Memory stick sized USB TV tuner

[Steve]

TerraTec has announced a new TV tuner, the Cinergy HT USB XS. What makes this tuner special is that is looks very much like a USB memory stick. It's an extremely compact USB TV tuner, capable of receiving analogue and DVB-T signals.



The device is USB2.0 compliant so there's plenty of bandwidth in the connection to yield a good quality image, providing the hardware packed into this tiny tuner is up to it. The supplied software sports the features we've come to expect from PC TV tuning solutions, such as electronic programme guides and time-shift recording capabilities.

Find out more in the TerraTec's press release.

[chrisuk]

Exactly what I needed for my new laptop! Now I can watch digital TV at uni, brilliant!

[Lord Kordir]

That rocks though it comes with one heck of a price tag!

[Decemoto]

Extremely impressive! I'll let my friend Pete know, he's just moving to a smaller flat for a while, and a plug in TV solution to save him a seperate TV would be most appreciated I think. I'll be interested to see what ports and things it supports, I'm guessing not much with the size of it

[Durinthiam]

TV License evasion strikes again, and in an extremely cocky form!

[Decemoto]

TV License evasion strikes again, and in an extremely cocky form!

Good point! I know they've got equipment that can detect whether you're watching TV or not, although I'm not sure whether it relies on you having a CRT TV to pick up on their equipment. If it picks up the TV signal regardless of what you're displaying it on, I guess you're still detectable. I wouldn't risk it myself, I don't think the price of a TV licence is too bad for a whole year's worth of decent Telly

[mums]

they are able to detect a tv because TVs contain Local Oscillators that generate a fixed frequency as part of the TV signal reception process. basically they scan for radio signals/noise around the frequency where this local oscillator signal is expected and that's how they "know" you have a tv (by using a directional antenna aimed at your house). They are able to detect this signal from your antenna cable/aerial.

see this link for more info - http://www.tvlicensing.biz/detection/

due to how they "detect" these signals you are generally "safe" if you live in a block of flats with a communal tv aerial since they could only say with any accuracy that the block was receiving a signal and not how many tv sets were connected (due to different amounts of leakage for different tvs).

remember also that a TV licensing officer does not have the right to enter your premises to inspect without (a) your permission or (b) a warrant, in case (a) you would have to remove the tv/aerial before they returned after the first time they call at your house.

this site here contains a lot of useful information regarding tv licensing detection/laws etc etc: http://www.tvlicensing.biz/

that being said i dont remember being at home enough to watch tv when i was at uni.