The Basics:
Just like the cardbus tuner, the UltraTV USB 300 tuner comes in a colorful retail package, shown in the two images below.
The housing of the UltraTV USB 300 is aluminum, which makes it look cool and cool to the touch. All connections are found on opposite ends of the device, and include the following (from left to right): miniature cable connector (looks like 1/8" headphone jack), s-video input, composite video input, composite stereo audio input, miniature USB connection, and 1/8" stereo audio output. The one other feature that may look like a connection in the below right image is actually an LED that glows blue while the device is powered up.
All of the cables are shown below. On top we have an adaptor that converts your typical coaxial cable to an 1/8" plug that looks just like your typical headphone jack. Considering there is an 1/8" jack for audio too, be careful not to mix the cables when making your connections. There is also a USB cable and an 1/8" stereo audio cable for completing the connection to your PC. Video travels to your PC via USB, but audio travels through the separate cable. One issue I had right off the bat was the length of the USB and audio cable, as they were far too short for my practical use. The audio cable is about 32" long and the USB cable is about 36" long, and trying to go from the back of my PC to my desktop was not possible. I had to lay the tuner on top of the PC chassis or on the floor, and was really hoping to have it more accessible for connecting other video sources to the A/V inputs.
The UltraTV USB 300 includes a protective case for the housing, shown below. It looks pretty sharp with faux leather finish, a snap closure, and a vinyl window for allowing the logo to show through when used.
Below we see the UltraTV USB 300 installed in the case, and that all connections are still available for use, but I might not recommend using it while recording, as it will insulate the housing and make it run warmer (cooler electronics are happier electronics).
Below we see the balance of the items included with the USB tuner, including: an installation guide, a warranty card, driver/application CD-ROM, a copy of ULEAD's VideoStudio 7 SE, and a copy of ULEAD's DVD MovieFactory 2 SE.
This TV tuner comes with a bundle of software, which is a nice bonus over the cardbus tuner, but this time I immediately noticed the lack of something also missing from the cardbus tuner's package... a remote control. As I said earlier, every tuner I have used before has included a remote control, and the lack of a remote control here is a bit surprising. I am still using the
Transcend TV-Box on a regular basis, and it is just one example of a (USB) tuner that included a remote control. I recognize that I haven't used all USB tuners, and that many don't include a remote control, but I know I appreciate the convenience of having one.
