Tag: Freeview
BBC Trust backs high definition channel
The BBC Trust has provisionally backed plans for the BBC to establish a more permanent high definition channel, after the success of the trial version available to satellite and cable viewers. Offering programmes from across the BBC's existing channels, it…
TVonics MFR-200: smallest, simplest to connect DVB-T set top box
TVonics has announced what it claims to be the world's smallest and easiest to connect DVB-T set top box. It's the size of a matchbox, and connects via the standard aerial connector rather than requiring a SCART connection (there'd barely…
Humax launches two LCD TVs with Freeview Playback
Humax has announced the launch of their 32-inch (LP32-TDR1) and 40-inch (LP40-TDR1) LCD TVs, both of which feature built-in dual tuner digital recorders, and have achieved Freeview Playback status.
We covered the basics of Freeview Playback when we reported on Humax’s PVR-9200 series of DTRs attaining the certification.
Digital Divide? Over 50% of new TVs sold in UK last year analogue
According to the latest figures from GfK, over half of the 7.5 million TVs sold in the past year were analogue (4.4m).
Though the number of digital TVs sold in the year ending May 2007 had increased almost threefold over the previous year, at just over 3m compared to just over 1m, still more analogue TVs were sold, though the figure had dropped from around 5.6m in 2006 to 4.4m in 2007.
Nick Simon at GfK expressed some concern over the figures. “Unfortunately there were still more than 4 million analogue TVs sold in the last 52 weeks, suggesting that there is still a lot of work required to convert all 25 million plus UK households. This is especially an issue when GfK ConsumerScope research reveals an average of two and a half sets per household.”
Humax first to pass Freeview Playback Group 2 standard for DTRs
Humax has announced that it’s the first digital TV recorder (TV) manufacturer to pass the Freeview Playback Group 2 standard.
In English, that means that its PVR-9200TB and PVR-9200TS models guarantee users the following features:
Series link: Allows viewers to programme the DTR to automatically record every episode of a series
Win a TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview PVR with Tech Digest
Fancy recording that night’s episode of Eastenders, but you won’t get home from work in time? We have just the answer to your quandry, as we wouldn’t want you to miss out on the latest news surrounding the Stacey/Bradley/Max love-triangle now, would we?
Simply send me an email with your postal address (you must be living within Britain, sorry), and tell me what the first TV show you’d record using your new TVonics DVR-FP250 Freeview PVR would be. All entrants will be signed up to our mailing list, so if you’re not comfortable with receiving the odd email from Tech Digest, then please say so when emailing me…
Samsung launch eleven DVD recorders including digital Freeview models and upscalers
Samsung has announced eleven new DVD recorders, including combo, single, and hard disc versions. HDD DVD recorders The HDD DVD range includes the DVD-HR755 DVD recorder which comes with a 250GB hard drive and supports multi-format recording onto DVD RAM/+RW/+R/-RW/-R,…
Ocean Blue calls for a single PVR standard
Ocean Blue Software has called for a single standard for digital TV recorders (PVRs). Managing Director of Ocean Blue said that the introduction of Freeview Playback has been a step in the right direction, but that most PVRs contain proprietary software due to a lack of industry standard guidelines.
Ocean Blue would like to see a single brand across satellite, cable, and even IPTV broadcasts. Their Voyager software system is already the standard mandated middleware solution for Freeview digital TV receivers, while Sunrise is a DVB compliant suite of software that can receive analogue and digital video and audio, with Surfsoft being a Freeview Playback standard.
Could Ocean Blue be suggesting that they would offer the best software standard?
Digital TV switchover will create a mountain of electronic junk
A recent survey for YouGov suggests that the confusion surrounding the switchover from analogue to digital TV will lead to a mountain of junked TVs – equipment that could have worked perfectly well with the right digital box.
Apparently, there are 25 million analogue TVs still in use, and unless you want to switch over to high definition at the same time, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t continue to use your set until its cathode ray tube finally conks out.
BBC, ITV and Channel 4 take on Joost and iTunes with 'Project Kangaroo'
Online TV is going to be a battleground in the next couple of years, with the established broadcasters figuring out whether they should go it alone with their own streaming and on-demand services, or join up with Web 2.0 startups like Joost and Babelgum.
