Tivo release and EPG availability

[aanda6]

With Tivo being released today is that going to make a difference to the quality of EIT data being transmitted. I bring attention to this quote from the SMH.

"After years of squabbling about an EPG because the Packer group wanted to protect its investment in Foxtel, all FTA networks have now agreed to supply data to Seven's TiVo EPG. There is even talk of an equity arrangement in the project involving all of the commercial networks, including Nine."

[ExtremePC]

Originally Posted by aanda6

With Tivo being released today is that going to make a difference to the quality of EIT data being transmitted. I bring attention to this quote from the SMH.

"After years of squabbling about an EPG because the Packer group wanted to protect its investment in Foxtel, all FTA networks have now agreed to supply data to Seven's TiVo EPG. There is even talk of an equity arrangement in the project involving all of the commercial networks, including Nine."

Interesting, Does that mean the Tivo EPG is NOT the same thing as the EIT data currently broadcast? Anone know where you can buy one?

Can we get a link to the article? never mind found it.

http://www.smh.com.au/news/business/...414547016.html

The article is oooooooold and may no longer be current.

[aanda6]

not sure, but I have read somewhere that it is going to be exclusive for Tivo and the networks are working on a FREEVIEW EIT for other pvr's.

surely that must be anti competitive.

[ExtremePC]

Originally Posted by aanda6

not sure, but I have read somewhere that it is going to be exclusive for Tivo and the networks are working on a FREEVIEW EIT for other pvr's.

surely that must be anti competitive.

It is.

[aanda6]

just got this article from pcguide.

The Australian TiVo HD unit was unveiled today at the Seven Media Group's headquarters. It's a product that promises a lot — and it intends to deliver.

Sporting a 160GB hard drive, the TiVo unit can handle 60 hours of standard definition (SD) or around 20 hours of high definition (HD) content. This may seem a little small for some, but the unit has an eSATA connection for additional storage space if required. TiVo has announced plans to release an external hard drive accessory next year; it is not yet known if users will be able to use third-party hard drives. The unit's rear features component and HDMI connections for SD and HD television sets respectively. An Ethernet connection is also included, and is used for connecting the TiVo to a broadband internet connection. Wireless connectivity is also offered, although the wireless adapter will be sold separately.

The product itself, at its core, is a personal video recorder. There are a few things that set it apart from regular PVRs and place it directly in competition with Foxtel's own iQ2 service.

The electronic program guide for the service will be delivered via broadband internet — which the end user must purchase themselves, quashing rumours that wireless broadband access from Unwired would be included. This guide will have a full seven days worth of data for all channels, provided by HWW. It will be updated daily so that the latest programming info is included, accommodating any last-minute scheduling changes (which are usually implemented in the morning of each day).

A novel feature of the TiVo's EPG is its integration with the rest of the TiVo service. From the main TiVo Control menu, users can select a Find Programs option which allows users to search for actors, directors, show titles, keywords, as well as genre-specific options like sport or comedy. Once you've found the show you're looking for, you can set it to record as either a single file or a 'Season Pass' where all episodes of that show are saved for later viewing.

The TiVo unit also has a recommendation system built in — and you don't even need to record shows to take advantage of it. While you're watching any show, you can use two buttons on the remote — labelled with a 'thumbs up' or a 'thumbs down' — to rate the show you're watching. If you really like CSI, expect the TiVo box to recommend you get NCIS or Law and Order — and it can automatically record them for you as well, without your input.

These features will all be included with the box at launch, but some additional built-in features will be disabled in the initial units. Home networking — the ability to transfer photos, videos and music between a PC and the TiVo — will be turned off, as well as other features like Internet video streaming and an online movie download service.

The box is set to be released on July 29 and will retail for $699 with no additional subscription fees. It will only be available in Harvey Norman and Domayne, thanks to an exclusive deal between Seven and the Harvey Norman Group.

Whether it meets expectations is yet to be seen, but initial hands-on experiences seem to show that the little black box has the potential to seriously shake the Australian television scene

[bigdonk]

interesting, that HWW is in cahoots with Nine, does somewhat explain why Nine is soooo defensive regarding non-licensed EPG providers delivering EPG! me smells a rat, and i agree it's definitely anti-competitive

QUOTE http://www.hww.com.au/solutions/epge...c_epgenius.pdf
HWW is the only licensed provider of TV listings
information in Australia, with more than seven years
of experience handling this complex data. Recently
acquired by ninemsn (a joint venture between
Microsoft MSN and PBL Media), HWW is the leading
EPG software and data provider and sole supplier
of mobile phone EPG solutions. HWW’s Australian
clients include Foxtel, Vodafone, Optus, Telstra,
Hutchison Telecoms, Virgin Mobile, Disney, Yahoo!7,
News Limited, Fairfax, Austar, and MultiChoice
Subscriber Management Systems (based in South
Africa).

[GlenR]

So, HWW will sell their guide (inc Nine data) for use in TiVo(Seven) boxes, but not to any other PVR appliance. Does this sound like something the ACCC should be looking in to?

Also, can someone please tell be how a guide listing is "complex data"?

[bigdonk]

it's now fairly clear, the reason nine fought ICETV, was to try and obtain a monopoly on delivery of EPG, and secure a revenue that they can dictate !

This raises at least three issues

1. when was EIT/EPG considered licensed ?

2. a monopoly market is all bad news.....hmm, let me see, the ACCC gave Telstra hell about trying to monopolize the broadband market, and then forced Telstra to wholesale the POTS and DSLAM to other providers to create a fair and equitable market.

3. allows them to dictate to whom they sell the EPG too, and allowing them to exclude certain products that have skip functionality, such as VMC and many other PVR's !

Anyone know if the Tivo has skip functionality ?
How can the ACCC allow this to happen !

[GlenR]

I am no lawyer (thankfully) but it seems to me that now this information is public, IceTV and their legal team should be having a close look at their case in light of this and probably taking action through the ACCC.

Of course, there is probably some legal loophole Nine is exploiting which make sthis farce legal.

[TheRob]

Originally Posted by GlenR

I am no lawyer (thankfully) but it seems to me that now this information is public, IceTV and their legal team should be having a close look at their case in light of this and probably taking action through the ACCC.

It's most certainly thinking of the competition angle down the track. It's no coincidence that IceTV has made very public statements regarding its approaches to the TV stations to license the guide info - which have all been rejected so far. It's statements after the loss of the appeal made it very clear that it will try again to license the use of schedule info under similar terms granted to 'other' guide aggregators. I'm sure it expects to be knocked back again, but IceTV wants it well and truly on the public record that it feels it is being 'unfairly' treated from a competition perspective in gaining legal access to schedule information.

[aanda6]

A listed Sydney company called HWW Ltd, controlled by Stephen Wall, has a licence to distribute electronic versions of TV guides in Australia. Its contracts with the TV networks explicitly prevent it from selling the guides to anyone who plans to use them in PVRs. The networks assert copyright over the guides in the contracts, although this has not been tested in court.

HWW chief executive Paul Marshall says he gets at least five requests per month to use the program guides in PVRs. He refuses them all.