Both Mari and I have a Pinnacle PCTV HD Pro Stick, though neither one of us is currently using it. However, don’t let that deter you… If you have a need, this is a decent product and a decent price (refurb): $45 shipped via Woot. In addition to using it with Pinnacle’s software, I believe it’s also successfully powered my Windows MCE and BeyondTV. The antenna is nicer than you generally find with these devices and I’ve used it with other products, such as a Miglia review loaner. What they don’t show in the picture, but you’ll hopefully get, is a little USB dongle of composite and SVideo inputs - which comes in handy for displaying or recording alternate sources.

Well, it’s still that time of year… The news is slow and giving gifts is good. DVRUpgrade, generally known for providing TiVo hard drive upgrades (and a ZNF sponsor), let me play with the HDHomeRun ($~170) for the last few months and now we’re giving it away.

The HDHomeRun is a pretty clever dual-tuning HD device, handing both OTA ATSC and unencrypted digital cable (clear QAM). Not only does it dual tune but, by being a network device, it allows you to watch television content from any computer on the LAN — Sort of a rudimentary in-home place-shifting, if you will. The HDHomeRun is pretty much platform independent feeding Windows (Beyond TV, SageTV, Windows MCE), Mac OS X (VLC, EyeTV, SageTV), and Linux (SageTV, MythTV).

I will warn you that the HDHomeRun runs a bit geeky, requiring some effort to configure (I used it on Mac with VLC, and with Beyond TV and MCE on Windows) and your cable provider can derail you at any time by changing which digital HD channels are served in the clear and where they are located. However, it’s quite the useful and versatile little device — something I would have really appreciated a few years ago with my HTPC and projector.

If you want in on the giveaway, please leave one comment. The catch is that you must provide a link to another comment you’ve left on ZNF, excluding contest posts and excluding prior contest comment submissions. I’ll randomly pick the winner tomorrow AM, so I can get this shipped (lower 48 states only, please) before I hit the road for work.

OPPO has kindly provided the HM-31 Advanced 3×1 HDMI Switch (MSRP $99) for a ZNF giveaway. While I haven’t tested it, the OPPO has a small and sleek form factor - plus the IR remote means you’ll be able to add switching to your Harmony activities. Switch details:

• HDMI 1.3 specification with DDC and HPD switching
• Supports 1080p and all HDTV resolutions
• EIA/CEA-861D, DVI 1.0, HDCP 1.1 compliant
• Remote control
• Custom installation options – external IR input and RS-232C port

If you want in, please leave one comment. The catch is that you must provide a link to another comment you’ve left on ZNF, excluding contest posts. (The comment date stamp is your permalink.) And if you’ve never left a comment, now you have some incentive. (more…)

Amazon has started a new beta subscription service that lets you set up a routine purchasing schedule for items you regularly buy. Think laundry detergent, cereal, diapers, etc. Although online grocery shopping has never really taken off, this new Amazon service has serious potential.

First, you get a 15% discount on everything - even if you only sign up for one month and one shipment. Second, shipping is free. Third, if anyone has the logistical chops to handle a service like this, it’s Amazon.

I haven’t seen any press coverage of the service to date (unlike Amazon’s Kindle launch), and I’m curious to see how consumers react. If this beats my Costco membership prices for things like paper towels, I’m in. (Thanks, David )

UPDATE: Just saw that Brad Linder covered the news over on Download Squad.

I know it’s Turkey Day, but if you’ve got a little time between dinner and family bonding, take a moment to check out Retrevo. I’ve written about Retrevo before, but the’ve undergone a complete makeover since I last visited. It used to be a good site for finding product manuals, and I loved it when they added the “deals” feature, but I would never have said it was the place to start your gadget research. Here’s what’s changed:

1. The homepage not only has a search bar, but a picture wheel of categories designed to take you right where you want to go: digital cameras, HDTVs, etc.
2. Click on any icon and Retrevo brings up a “Value Map” showing the range of available products mapped by price and features, as well as a window for selecting preferences in the product you’d like to find: price range, brand and features. At the bottom of the screen is a list of all the products in the chosen category, which shrinks as you enter your personal criteria.
3. Each listing automatically shows you the lowest price available and a thumbs up, thumbs sideways or thumbs down for value and community reaction. I found the community ratings a bit suspect, but that’s okay because once you’ve clicked on a product, Retrevo brings up its traditional menu of expert and user reviews (links to places like CNET and Amazon reviews) in addition to product documentation and available deals.

All in all, Retrevo is the best aggregator of consumer electronics information I’ve seen. I liked it before, but earlier versions of the site couldn’t hold a candle to what Retrevo offers today. If you’re planning to shop gadgets this holiday season, no site is going to make finding the information you need easier.

Just in time for the holidays, I’ve gotten a slew of emails telling me about the $500 gift card Target/Macy’s/Walmart is trying to send me. Since I’m a sucker for deals and the emails suggest this is a “second attempt” to send me a confirmation, I’ve actually found myself on the verge of clicking my mouse to get my gift card. Beware…

Hot on the heels of Kevin’s review, we’re giving away the OTTO Wireless MP3 Headset. It’s a basic 512MB player built into stereo headphones. Notable: OTTO does support secure WMA, so your Yahoo Music or Napster tunes should be good to go - in addition to unprotected MP3 and WMA files.

You know the drill by now… If you want in on this raffle, leave one comment linking to another comment left on ZNF. (The date stamp is your permalink.) And if you’ve never left a comment, time to get busy.

While browsing the beautiful new Micro Center (Rockville, MD) yesterday, I ran across a pretty sweet deal on Mac OS X Leopard. Assuming you’re not one of the millions who’s already upgraded, Micro Center’s $40 rebate is being offered both in-store and online though 11/11. While Spaces appeals to me, I haven’t really felt the urge to update my MacBook Pro. Though I did re-Vista-fy my Media Center PC last week.