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- CLICK FOR MORE RECENT INTERACTIVE TV NEWS
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Playstation II As Interactive DVD XXX-Box: Porn industry said to be behind success of VCRs and
soon could do the same for Sony Playstation II and Microsoft XBOX (11OCT00) (TheRegister)
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More On Digital VCRs At Ceatec Japan 2000: Martyn Williams looks at $1744 Sony Clip-On DVR,
Panasonic NV-HDD2 DVR that you can more harddrives to, Toshiba DVR prototype with both DVD-RAM drive
and harddrive, $1700 JVC HM-HDS1 DVR can also record on standard VHS videotapes, and
Hitachi DVR includes digital satellite tuner, 30GB hard drive, and can record HDTV (11OCT00) (PCWorld.IDG)
- Streaming Music Video With Near-VHS Quality: Sony Music Entertainment Europe and Microsoft to launch online streaming music video web channel for Europe (11OCT00) (IDG)
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Sony Music Entertainment Europe and Microsoft to develop internet music video channel
featuring European music videos in Microsoft Windows Media format for Europe (11OCT00) (Microsoft)
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Cisco Systems, Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore, and SingTel Aeradio
construct "Internet home" to demo broadband possibilities (12OCT00) (asia.internet)
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Networked Home Washing Machine: LG Electronics develops "Internet LG Turbo Drum Washing Machine"
with 4.2-inch color LCD and 4M flash memory to be controlled via PC or the net (12OCT00) (KoreaHerald)
The Korea Herald quotes LG Electronics researcher Jo Seong-jin as stating, "For now, the machine is linked only to PCs, but further development will make it operable from mobile phones, TVs and even computers at your office within one or two years." -
Jeremy Quittner wants a "smart home" now using X10 modules and he wants remote control too
(11OCT00) (TimeDigital)
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3COM's Audrey webpad device to have 6.25x4.75in touch-screen, TV-tuner knob-style control
for web channels, built-in 56kbps modem, speakers, microphone, serial port, USB ports, and wireless keyboard
(13OCT00) (TheRegister)
- Honeywell WebPAD internet appliance intro'd as wireless, portable tool for high-speed connection to the net and centralized home control applications (11OCT00) (NatSemi)
- Honeywell WebPAD has a 10-inch LCD screen, weighs less than 3 pounds, works as far as 150 feet away from base station, works via cable modem or DSL., and will will cost $995 (12OCT00) (TheRegister)
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WebPad to accommodate other Honeywell products including microwaves, refrigerators and Honeywell's Home Controller Gateway
for controlling home heating and security systems (12OCT00) (CNET.Bloomberg)
- WebPAD is one of several web-enabled, home appliance solutions that Honeywell expects to bring to consumers (11OCT00) (Honeywell)
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Honeywell Product Info: S7350A WebPAD Internet Appliance (11OCT00) (Honeywell)
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Taipei News: FIC developing webpad codenamed Aqua but could have product name i-Surf under
either brandname of Hewlett-Packard, Compaq, or even Sony (10OCT00) (SCMP)
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World CallNet announces proposed agreement with Keyclub.net regarding MailTV assets (11OCT00) (NYTimes.PRN)
(alt.link)
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For Those Who Have Been Asking: Linux-Hacker.net's webpage for hacking Websurfer Pro (11OCT00) (LinuxHacker)
For news about Websurfer's status, or lack of status, you can click here and you can also click here. There is a little community of hackers who are cracking open Websurfer Pro and other boxes. There's a page for TiVo hacking also. Without fail, people with screwdrivers will hack boxes.... - TV on PC News: Agh! UK PC users need to get full TV licence to watch UK TV programme services on PC whether via TV tuner cards or through the net (10OCT00) (TheRegister)
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UK PC-TV Licences Follow-Up: UK TV Licensing Authority to chase people watching television programmes via TV tuner cards
or streaming media on PCs in only UK to make sure they paid for their £104 TV licences (12OCT00) (TheRegister)
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3dfx unveils new VoodooTV line of TV tuner cards for PCs (10OCT00) (Gamecenter)
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Daniel Rutter reviews AverMedia TVPhone98 with VCR for PCs (10OCT00) (AustralianIT)
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Gemstar-TV Guide's interactive program guides poised to become dominant cable TV portals for TV watching
unless competing guides and gateways can overcome Gemstar-TV Guide patent advantage (10OCT00) (Mercury)
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FCC chairman William Kennard wants Congress to require Y2003 deadline for all TV sets to receive digital television
in U.S. to drive down prices of new digital TV sets (10OCT00) (Mercury.AP)
(related.link)
(related.link)
The Associated Press (AP) reports, "Kennard said broadcasters should be charged for the analog channel beginning in 2006 [while in transition to digital TV] and recommended that Congress order the agency to adopt a 2003 deadline by which all new TV sets can receive digital signals. He said this would drive down the price of the new sets." Also see Kennard's speech as linked further below. -
NAB spokesman Dennis Wharton blames FCC chairman Willian Kennard for any delay of switchover to digital TV
(10OCT00) (WashPost)
(related.link)
The Washington Post quotes National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) spokesman Dennis Wharton as stating FCC chairman William Kennard "has been asleep at the wheel for the past three years while broadcasters are well ahead of schedule in the digital television transition" and Kennard should have issued standards to settle industry debate. The Washington Post also cites Wharton as indicating, "Kennard should require cable operators to carry broadcasters' digital signals." -
FCC Chairman Kennard Getting Impatient: Kennard's concern is for people who don't have cable (10OCT00) (Inside)
- TV Broadcasters Get Digital Channels In $70B Gov't Giveaway: FCC chairman William Kennard wants "spectrum squatters fee" on TV broadcasters who do not meet Y2006 HDTV conversion deadline by keeping analog channels (10OCT00) (FCC)
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FCC chairman William Kennard speech: "What Does $70 Billion Buy You Anyway?" (10OCT00) (FCC.Kennard)
- TV Broadcasters Respond to FCC chairman Kennard: TV station owners said to be looking at using the digital spectrum for data and movies-on-demand instead of for high definition TV (10OCT00) (Variety) (alt.link) (related.link)
(Note: The related.link from CNET combines the Variety story with the Reuters story.) Variety reports broadcasters are "not sure how they'll use the digital spectra. High-definition is one obvious choice, but execs say that's looking less and less likely." Variety quotes an unnamed broadcaster as stating, "High definition looks fantastic on a six-foot screen, but most people watch television on a 21-inch screen." Variety also reports high-definition TV "doesn't generate much extra revenue for broadcasters" and that "Station owners are, instead, looking to harvest additional profits from selling movies on demand or selling data that could be stored in a hard drive on a digital set-top box and called up through a descrambler for a fee."
This is perhaps the first time the local-TV-station-and-settops-with-push angle is publicly mentioned in the news. There are folks working on this. Cable and satellite TV aren't the only players in the game. -ruel- Related From Australia: Alan Kohler says free-to-air TV networks in Australia are pushing hard for interactive TV instead of high-definition for spectrum use (14OCT00) (AFR)
The news item is a commentary about the renegotiation of the Telstra-PCCW deal. While discussing the urgency of the evolving interactive TV market facing Telstra and its broadband strategy, Australian Financial Review's Alan Kohler Kohler states, "It is that the free-to-air networks are pushing hard on interactive TV instead of using their new spectrum next year for high definition signals." See further below on more Australia interactive TV news.- FCC Chairman's Comments Spur Digital TV Rethinking: Matsushita Electric, Sony, and Sharp willing to consider speeding up for digital TV including mandatory deadline dates for U.S. market (11OCT00) (MSNBC.WSJ)
- But Possible Increased Prices: Consumer Electronics Association says FCC chairman's proposed Y2003 deadline may penalize consumers (11OCT00) (Twice)
Twice quotes a Consumer Electronics Associaiton (CEA) spokesman as stating, "Broadcasters have not delivered on DTV [but] let's not make consumers suffer the consequences." The CEA spokesman notes the proposed January 2003 deadline will "undoubtedly result in increased costs to consumers" where "one manufacturer estimates that the cost of a 13-inch TV will be $1,000" which would be "a significant increase over today's average price of $125." Twice further cites the CEA spokesman as indicating consumers want options on how to upgrade to digital television. Quoting the CEA spokesman, "Many consumers are choosing to upgrade their monitor now - to enhance their DVD, DBS or analog experience - and buy a digital tuner later when more programming becomes available."- Consumer Electronics Association's comment about increased prices angers broadcasters and industry professionals (13OCT00) (TVBroadcast)
- Sony Australia and Nokia Multi-Media say without final specifications they will not be able to produce set-top boxes for start of digital television in Australia on January 1, 2001; also Panasonic likely to have analog TV set with digital decoding by June 2001 (11OCT00) (TheAge)
The Age quotes Panasonic general manager Ross Henderson as stating, "The subscription operators have a subsidised box (business) model so they can get it into the home because if the consumer has to pay for it they won't buy it." The Age cites Henderson as indicating, "Panasonic was likely to have the integrated digital TV sets in the market by June next year."- Set-Tops May Initially Cost $500+ When Available: Television networks Seven, Nine, and Ten concede it is unlikely digital TV set-tops will be available for start of digital TV on January 1, 2001, in Australia (11OCT00) (TheAustralian)
"The Australian reports the television networks Seven, Nine, and Ten "agreed effectively to make the first order for set-top boxes themselves. But with just 2½ months until the start date, even those are unlikely to be available by January 1 and they are unlikely to cost the $300 originally promised - more likely $500 or more, though a Nine network spokesman stressed yesterday that prices should come down 'fairly quickly.'"- TV Networks Stipulate Set-Top Boxes To Have Modems In Australia: Television networks Seven, Nine, and Ten seek to accelerate roll-out of set-top boxes in Australia by jointly underwriting set-top box order at cost of up to $20M (10OCT00) (TheAge)
- *** CLICK FOR PREVIOUS NEWS ***
- TV Broadcasters Respond to FCC chairman Kennard: TV station owners said to be looking at using the digital spectrum for data and movies-on-demand instead of for high definition TV (10OCT00) (Variety) (alt.link) (related.link)
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