bt vision

Due to the large volume of news generated by last week's 2012 International Consumer Electronics Show (CES), we are covering stories in this issue in round-up/summary format. We anticipate that it will take us several more days to process all the news from the show: so if your company has sent us a press release or briefed us on an announcement, and you don't yet see your news covered in this issue, please bear with us.

Because the [itvt] editorial team has been working on TVOT NYC Intensive 2011, we are covering stories in this issue in round-up/summary format.

Here is a round-up of some other interactive TV-related stories we didn't have room for in this issue.

[itvt]'s daily news coverage went on hiatus October 18th in order to allow our editorial staff to work full time on TVOT NYC Intensive. This issue contains a round-up of some of the major interactive TV-related news stories that have broken since then. Due to the volume of news we are covering in this issue, our summaries of each item are somewhat more abbreviated than usual (note: extensive background information on most of the companies and technologies covered in this issue can be found by using itvt.com's search functionality). We apologize for any inconvenience to our readers.

Here is a round-up of some other recent interactive TV-related stories that we didn't have room for in this issue:

UK incumbent telco, BT, said Monday that it has signed a contract with BSkyB for the wholesale supply of the latter's Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 channels. The channels will be made available, via digital terrestrial, on BT's hybrid DTT/IP platform, BT Vision, the IP element of which is powered by Microsoft's Mediaroom software. They are slated to launch August 1st--i.e. in time for the August 14th kickoff of the UK Premier League soccer season.

The [itvt] editorial team is on the road this week, so we are covering most stories in round-up/summary form, and we anticipate that there will be some additional interruptions of our regular news publishing schedule beyond that. We apologize in advance for any inconvenience to our readers.

Project Canvas--an initiative that sees 1) UK public service broadcasters, the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Five, 2) UK ISP's, BT and Talk Talk, and 3), as of last week, UK broadcast transmission company, Arqiva (see the article published on itvt.com, March 23rd), partnering in order to attempt to develop a common standard and interface for the delivery of online catch-up services such as the BBC iPlayer, the ITV player and 4oD, as well as other Internet-based services (including VOD and interactive TV widgets), to broadband-connected Freeview and Freesat set-top boxes (note: the partners in Project Canvas would run the platform,

Because the [itvt] editorial team is busy working on The TV of Tomorrow Show (March 3rd-4th in San Francisco) and on our new, post-TVOT EBIF Intensive event (March 5th in San Francisco), we are covering a number of stories in this issue in summary form:

UK incumbent telco BT announced Monday that it has signed an agreement with Sony Pictures Television that will give BT Vision, its Microsoft Mediaroom-powered, interactive TV-enabled hybrid IPTV service (note: the service is enabled via a hybrid set-top box that allows viewers to access linear channels from the UK's free-to-air digital terrestrial platform, Freeview, alongside IP-delivered on-demand and interactive content), VOD rights to a range of the latter's new-release and library movies.

UK incumbent telco BT announced Tuesday that BT Vision, its Microsoft Mediaroom-powered, interactive TV-enabled hybrid IPTV service (note: the service is enabled via a hybrid set-top box that allows viewers to access linear channels from the UK's free-to-air digital terrestrial platform, Freeview, alongside IP-delivered on-demand and interactive content), has launched an interactive TV dating service in partnership with Match.com.

In a surprise development, Dan Marks has announced his resignation as CEO of BT Vision, UK incumbent telco BT's Microsoft Mediaroom-powered, interactive TV-enabled hybrid IPTV service (note: the service is enabled via a hybrid set-top box that allows viewers to access linear channels from the UK's free-to-air digital terrestrial platform, Freeview, alongside IP-delivered on-demand and interactive content). He is expected to leave at the end of the month, and will be replaced by his deputy, Marc Watson.

UK incumbent telco, BT, has signed a deal with NBC Universal
International Television Distribution that will make a range of the
latter's feature films available on the new HD movie service of BT's
Microsoft Mediaroom-powered hybrid DTT/IPTV service, BT Vision.
Movies covered by the deal include new releases such as "The
Incredible Hulk," "Wanted" and "Charlie Wilson's War," and library
titles such as "ET," "Shaun of the Dead" and "Miami Vice." BT
Vision's HD service is delivered through the platform's existing V-box
and does not require an additional monthly subscription: new releases
are priced at £4.95 and library titles at £2.95, for a 48-hour rental
period.