AccessDTVallows PC owners to watch television, including HDTV, and enjoy interactive features at a fraction of the cost of digital TV sets.
Dewey Weaver wanted an HDTV set, but he opted for a less expensive solution: using his PC for digital TV.
"It is basically a high-definition display that hasn't been enabled," he says.
A new company, itech, was born. AccessDTV is the solution that ties analog and digital TV to the desktop.
The company developed a PCI card that allows television viewing, even in high-definition on Pentium II- or III-powered PCs, running Windows 98 or 2000.
Users open up their computers and install the card in an existing slot. After they load the software and connect an antenna, they can begin watching digital TV on their PCs.
The card also handles digital cable and satellite. On-screen controls and a monthly subscription service allow messaging, an interactive programming guide and even a digital recorder.
An AccessDTV-equipped PC can also serve as a set-top converter for HDTV displays. You can also work on your PC while watching any television program.
Weaver says AccessDTV will launch in the Triangle after Christmas. Plans are underway for national distribution to PC owners.
"They're spending more time on their PC, and our plan is to bring DTV and the interactive elements underneath that to the PC," he says.
If you want to check it out for yourself, AccessDTV is on display in the WRAL tent at theState Fair.
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