FrequencyCast UK - Show #01

A brief look at what we can expect from Hi-Def TV in the UK, and more on the BBC's plans for the first HD content. Footy fans will be gearing up for an expensive summer as they start buying new HD tellies, and signing up to Sky or Virgin Media (formerly Telewest) to make the most of new crisp clean images.

Pictured above is the Sky HD Box, which offer's the widest range of digital HD channels, and has a built-in digital recorder. HD TV in the UK

Got a wi-fi network at home? Then get a wireless bunny! Apparently, your life won't be complete without one of these 21st century online furbies - they connect into an existing wireless network, download your music and emails, and perform a whole load of useful features, while keeping you entertained with their cute little faces, little flashing light, and wiggling ears. Carl and Pete ran through the spec of the wabbit on the first show, and they plan to take a more detailed look when they're able to adopt one first hand.

For more on the unpronounceable Nabaztag and where to get your hands on them, check out gadget site firebox.co.uk. They're also available from Pixmania.co.uk

Update- We now have a Nabaztag - more on our Nabaztag page

Tune in just to hear how to pronounce IPTV, and how to confuse a Carl. IPTV represents TV over the Internet and will be competing for the top spot of 2006's most important TV four-letter-acronym.

IPTV will let you access a range of TV content using your Broadband connection, allowing you to download TV shows that you've missed, get movies on demand, and do a whole range of clever stuff. In the show, we look at what IPTV is, and what the major players are up to:

• BT Vision - Films and TV shows on a box that's free to BT Total Broadband customers
• TVMax - Launched in April 2006 by ISP Namesco's site.
• Tiscali TV - TV on demand, already up and running in parts of London (formerly Homechoice)
• Virgin Media (formerly Telewest and NTL) - Service is live in many of their Cable TV areas

This is the part of the show where we'll be talking to our listeners and site visitors. As it's the first one, and Skype has only just finished plumbing in our special phone line, we didn't have any calls or emails to run through, so we had a quick look in our forums for a couple of discussions:

• Speed Cameras - If you own a GPS SatNav unit, such as the excellent TomTom One, you can add a database of safety cameras onto the device and get a nice little warning beep when you're in danger of being naughty. If you're interested in installing the camera database, there's a handy set of instructions on the TomTom Camera page.
• Bye-Bye Men & Motors? - ITV has announced that any day now, it may be scrapping it's lads channel Men & Motors from the Freeview channel lineup, and replacing it with ITV Play, a new games channel. In the Radio and Telly forum, there's been a poll running - last time we looked, 83.3% of visitors said - "NO MORE QUIZ CHANNELS!". More

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