Post by dkennedy on Jul 16, 2005 7:53:10 GMT -5
Plextor spells DVR E-A-S-Y
July. 16, 2005
By Eric Gwinn
Chicago Tribune
Plextor, a California maker of CD and DVD drives, has a $99 box that could replace TiVo.
The ConvertX PX-TV100U (What a lovely name!) connects to your cable or satellite dish or antenna and to your computer's USB 2.0 port. The TV tuner in the ConvertX turns your computer into a television, and the built-in programming guide lets you find TV shows up to three days in advance and record them to your hard drive.
Unlike other digital video recorders for the home or the computer, the programming guide is free, with no monthly service charge, a la TiVo and others. Those services, though, allow you to find shows longer than three days away.
But for less than a C-note, the ConvertX gives you a super-easy connection _ no need to open the back of your computer to install a PCI card. Because of its reliance on USB 2.0, the ConvertX can even be used with notebook computers.
Before you dash out to the store, make sure your computer's up to the challenge; Plextor recommends using a Windows XP or 2000 computer with a 2.4 gigaHertz processor, 512 megabytes of RAM and a hard drive that can spin at up to 7,200 r.p.m.
Early adopters have been cleaning the ConvertX off store shelves, but new shipments are due soon.
July. 16, 2005
By Eric Gwinn
Chicago Tribune
Plextor, a California maker of CD and DVD drives, has a $99 box that could replace TiVo.
The ConvertX PX-TV100U (What a lovely name!) connects to your cable or satellite dish or antenna and to your computer's USB 2.0 port. The TV tuner in the ConvertX turns your computer into a television, and the built-in programming guide lets you find TV shows up to three days in advance and record them to your hard drive.
Unlike other digital video recorders for the home or the computer, the programming guide is free, with no monthly service charge, a la TiVo and others. Those services, though, allow you to find shows longer than three days away.
But for less than a C-note, the ConvertX gives you a super-easy connection _ no need to open the back of your computer to install a PCI card. Because of its reliance on USB 2.0, the ConvertX can even be used with notebook computers.
Before you dash out to the store, make sure your computer's up to the challenge; Plextor recommends using a Windows XP or 2000 computer with a 2.4 gigaHertz processor, 512 megabytes of RAM and a hard drive that can spin at up to 7,200 r.p.m.
Early adopters have been cleaning the ConvertX off store shelves, but new shipments are due soon.