"European ISPs are up in arms over the BBC’s new online TV player, iPlayer... Apparently the internet isn’t ready for IPTV. As the Financial Times reports Mary Turner, CEO of Tiscali UK says, “The internet was not set up with a view to distributing video. We have been improving our capacity, but the bandwidth we have is not infinite”."

And these people think it's bad... come to Australia! But it's definitely an issue, especially when HDTV streaming is around the corner, partially brought on by the HD-quality video push by Flash and Silverlight.

I got this in my email today - the iceTV guys are at it again. This time round, they're creating a social site around TV shows in Australia. The integration of the TV guide is pretty cool, and they've even reached out and included online video.

What would be really good though, is if they manage to get this functionality directly into people's set top boxes/PVRs. That way, when I'm watching a show, or about to watch it, I can post reviews, and even see instant responses to things happening in the show, IM style.

As expected, Sony just announced PlayTV, a combined TV tuner and PVR (think TiVo) for the PlayStation 3... PlayTV has two high definition tuners allowing you to watch one channel while recording another all in 1080p... You can store shows on your PS3 or transcode and transfer them to your PSP for viewing on the go and, speaking of PSP, you can use the handheld's Remote Play feature to program or watch your PlayTV while away from home."

Wow, Sony seems to be taking a different route to the Xbox, embracing traditional TV as well. Be interesting how integrated the whole thing would be, but definitely a plus for PS3 owners.

"In a landmark ruling against PBL, Justice Annabelle Bennett of the Federal Court of Australia has ruled in favour of IceTV in its dispute with Channel Nine... she said that IceTV in repurposing television program information, was not actually engaged in broadcasting but representing information that was not the copyright of the Nine network. This David and Goliath battle has been taking place since mid 2006."

Thank god our judges still have some sanity in them - bring it on EPG-equipped PVRs, even if they're 5 years late!

"RTA, the New South Wales road safety organisation, has released a follow up to the Australian Pinkies TV ad, this time with the frenetic pace associated with young male drivers. “Like gassing her up? Like getting it hectic? Like putting the pedal to the metal? Well speedsters have we got something for you! New extra extra small condoms!” The text: “Speeding - no one thinks big of you”."

It's nice to see government trying different angles, apart from all these 'shock tactic' ads, but after watching it somehow I don't think they get it just yet. mafmad.com.au is a great idea too.

"Here in the US (and 40 other countries), for the last 60+ years, Television Ratings have been managed by the Nielsen Media Research company... Surprise, we're a Nielsen Family, at least this week. An envelope showed up with three US$10 bills and this paper booklet. Ah, how retro... This is such a confusing system that Nielsen has actually put up a website dedicated to decoding the paper booklet! "

Wow. Why they aren't using their set-top box system I have no idea (the set-top box system is in use here, Australia).

Check out the press release under, "FREE TV NETWORKS USHER IN NEW ERA OF DIGITAL TV".

"In what will be a major boost to the take-up of free-to-view digital TV, commercial broadcasters will make their program listing information available to manufacturers of ...personal video recorders (PVRs) ... provided the equipment displaying the EPG complies with some base level requirements designed to protect copyright, protect the integrity of the program information and facilitate collection of ratings information."

Dragged kicking and screaming, but they're finally doing it. Just have to wait and see what restrictions they're imposing.

"Mitchell said he spoke to Channel Seven CEO David Leckie this morning who confirmed the deal: "The free-to-air TV networks have agreed to the programming guide," Mitchell said.

However, he said that this didn't mean that Foxtel, which sells the TiVo-like Foxtel iQ, would be able to use the programming guide information from Seven and Ten: "Not at the moment ... they hate each other." "

So the Tivo has all the FTA data, but no Foxtel data, but Foxtel has everything but Seven and Ten. So much for the one system for all device...

click to play

"MSNBC's Mika Brzezinski refuses to talk about Paris Hilton as a *Lead Story* on the Morning Joe show. Perhaps more people in the media & news outlets should TAKE her example and STOP following up on worthless news, and... in the event your TV/Radio station needs the ratings, DON'T put those stories as LEAD stories!"

Thank you, some one said it, and did it.