Pinnacle Offers HD on a PC Stick

Coming to market later this month is the PCTV HD Pro Stick from Pinnacle, a device designed for desktop and laptop computers to receive HD signals (which usually means no compression) directly over-the-air or from a digital cable box.

The "stick" is a USB HD tuner and looks nearly identical to a typical USB flash drive. The new device reportedly plugs into a standard USB port and comes with its own remote. On one end of the device opposite the USB plug is a connecter for a digital cable line to receive 1080i, or to connect a standard cable line or antenna to pick up other DTV signals.

Included software allows most recent Windows-equipped computer hard drives (and Macs, too, soon) to serve as HD DVRs. Pinnacle says the Pro Stick also can save SD video directly to a standard DVD (assuming one has a burner), to iPods, and to Sony PlayStation Portables. The device will retail for about $130.