OpenMedia

OpenMedia are very pleased to announce that the basis for their myPVR software platform has now been upgraded to MythTV 0.20. This new release has been made available free of charge to all of our existing customers so that they can enjoy the enhancements made by the MythTV team over the six months. In addition, OpenMedia have made a number of improvements specific to the New Zealand market. These improvements have focused on customers who wish to record SkyTV, and initial support for the soon to be launched “Free To Air” New Zealand Digital TV Service. °

If you want to see a demonstration of myPVR and MythTV 0.20 in action why not visit us on stand 301 in Hall 3 at Big Boys Toys from 10-12^th November.
Key Major Changes for myPVR 1.20 based on MythTV 0.20

• Upgrade of MythTV baseline to MythTV 0.20 (plus fixes).
• Upgrade of MythPlugins and MythThemes to 0.20 (plus fixes).
• Inclusion of the MythCenter-Wide Theme for 720p and 1080i displays.
• Replacement of MythBurn with MythArchive for DVD creation and file archiving.
• Improved channel changing performance for Live TV.
• Initial support for UPnP devices.
• Enhanced DVB support ready for the new NZ Digital Network. °
• MHEG support for interactive Digital TV. °
• MythWelcome support.
• Selectable transcode modes – great for removing adverts.
• Web interface now has improved support for Internet Explorer.
• Support WEP and WPA encrypted wireless networks. ¹

Additional Bug Fixes and Enhancements

• Preparation for the FreeView digital network. °
• Improved memory handling in the video capture driver.
• Uses very latest NVidia Display Drivers.
• Support for H264 playback for MythTV and MPlayer.

Enhancements to SkyTV Support

• Improved and simplified SkyTV installation and removal. ²
• Enhanced process for updating SkyTV channels.
• SkyTV Documentary channel and other recent channel additions.
• Support for WTV + KTV channels. ³

° Full details on the FreeView Digital TV support will be made available closer to the official launch of the service.

¹ Wireless network support is an optional feature.

² SkyTV support requires an existing SkyTV subscription and connection to a SkyTV supplied set-top box.

³ WTV + KTV are an additional subscription based service that are separate from a normal SkyTV subscription.

At around 10am the Ariane 5 launch took place and around 20 minutes later the Optus D1 satellite was successfully deployed. For more details take a look at their mission update. The Optus D1 platform will shortly be replacing the ageing Optus B1 that is currently used by SkyTV. It will also provide the platform for the satellite version of the soon to be launched New Zealand Digital TV platform. Once Optus have confirmed that the satellite is operating correctly we will hopefully start to hear announcements from TVNZ and Canwest on their plans and schedule for new services.

Arianespace have now put out a press release with details of the launch.

OpenMedia are very pleased to announce that myPVR will be supporting the recently released MythTV 0.20. Technical Director Steven Ellis has commented “The recent enhancements to the MythTV software make it the perfect delivery platform for the new FreeView digital network here in New Zealand. We are already testing both MythTV 0.20 and the FreeView network and hope to make a full release in the very near future. Our customers can be assured that we have carried out all the appropriate integration testing for the myPVR hardware platform”.

All existing myPVR customers will get an upgrade to the updated software as part of their standard support contract.

OpenMedia is very proud to announce that it has sponsored the launch of the new mythtv.co.nz news and information site. We hope that this will be a useful portal for people seeing information on MythTV in New Zealand, as well as place for MythTV advocacy.

One recent news item featured is a comparison of MythTV and Windows MCE 2005 carried out by Toms Hardware. The article is titled “The MythTV Convergence“.

The replacement for the existing Optus B1 satellite has been delayed yet again. Depending on the various media reports this delay is either until the end of September or some point in November.

• Sky satellite risk uninsured
• Ariane Mission Update

This doesn’t bode well for those of us who are testing the new FreeView digital platform as they are unlikely to start testing any additional channels until Optus D1 is available. It also isn’t good news for SkyTV as Optus B1 becomes a bigger risk to their business as each day passes.

Chris Barton at the NZ Herald poses the question in a recent article on whether his perfect FreeView set top box ever appear. We at OpenMedia like to think that we already have such a unit. Take a look at the Herald’s article below for more details

• Chris Barton: Lack of vision threatens our brave new world

Also this week the Sunday Star Times covers the additional channels that the new FreeView platform is supposed to be offering. Catch the article on stuff.co.nz‘s website.

• Digital to open up TV channels

Canwest MediaWorks – owner of TV3 and C4 – have confirmed they plan to launch a new channel on the digital network early next year, with perhaps an additional channel to follow in 2008. Follow the links below for more details as well as other news over the last week on digital TV in New Zealand.

There were a number of interesting articles in the NZ Herald over the last couple of days, and someone has been updating the Wikipedia page on FreeView-

• More channels to watch with free digital TV
• Please adjust your set for a digital revolution
• Sky TV shrugs off free-to-air competitor
• Digital TV restrictions for set-top boxes cause ruckus
• Wikipedia’s FreeView page

TVNZ will be making changes to its Free-To-Air test channels that its had up there as part of its experimental digital platform. The changes prepare for FreeView.

On Tuesday 25th July 2006 beginning at 0200 hours (2am) the present content on 12.456GHz will appear on the frequency 12.483GHz as well as 12.456 GHz. Then, on the 31st of July, the two carriers will reduce to just one, namely 12.483 GHz.

Set Top Boxes may need re-tuning.

The rearrangement means one of the experimental channels, showing NASA activities, will not be restored to the test platform.

The list of test channels after the changes on the 25th July will be:

• MTS
• TVONE (Wellington)
• TV2 (Wellington)
• TVONE (Christchurch)
• TV2 (Christchurch)
• Bloomberg
• DWTV
• CCTV9
• TVNZ WIDE

This is the first of a series of changes as FreeView eventuates. Everyone should remember that these channels, including CCTV9 and DWTV, continue to be part of our digital testing and may not be included in the FreeView bouquet.

Ric Carlyon, TVNZ Digital Group, (09) 916 7658 or  email
digital@tvnz.co.nz

If you have a chance take a look at Issue 49, the July edition, of tone. As part of the Toneworld section on page 8 they have covered myPVR. They liked how well we stand out against the competition from mySky and Windows MCE, in particular the network capabilities and music jukebox.

There is a press release from BCL on the Scoop website indicating that a independent broadcaster has been signed up for the new NZ Freeview platform. At this stage they haven’t confirmed the name, but the rumour mill is suggesting it might be Triangle. The information is now also available on BCL’s own website.