OpenMedia

OpenMedia have now launched a website dedicated to myPVR. This new website mypvr.co.nz will have all of the most up-to-date information on myPVR and where it stands in the world of freeview digital television.

OpenMedia is also pleased to announce that myPVR now ships with a dual core CPU as standard. By using AMD energy efficient CPUs we can provide the best levels of computing power, whilst maintaining a low system temperature.

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

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.

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.

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.