OpenMedia

OpenMedia are proud to announce their association with Axent Audio and Freeview Shop who are now selling myPVR. For further information please take a look at our new myPVR Sales Page. Otherwise you can contact Ben Carroll at Axent audio on 09 827 1220 for a myPVR Demo, or just take a look at the freeviewshop website.

OpenMedia are very pleased to announce that its market leading myPVR Personal Digital Video Recorder now comes with a built-in web browser based virtual remote control.

Customers who would otherwise be unable to use a standard remote control unit to perform operations such as setting TV recordings and playback, changing TV channels and watching their favourite TV show can now achieve these things simply and easily. These customers can now use a standard web browser on their own home computer to control their myPVR.

OpenMedia believe that this innovation is a world first, and confirmation of the ability of the Open Source software development community to respond rapidly and effectively to end user’s needs. In particular OpenMedia would like to thank one of their customers – Thane Pullan a young man from Christchurch with Cerebral Palsy, whose particular needs prompted the development. He said:

This development is expected to be of practical benefit as an accessibility solution to people around the world.

The work has been released to the Open Source community under the Gnu Public License, and as an optional add-on to MythTV which forms the foundation of myPVR. OpenMedia would like to acknowledge the Open Source community for its timely help in providing solutions to components of the final product.

Specialised adaptations to the accessibility aspects of computers have enabled handicapped people to enjoy access to modern information processing and entertainment technology comparable to that offered to the general public.

Handicapped users of the myPVR Personal Video Recorder are now able to use their computer, as tailored to their own requirements, to tune into TV programs, record and play back programs, DVDs and CDs, and manage their library of videos and music.

For a demo of the Virtual Remote Control please click through for the standard version or the alternative wide layout.

Traditional Remote Control	Web Virtual Remote

CanWest have been awfully quiet until now about their plans, but they finally talked to the NZ Herald today. Also stuff covers some of the technical issues they are having with Optus D1. Just hope this doesn’t delay the Digital TV launch

• CanWest insists free-to-air digital TV can make a profit – NZ Herald
• Optus picture starts to clear – Stuff
• New Maori channel ‘should come with digital tv’ - Stuff
• New digital TV will reach us – Gisborne Herald
• New channels could be graveyard for old content – Scoop

Based on all of the feedback generated by Big Boys Toys we now have a myPVR Frequently Asked Questions page. If you feel we haven’t covered some of your questions please contact us and we will endeavour to update it.

There are some updated reports in the press on the additional TVNZ channels, along with news that parts of the new Optus D1 satellite have been configured incorrectly for New Zealand which may impact services.

• Satellite antenna `at wrong angle’ – Dominion Post
• Satellite problem threatens digital plan – Dominion Post
• A Momentous Day for TVNZ – Scoop
• Government to fund two TVNZ digital channels – NZ Hearald

We will be following this closely as we fully test support for these new satellite channels with myPVR.

TVNZ has announced plans for two digital free-to-air channels starting from next year. Chief executive Rick Ellis today told reporters the first channel, which would feature news, sport and information content, would debut next year. The second station featuring programming for preschoolers, families, documentaries and art shows, would debut in the first quarter of 2008. Both will be commercial free. About 70 per cent of their content would be re-runs from TV One and TV2. Broadcasting Minister Steve Maharey said the Government would pay $79 million over six years to support the establishment of the new channels.

Steven and Cherie send a big thank you to everyone who visited our stand over the last couple of days. We had a great show at BP Ultimate Big Boys Toys 2006, with a lot of interesting feedback from the public about myPVR. This was the first public showing of the new look version 2 of myPVR and the reaction was overwhelmingly positive.

First of all we would like to say a quick thank you to Newtek for the loan of a Benq 37″ LCD TV, IBM for the loan of Tux the penguin, and to Orcon for kindly supplying the internet connection we needed for some of our demonstrations.

We will have updated information on line over the next couple of days along with the updated pricing for the version 2 units. We also hope to have a frequently asked questions page to cover the queries we got from potential customers over the course of the show.

Until then if you have any additional queries please don’t hesitate to contact us.

OpenMedia are using their appearance at Big Boys Toys to launch version 2 of myPVR. More details will be made available on the website next week, including updated pricing, but if you get a chance pop along to the show and take a look at our new hardware.

OpenMedia is proud to announce our involvement with BP Ultimate Big Boys Toys 2006. We will be situated in the “Technology and Gaming” area in Hall 3 on stand 301, so please don’t miss us!

We will have two of our latest myPVR units running demonstrations, and set up for you to have a play to see for yourself just how user-friendly myPVR really is.

Come along to meet us and take away as much information as you need about myPVR, or even place your order with us at the show.