The partners in Project Canvas, the proposed joint venture between the BBC, ITV, BT, Five, Channel 4, Talk Talk and Arqiva to develop a standards based, open internet-connected TV environment, have today welcomed the BBC Trust‘s approval of the BBC’s involvement.

This news marks the conclusion of a regulatory process that began in February 2009, when the BBC Trust published the BBC’s initial proposals. Project Director Richard Halton said:

We are delighted by today’s news. The BBC Trust has subjected the proposals to the highest level of scrutiny and the findings reflect over a year of consultation and debate. The partners will work through the final conclusions and conditions and step up our engagement with the wider industry as we plan towards a consumer launch.

Project Canvas will safeguard the future of the UK’s free-to-air TV platforms and allow new business models to thrive through an open, internet-connected, TV platform. This brings the benefits of next-generation TV to all consumers, including those who choose not to subscribe to pay-TV. We look forward to rising to that challenge.

Freesat and Freeview PVRs will incorporate the internet connected TV/video environment, code named Project Canvas, from next year. Stay tuned as we’ll be following up on today’s news to demonstrate how the addition of organised online TV offerings will work and what it might look like on the next generation of UK freeview and freesat PVRs.

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FetchTV are one of the high technology companies exhibiting at The Gadget Show Live this year, which is being held at the NEC in Birmingham. PVRJUNCTION was there on Wednesday morning talking to PVR manufacturers before the doors officially open to the general public. So what’s new at FetchTV? Well, the company have a few major developments in the pipeline actually, one of which we mentioned a couple of weeks ago, but the new one for us on Wednesday was FetchTV’s new remote record service.

It’s a mobile application which displays the EPG on your phone, iPhone and iPod Touch, where you can then set up recordings. The EPG itself includes a search feature, and in due course will allow customers to search not only Freeview programmes in the EPG but also the IPTV content available for streaming or download via the services carried on FetchTV. The good news for existing customers is this service will be available within the next month, for free!

At the FetchTV stand PVRJUNCTION were given a tour of the FetchTV PVR in action, and I must say we were suitably impressed with what they have on offer here. It’s a twin tuner Freeview PVR yes, but on a personal level it appeals to my geeky side by allowing the playback of video, photo and music files via USB ports at the front or back of the unit or your home network – and move video files from the PVR hard drive the other way.

The machine will also connect to your home broadband to serve BBC iPlayer, and if you sign up for a SkyPlayer monthly service, your own live Sky TV packages, all from the one box. OK SkyPlayer is a ‘coming soon’ feature but I saw it in action and the integration is well implemented, plus the roll out is due very soon. I won’t go into all that is offered, but the FetchTV PVR should also interest some of us who want their PVR to do more with home media and those that want easy access to content available on other platforms without the need for a dish.

The Humax Foxsat-HDR, the first Freesat+ PVR, was released late last year to high acclaim both from the AV press and customers alike. That’s not to say the digital TV recorder is totally free from a few bugs or in need of one or two usability tweaks here and there. However we do recognise its stability when compared to pretty much every other PVR launch we can remember.

We spoke to Humax yesterday to find out the purpose of the next software update for the FOXSAT-HDR and when it might be distributed other the air (OTA) across the whole customer base.

We are told the new software will include any of those bug fixes that are ready to release, though Humax note there will be some improvements that are being worked on which will not make it to customers until another software release altogether. Its no secret that Humax have been making extensive changes to the system in order to provide IPTV facilities. This will enable to FOXSAT-HDR to provide BBC iPlayer, thought to go live on Freesat this autumn. In terms of new features, this is the one Humax are committed to delivering.

Following feedback received at their service desk from customers, engineers still do work on improvements and changes and we discussed one or two particular items -however Humax advise it is often the case some or none of them make it into new software releases for one reason or another. Therefore, there are no particular public plans to add further new features in the forthcoming software release, but if there will be these will be communicated publically nearer the respective release date.

Humax have advised PVRJunction that the current plan is to distribute the current .03 software version over the air later this month to enable all machines to get up to date before the next all new software release. The new software is planned for September/October, however a firm date will be released nearer absolute completion of the work which may come sooner or later than planned.

PVRJunction hope to release details about the software update very soon so do stay tuned!

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This week Humax and Freesat announced the first Freesat+ PVR in the UK, the FOXSAT-HDR. The first freesat+ PVR incorporates twin high definition tuners, with the ability to record two channels at the same time, a large 320GB capacity hard drive, and a host of advanced state of the art recording features.

Since publishing both the specifications of the FOXSAT-HDR on our Freesat PVR Comparison table in August, and a few development screen shots and photos, we’ve received a ton of emails from readers, and some publications, asking for more details. If our mailbox is anything to go by, the UK is going mad for Freesat+ / FOXSAT-HDR information; and the Humax/Freesat press release confirms some of the details, like the November release, and at the price of around £299. The main specifications were also outlined in the press release; namely, the ability to record TV programmes in high definition, easy series recording, and programme tracking. We’ll expand on some of these.

As mentioned above the FOXSAT-HDR can record two channels at the same time. You can start watching a programme that is being recorded from its beginning if you like, even though the rest of the programme is still being recorded (commonly called ‘chase play’). Whilst dual recording it is possible to watch any previously recorded programme on the hard drive too, while the current recordings continue in the background. Technically, it is possible for the FOXSAT-HDR to record up to four programmes at the same time; however this feature will not be enabled on the release version but could be a free feature upgrade in the future.

With the 320GB hard drive the FOXSAT-HDR will be capable of recording about 160 hours of standard definition programmes, or around 45 hours in high definition. The PVR can collect the whole freesat 7 day electronic programme guide (EPG) in around 30 seconds, which is an improvement on its Freeview PVRs. Of course, it’s the EPG on digital recorders that make setting and recording such a doddle, and both freesat and Humax have worked on a layout which should work well for most people. As well as the usual grid style layout showing multiple channels at the same time, there is an option to view the EPG by one channel at a time in list view.

There are features when using the guide on the FOXSAT-HDR which are very useful indeed. One example is when selecting a programme to record; if the programme is part of a series, the machine will ask if you would like the whole series to be recorded for you, or just that one programme. If you select to record a programme that happens to be in two parts – for example a film that is split by the news – the machine will see the later continuing part and record it for you. There is another cool feature where, if you are trying to select  programme to record, but it clashes with other timers already set, the machine will automatically search through the EPG to find an alternate instance of that programme, and offer to record it for you at the alternative slot available. The EPG comes with a search function which enables the user to search for programmes in the 7 day programme guide by keyword/s. You can also carry out a search by genre – for example you can search for all movies on this week and select from the results list which you would like to be recorded.

Another nice touch is the high definition recording suggestion. If a user selects a programme to record from the EPG, for example Strictly Come Dancing on BBC1, the machine can offer you the option to record the high definition version if that is available as well. The machine uses the alternate instance meta date in satellite broadcasts to achieve this, and this is how the option to record programmes on the freesat exclusive ITV HD channel will be achieved.

One of the main problems we face with recordings generally is when programmes to don’t stick to their scheduled broadcast time, even if this is only by a minute or two. How many times have you set to record a programme only to find its started earlier or ended later than it should have done – you miss some of the start, or the crucial ending of your recorded programme! Humax are providing two ways in which it can help customers here. One is the option for the machine to automatically add a little extra recording time to the beginning and ending of each scheduled recording. This is called autopadding. Perhaps its worth mentioning  that series recording and autopadding can work together on the FOXSAT-HDR – which is something that has not been possible on any of the Freeview PVRs (for some reason).

The other recording method attempting to capture the whole programme being recorded is called autotracking. What happens here is the machine will keep an eye on the broadcast stream in case a programme is starting earlier than the scheduled time. Also, if a programme does not finish at the scheduled time, the machine can continue to track its progress even after the scheduled ending time so that the recording will finish properly. This is partly dependant on the broadcaster supplying the relevant meta data during broadcasting hours. At the receiver end, the FOXSAT-HDR will start tracking a scheduled programme start time 15 minutes in advance, even if the machine has to be woken up in standby to do so. When it gets to 4 minutes before scheduled broadcast time the tracking polling interval is set right down to every 10 seconds, resulting in very accurate recording start times, for programmes that have moved out of schedule.

There are a couple of other usability features that are worth a mention. Within the list of recorded programmes there is an option for users to create folders in which to organise their recordings. This is great idea and one can easily set up a folder for a particular series, children’s programmes, movies etc. Indeed each member of the family can have their own folder. Another nice feature is the 4in1 universal remote control for PVR, TV, DVD and AMP. The relevant codes will be included in the manual. As well as the scart cable Humax are also providing a HDMI cable which is nice of them.

The PVR automatically buffers the channel you are watching to the hard drive in order to enable pause live TV and instant rewind functionally. One minor negative is you are not able to retrospectively go back into the buffer and record earlier programmes, as the instant recording button only works at the live point. If you press the record button when in the rewind buffer the machine will tell you the recording will start from the current live position in the programme. This is no big deal but its amazing how having this feature on the Topfield and Humax Freeview PVRs has come in handy.

As this is a freesat PVR the machine is not set up to manage non-freesat recordings therefore we feel this is something worth pointing out. If setting up timers for non-freesat channel recordings is a requirement, readers will probably need to invest in a FTA satellite PVR. Unfortunately they can cost a lot more for anything approaching the same specifications as the FOXSAT-HDR. Having said that, the machine can be set to ‘non-freesat mode’ for watching channels outside of the freesat service, including those on other satellites (motorised dish supported with DisEqC/USALS), and the instant recording button on the remote control will work for those non-freesat channels. The setting up of non-freesat ‘timers’ is not available to the FOXSAT-HDR on release, but could be added at some stage.

The Ethernet port will be used for archiving and iPlayer services at some point after the November release. The two USB host ports on the PVR (one at the front and one at the back) allow users to archive their recordings (which are the transport streams) to a USB hard drive or flash key. It is possible to play or move those recording back to the PVR also. However the PVR on release will not be able to play MP2 or MP4 media. Additionally, Humax have decided the development and licensing of Divx support is not for this particular product. It is worth mentioning that the archiving of recorded programmes to external sources is subject to freesat specifications, therefore if a broadcaster sets a flag to prohibit the archiving of their programme, the FOXSAT-HDR will comply. Other media playback and transfer options are for photos and MP3 music files. There is a 20GB partition created on the PVR for users to add their own photos or music. However you can set the size of the partition to your preference during the set up process.

With the cost of hard drive based satellite high definition recorders averaging around £400-£500, and taking into account Sky’s high definition PVR listing as £399 (with half the user recording capacity) we are on one hand surprised at the £299 price tag for the FOXSAT-HDR. This, given it is ready for IPTV with the forthcoming BBC iPlayer catch up TV application, its future remote network PC connectivity options, and possibly the most advanced UK EPG based recording capabilities we’ve seen. Volumes are not likely to be anywhere near that of the Freeview market, where Humax also provide a standard definition PVR first developed a few years ago for under £200; therefore one wonders how long it will actually take Humax to recover its trailblazing development costs on the high definition freesat PVR. The FOXSAT-HDR will have to be a popular device and fly off the shelves. Judging by comments on forums and retailers it seems the FOXSAT-HDR is set to fly off the shelves. The initial breakthrough price, no-doubt, will help.

Related Artcles: Video: Watch The FOXSAT-HDR Freesat PVR In Action

Humax has joined IMPALA – the International MHEG Promotion Alliance. IMPALA promotes the widespread adoption of MHEG-5 for interactive digital TV by broadcasters around the world. MHEG-5 is a cost-effective and efficient, public standard interactive TV middleware that is used to both send and receive interactive TV signals. It allows a wide range of TV-centric interactive (iTV) services to be deployed.

MHEG-5 also has an active technology roadmap enabling the rollout of new products driven by the need for broadcasters to provide better interactive services. From its early days of providing basic teletext-like services and enhanced interactivity, MHEG-5 now incorporates support for HD, push video-on-demand and support for broadband/IP return channel functionality.

From IMPALA: IMPALA, the International MHEG Promotion Alliance, is delighted to announce that leading receiver supplier Humax has joined as Humax is globally recognised for its pioneering efforts in the digital TV industry, particularly in the digital TV recorder (PVR) market.

Bob Hannent, Chief Technologist, Humax, says:

As a long time user of MHEG and a participant in DTG standards definition for MHEG, Humax is keen to demonstrate its support for this very useful middleware by joining IMPALA

Hannent adds:

After a period overshadowed by much larger interactive middlewares, the smaller size and simplicity of MHEG is now being seen as an advantage by far more than just the UK market. While MHEG has a history of existing in very small footprint boxes it is not just for small applications; its continuing extension for HD and the UK’s Freesat has shown how flexible it can be.

Hannent highlights the interest from international groups in high-end products with embedded MHEG at IBC
2008. And concludes: 

The Humax demonstration of MHEG running on an HD set-top box attracted great interest and the industry is keen to see what else can be achieved with the potential of the broadband interaction channel and other extensions

 Giri Valliappan, Director of Market Development, IMPALA, says:

Humax is a major player in the international receiver market with a tremendous reputation for innovation and quality. We are delighted that the company has joined IMPALA and is highlighting such strong commercial reasons for doing so.

MHEG-5 is a public standard with country or region-specific profiles. Both free-to-air and pay-TV broadcasters are now looking into and deploying MHEG-5 as a low-cost middleware solution for rollout over terrestrial, satellite and cable platforms. IMPALA’s continues to provide guidance and advice to ensure the  standard is adopted and implemented correctly and to expand its reach globally.

The founder members of IMPALA are Strategy & Technology (S&T), Cabot Communications and EchoStar
Europe.

If you own an LCD or Plasma TV the chances are it has a slot on the side or back. Neotion has just announced a credit card sized PVR that simply goes into that slot, enabling you to pause and rewind live TV, or record TV programmes. Neotion claims this is the smallest digital recorder in the world (size: 11x5x1.2cm, weight: 45grams). It even comes with LAN port so you can transfer recording to your PC via Ethernet cable or using your wireless/power-line adaptor. The miniature PVR uses the popular SD-Cards for memory, which range in cost from about £10 (4GB) to £60 (32GB).

With the SD-Card memory inserted into the miniature PVR, users can then pause live TV, with the programme being temporarily stored on the card. Playback can then be resumed from that point, or navigate through it via fast forward and rewind trick modes, or simply return viewing to the live TV point. The functions are basic, which isn’t a bad thing – using your own TVs remote control to record, to store, to watch and erase TV programes on the SD-Card using what Neotion say is an easy, intuitive, but efficient, navigation menu.

With the LAN port connection, it is possible to turn the TV into a Media Centre with this device. Using the TVs remote control you can access a networked PC in your home. The Neotion Pocket Recorder is bundled with Neotion TV Medial Player to connect one or more PCs on your network to the TV using a straight ethernet cable, a wireless WIFI device or Power Line (Home Plug) adaptor. From there one can enjoy all of the multimedia contents remotely stored on their PC – be it photos, music, video, Web TV/radio, and other online video services. Recordings can also be transfered to the remote PC for storage or later viewing, editing or burning to DVD. We’ll be sure to bring you more news on when and where to buy.

Street price: c. £75

IDGs’ Mikael Ricknäs says Humax showed off some of what it has in store with a demonstration of the forthcoming iCORD Hybrid set-top box at the IFA electronics show in Berlin.

The product name comes from the set-top box’s ability to work for both IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) and satellite TV, which will make it possible for satellite operators to add more data services to their offerings. At IFA Humax is, for example, demonstrating integration with YouTube, a feature aimed at a younger audience. “I don’t think anyone will go into a store to buy it just for the YouTube support, but it will be a nice extra when customers are trying to decide between two models,” said Humax spokesman Frank Scheibe.

Other data-centric services demonstrated are video on demand and photo sharing. Humax is also planning to add support for wireless networking (802.11n) and DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), to make it possible for the set-top box to connect to other devices.

Part of the networking functionality in the iCORD Hybrid is also the possibility of using one central set-top box with the main TV, and several simpler set-top boxes connected to other TV sets in the house. Humax’s goal is to solve the problem of getting digital TV to all sets in a household, according to Scheibe, who didn’t want to go into detail about how that will work.

The iCORD Hybrid will become available in the next nine months, according to Scheibe.