Audio Video News

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.tivo.com">TiVo</A> and Britain's <A HREF="http://www.sky.com">Sky Broadcasting Group</A> (BSkyB) announced an alliance that the companies claim marks the introduction of personal television to the United Kingdom. According to TiVo, "state-of-the-art personal video recorders similar in size and shape to VCRs and digital set-top boxes will deliver the personal television service, which will be co-branded by TiVo and Sky." The companies say that products and services are expected to be available in retail outlets this fall, with pricing and distribution to be announced shortly.

Versatile, low-cost set-top boxes are coming soon, thanks to a joint venture announced February 23 by digital television software developer <A HREF="http://www.opentv.com/">OpenTV</A> and direct-broadcast satellite service <A HREF="http://www.echostar.com/">EchoStar Communications Corporation</A>. The device will incorporate both interactive features and a hard-disk recorder, and may be rolled out by EchoStar's DISH Network by the end of the year.

More than two-thirds of American television viewers get their programming by cable. They may soon be able to receive digital television signals over their existing systems, if all goes according to an agreement signed February 23 by the <A HREF="http://www.ce.org">Consumer Electronics Association</A> and the <A HREF="http://ncta.org/">National Cable Television Association</A>.

Most of us have had to return videos to the rental store, sometimes making a mad dash late at night while still in our loungewear or worse. But if you thought nobody was noticing, think again.

Welcome to <I>Mating Dance of the Giants</I>, brought to you by <A HREF="http://www.aol.com/">America Online</A> and <A HREF="http://www.blockbuster.com/">Blockbuster Video</A>. The world's largest Internet service provider (soon to be AOL Time Warner) and the world's largest video sales-and-rental chain are expanding the symbiotic relationship begun a few months ago. The two behemoths announced February 17 that their multi-year alliance will grow in several directions, all of them intended to cement their already unshakable grip on the marketplace.

Last week, <A HREF="http://www.ifire.com/">iFire Technology</A>, a subsidiary of Westaim, announced it has entered into a $25 million strategic partnership agreement with <A HREF="http://www.tdk.com/">TDK</A> for technology collaboration and production of iFire-based flat-panel displays. iFire claims to be developing an inorganic electroluminescent display technology, with applications targeting consumer markets and the automotive display sector.

The <A HREF="http://www.fcc.gov/">Federal Communications Commission</A> has turned down an appeal by a California-based Internet service provider hoping to piggyback its services on local cable television lines. <A HREF="http://www.ivn.net/">Internet Ventures, Inc.</A> had tried to exploit what it saw as a loophole in cable-access law that might have let the company use unallocated bandwidth for its Internet service.