Freeview HD to get IPTV channels

Garry sent me a link to an article talking about new IPTV channels comes to Freeview HD. The channels are going to be broadcast via the internet and controlled via Freeview’s MHEG channels (BBC Red Button uses MHEG). The channels will be subscription based and eventually video-on-demand services and will work on Freeview HD boxes, I doubt it will work in Windows Media Center but it may as the standard is part of Freeview HD (which Windows Media Center is certified)

Garry is going to explain more on the podcast this week, checkout the post on theregister.co.uk for all the details.

Dozens of new television channels are coming to Freeview this month, thanks to clever use of the MHEG standard and the connectivity already built into every Freeview HD box.

The channels are already appearing on Freeview boxes – at 110, 111 and 120 in the EPG – but rather than broadcasting video streams those channels contain only MHEG applications. Come the end of September those applications will allow viewers to select from dozens of specialist channels accessed over the internet connection mandated by the Freeview HD standard.

The idea is to bring streaming video to every Freeview HD box in the country, and charge for it too. The system already being deployed allows for subscription channels, and there’s the potential (and intention) to provide video-on-demand services in the future.