Berlin - DVB-T - digital television received using an antenna - is available in a growing number of cities and countries. It's even possible to watch DVB-T on a laptop. The easiest way to do so is using a USB stick as a receiver. "There are also cards for the PCMCIA slot on older laptops," says Michael Wolf, hardware expert from the German consumer testing organisation Stiftung Warentest in Berlin.
The small USB antennas are actually the better solution for current laptops and desktop computers. "The system requirements are not terribly high," Wolf says. An average computer is sufficient for watching television on the go. "The familiar plug-and-play routine works for the sticks," says Sascha Winkels from hardware maker Hauppauge. In general all that's needed is to install the included software and plug in the DVB-T stick.
There must also be storage space on the computer, if all functions are to be used - a hard drive with 60 gigabytes is sufficient, but more is better.
"The timeshifting function is one of the standards for USB sticks," says Christoph Muellers from hardware maker Terratec. That involves recording a broadcast for later viewing - although the recordings must be saved locally on the computer.
This function is controlled by the software included with the mini-TV antennas. Other common features are a broadcast search function to automatically set the channels, video text and TV listings, and digital video recorder functions. Video editing and burning programs are also usually included.
Hardware maker Pinnacle also offers a stick that can not only receive a TV signal but also stream it simultaneously to three additional computers on the home network. The device can record broadcasts to the hard drive in MPEG-1, MPEG-2, and DivX formats.
There's one thing that must be remembered when trying to watch TV on the go: "The reception must be good," the experts say. Even for countries that have gone over to DVB-T like Germany, the reception is not equally good in all areas. Berlin has the best offers, with roughly 30 public and private broadcasters, although other big cities and urban areas are well served as well.
"Things can look a bit different in rural areas," Wolf says.
Yet even within the big city, reception is not always outstanding: "Many tall buildings have a sort of lightning rod effect, preventing the signal from getting through," says Sascha Winkels from Hauppauge. Yet hardware makers have tried to find creative ways of dealing with weak signals: they took one big step through hybrid sticks containing both DVB-T and traditional antenna connectors.
The latest generation of sticks is called "diversity." "These USB receivers have two antennas built in to strengthen the signal," Winkels explains. That provides a more stable image quality, even if the computer is moving. "They work in a car driving up to 130 kilometers an hour - it's not so easy in a high-speed train, though," Muellers says. Wolf warns against overly high expectations for "anywhere TV": "You can't really compare the TV enjoyment on the train to TV on the go," says Wolf.
Two factors detract from the laptop-watching fun, however: "The small computers often have mirrored displays," Wolf says. That can be distracting when watching TV on the train or in a café. The brightness on the monitor is not always sufficient, either, particular when using energy-saving battery settings.
"Watching TV on the computer also drains power," says the experts - it doesn't take long for batteries to come up empty.
