YouView (was Project Canvas)

[Santa's Boyfriend]

Yay, yay and thrice yay!  Despite Sky and Virgin Media's attempts to stop it, YouView has just been given the approval to go ahead.  Is anyone else as excited about it as me?  It basically means iPlayer, 4OD and all the other channel play again services will be rolled into one service available for free on Freeview and Freesat.  It apparently means you'll be able to go through the tv guide to stuff that's already broadcast, click it and watch it.  It'll be able to build it in to freeview and freesat boxes, and presumably will be able to come to PS3 and Xbox at some point via a software update.  Sky's complaints were obviously motivated by it not wanting competition (and hating anything the BBC does), and Virgin offering watch again and VOD services that are frankly a bit shit.  But OfCom have managed to make a decision in the interests of the public despite obvious big business pressure.  No idea when this'll come about but it's been a long time coming and has obviously been what people wanted.

So YAY!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2010/oct/19/youview-ofcom-project-canvas

[Buchstansangur]

Are they really calling it YouView? Was ViewTube not available?

[Famous Mortimer]

Will I have to buy a new Freesat box or just plug it in for a software update?

[Santa's Boyfriend]

I suspect you'll need a freeview box with an internet connection, I don't see any other way of doing it - such technology surely requires a two way connection.

[Custard]

Great news, this. I've been waiting for the day when Iplayer finally arrives on Xbox Live, but this could the next best thing.