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By Marc Spiwak
You can tell your boss it's for interactive video training, but you just might sneak a peek at a ball game or a soap opera while toiling away at your PC. The PCA20TV from Philips can turn your PC into a cable-ready TV. This three-quarter-length card slips into an ISA slot and connects to your graphics card to deliver broadcast or video TV to your desktop.
You'll need two free slots to install the PCA20TV: one for the card and another for a bracket that holds the remote control's IR sensor jack. The card itself has ports for a D-subminiature connector, an F-type cable TV input jack, an S-Video input, a composite video input and an audio output jack.
An adapter cable connects the PCA20TV to your graphics card and monitor. The TV card won't interfere with your graphics card. You can use the audio jack to connect either amplified speakers or a sound card.
The software works with Windows 95, 3.1x and DOS. The card defaults to seldom-used settings, so it's not likely to conflict with other hardware.
The picture quality is nearly as good as a conventional TV's. You can fine-tune and center the picture, add borders and select interlaced or noninterlaced output.
The PCA20TV lets you freeze the display and capture images from broadcasts, videotapes or camcorders. You can choose full-screen or window display mode, and switch between them instantaneously.
The Philips PCA20TV costs about as much as a TV set, but it's an easy way to add television to your PC without piling more equipment on your desktop.
-- Info File --
Philips PCA20TV
Price: $329
Pros: Functionality
Cons: Price
Platforms: Windows 95, 3.1x
Philips Electronics
800-235-7373, 408-453-7373
WinMag Box Score 4.0
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