August DVB-T205 PC/Laptop USB Freeview TV Receiver & Recorder – Support Windows 7/Vista/XP
Product Description
This newly launched August USB Freeview TV Receiver enables you to watch over 40 free digital TV channels, listen to over 20 digital radio stations on your computer, record TV programmes (real time, scheduled and time-shift modes) on your hard drive or burn it onto a DVD. It supports video formats MPEG1/2/4 and H.264.
It is a Plug & Play device with stylish and lightweight design with dimensions 69x20x14mm and weight 14g, comes with ArcSoft Total Media software and is Windows 7/Vista/XP/Linux compatible.
It has incorporated the latest technology and can probably offer the best performance comparing with other USB TV receivers, comes with gift-box packaging and a mini antenna, remote control, USB cable and user manual in the box.
System Requirements:
-CPU: P4 1.4GHz or above
– RAM: 256MB or above
– Graphic Card: 32 MB or above
– Sound Card, CD-ROM, USB2.0 port
– Operating System: Windows XP/Vista/7
– Microsoft Direct X9.0 or above
Package Contents:
– USB Freeview TV receiver
– Portable antenna with magnetic base & smooth surface suction base
– Remote control
– Software CD
– USB 2.0 cable
– User manual
There may be difficulty to receive Freeview TV signal by the included portable antenna in some areas where the signal is not sufficiently strong. This is due to that the Freeview service in the UK is not fully operating yet. The reception will be improving along with the progress of Digital Switchover Program. A signal amplifier or booster may improve reception in regions where the signal is marginally strong. (please note that reception capability may also be affected by various factors such as proximity to Freeview TV/digital radio transmitters, tall building structures, thick walls, ceilings & etc.). A rooftop TV aerial may be required to receive Freeview in regions where the signal is insufficient for a portable antenna.
- Plug & play, powered by USB port;Windows XP/Vista/7 compatible;Universal and regional channel scan
- Ultra-low power consumption;Infrared remote control
- Electronic program guide and subtitles;Support MPEG1/2/4 and H.264
- Time-shift recording;Real-time and scheduled recording
- 75 Ohm RF connector socket;USB 2.0 port;Dimensions: 6.9 x 2.0 x 1.4 cm;Net weight: 14 g
August DVB-T205 PC/Laptop USB Freeview TV Receiver & Recorder – Support Windows 7/Vista/XP
Great product once I managed to install the software – the supplied software disc didn’t work on any of my three laptop/PC’s (all XP). The replacement disc was the same, so assume it doesn’t work with XP as the retailer said they checked the second disc on a Vista machine.
You can download the software (dvb driver and TotalMedia 3.0) from August Intl. website (now they have fixed the download).
Make sure you haven’t already got TotalMedia 3.5 installed as it won’t work with version 3.5. It will say the device is not available or being used by another process. If you have got 3.5, uninstall it first, then go to C:/Program Files/Common Files/ArcSoft and delete the directory. THEN you can install TM 3.0 from the disc or download from the website.
The supplied aerial is useless, but the USB receiver works fine with an old indoor aerial I used to use for a portable tv.
Rating: 4 / 5
August PC/Laptop USB Freeview/HDTV Receiver – Silver – Vista Compatible
I bought this as a result of reading the good reviews above after having been very disappointed with a competitor’s product at twice the price.
Installed it on a Thinkpad laptop (1.8GHz)running XP with SP3 which went smoothly. However, when I tried to fire up the software I had a message “Install DirectX 9.0 or Higher” which I did. Still got the same messsage after installation (how annoying was that) so I emailed the support line. They responded quickly, and were very helpful.
Eventually, the problem turned out to be in the registry – although DirectX 9.0 had installed, the registry entry had not been rewritten (possibly a Microsoft or IBM bug).
After using Regedit to alter the entry, the TotalMedia software fired up successfully.
Using my rooftop aerial, all the stations autotuned correctly; software works really well, simple GUI, very versatile (does much more than just TV/Radio); I haven’t yet tried the recording facility, but I expect all facilities to work as well as the basic functions.
For a budget price, this works “straight out of the box” if you have DirectX 9.0 installed. Even includes a remote, unlike the more expensive one I had bought previously!
Rating: 5 / 5
I am very pleased to have selected this tuner. It has got high quality finish and the signal reception is lot better than other models I have been using probably contributed from the coaxial interface which avoids unnecessary signal decay and interference. There is no obvious difference with regards to the picture quality. No difficulty to install to my PC and operating is fairly easy with Total Media software.
Rating: 5 / 5
I have tried all eveining to mak ethis unit work but no luck. I ran into similar problems at J Austin.
I just get error “device is not available or being used by another process”, but the fix suggested will not work on my machine. Software and drivers reinstalled many times. No joy.
I have also tried to use it through the Vista Media Centre but that says there is no tuner device although the drivers are clearly installed.
To think that I nearly bought a unit £10’s less but chose this unit instead on the basis that I could believe the software would work.
I guess I will have to wait until the August support people reply to my email for help. Not hopeful.
It looks like a good bit of kit but as I cannot get it to work I can only give 1 star.
Rating: 1 / 5
This Dongle is Fantastic! Using it with Windows 7 and Windows Media Centre. It is plug and play with Win7. The CD is an 8cm cd and doesn’t fit in my laptops slot-load drive so hasn’t even been out the sleeve. The small aerial supplied works great if you are outside. I use it to watch TV on my laptop in the car. Picture quality is flawless and using media centre it records great, timeshifts and it automatically records what you are watching so you can rewind it if you miss it or forget to pause it when the door goes. This is probably because of the media centre software but it all works great because of this great dongle.
I would recommend this to anyone who wants to use it outside or in the car or a caravan with the portable aerial. Or for use indoors its great as long as you have a roof/loft aerial.
Rating: 5 / 5