Thoughts
Terratec has done a stellar job cramming the functionality it has into such a small device. However, while it is extraordinary small and very portable, that makes also makes it very fragile. The device draws 480mA of current and gets noticeably warm to the touch. This didn't affect its operation, but if you're running it on a laptop, it's another 2.4 watts to make the battery run down faster.
You don't need a hugely powerful system to operate the tuner, but the more processing power you've got, the better off you'll be, particularly if using PowerCinema in all its fancy-menu glory.
There's a surprising amount of connectivity coming from the tuner, thanks to the provided cabling. The aerial, while a good design, is of little use in areas where the signal isn't strong. The USB cable, which isn't something usually worth writing home about, does allow you to plug in the tuner without risking catching it on anything and snapping the connector off - helping to protect that £130 investment. The remote control works fine, although we'd like it to work a little quicker - scrolling through the EPG can get boring.
It's unlikely that you'll find this device used in media centre systems, given that they're more likely to have two internal tuners for full PVR record-one-thing/watch-another functionality. So, the Cinergy Hybrid USB XS is going to find its way to laptop users who want to watch TV, and PC users who need a TV tuner that's easy to install and set up. Just remember, though, that digital viewing needs a good aerial but if you're lucky you might get a half-decent analogue reception while on the move.
At £130, this isn't the cheapest TV tuner on the market. However, we're not aware of a USB2.0 model that smaller and able to receive DVB-T and analogue signals. If you need a compact, easy-to-use TV tuner with support for DVB-T, we'd say this little number is well worth considering.
HEXUS Awards
We present the Cinergy Hybrid USB XS with our innovation award for pairing miniscule size with impressive capabilities.
