users to benefit from the much higher USB 2.0 bandwidth (up to 480Mb/s). This higher transfer speed allows PCTV Deluxe to deliver superior video quality to save a favorite show or preserve a precious family moment.

Pricing and Availability

About the size of a VHS tape, PCTV Deluxe can be used with USB1 and USB2 Windows(R) Me/XP/2000 systems. PCTV Deluxe is available now at major US computer retail stores and professional video resellers at a suggested retail price of $199. In addition to the PCTV Deluxe USB2 device, the package includes a remote control unit with two AA batteries, a USB cable, Pinnacle PCTV Vision software, Pinnacle TRex software and the trial version of Pinnacle's award-winning Studio 8 video editing software as well as a quick-start Installation Assistant.

About Pinnacle Systems, Inc.

Pinnacle Systems provides broadcasters and consumers with cutting-edge digital media creation, storage, and play-back solutions for use at Home, in the Studio and on the Air. Pinnacle Systems' award winning digital media solutions are in use around the world for broadcast, cable and satellite television, video editing, DVD and CDR authoring and on the Internet. A recognized industry leader, the company has received eight prestigious Emmy Awards for its technical innovations and carries this commitment throughout all of its product lines. Pinnacle Systems may be reached at 650-526-1600 or at www.pinnaclesys.com.  

NOTE: All trademarks and registered trademarks are the property of their owners.


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SOURCE Pinnacle Systems, Inc.