Pinnacle PCTV To Go: Slingbox challenger
Can't decide between a Slingbox or LocationFree? Perhaps you should take a gander at the forthcoming Pinnacle PCTV To Go
Pinnacle has launched its own 'place-shifting' TV gizmo, lukewarm on the heels of the Slingbox and LocationFree. The PCTV To Go, for anyone who's unfamiliar with the aforementioned devices, lets you watch your home television on any Internet-connected PC anywhere in the world.
It works in pretty much the same way as rival devices: connect it to your telly or set-top box, hook it up to your router via Ethernet or Wi-Fi, then retreat to a computer, install the software and tune into WAGs Boutique.
Unlike the Slingbox it does not have an in-built TV tuner, but it will let you pause and rewind live television, which is a funky little feature. The only significant gripe we're aware of is the fact it won't let you download the PCTV To Go player software from the Internet -- if you're in an Internet café or a relative's house you'll need to have the installation CD with you. That's almost as lame as Sony asking users to pay for each additional licence for its LocationFree software, but not quite.
The PCTV To Go costs £149 -- the same as a Slingbox. The wireless-enabled version costs £199. We'll put it through its paces closer to its mid-March 2007 release date. -RR