Patent Watch: Patent granted for showing non-program information in a program grid

Ok, I hope I'm confused about this one, as it definitely seems like a frivilous patent. Patent number 6,305,017 granted to United Video Properties, Inc. To quote the patent:

"The display grid in previously known interactive program guides has only been used to display program listings. If the user was interested in some other type of information, the user would have to exit the grid.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an interactive television program guide that displays selectable non-program options in the grid in addition to program listings."

Ok, IANAPL (I am not a patent lawyer) so can someone school me? This doesn't seem right to me for some reason...

Matter of fact, if you ARE good at understanding patents, and know how the patent system works, drop me a line. I'd like to be pointed to some good references and maybe ask you a question or two.

The Future of TV

Cover story in this month's issue of MIT's Technology Review!

After a half-century of television, you're still hostage to a few tired broadcasters.

Microsoft DRM Version-2 Cracked

To run along with a similar conversation I'm having with some folks over on the BBB, Microsoft DRM Version 2 has been cracked, and the software is already all over the Net. The creator of the crack is quoted from his documentation, and in the linked article as saying:

"I think the idea of limited time, full-length previews, or time-limited Internet-based rentals is excellent. If DRM was only used for this, in order to give us more options than we previously had, I would not have taken the effort to break the scheme. What is bad is the use of DRM to restrict the traditional form of music sale. When I buy a piece of music (not rent it, and not preview it), I expect (and demand!) my traditional fair use rights to the material."

Originally found via Slashdot.

Personal Video Recorder (PVR) Meets Video-On-Demand (VOD)

Apropos of an interesting exchange on the BBB Mailing List, this report from the Concurrent Computer Corporation explores the concept of the personal video channel (PVC), which marries the best of both PVR and VOD worlds.

Not only will the consumer be able to control live broadcasts, but will essentially experience TV-On-Demand by having up to a week’s worth of programming available for viewing at any time.

Brill to sell Inside.com, close magazine

No, it's not iTV, but it is media. Follow the demise of my favorite magazine with CNet's "big picture..."

Motorola Set-tops to Support MHP

Victory for OpenTV! I wonder if MHP will become the standard in the US...

An Introduction to Interactive Television

Courtesy of IBM, this overview of iTV outlines distribution and transmission technologies as well as set-top boxes and remote controls. A bit outdated, this overview should be required reading, nonetheless.

Hello everyone - I'm Dave Sanders, a new contributor to primetime. Hope to bring you some good stuff to chew on in the coming months! Shout to me at my email and let me know what you think, or what you hear! I want all the juicy gossip.

In the meantime, I'll bring you this: A U.S. Patent has been filed this year for "Systems and methods for providing promotions with recorded programs". Basically, methods for inserting commercials into your recorded programs, targetted towards PVRs. To follow up to Dan's post, two back, those 69% of users may actually get bombarded with MORE commercials in the near future, but those commercials will probably be more targetted to them. Hey, someone's gotta fund "When Rabid Chipmunks Attack Part IV."

Its U.S. Patent Number 20010029610. Find it here.

TV Predictions.com

From the author of TV dot com.

-- by way of Broadband Bananas Digital Television Mailing List

NextResearch -- The PVR Monitor

69% of PVR users say they always or often fast-forward through commercials

-- by way of ITV Marketer

Lamb, Green to Testify at Hearing

The cable industry is sending two industry leaders to battle broadcasters Thursday at a Capitol Hill hearing on the transition to digital television.

...

The National Association of Broadcasters conceded that about 30 percent of commercial stations will fail to meet the FCC's May 2002 digital-rollout deadline...

Resuscitating Interactive TV Retail

iTV Marketer reports that Forrester found commerce via television is in trouble. Wireless, according to a study from the ARC Group, won't have as many problems...

Digital Television Home Page

Don't let the title deceive you... This site has a couple of studies performed in the UK regarding the industry and the government's perspective on it. In particular, this site has a study conducted by the English Department for Culture, Media, and Sport that segments digital television viewers by likelihood of adoption. File this one under "wish I had more time to read..."

-- by way of Broadband Bananas Digital Television Mailing List