Ofcom to Look at TV White Spaces

Topic: Home Entertainment

Ofcom has pledged that it will investigate potential customer uses for unoccupied radio waves between TV stations known as white spaces. The spaces are typically used by TV stations and can travel long distances and pass through walls.

The white spaces are being eyed by Ofcom for other uses. Specifically the use of white space is being looked at as a way to improve rural broadband access. The same thing is being studied in America as well. Read more

Posted on Wed, 18 Nov 2009 11:58:36 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Google Powermeter Monitors Home Energy Usage Online

Topic: Home Entertainment

Google has revealed a new free online tool called Google Powermeter that allows you to monitor your home energy usage and greenhouse gas emissions online via your computer or mobile phone. The energy usage service uses smart meters or an add-on clip for conventional meters.

Monitoring energy usage promises to help consumers save 3-15% annually on their utility bills, which frankly doesn't add up to much. The annual savings for homes in the UK would be £75 per year. Read more

Posted on Wed, 28 Oct 2009 10:43:57 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Sky Player Coming to Fetch TV in 2010

Topic: Home Entertainment

Sky has announced that starting next year its Sky Player will be coming to Fetch TV. The move will bring video on demand to the Fetch TV platform. Customers using the new dual tuner Freeview+ set top box will get access to the new content.

In early 2010, the Sky Player will hit the platform complementing BBCs iPlayer that is already on the Fetch TV service. IP Vision is also said to be working on a new electronic programming guide. Read more

Posted on Thu, 15 Oct 2009 10:43:45 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Amino Announces Intel Atom CE4100 Set-top Box

Topic: Home Entertainment

Set-top box maker Amino Communications has announced that it has a new device set to hit the market soon that is running the new Intel Atom CE4100 platform. The CE4100 platform was unveiled at IDF last month.

The new media processor allows for innovative features with HD video support, home theater audio, and advanced 3D graphics. The processor platform will allow the set-top boxes it powers to deliver a full Internet experience according to Amino. Read more

Posted on Tue, 13 Oct 2009 10:49:52 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Napster Cuts Price to Compete with Spotify

Topic: Home Entertainment

If you are a fan of streaming music, this will be good news for you. Spotify is the top music streaming destination for many in the UK and to better compete with the top dog, Napster has announced that it will be cutting the price of its service.

Napster was the first peer-to-peer network that was used by music pirates, but has since gone clean and sells music. Napster has cut the price of its unlimited streaming package to £5 and gives five free track downloads as well. Read more

Posted on Thu, 8 Oct 2009 10:30:46 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Freeview Retune Causes Apparently Problems For Many

Topic: Home Entertainment

As reported yesterday Freeview TV service customers had to retune their setup boxes yesterday to continue receiving channels. The Telegraph reports that the Freeview site and a page that instructs how to retune went down due to high traffic yesterday. Apparently many Freeview users had issues to retune or did not know how to do it.

The Freeview site with the retune instructions is online again. Read more

Posted on Thu, 1 Oct 2009 07:17:50 GMT | by Luigi Lugmayr

Freeview Viewers Need to Retune

Topic: Home Entertainment

If you are one of the millions of viewers that watch TV with Freeview, you will need to retune your settop box to be able to continue to receive all available channels. The retune is part of the upgrade of the digital terrestrial TV platform to make Five more available and to prepare for Freeview HD launch.

The new upgrade and retune will allow 500,000 homes to receive Five for the first time. Many viewers on the service will also get a new channel called the Quest channel after the retune. Read more

Posted on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:06:57 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Top Gear Going HD!

Topic: Home Entertainment

Great news for fans of Top Gear, BBC has announced that the show will be broadcast in HD resolution. BBC failed to list the show on its roster of HD programming when the new schedule was announced.

The HD channel from BBC is currently only on cable and satellite carriers. The HD offering is now confirmed for Freeview via the settop box for sometime in December. Read more

Posted on Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:05:56 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

BBC Happy with iPlayer for PS3

Topic: Home Entertainment

The BBC is tickled with how well its latest version of the iPlayer is doing on the PS3. According to figures released by BBC, the PS3 accounts for 10% of the iPlayer audience. I wonder how much of that is due to the cheaper PS3 hitting the market and more people actually using the console.

The PS3 now has a larger iPlayer market than Mac computers. The Mac accounts for 8.5% of the iPlayer user base. A full 70% of the traffic to iPlayer use PCs to access the content. Read more

Posted on Mon, 14 Sep 2009 11:23:44 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

Channel 4 Goes 3D for a Week

Topic: Home Entertainment

I am excited more by the prospects of 3D TV more than I was excited about HDTV before it became mainstream. I would love to sit and watch a 3D program in my home that looks as good as 3D programs in the theater.

The catch is I don’t want to have to wear glasses to enjoy the program. Channel 4 has announced that it will be showing a week of 3D programs, part of which will include footage from the 1953 Queen's coronation. Read more

Posted on Thu, 27 Aug 2009 11:21:50 GMT | by Shane McGlaun

UK Hulu Launch Delayed until 2010

Topic: Home Entertainment

According to a new report, the UK launch of Hulu has been postponed until 2010. Hulu is one of the most popular online destinations for streaming video in America.

The problem for Hulu in the UK is that the company has not yet set up any deals with UK broadcasters. That means that there is not enough UK programming for the service to launch. Read more

Posted on Wed, 26 Aug 2009 11:51:07 GMT | by Shane McGlaun