Software for Pinnacle PCTV usb2

[jodal]

Hello!
I am hoping that someone can tell me what free software (and where to download it) I can use with a Pinnacle PCTV usb2 adapter (listed as Pinnacle PCTV 100e/150e in the Device manager). I just found this usb adapter and I do not have the CD with the original "PCTV Vision WatchTV" and "PCTV Assistant" software but I´ve found and installed the drivers.

Thanks

[yoda313]

What do you want to do with it? Capture or record tv?

Virtualdub would be one to try for capturing (free).

Mediaportal is one of a few free htpc recording suites. THere are a couple of others also.

You may also want to look at pinnacles website for tvcenter pro which is the software that is used for pinnacle devices. It may or may not work with your particular model.

[stiltman]

http://www.pinnaclesys.com/PublicSite/us/Products/Consumer+Products/PCTV+Tuners/PCTV+Analog+PVR+(cable_antenna)/Pinnacle+MediaCenter+Support/Download+Area/MediaCenter+_+TVCenter+v+4_x/TVCenter+Pro+4_7.htm?mode=documents&Display=1

[jodal]

yoda313: I have used virtualdub a lot for conversions but did not know about the capturing capabilities. After your post I looked a bit deeper to it and it works!!! so thank you very much. I think I can do most of the things I want with Virtualdub but should I need a "media center", I will look into Mediaportal.
To summarize-your post was really helpful and solved my problem so thanks again.

stiltman: Before posting here I surfed around pinnacles site and your link was one of the hotter candidates but unfortunately it required a serial from a previous purchased version. Thanks anyway for taking the time to help out!

best regards
/jodal

[yoda313]

@jodal - glad to help. I think virtualdub can record from a tv signal as well. I haven't used it too much for recording but I think it has a tuner option as well.

There are other free recording apps that may have "friendlier" interfaces than virtualdub. Feel free to browse the tools section for some suggestions.

[stiltman]

look at your adapter, does it have a 16 digit number on it?
My card does, and it's the serial number need for the install

[jodal]

Hi!
yoda313: Yes it has a tuner and it worked altough, as you said, it might not be the most uerfriendly I have seen. Since I won´t use that function very often it will do for now.

stiltman: I do not have a card but an external usb2-adapter. The only numbers I could find on it is an 18 digit sequence under the bar-code but there is no indication it should be a serial. Somewherelse I got the impression that the serial for this product should be on the CD-case for the bundled software but since I picked this adapter up from a wastebin I have no hopes of finding that CD-case.

[stiltman]

In my case the numbers under the bar code are the serial numbers for the software. (I was guessing at the length, looked like 16 numbers, I didn't actually count them )

Try to install the software using those numbers

[jodal]

Hi stiltman.
Unfortunately it did not match. The requested serial should be 25 letters but I managed to "get" a working serial and the package works fine with a much more userfriendly interface for watching TV (for recording through AV-input I still prefer to use Virtualdub) so thanks for not giving up and "push" me for this download.