From Branislav Pekic in Rome Portugal Telecom's pay-TV platform, Meo, will add the SporTV channel in high definition from November 1st. The channel, which was so far exclusive to the subscribers of rival pay-TV operator Zon TV Cabo, will be available both on Meo's IPTV and satellite (DTH) services. Launched in June of this year, […]

Londoners could be able to see Freeview in HD from 2010 after Ofcom outlined a proposal for a pilot scheme that could speed up the roll-out of HD services by two years. Ofcom has launched a consultation, in response to a request from the BBC, to look at temporarily reassigning some spectrum frequencies to allow […]

From Sotires Eleftheriou in Paris French retail chain Darty (owned by the UK Kesa Electricals group) is to launch an ultra high speed (100 Mb/s) service on November 4th, using Completel-Numericable's optical fibre and cable network. Completel-Numericable had already announced in September that it was going to make its network available to other operators. Darty […]

Comcast announced that it has reached a major milestone in its "Project Infinity" initiative to expand its HD programming and on-demand choices, which Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts unveiled at the CES show in Las Vegas last January. It says it now has over 1,000 high-definition "viewing choices" between its linear channels and its on-demand offerings, […]

Comcast announced that it has reached a major milestone in its "Project Infinity" initiative to expand its HD programming and on-demand choices, which Comcast Chairman Brian Roberts unveiled at the CES show in Las Vegas last January. It says it now has over 1,000 high-definition "viewing choices" between its linear channels and its on-demand offerings, […]

VUDU, provider of digital technologies and services that deliver Internet entertainment to consumers’ HDTVs and Home Theatres, has unveiled HDX, a video format that enables the viewing of Internet-delivered movie content in full HD 1080p format optimised for 40 inch and larger HDTVs and Home Theatres.HDX delivers the highest quality available from any Internet, broadcast, […]

IPTV will have to deliver HD, is it ready? Joe O’Halloran finds out

From Colin Mann in Amsterdam Rich media specialist Akamai Technologies has revealed that trend research conducted with attendees of this year's IBC2008 shows that 82 per Rich media specialist Akamai Technologies has revealed that trend research conducted with attendees of this year's IBC2008 shows that 82 per cent of European broadcast organisations have plans to […]

AT&T has upgraded the video recording function of its Internet-based television service called U-verse, stepping up its competition against cable service providers. AT&T’s improved U-verse The free upgrade will be deployed to all customers by the end of the year. It needs no visits from technicians or any new hardware as the advanced Internet protocol […]

Overall, the home entertainment market is showing good resistance. In spite of adverse economic conditions, software sales show a decline of only 2.6 per cent in units and 2.8 per cent in value versus the first half of 2007. Although consumers are continuing to purchase standard definition DVD’s, the growth curve is falling off. However, […]