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USB TV Stick
ney
26-05-2009
Im thinking of getting a digital USB TV stick for my PC. My local WHSmith now sell them. I just wondered if the are any good. A friend of mine got one a few years back and the signal from it was not that great at times. They say they may have improved the TV sticks since he got his and that better ones will be out.
So is it worth getting one. Im in a medium Freeview signal area.

Darren
pgfmedia
26-05-2009
You could get one of those or you could look at:

http://zattoo.com/

I hear it's good but I couldn't possibly comment
paddysu
26-05-2009
I bought one a few months ago but like alot of things its still sitting in the box waiting to be got and and plugged in as I'm pretty certain I'm going to be disappointed, it was going cheap though and was just intrigued as to if it would work as its a way to get freeview in the garden in the summer by plugging it into the laptop.
I get a very strong signal from my roof top aerial but I once tried to get a signal from what was meant to be classed as a freeview internal aerial and I couldn't even pick up a very good analogue signal though that was 3/4 years ago now.
I'm going to take the plunge one day and open that box ans try it out. Be good if it would work. Not convinced though, they show them on the tv and in the videos working but its always a perfect signal and I'm pretty sure that they can't all pick up such brilliant signals unless the tiny six inch aerial that comes with it really is that powerful.
sancheeez
26-05-2009
I got a TV card with my laptop.

I did install it and try it out using the supplied ariel to see if it was any good.

I got not one single channel. Zilch. Nada.

I get freeview fine (on my TV .... never bothered trying it with the laptop card) with my external ariel but the portable one was completely useless .....
koantemplation
26-05-2009
As long as you have a strong signal they are ok, above 90% is needed.

If you buy a cheap one it may not be so much of a waste if it doesn't work, but they need more signal than most of the dearer ones.
ney
26-05-2009
So it may not be worth my while getting a USB TV stick for my PC then as I only get a medium Freeview signal.

Darren
koantemplation
26-05-2009
Originally Posted by ney:
“So it may not be worth while getting a SB TV stick for my PC then as I only get a medium Freeview signal.

Darren”

I'm afraid it is difficult to say. Some sticks are more sensitive than others. One may not work at 60% of the signal while another may work at 59%.

A TV Card may be a better option as they can deal with lower signal strengths.
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