IPlayer on Freesat

The BBC and Freesat have just announced a full BETA trial of the BBC iPlayer service running on Freesat HD receivers.

This trial starts at the end of the first week of December and will be working on both the Humax Foxsat HD and the Foxsat HDR products. The iPlayer software has already been downloaded during November to all existing Humax Freesat products in the field, and will be available on all Freesat products purchased from our stock moving forward. As this trial is being conducted by Freesat and the BBC themselves (not Humax) it will remain hidden from the general public for the foreseeable future. When the BBC and Freesat are comfortable that everything is correct with their back end infrastructure and that the quality and stability of the service is in line with expectations it will be announced and launched via the red button interactive service on the box. At this point it will be available to all Humax Freesat users with the correct broadband infrastructure (another software update is not required).

We are currently being inundated in the customer service centre with requests to be involved in this trial as we believe people think that this trial is open to anyone. As mentioned above it is not, and the people selected for the trial were informed months ago that they had been included, and have been given specialist software and feedback tools by the BBC and Freesat to report back on their experiences with the service. If you should get such requests from your customers we would very much appreciate you informing customers of this fact so as to remove any confusion.

Freeview+ PVR automatic updates

We are aware that a small number of Freeview+ PVR users are experiencing issues with their boxes occasionally locking up following the national re-tune day and various Digital Switchovers that have already occurred. This has been caused by minor changes (that we were not made aware of) to the broadcast signal and is not a hardware fault.

When these problems were bought to our attention we arranged for our senior engineers to visit from Korea and working along side the various broadcasters we have developed over the air software updates that correct these issues. We have already commenced broadcasting these updates for PVR9150T and PVR9300T (series) products and hope to be broadcasting the same for PVR9200T (series) products in the coming weeks.

Although the number of reported cases of this issue is small, if your customers do experience this issue please advise them to leave their box in standby mode at night (not on, or powered off) during the transmission period for the updates and they will receive them automatically. When turning the box back on from standby the update will be installed by following the simple on screen instructions.

If any consumers feel that they may have missed one of the updates, fear not, as they will be repeated regularly. For further assistance they may contact the customer services team on 0844 669 8800 or email uksupport@humax-digital.co.uk
Courtesy of Humax

Sky confirms Freesat From Sky card plans

Sky has confirmed details about how Freesat From Sky customers can secure replacement viewing cards for the service.

In a message posted on Digital Spy's Sky forum, the satellite firm reacted to recent discussions about its plans to update Freesat From Sky viewing cards.

The Sky team said that anyone is eligible to get a new card without charge if they bought a Sky box and Freesat viewing card after May 1, 2004 or purchased just the viewing card after May 1, 2006. Anyone not covered by these categories can purchase a replacement card for a "small fee".

In both cases, customers need to register their details on the Sky website to get the new card sent out to them. Everyone using an expired subscription card to watch free-to-view TV on Sky should also register for a replacement card, but do not need to wait for an on-screen reminder before doing so.

All people who signed up to Freesat From Sky through the Pay Once Watch Forever offer from the Digital Switchover Help Scheme will automatically receive a new card in the post without the need to do anything.

Freesat: 'No date yet on BBC iPlayer beta'

Freesat has said that it is "unable to confirm" the timeframe for a beta of BBC iPlayer on the digital satellite platform.

Speculation has recently mounted that the iPlayer on Freesat beta would go ahead next month. However, it is believed that a letter sent to members of the Freesat customer panel informing them that they would be contacted again in September has been wrongly interpreted as confirmation that it would launch during the month.

A Freesat spokesperson told Digital Spy: "Freesat is unable to confirm a timeframe for the iPlayer beta beginning on the platform, but we continue to work closely with the BBC on its launch."

The delay is down to work on the technical underpinnings for the service, which has to be resolved before the beta can go ahead. However, the two organisations are working hard to resolve this situation as soon as possible.

British TV production comes to an end

The final TV set will be produced at Toshiba's Plymouth factory today, marking the end of TV manufacturing in the UK, reports BBC News.

After John Logie Baird demonstrated his first ever television model in 1926, the Baird Corporation went on to become the world's only TV set manufacturer by the end of the 1920s with its mass produced and commercially available Televisor Model B.

Official broadcasts then began in 1929, leading to the start of Britain's dominance of global TV sales. Following the end of World War II, Bush made a significant step into the market with its Bakelite set, known as the TV22, which offered a more compact and workable model for consumers.

In the 1960s, the distinctive stlyle of Keracolor's globe TVs became an image synonymous with the age. However, it was around this time that new players from overseas entered the market, including Sony with its Trinitron screen, which signalled the start of Britain's fall from its position as industry leader.

Gradually, Samsung, JVC, Philips and Panasonic also further reduced UK producer's market share due to their superior technology and cheaper prices.

The decline has continued into the current century, prompting Toshiba to take the decision to close its Plymouth factory. The move, which will see 270 people lose their jobs, was primarily due to the cheaper costs involved with shifting production to Poland.

John Logie Baird's grandson Iain Baird, television curator at the National Media Museum in Bradford, said that his grandfather would be saddened by the development.

"He worked his entire life to make sure it was a British invention, a British technology," he explained.

"In general he would have been very disappointed that it had got to the extent that there is no one major British manufacturer or television factory here."

Despite the end of TV set production in the UK, British set-top-box manufacturer Pace recently tripled its profits, with analysts predicting that it could reach £1.1bn revenues by the close of the year as demand for digital TV sky rockets

Virgin 1 will take on Sky One with a £40m programme budget and comprehensive on-demand catch-up options.

The free-to-air channel will launch on Freeview and cable this autumn, with extra on-demand for cable viewers and an ad-funded online on-demand service.

The channel will have a strong sci-fi and supernatural flavour with flagship series The Sarah Connor Chronicles, a spin-off from the Terminator film franchise.

Virgin 1 has also bought the entire Star Trek franchise, comprising 624 hours from the original series, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager and Enterprise.

Virgin Media TV's managing director, Jonathan Webb, said: "Nearly all the growth in multichannel is coming from Freeview at the moment. Freeview has to be the answer to move the
business on and will be a relentless marketing machine for cable. All the glossy on-demand bits will be on cable and Virgin 1 will be a showcase for cable.

"According to our research, men are underserved by Freeview, so the channel will have a male inflection to it. That said, it is not a new Bravo and all shows will have elements that will attract women."

Exclusive new shows include The Leo Houlding Project, which follows a British rock-climbing prodigy as he takes five lazy Brits on an adrenaline-fuelled trip, and The Real Exorcist, a £4m documentary about an American priest obsessed with ridding Americans of their demons.

Broadcast reports that the shows will all be shown free-to-air on Freeview, but Virgin cable viewers will be able to get them through on-demand as previews, catch-ups and see exclusive DVD-style extras. However, since Virgin 1 will replace FTN, it will only be on Freeview from 6am to 6pm, until Virgin can buy more capacity.

24 coming to Sky Anytime

Sky is to make all six series of 24 available on its Sky Anytime on PC online download service.

Epsiodes will cost £1.50 to rent or £2.50 to own. New episodes of future series will also be made available the day after broadcast.

Sky has also announced it has secured on demand rights for season 1 and 2 of recent acquisition Prison Break plus Bones (Seasons 1 and 2), Standoff and 'catalogue titles' including Buffy The Vampire Slayer (Seasons 1 and 2).

Virgin sports news channel coming soon

Virgin cable viewers should have their own sports news channel to replace Sky Sports News by the end of this year.

Independent producer TWI is tipped to supply the channel, although Virgin is also working with Setanta Sport over a potential role.

Virgin Media boss Malcolm Wall said the channel will launch regardless of negotiations with Sky: "We are too far into the process not to go ahead with our own sports news channel."

Sky Sports News was taken off the Virgin platform when carriage negotiations for Sky's basic channels broke down on March 1.

Dixons calls time on standby

Dixons has called on the electronics industry to phase out standby and meet consumer demands for more efficient devices.

Dixons Store Group is planning to phase out standby modes on TVs, DVD players and other home entertainment equipment in stores like Currys and PC World, as well as its online outlets.

Chief executive John Clare yesterday called on manufacturers to banish the standby function, which accounts for around 10 per cent of the average household electricity bill.

Mr Clare said: "We are seeing more and more customers making buying decisions on the basis of energy efficiency."

"We must work together to offer more energy-efficient products, phase out, where possible, the stand-by function on electrical products, provide energy efficiency information to users, including energy efficient labelling for brown goods.

"From a retail perspective, the shift in customer behaviour is already beginning. The introduction of energy-efficiency labelling in our white goods ranges several years ago brought about a fundamental shift in buyer behaviour. I believe that the same will happen in the brown goods sector [TVs, DVD players, digital cameras, etc]."

Dixons could be a powerful force for change: it has 1,250 shops across Europe and produces the Matsui and Logic brands, as well as accounting for a major portion of sales by most electronics manufacturers.

The Independent reports that no date was set for the phase-out of standby, which could face a significant problem in the digital TV industry.

Most digital TV receivers, including TVs with built-in tuners, need to be left in standby - usually overnight - to receive vital software updates and channel list changes. Recording devices need to be in standby so they can turn themselves on to record. Standby power can reduced to 1W or less, but zero power use is unlikely.

Ofcom stands firm against Freeview HD

A senior Ofcom figure has re-affirmed the media regulator's intention to auction our analogue TV frequencies to the highest bidder.

Speaking to Media Guardian, Philip Rutnam said the plan to auction the so-called Digital Dividend was about viewer choice, not raising money for the Treasury.

Mr Rutnam, a former Treasury official who's now the leading partner on the development of Ofcoms spectrum policy, still disagrees with the findings of the DTG and HDforAll that there's no room for HD in the current Freeview multiplexes.

"It is not our objective to maximise or raise any particular amount of
proceeds," adds Mr Rutnam. "The motivation is all about bringing more choice to viewers. The heart of our job is to get to the nub of the arguments. That means discounting a lot of purely self-interested representation, and trying to understand what is really going to serve consumers and citizens best. Everybody sees this valuable resource coming up and they want a piece of it."

"It's important to remember that of the spectrum being released, 70% has already been awarded to the public-service broadcasters. That could have had other uses but for a generation it's reserved for them."

"We're not against intervention per se. But what we are saying is that any case for intervention has to be clear, compelling, tough-minded and transparent. The days when spectrum could be doled out by governments or regulators in a system of barter are gone. There are more and more ways of delivering public value."

"One of our priorities has been trying to change the way spectrum is
managed - much more flexible, much more responsive and much less
Soviet-style command and control, which is the historic way spectrum
has been managed."

"The driving force for this is to ensure the British consumer is not left behind the rest of Europe."

And he blithely dismissed the claims of Michael Grade, the BBC, the Digital Television Group, and TV manufacturers including Sony, that Ofcom's proposals for hi-def on Freeview are unworkable.

"Grade said the problems were insurmountable," he said. "In my experience
things are rarely insurmountable, if there is sufficient will to make them surmountable."

Digital dividend plan gets Ofcom's biggest response

Media regulator Ofcom has received around 600 responses to its plan to auction off TV spectrum released by the switch to digital broadcasting.

That's around 20 times the number of responses to the previous biggest consultations - the future of public service broadcasting and TV food advertising to children.

From a brief check, most of them seem to be about putting hi-def channels on Freeview, and most of those are in favour of a free HD service.

Ofcom said other subjects included local TV channels, wireless microphones for live entertainment, the timing of releasing channel 36, and holding back spectrum for possible future innovations or low-power applications.

TV and radio broadcasters have also weighed in, with Capital Radio's owner, GCap Media, rejecting the auction process. It said: "We recommend Ofcom allocates a proportion of the spectrum under market
forces with the balance under an applications process, whereby more
worthy and valuable to society options are enabled."

Broadcastnow reports that Five also criticised Ofcom's plan and asked for some spectrum to be resereved for hi-def: "To decide now to auction the available spectrum at the very time HD is
taking off as a consumer proposition means taking a once and for ever
irreversible decision that will prevent any spectrum being made
available for HD and depriving digital viewers of HD services for
evermore."

BBC will run Freeview HD test channel

The BBC wants to run a permanent Freeview hi-def pilot channel using existing capacity before analogue switch-off.

The BBC HD offering would run from 2am to 6am while other channels such as BBC Four and BBC Parliament are off-air.

The corporation hopes the hi-def teaser will generate enough pressure on Ofcom to give it space for a prime-time channel after analogue switch-off in 2012 - just in time for the Olympics.

The new Freeview scheme was revealed as the BBC Trust published full details of the BBC's HD channel proposal for its Public Value Test.

Satellite, cable and possibly internet viewers will be able to watch a daily hi-def channel from 3pm to midnight, as part of the main proposal.

It would be a mixed channel, drawing about half of its schedule from BBC One, 30 per cent from BBC Two, and the rest from BBC Three, BBC Four, CBBC and CBeebies. The nine-hour day would be flexible for coverage of live sports or other major events.

BBC HD will launch on Sky and Virgin as soon as it wins approval, and would be part of Freesat from its launch in 2008. The Freeview teaser would launch in mid-2008, and an internet stream would be added to iPlayer when it is technically possible.

It will run for around four hours daily at launch, building to nine hours by 2009. MPEG-4 would be used for the satellite and Freeview services, but MPEG-2 would be used for cable.

The service is expected to cost around £21.4million per year in 2012, if it's running on Freeview as well as satellite. But that assumes Ofcom will give it low-cost access to extra Freeview cpaacity - the BBC says it can't afford to bid at a commercial level.

The BBC's full HD proposal is available at the BBC Trust website. The first four-week consultation runs until June 19, with provisional conclusions in September and a final decision planned for November.

Ofcom is also running a Market Impact Assessment into the BBC HD service, which will be used for the Trust's final decision.

DAB reaches five million in UK

More than five million DAB radios have been sold inthe UK according to the Digital Radio Development Bureau.

Electronics research group GfK has found that almost 10 million people are tuning into digital radio via DAB in the UK - or 18 per cent of the population.

The DAB figures contract with those for Freeview, which has achieved around 70 per cent market penetration. No date has been set for the switch-off of analogue radio services, and significant technical problems remain to achieving DAB coverage comparable to Freeview

It's been more than a year since they were published, but the government has finally got around to publishing a guidebook on the new satellite dish planning rules.

High definition TV has outstripped Sky+ as the fastest-selling extra product in the satellite broadcasters history.

The number of SkyHD customers almost doubled to 184,000 in the last three months of 2006, up from 96,000 in the first three months.

And Sky+ was set to break the two million homes barrier at the end of January, having finished the year by gaining 310,000 users in three months.

In total, Sky sold more than a million extra boxes, accessories or upgrades in the last quarter of 2006, and there are now 1.23 million homes with a multi-room system and subscription.

The total subscriber base for Sky now stands at 8.4million homes in the UK and Ireland, although its not growing as fast as it did at the end of 2005.

BBC green-lights catch-up TV

The BBCs pioneering iPlayer online catch-up service will relaunch permanently this year after winning approval from the corporations trustees.

But the service will see significant changes after Ofcom warned it would be damaging to commercial services, CD and DVD sales.

The iPlayer officially known as the BBCs on-demand proposals is a new way to access TV and radio online and via cable TV, from anywhere in the UK.

But both Ofcom and the BBC Trust said the BBCs proposals must be changed so they dont interfere with commercial services and the BBCs own ability to sell shows on DVD.

The biggest change is that if you download a show on the seven-day TV catch-up service, youll only be able to keep shows on your hard disc for 30 days, instead of the 13 weeks proposed at first.

iPlayers currently based on Microsofts Windows Media Player, so the BBC has also been told to make it available through iTunes, Google, YouTube and other services, so no-one is excluded and no single operator has an unfair benefit.

The iPlayer service will pull together all of the audio and video services currently available on bbc.co.uk, and should launch later this year, following a short consultation on the Trusts recommendations.

Sky's new satellite based download service, Sky Anytime TV, arrives in March.

The question that has been asked for the last year or so by many Sky+ and Sky HD users is, "when will the reserved space on my hard disk be used?" The answer is sometime in March, when users of Skys PVR3 and Sky HD boxes will get access to Sky Anytime TV. This will be about 1 million of the 2.1 million Sky+ subscribers.

Once the new software is released there will be a new layout to the EPG. As some users have already seen the "HD Channels" group will move to option 2 on the EPG and the red button will become "Anytime TV".

On pushing the red button the user will be presented with a list of programmes that have been downloaded via the satellite overnight there will be about 5 hours of programming a night downloaded for a total of 35 hours total on the box (HD users might have a slightly different set of numbers depending on the quantity of HD material). Content on the service will include Sky Movies (from the movie channels not, at launch, from the Box Office service), programmes from Sky One, Artsworld, Disney, Turner Classic Movies, Cartoon Network, The History Channel (and its siblings Biography, Crime and Investigation) and National Geographic (and its siblings).

The programmes that are downloaded will be a "best of" they have employed an editor to choose what the programmes will be, and the content will be editorialised so the information about the show will be more than in the current "info" offering.

For example, they might download the first episodes of a new show on Sky One so that if you miss it (or forget to record it) you can catch up with it at your leisure. In the case of hit series like 24 or Lost Sky can even download it to your box prior to transmission time and hide it until it is transmitted at which time it would become available.

Similarly the plan is to download the latest premiere movies and some other things you might not have otherwise watched. Part of the remit of the editor is to try to surprise and find interesting programming across the channels that are part of the service to attract new viewers to those programmes and linear channels. For channels lower down the EPG it provides an interesting advertising window for their programming.

At launch, there will be no adverts within the downloaded programmes.

Once on your disk you will see a preview window in the top right hand side and a description on the top left hand side changing as you cursor down the programmes that are on the hard disk. The layout also has a date at which the programme will be deleted but just hit the record button and the programme will be saved to your planner to keep for the future. Beware: if you then delete it from the planner it will be gone from the Anytime TV list as well.

Overall this seems like it is a potentially excellent addition to Skys offerings. The overnight download will happen automatically and if you have recordings running yours will take preference. To deal with the issue of missed recordings Sky will be retransmitting programmes a number of times to ensure that when your box is inactive it will get all the programming.

So roll on March, if you dont have a PVR3 or Sky HD box then come March there is a plan to send customers what Skys marketing people described as an attractive offer (I assume to upgrade).

The unused 80Gb of space had been a bit of a thorn in the side since the PVR3 was launched but this seems to be a good offering which I welcome

Future radio heaven for Devon

BBC Radio is to run a trial of Digital Radio Modiale in the Plymouth area for 12 months, and they're looking for listeners to take part.

The original press release explains more, here and here:

BBC Radio and National Grid Wireless
have announced a trial of a new transmission technology which will
allow the two organisations to assess the practicality of digital radio
services in the medium-wave bands.

The trial, which will last for a year, will be centred on Plymouth.

From the end of April, the BBC and National Grid Wireless will re-use a
current medium-wave frequency in the Plymouth area to broadcast a trial
digital service using the digital radio mondiale (DRM) standard.

DRM is an emerging technology which has been designed to facilitate digital radio at frequencies below 30 MHz.

The BBC, which has been involved in the engineering research and
development of the standard over the last few years, already makes the BBC World Service available on short-wave using the technology to some parts of western Europe and north Africa.

The trial will broadcast BBC Radio Devon using the technology from the existing medium-wave transmitter in the city.

An audience panel will be recruited from listeners to Radio Devon and users of bbc.co.uk/devon.
Members of the panel will be given radios which are capable of
receiving DRM as well as the existing FM and DAB transmissions.

The BBC intends to conduct research with the panel over the following year
to explore their experience of DRM and help inform its future digital
radio strategy.

The trial will be the first of its kind in the UK using medium-wave to provide DRM to UK listeners.

National Grid Wireless will supply, commission and operate the transmission
equipment needed for the trial, as well as being involved in the
engineering measurement of the transmissions and validation of the
results. The two companies intend to publish the results of the trial
by mid-2008.

John Allen,
Head of New Services for BBC English Regions, said: "The trial will
help us understand whether DRM has a role to play in the all-digital
future for BBC Local Radio in the UK.

"We're really excited that BBC Radio Devon is going to be involved in this
trial, as it confirms that BBC Local Radio is no stranger to
technological innovation."

John Ward,
Director of Network Operations and Engineering at National Grid
Wireless, said: "We have a track record of being at the forefront of
new developments in broadcast technology and this trial maintains our
commitment to innovation.

"Importantly this trial will enable us to explore the practicalities of establishing
domestic DRM broadcasting that could, in the future, complement
existing radio services."

BBC plans digital radio boost

The BBC is to expand its digital radio coverage by building 10 new transmitters and is to trial a new digital transmission technology, digital radio mondiale.

The plans will take the BBC closer to its target of making its digital radio broadcasts available to 90% of the population, up from its current level of 85%, according to the corporation.

DRM is a new digital service that can be broadcast from existing medium wave transmitters and will be trialled in the Plymouth area, broadcasting BBC Radio Devon.

The BBC director of radio, Jenny Abramsky, said the new transmitters "represent a real and worthwhile improvement to the coverage of our DAB digital radio network. It shows the BBC's continuing commitment to making our services available on DAB digital radio."

Two of the new transmitters, which are being built by Arqiva, are already broadcasting to Newport and Gwent and south-west Glasgow and Dunbarton.

Seven transmitters will broadcast to Bury St Edmunds, Norwich and parts of east Norfolk, Arundel and the south downs, Alnwick and east Northumberland, Newhaven, Mansfield and York and East Riding of Yorkshire.

Most of the new transmitters will be broadcasting by the end of April. A further transmitter is planned for the Isle of Man.

The DRM trial will begin in April and will last a year.

Auntie Beebs online future divined

The BBC has outlined ambitious online plans for 2007, including a relaunch of BBC.co.uk, the iPlayer, a BBC archive trial and a massive internal archiving update.

Ashley Highfield, director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, told Wotsat: It would be a good year if we succeeded to reinvent BBC.co.uk, get the iPlayer launched, get an archive trial launched and start the Digital Media Initiative.

He also unveiled a major new interactive online broadcasting experiment called Signs of Life, described tongue-in-cheek as sort of Buffy meets horoscopes.

The first major task will be launching the iPlayer, the BBCs online live broadcast and seven-day catch-up service, which has received a provisional go-ahead by the BBC Trust.

The full launch is expected in May, but there are plenty of technical hurdles to overcome both before the launch and to meet some of the Trusts recommendations. More details here.

In April, the BBCs online archive trial will move from a limited selection of clips to a selection of complete programmes, revealing what people want and how they might use it.

Speaking to the Broadcasting Press Guild, Ashley said: We believe that the internet is more than just a distribution platform for our programmes. This is about whole programmes from our archive, with about 1,000 hours of content, in a mix of genres.

The results of this trial will be used to inform the Public Value Test application we make next year for a full version of the trial.

Ultimately, the archive service could extend to encompass the entire 1.2 million hours of video in the BBC archives, but Ashley said theres no timescale for when this would be achieved, not least because it would cost a lot of money.

The next stage is taking the BBCs websites to a new level of audience interaction. Web 2.0 is an overused term, so we are going to be talking about Web 3.0, Ashley joked.

Right now our website looks broadly similar to everyone who goes to it. Its very Web 1.0. We want to move to a world where the website is highly tailored to you. Where its more tailored to the flavour of each of the 16 million people going through every month. We already have a taste of this in places like our Radio 1 website where weve worked with partners like Flickr and Second Life. We want to go much more in that direction.

Behind all of this is the epic-sounding Digital Media Initiative: The BBC is set up as a bunch of discrete linear services. You could call them feuadal fiefdoms if you wish! It makes it hard to do, for instance, a search across all of the BBCs output for Stephen Fry, because all of the episodes of Black Adder or radio appearances are held in different places and there is no way to find them.

We are having to work out how all the BBCs output can go into a single digital repository, with all the metadata that will allow you to find actors and dates and anything else that would appear on all platforms. If we cannot do that then all the iPlayers and archive will not happen. Its not a direct customer facing service but it is vital.

BBC planning iPlayer set-top box

The BBC is developing a hybrid set-top box to bring its iPlayer catch-up TV service to TV screens without a PC.

The experimental box is one of many routes the BBC is exploring to open the new service to the widest possible audience when it launches this summer.

Ashley Highfield, director of Future Media and Technology at the BBC, told Wotsat the corporation expects to get approval for iPlayer service on May 2.

iPlayer will provide both a seven-day catch-up service for every BBC TV channel, plus a live feed of every TV and radio channel, and an open archive of BBC radio and podcasts.

Users will be able to store TV catch-up episodes for up to 30 days, and there will be no limit to how long you can keep audio downloads.

The team are already gearing up for the launch, even though they have yet to formally respond to the Trusts recommendations on what the final service should be like.

The current software is based on Microsofts copy protection system and Windows Media Player, but the Trust wants it to be available to as many people, on as many different platforms as possible.

Speaking to the Broadcasting Press Guild, Ashley said iPlayer wont be married to Microsoft for the long term, but not everyone is compatible.

We agree that we should try to be as universal as possible and get onto all possible platforms. There are certain platforms I would like to get on to, like iTunes, but their DRM does not support the way iPlayer works, such as making a programme available for seven days and then deleting it.

We have been running for the last couple of months a test within the BBC to try out the infrastructure required, not just for iPlayer but for programmes on the BBC3 website, which we are allowed to provide under the BBC3 agreement. We will soon roll that out to a closed group of around 20,000, so that when the permission from the Trust is finally granted around May 2, we will be able to push the button and go live straight away."

Ashley also revealed a bit of the technical background to iPlayer, which could also make it challenging to carry onto other systems.

First, the catch-up service is peer-to-peer, based on the same Kontiki software used online for Sky Anytime. But the live TV feeds use multicast, a fairly new technology for which much of BTs broadband network is not ready. Yet both these innovations are important for reducing the demands of bandwidth on both the BBC and the users.

We use P2P so our distribution costs and those of the user are minimal, and the quality of the programmes is very high. It also allows us to provide HD.

We will also be streaming all our channels using multicast. That depends on the BT network, which is being upgraded to allow multicast streaming, but at the time of launch not many people will be able to get channels through multicast. We are also streaming other programmes from our websites in the traditional one-to-one fashion.

Mac users are scheduled to get something later this year, and beyond that, Ashley is already talking to companies like Slingmedia makers of the wonderful Slingbox Sony, and Joost about other ways to get the iPlayer to as many people as possible.

And you might even see it on your PC: beyond the likes of BT and Virgin Media, Ashley revealed his boffins are working on a hybrid Freeview set-top box which would be able to access iPlayer over broadband so you can catch-up on your old-fashioned TV.

Sky Movies overhauled

Sky Movies is relaunching on 4April, with all Sky Movies channels being renamed by genre. The new channel names are Sky Movies Premiere, Premiere+1, Comedy, Action/Thriller, Family, Drama, Sci-Fi/Horror, Classics, Modern Greats, Indie, HD1 and HD2. Programming on the
channels is fairly self-explanatory Premiere will show five new premieres a week, with films entering a month-long black period at the end of their window on the channel, before moving to the appropriate genre channels. The two HD channels will no longer be simulcast, apart from films showing on Sky Premiere on Saturdays; instead they will show a selection of films available on the other channels.

The Irish are coming...

The Irish Post has revealed that plans are afoot to launch a channel featuring
programming from Irish state broadcaster RTÉ in Britain .
The broadcaster is waiting on permission from the Dáil to use its present
license fee funding to pay for the move a provision not allowed for under
present legislation. If the Dáil gives the go-ahead, RTÉ will explore options
for how the station will be broadcast in Britain ;
either on Freeview, through subscription or on some other platform. The channel
will include a mix of programming from Ireland s
public service channels, RTÉ One, RTÉ Two and Irish-language
station TG4 but it will not be able to broadcast live sports owing to rights
issues.

Sky Poker launches on Sky channel 846

Skys latest interactive game, Sky Poker,
has launched at www.skypoker.com and on
Sky channel 846. Would-be card sharks can play live, televised Texas Hold Em from
9pm every night and take on celebs, sports stars and poker
professionals, with £5000 up for grabs every day.

Sky disputes Virgin sports claim

In the tit-for-tat digital battle Sky is considering a formal complaint against Virgin Media's latest ad campaign.

Virgin Media's full-page ads in newspaper sports sections have the headline "The cheapest place to get Sky Sports isn't Sky". The ads claim to save consumers £70 each year compared with Sky.

Virgin Media said the new Sky Sports package would offer four Sky Sports channels with a range of digital TV channels and a TV on-demand library for £26 per month. However, the package is only available to Virgin Media phone customers, who pay an additional £11 for that service.

Sky claim that the minimum price for a package of its four major sports channels would be £34, which would be £3 cheaper than Virgin Media.

A spokesman for Sky said the company is considering a formal complaint, but as a first step has written to Virgin Media today asking them to withdraw or amend their adverts.

"For all their talk about honesty and transparency, NTL-Virgin are making misleading comparisons that ignore fundamental differences between our products," the spokesman said. "The inconvenient truth for NTL-Virgin is that their customers can save hundreds of pounds a year by switching to Sky."

A spokeswoman for Virgin Media said the company did not want to comment in details, but said that Virgin had been quite clear about the service on offer.

Almost 100,000 viewers have upgraded to HD
Sky HD's customer base has risen by 38,000 viewers since June to reach 96,000. The news came as Sky announced a revenue increase of 11% to £1.07 billion. Sky also said it's pleased with the uptake of its broadband service, launched in July, which has 113,000 subscribers - 74,000 of whom are already connected. [Nov 10]

Wedding TV to launch on Sky in December
The worlds first wedding TV channel - to be called Wedding TV - is set to launch on Sky Digital in December. Launching on Monday 4th December, Wedding TV will consist of shows dedicated to the emotion and drama of relationships and weddings. It will be aimed mainly at women aged 18-34, but will also appeal to anyone interested in the real-life drama surrounding relationships. [Nov 10]

Fame TV launches on Sky Digital
Fame TV, a new user-generated channel, has launched on Sky channel 217. The interactive station relies entirely on members of the public for its programming content. John Hayes, head of development at the channel, said: "We are moving into a new era of TV where user-generated content and viewer interaction are key to the programming." [Nov 11]

Sky Mobile TV extends to 3 and Orange
Sky has extended the reach of Sky Mobile TV with a new deal to bring the service to Orange 3G and 3UK customers. All Orange 3G customers can now receive up to 23 Sky Mobile TV channels including live news, sport, music, entertainment and documentaries. Sky Mobile TV includes a mix of dedicated made for mobile channels and others that are streamed as live including Sky News and Sky Sports News. [Nov 5]

Pace 'back on track' after poor annual results
Pace Micro has issued a reassuring statement that it is on track to meet its expectations for the 2006/7 financial year, having made solid progress driven by demand in all regions. The group posted an annual pretax loss of £15.6 million pounds in September, due to delays in developing products for the US, but said it was starting to recover. [Nov 7]

Broadcast over broadband set to launch in UK
Freewire TV is set to deliver broadcast quality TV channels over multicast broadband networks, offering multi-channel entertainment to the digitally disenfranchised who are currently unable to receive digital TV services by other means. Freewire TV will initially be available to up to half a million students who will be able to access the service through their campus networks. [Nov 6]

Channel 4 signs new horse racing rights deal
Channel 4 has signed a new three-year deal for UK horseracing broadcast rights. Under the deal, C4 will show 80 days of racing and will develop broadband, mobile and pay-TV coverage in association with subscription broadcaster Racing UK. [Nov 7]

More digital TV news in brief...
Fox News is to launch a new business TV channel in the US... Sky will beam coverage of The Ashes series via mobile and broadband internet for the first time this winter... City analysts have responded cautiously to NTL's plans for a possible takeover of ITV, warning that the cable giant could overstretch itself and also pinpointing a lack of synergies between the two companies.... Al-Jazeera has fixed a date of November 15 for the launch of its new international English-language news network... Viacom reported a lower quarterly profit from continuing operations as disappointing box-office results offset higher advertising sales at its MTV Networks cable service... Eutelsat reported revenues for the first quarter 2006-2007 were up 6 per cent year-on-year.

Google set to beat TV on advertising revenue
Google is poised to overtake Britains main TV channels in the race for advertising revenue. The internet companys ad revenue in the UK is expected this year to surpass Channel 4s anticipated 2006 take of £800m. Within 18 months, it is forecast to overtake ITV1 according to Mindshare and Initiative, two media buying groups. ITV1 accounted for 90 per cent of the ITV groups £1.63bn total advertising revenues last year. [Nov 4]

Top Up TV launches new digital TV recorder
Top Up TV is to launch its Top Up TV Anytime Service and Digital TV Recorder (DTR). The device will allow viewers to watch and record content from 19 channels including Disney, MTV, Paramount Comedy, Living TV and, for an additional cost, Setanta Sports and PictureBox. The DTR provides access to all of the Top Up TV Anytime programming as well as all Freeview channels. It comes with digital features allowing users to pause, rewind and fast forward live TV as well as record two channels at the same time. [Nov 8]

Sky resumes sports and film downloads service
Sky's movie and sports download service has resumed normal operations after being suspended in August due to a security breach. Sky took action to restrict access on 31st August after being alerted to the security problems by Microsoft. [Nov 6]

Sales of digital TVs top analogue for first time
Sales of digital TV equipment have overtaken analogue sets for the first time, according to market researcher GfK. In the three months to September, digital televisions, set-top boxes and recorders accounted for 51 per cent of all television equipment sold. Data gathered from 20,000 stores showed an increase in demand for flat-screen televisions and a sharp decline in sales of conventional sets. [Nov 8]

Freeview to push 'Free TV Land' PR concept
Freeview is launching a new brand look and feel with creative based on the concept of Free TV Land. Freeview says it has worked with a branding agency to identify the Freeview values that consumers love the most and created a more defined brand identity designed to engage with consumers and develop a stronger, ongoing relationship between Freeview and its viewers. [Nov 7]

Freeview to push 'Free TV Land' PR concept
Two new time-shifted ITV channels have launched on Sky Digital. They are ITV2 +1 and ITV3 +1, on Sky numbers 211 and 213. The new channels will offer viewers a second chance to view daily schedules of ITV2 and ITV3.

Real Madrid football club channel starts in UK
Spanish football club Real Madrid is set to launch its own channel on Sky Digital at the end of August. Real Madrid TV is already testing at 11.681GHz/V (under the ident '51147') and can be manually added via the 'Add channels' feature on Sky. It is expected to officially launch on Sky Digital on August 29th. [Aug 24]

UKTV G2 scores basketball TV rights win
UKTV has won exclusive rights to basketball coverage from the FIBA World Championship 2006 for its UKTV G2 channel. The broadcasts will also be supported by red button applications to drive take-up of uktvslam.tv, where highlights of every game will be broadcast free on a trial basis along with one full game every day of the tournament, with a view to a full subscription service being launched later this year. [Aug 24]

Channel Five unveils boss for its digital channels
Channel Five has hired Nick Thorogood, the former head of ITV daytime, as controller of its soon-to-launch Five US and Five Life digital channels, which are set to debut this autumn. Initially available on Freeview, followed by satellite and cable, Five Life and Five US are the first extensions to the terrestrial channel, which will celebrate its 10th birthday next March. Five US will extend the US programming familiar to Five viewers from shows such as 'CSI'. It has acquired dramas 'Shark', 'Vanished' and 'The Nine'. Five Life is skewed towards a female audience and will offer drama, films, soaps and the pre-school strand Milkshake!. [Aug 23]

ITV2 and ITV4 to show new US comedies
ITV has bought the rights to two US comedy series from the LA Screenings earlier this year. Sony's Big Day, which is to debut on ABC next year, is a comedy about the preparations for a wedding, while Fox's The Winner centres on a 32-year-old who has yet to leave home. ITV said it had not yet decided which channels the comedies would air on, although the broadcaster is likely to show them initially on ITV2 and ITV4 and transfer them to ITV1 if they become hits. [Aug 23]

London Tonight presenter joins Al-Jazeera
Former London Tonight presenter Nick Clark is to join Al-Jazeera International, the Arabic network's 24-hour English-language satellite channel that is expected to launch in September. He will present weekend news from the network's London broadcast centre alongside Barbara Serra, who has also joined from Channel Five. Sir David Frost will also present a one hour show on the channel. The channel will be the first completely HD news and current affairs channel. [Aug 24]

New music channel starts on Sky
A brand new music channel has started on Sky Digital channel 374. Called Bubble Hits, the free-to-air station is unique because it broadcasts non-stop music without adverts. [Aug 20]

Living TV buys rights to new Danson comedy
Living TV has acquired the rights to Help Me Help You, a comedy from 20th Century Fox Television Distribution starring Ted Danson. Living gets first-run rights to the show in the UK for terrestrial and cable and satellite. Danson stars as self-obsessed and dysfunctional therapist Dr Bill, who hides behind his celebrity image as a bestselling author of successful self-help books. The 13-part series explores the comical side of group therapy. [Aug 23]

Three Sky Digital channels get the chop
Several TV channels have been removed from the Sky line-up. They are Sport Nation on 440, treasures.tv on 674, We Deliver TV on 665 and One TV on 667. Meanwhile, the audio channel crossrhythm on channel 0126 has also been removed. There's a new name for another station - on channel 886 Majestic TV is now called Psychic TV. [Aug 23]

More of this week's digital TV news in brief...
Cartoon Network is destined for Orange mobile TV in six more European countries after parent Turner Broadcasting agreed a distribution deal with owner France Telecom... Channel 4's chief executive Andy Duncan has ruled himself out of the running to replace outgoing ITV chief executive Charles Allen... The National Geographic Channel has commissioned a third season of Seconds From Disaster, a high-definition series... German studio EM.Entertainment has signed a deal for its sci-fi series Farscape to be aired on NBC Universal's Sci-Fi Channel in Germany... A lack of decent and available US comedies has forced the UK's Channel 4 to overhaul its Friday nights, which will feature "no Americana after 9pm" this autumn, said director of TV Kevin Lygo... ITV has made an off! icial request to Ofcom to reduce its commitment to children's programming on ITV1... Sky announced that Extreme Sports joined its Sky Mobile TV service... Overseas Property TV has launched on Sky channel 287.

Shopping channel had licence removed
Sky Digital shopping channel One TV has had its licence removed and is no longer able to broadcast the service 'One TV'. Ofcom has revoked the broadcast licence of the station after it failed to pay its £2,000 licence fee. After many reminders, on July 7th One TV was given a final opportunity to pay the outstanding fees which it did not, according to media reports. [Aug 22]

Sky unveils new easy-to-handle remote control
Sky has launched a remote control handset to help people with visual impairments and limited dexterity. The Sky+ Remote Control Easy Grip offers larger, bolder graphics for easier button identification; raised contoured buttons with more reference points for easier button identification; and increased colour contrast between buttons and remote body. It costs £19.99 (+ £3.50 P&P). Existing customers can call Sky on 08705 66 33 33 for more details. [Aug 15

Sky has unveiled plans to offer a new broadband service to its customers - at no extra cost.

The 'Sky Broadband' service, launching early next month, will be available to all Sky TV customers covered by the network's footprint. At present this amounts to around 28% of households - including those in London , Birmingham , Manchester , Edinburgh and Glasgow - but will rise to 70% by the end of 2007.

Customers will be able to choose from three different packages - Sky Broadband Base, Mid and Max - depending on their requirements. The free service, 'Base', will offer download speeds of up to 2Mb and a download cap of 2Gb a month. 'Mid' will cost £5, offering 8Mb speed and 40Gb usage, while 'Max' boasts a 16Mb connection and unlimited downloads for just £10 a month.

Sky is also tempting customers with a free wireless router, 12 months' free McAfee Security and a home installation.

Additionally, those taking the broadband service will be able to join the 'Sky Talk' service, which offers unlimited UK landline calls through the standard BT line for £5 a month.

The company is investing £400 million in the service over the next three years, including a significant marketing push and the hiring of an additional 1,500 call centre staff.

Describing Sky Broadband as a "compelling product" for customers, Sky chief exec James Murdoch said that the company was "ideally equipped" to enter the broadband market following its purchase of telecoms company Easynet last year. "We will help our customers realise the full potential from technological convergence," he added. "This is a transformational new initiative for Sky."

MTV set to start new video sharing TV channel
MTV is poised to cash in on the Internet craze for video swapping by launching a 'community channel' on Sky Digital this week where viewers will contribute the content. MTV, which celebrates its 25 anniversary next month, says the new TV channel will concentrate on footage supplied by viewers and they will dictate much of what appears on it. Matthew Kershaw, head of interactive at MTV, said: "We are like the Madonna of TV, always re-inventing ourselves. We have got a long history of using users in programmes and we are trying to inject as much user-generated stuff as we can." [July 23]

ITV Play launches on Sky Digital this week
ITV Play is set to launch on Sky Digital channel 856 this week. The new gaming channel launched on other TV platforms in April and is now ready for its satellite launch. Charles Allen, Chief Executive of ITV said: "We believe that ITV Play has enormous potential to lead the market for participation TV with higher production values, better programmes and bigger prizes." [July 21]

PIN-protected films hours set to be extended
ASky has announced that the broadcast hours of its PIN-protected film channels will be extended from this autumn. The new hours, which will be introduced on September 1st, will be 11am until 3am covering Sky Movies 9 and Sky Movies 10, Sky Movies 9 HD and Sky Movies 10 HD. Currently, the protected hours are daily between 5pm and 3am. [July 20]

Castaway set to return to BBC screens
Castaway, the reality series that made it on to BBC screens before the phenomenon of Channel 4's Big Brother, is set to return five years after its first broadcast. The new series will follow a group of people as they establish a new community in a remote location but with added twists this time. Each episode will be broadcast live from an undisclosed exotic location. The new series will be screened on BBC1 and BBC3 plus on interactive services. [July 23]

More of this week's digital TV news in brief...
Film4 Weekly has been removed from Sky Digital channel 317... On Sky channel 844, the Poker Channel is now called All in Sport... Five has acquired both digital and free TV rights to Warner Bros hostage thriller The Nine.

TV regulator publishes probe into Sky One ad
TV regulators at Ofcom have just published the findings of their investigation into four complaints from viewers who felt the trails for Sky One's Project Catwalk series, which showed a pair of scissors flying through the air towards a tailor’s dummy and becoming lodged in it, were inappropriate. Some felt children could be encouraged to imitate the scenario, said the viewers. Sky said that it did not believe the trail amounted to dangerous behaviour which could be easily imitable by children. It was clearly a promotion for a programme and was filmed against a stark white background, it said. There was no suggestion that the scissors had been thrown by anyone and the scissors were much larger than normal and this, together with the stylised nature of the sequence, would have made it evident that this was a fantastical scenario. Ofcom said: "We noted and accepted Sky's contentions that the scissors are not seen being thrown, and that their flight is not always consistent with having been thrown. They may also at times seem to be unrealistically large (though they are seen to be normal size by the time they pierce the tailor's dummy). As with stylisation, these points are relevant to how the trailer will have been interpreted by adults and older children. However, we did not think that younger children, in the 4-9 year range, will have made these kinds of relatively sophisticated judgement, and concluded that the portrayal was of a potentially dangerous act, with this age group. Transmission at times when they will have been viewing in large numbers - as between Malcolm in the Middle and The Simpsons - therefore contravened the Code." [July 17]

New Cartoon Network channel launches on Sky
Cartoon Network's brand new second channel has launched this week on Sky channel 622. With a brand-new look and totally original schedule, Cartoon Network Too claims to be the destination for anyone in search of a good giggle. The channel is aimed at "kids of all ages" and is available on Sky channel 622. [April 24]

Brand new film channel TCM2 to launch in May
Brand new film channel TCM2 is to launch on May 2nd. A spokesman at Turner Broadcasting said: "Having TCM2 will allow scope to explore further sponsorship opportunities for its bespoke themed seasons and offer the many advertisers on TCM (EPG 319) a far greater variety of options as well as attracting new brands to both of the channels." [April 22]

UKTV People timeshift channel shuts down
The UKTV People one-hour timeshift channel has ceased broadcasting and been removed from the Sky line-up. The main UKTV People is unaffacted but it is believed poor audience figures meant the timeshift channel was not viable. It ban on air for just over one year. [April 21]

Sky takes TV to the masses with city festival
Sky is taking TV to the people with the launch of its first Sky Festival. Sky Networks head Dawn Airey has announced that the event will run from August 11-13 in Manchester . The three-day festival will promote 25 of Sky's most popular pay TV channels including LivingTV, MTV, Sky News and Paramount Comedy. Residents will be able to strut the catwalk in a bid to be the city's "Next Top Model," learn to read an autocue with a team from Sky News, have their vehicle transformed in MTV "Pimp my Ride" style, try their luck as stand-up comics with the Paramount Comedy channel and test their cricket bowling with a team from Sky Sports. [April 23]

New gambling channel from Sky launches
A new second casino-style gambling channel from Sky Vegas has launched on the Sky EPG. Called Sky Vegas 846, it broadcasts on Sky Digital channel 846 and shows interactive poker and roulette games. At the same time, sister channel Sky Vegas 1 has been renamed Sky Vegas 845. [April 22]

ITV Play channel comes to Freeview
ITV has launched its ITV Play channel on Freeview, with programming including the first show spawned from the broadcaster's purchase of the Friends Reunited website. Friends Reunited – The School Run builds on the interest in nostalgia that is at the heart of the Friends Reunited website, which ITV bought last December. Based on a huge interactive board game, the show brings classmates together to test their knowledge of facts and trivia from a particular year. [April 22]

New film channel coming to UK later this year?
The TV company which bought the international business of the Hallmark Channel in February last year is planning to launch a second channel in the UK . Sparrowhawk reportedly wants its new channel to be dedicated to "made-for TV movies." No date is yet available for the launch. [April 20]

BBC Three commissions new drama series
BBC Three has commissioned a new six-part drama series called Sinchronicity about the sexual misadventures of a group of 20-somethings. Written by Julian Jones, the show will be directed by Brian Grant, Executive Producers for BBC Three are Julie Gardner and Bethan Jones (BBC Wales). Sinchronicity was commissioned by Julian Bellamy, Controller of BBC Three. Filming begins next month. [April 22]

Treasury to investigate digital TV quiz channels
Concerns expressed by a number of organisations including the Gambling Commission has prompted the Treasury to examine the regulation of TV quiz channels. ITV has launched its first such service on Freeview, ITV Play, where viewers dial a premium-rate number to play for big cash prizes. A Treasury spokesman said it would consider if such shows should adopt the same rules as other types of gambling. There are approximately 15 dedicated quiz channels on digital TV, including Channel 4-owned Quiz Call. [April 22]

Sci-Fi unleashes marketing blitz for 'Medium'
The Sci-Fi Channel has begun a six-figure marketing campaign to promote its forthcoming primetime TV series, Medium. The month-long activity has just gone live and revolves primarily around multi-channel TV advertising with extensive online activity. Sky One, Hallmark, Living and ITV2 and will carry the campaign in three bursts until early May. The online activity includes expandable banners with the capability to stream the TV ad on Yahoo!, wanadoo/icircle, ITV.com, radiotimes.com and Livingtv.co.uk, and moving picture units on MSN.co.uk. [April 21]

Ofcom plans to limit Sky's charges
Media regulator Ofcom has said it plans to cap the charges that Sky imposes on companies using its satellite service. Ofcom said its decision was based on Sky's dominant position in Britain 's pay TV sector. "With 8 million households now signed up to Sky's retail platform service, Sky is now in a much stronger negotiating position vis-a-vis TPS (technical platform services)," Ofcom said in a statement. [April 21]

ITV keeps hold of Bond terrestrial TV rights
ITV has snapped up exclusive terrestrial TV rights to the upcoming James Bond movie Casino Royale as well as new runs of the complete 22-title archive in a deal with Sony Pictures and MGM. ITV head of acquisitions Jay Kandola secured the deal in what is reported to have been a tough bidding contest with Channel 4, ensuring ITV continues its legacy as the traditional home of Bond in the U.K. "ITV is delighted to have secured the rights to this hotly contested catalog of movies," ITV director of television Simon Shaps said. "Films form a key part of the ITV schedules in both peak and off-peak hours, and we are looking forward to building upon the hugely successful relationship we have with Sony Pictures Television International and MGM." [April 21]

Ofcom clears the way for pay TV on Freeview
Media regulator Ofcom has cleared the way for pay TV channels to be carried on the digital terrestrial TV service, Freeview, overturning access restrictions that until now have allowed only subscription-free channels to be carried on the platform. The move means that subscription-based channels such as Sky One, MTV, Cartoon Network and Disney Channel can now bid for carriage on the 30-channel platform, which is now in almost six million homes. Ofcom said the decision to lift the restriction was influenced by the rapid development of digital terrestrial TV, which is now in more than one in three digital homes. [April 20]

CITV boosts schedule ahead of Sky launch
ITV's new childrens channel, CITV, is to launch on Sky Digital on May 8th and to mark its launch the broadcaster has announced new programming will be screened from that date. The line-up will include new episodes of Bratz, as well as the return of vintage classics like Rupert and Sooty and Sweep. [April 10]

More digital TV news in brief...
On Sky channel 656, Myphone.tv is now called Shop Vector+... On Sky channel 671 Star Bazaar TV has been removed from the line-up... Sky Vegas Live is now called Sky Vegas 845 on channel 845... All eight Vectone channels which briefly ceased broadcasting last week have now re-joined the Sky line-up... Majestic TV has moved from Slky channel 275 to 886... On channel 541, UKTV People +1 has been removed... Sky One has confirmed it is to axe its drama series Dream Team after over 400 episodes next year... Nick Junior 2 has begun test transmissions and is expected to launch fully very shortly

Sky HD will go on sale to the general public next Wednesday, April 12, it has been announced.
Installations of the HD service will begin next month in advance of the World Cup in June. Pre-registration has been open to interested customers for the past fortnight.

Customers will be able to book a Sky HD installation for May via Sky or certain retail stores. A monthly subscription will cost £10 and the set-top box £299, while installation is free until the end of May or while stocks last.
Meanwhile, Sky has also confirmed that the HD box will be equipped with a 160Gb hard drive, allowing for 80 hours of standard definition recording or 30 hours of HD recording.

European deal is reached on soccer TV rights
The Premier League has welcomed the end of its legal battle with the European Commission over the sale of broadcasting rights. Months of talks between Brussels and the Premier League have ended in a deal which breaks Sky's monopoly on screening the 130 live games. The EC formally agreed to allow the League to continue to sell the rights for all 20 clubs together, after the Premier League committed to ensuring no single broadcaster would be allowed to buy all of the live packages from 2007. Under the agreed arrangements, more football coverage rights, including TV, mobile phone and internet rights, will be made available for sale in open bidding scrutinised by an independent trustee. Rights for live coverage of Premier League games will be sold in six "packages" and no one buyer will be allowed to buy more than five. [March 23]

ITV kids channel sets date for Sky launch
After launching on Freeview, Telewest and Homechoice earlier this month, ITV's kids channel CiTV has announced the date when it will become available on Sky Digital. Sky viewers will be able to watch the station from May 8. [March 21]

'Inspirational' music channel announces launch
A brand new music TV station called 'R Music TV' is set to debut on Sky Digital on April 3. Being launched by the makers of Revelation TV, the channel will broadcast "inspirational and positive music." It will reportedly put an emphasis on "not airing any negative music with swearing, nudity, drugs or violence." [March 21]

Sci-Fi to start new timeshifted channel on Sky
The Sci-Fi channel is to start a new time-shifted version of its popular channel on Sky Digital, it has confirmed. The new Sci Fi +1 station will broadcast from channel 130 from April 3. In a statement, Nick Betts, the channel's MD, said: "The launch of the +1 is a hugely significant endorsement of our brand and the universal interest in the sci-fi genre. It also marks an important step in NBC Universal Global Networks' UK expansion plans." [March 20]

Oscar winning actor to host new BBC4 show
Oscar-winning screenwriter, novelist and actor Julian Fellowes is to host a new BBC4 TV show about the English language titled Never Mind the Full Stops, the BBC announced Monday. The show will feature Fellowes, who won the Academy Award for his original script for " Gosford Park " in 2002, as chairman with four guests having fun with questions involving grammar, spelling and general use and misuse of the language. [March 20]

New Cyprus-themed travel channel to debut
A new travel channel targeted at viewers wanting to buy travel packages to

Cyprus

is to launch on Sky. Called Cyprus Direct TV, the channel intends to launch on March 27 and offer "a mix of introductory lifestyle documentaries and properties for sale." The free-to-air, 24-hour channel will also provide background information about living in Cyprus . [March 18]

More of this week's digital TV news in brief...
On Sky Digital, channel 277 London TV has been removed... A new Sky Digital shopping channel has started on channel 676 called Celebrity Shop... On Sky Digital, Broadband UK2 has moved from 851 to 675... Look4Love TV has moved from 872 to 916... True Movies 2 has started on Sky channel 324... Vectone 2U has launched on channel 821.... ITV has rejected an approach from Goldman Sachs Capital Partners, Blackstone and Apax Partners, which is advised by Greg Dyke, to buy a controlling stake in the broadcaster... Sky is set to introduce a new customer-loyalty scheme to reduce churn among its Sky Movies subscribers... At The Races (ATR) is to be paid £1m from the Racecourse Association (RCA) and the 30 defendant courses after an out of court agreement was reached.

Fox renews Simpsons for two more series
US network Fox has commissioned two more series of The Simpsons. The announcement means that the popular animated sitcom will reach its 400th episode in the next two years. The show is now in its 17th season. [March 21]

Disney Channels switch around on Sky Digital
Disney's channels have been switched around in the line-up on Sky Digital following the debut of a new station. Disney Cinemagic is on channel 611 while on 612 is Disney Cinemagic +1. Menwhile, the Disney Channel has moved from 611 to 613. [Mar 20]

Sky is UK 's most popular TV platform
Sky remains the UK ’s most popular TV platform according to new research from media regulator Ofcom. For the first time, there are now more digital satellite subscribers in the UK than there are homes watching analogue terrestrial-only TV. Ofcom also added at the end of 2005, more households were watching Sky subscription services on their principal TV set than were watching any other form of television service. [March 18]

BBC Japan set to close after funding problem
BBC Worldwide has confirmed that BBC Japan will be unavailable to viewers as of April 30 after distributor JMC said that it cannot afford to honour its contractual commitments. In a statement, BBC Worldwide said that JMC had sent notification that its shareholders will no longer provide financial support, which means that it will be unable to continue distributing BBC Japan. "This decision has been taken without any consultation with BBC Worldwide and is beyond the corporation's control," the statement said. "BBC Worldwide is actively seeking alternative ways to continue to provide the service in Japan ." [March 20]

Pace achieves 100% RoHS compliant bill of materials
Saltaire, West Yorkshire, 29 March 2006: Pace Micro Technology plc
the leading dedicated innovator of technology solutions for the
payTV industry, has today announced that is has successfully achieved a
100% RoHS* compliant bill of materials for its set-top box design - 3
months ahead of the 1st July deadline.

The RoHS Directive bans the placing on the EU market of new electrical and
electronic equipment containing more than agreed levels of lead, cadmium,
mercury, hexavalent chromium, polybrominated biphenyl (PBB) and
polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants from 1 July 2006

Richard Eltherington, Hardware Quality Assurance Manager for Pace
commented:
"As a global set-top box developer, with manufacturing centres around the
world, we welcome directives, such as RoHS, which provide environmental
regulation for the industry.

"Pace engineers have been designing set-top boxes with RoHS compliance in
mind for the last two years, and the result is that we have been able to
meet the RoHS requirements well ahead of time."

APR 2006 - Pace brings HD and next generation products to ANGA Cable
2006

Saltaire, West Yorkshire, 7 April 2006: High definition television and
next generation technology for digital TV distribution will be
demonstrated by Pace Micro Technology (pic.l) at the ANGA Cable Show from
30 May to 1 June 2006 in Cologne , Germany .

Speaking on delivering HD around the home, Paul Entwistle, Chief
Technologist at Pace, will also be participating at the ANGA Convention on
31 May.

High definition (HD)
Pace will be showing its family of HD set-top boxes, including a new
free-to-air HD set-top box which will be available in retail across UK and
Europe from May this year. This set-top box is based on the DS810
platform - which was the first DVB-S2 H.264 HD set-top box in the World
and launched the Premiere HD service in Germany in December 2005.

Next generation digital TV distribution
Developed to solve the problems operators have in reaching customers in
multi-dwelling units (MDUs), the Pace Multi-Dweller is a new technology
that will be showing at ANGA Cable.

Pace Multi-Dweller enables cable, satellite and IPTV operators to deliver
a full triple play service (digital TV, high speed internet and VoIP, as
well as interactive services such as VOD and PPV) to MDUs without having
to install new wiring or alter the current infrastructure in a building.
With one in two people in Europe and Asia Pacific living in an MDU, this
'no-new-wires' approach promises to be an important technology for
operators looking to increase their revenues at lower cost.

Networking HD around the home
Paul Entwistle, Chief Technologist at Pace, will be discussing how high
definition TV can be broadcast around the home, and the technologies that
are required for this to become a reality.

His speech "Serving-up HDTV around the whole home" will take place during
the "HDTV: Cable is Simply the Best" session on 31 May between 09:30am and
10:45am at the ANGA Convention.

Sky confirms Freesat From Sky card plans

Freesat: 'No date yet on BBC iPlayer beta'

Digital switchover commences in Wales

Around 130,000 households in Wales will make the permanent transition to digital television as the switchover begins in the country.

At the Kilvey Hill transmitter group covering Swansea and Neath Port Talbot will switch off analogue BBC Two to be replaced with a multiplex of BBC digital channels.

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Dixons has called on the electronics industry to phase out standby and meet consumer demands for more efficient devices.

Ofcom stands firm against Freeview HD

A senior Ofcom figure has re-affirmed the media regulator's intention to auction our analogue TV frequencies to the highest bidder.

Digital dividend plan gets Ofcom's biggest response

Media regulator Ofcom has received around 600 responses to its plan to auction off TV spectrum released by the switch to digital broadcasting.

BBC will run Freeview HD test channel

The BBC wants to run a permanent Freeview hi-def pilot channel using existing capacity before analogue switch-off.

DAB reaches five million in UK

More than five million DAB radios have been sold inthe UK according to the Digital Radio Development Bureau.

April 2007

Digital switch gives boosts to DAB

More than 60,000 listeners in the Scottish Borders and Cumbria will be able to get BBC DAB radio stations as part of the switch to digital TV.

Digital dividend plan gets Ofcom's biggest response

Media regulator Ofcom has received around 600 responses to its plan to auction off TV spectrum released by the switch to digital broadcasting.

BBC: No Freeview HD could cost consumers £15.6billion

Britain could lose out to the tune of £15billion if Ofcom doesn't set aside spectrum for high definition TV on Freeview.

Freeview prepares to oust Sky

Britain's public service broadcasters are preparing to kick Sky out of the Freeview alliance.

Standby for action from Sky

Sky suffers without Virgin Media customers

16th February 2007

Branson wants a Virgin in every home

Sky plans to launch a four-channel subscription TV service on digital terrestrial TV this summer.

New advice for dish and aerial planning permission

It's been more than a year since they were published, but the government has finally got around to publishing a guidebook on the new satellite dish planning rules.

Sky News now available in train stations

Sky's Oscars coverage set to air in hi-def

Baby TV bounces onto Sky...

Setanta scores with Six Nations highlights

Bob Geldof to launch TV channel dedicated to world peace!

Hi-def breaks all records for Sky

High definition TV has outstripped Sky+ as the fastest-selling extra product in the satellite broadcasters history.

BBC green-lights catch-up TV

The BBCs pioneering iPlayer online catch-up service will relaunch permanently this year after winning approval from the corporations trustees.

Future radio heaven for Devon

BBC Radio is to run a trial of Digital Radio Modiale in the Plymouth area for 12 months, and they're looking for listeners to take part.

BBC plans digital radio boost

Auntie Beebs online future divined

The BBC has outlined ambitious online plans for 2007, including a relaunch of BBC.co.uk, the iPlayer, a BBC archive trial and a massive internal archiving update.

BBC planning iPlayer set-top box

The BBC is developing a hybrid set-top box to bring its iPlayer catch-up TV service to TV screens without a PC.

Sky Movies overhauled

The Irish are coming...

Sky Poker launches on Sky channel 846

Sky disputes Virgin sports claim