Hauppauge WinTV Ministick HD

If you want to be able to watch TV on a laptop or desktop computer, a TV tuner is required.

The Hauppauge Ministick HD is a portable device that’s aimed at notebook users, as it comes with a mini-aerial for receiving a signal on the move. The HD in the name indicates that it can receive the new high-definition Freeview broadcasts that are on the way soon.

Setting up the device involved installing the supplied software, connecting its USB cable to a computer and attaching the aerial, then scanning for channels in the local area. The WinTV software supplied will create a list of available channels.

Hauppauge recommends an Intel Core 2 Duo processor or equivalent for HD playback but in reality we’d suggest this as a minimum for any use of product. Considering it’s aimed at notebook users, this means in practice that it’s limited to the relatively expensive notebooks – cheaper, less powerful ones won’t give smooth playback.

Unfortunately the supplied antenna was also incapable of picking up many channels and it wasn’t too hot at maintaining reception during our tests.

Once the device was connected to a rooftop aerial, things improved. The WinTV software can be configured for widescreen or normal viewing and offers subtitles, Teletext and a seven-day electronic programme guide for seeing what’s on and what’s coming, and for setting recordings.

Video can be recorded either through the guide – in which case a scheduler appears that allows you to record a one-off, daily or weekly programme – or you can hit the Record button on the main screen to save what is currently being viewed. There’s also the option to pause and time-shift the current programme and, though this wasn’t particularly smooth, it did work.

If you have a computer powerful enough to handle this device and also have access to a rooftop aerial, the Ministick HD does its job well. It’s unlikely to be of much use on the move, however, and given the exacting computer requirements and the performance of the supplied antenna it was a bit of a let-down.