Digital media, surveillance, and presentation technology maker AverMedia has announced a new external USB television tuner designed to let PC users tap intoboth traditional analog and ATSC high-definition television. Blessed with a truly prolix name, the AverTV Hybrid Ultra USB High Definitionand Analog USB TV Tuner enabled users to watch and record both traditional analog and high-definition television.
"The new AVerTV Hybrid Ultra USB provides an Analog and Digital TV Tuner solution in a portable and easy-to-use product turning your desktop or laptop into a high definition multimedia entertainment center," says Felix Kolotinsky, AVerMedia Technologies product manager, in a release. "By combining both analog and HD capabilities onto once tuner, users can easily watch, record, rewind, and playback analog and HD TV programs."
Analog signals can be pulled in over the air or via a coax connection; the unit can also tune into high-definition over-the-air ATSC signals at up to 1080i resolution and aspect ratios of 4:3 or 16:9. AverMedia says the system’s hardware-based compression enables sharp video "while reducing CPU resources"—we sure how they meant to say "while reducing consumption of CPU resources" or similar—and the device is certified for use with Windows Vista, Windows XP, and and Windows Media Center Edition 2005.
The AVerTV Hybrid Ultra USB High Definition and Analog USB TV Tuner is available now for $129.99; the unit includes an MCE certified remote control with IR Blaster and Receiver.
