The BBC Trust has opened it's consultation into Project Canvas which is proposed to launch next year to coincide with the start of HD on Freeview (I thought it was supposed to start at the end of this year, anyway). Project Canvas brings internet content beyond just catchup TV to the set top box e.g. YouTube, internet radio and linear IPTV channels (including all BBC channels for those without digital TV yet. It's a set of open standards which content providers and box manufactures will adhere to. The content will be integrated into an "EPG".
Project canvas will initially come in two flavours Freeview HD and Freesat HD (and could be extended to others later e.g. games consoles, pay TV boxes etc., as it's an open standard). It's timed to coincide with the introduction of Freeview HD to reduce confusion, so it looks like all Freeview HD PVRs will be project canvas compatible.
The consultation talks about new hardware being required for both Freeview and Freesat so it looks unlikely that first generation Freesat+ boxes will/could be upgraded to it. A full specification hasn't been published AFAIK but it may include codecs or other features that aren't in the current Freesat hardware specs.
With this in mind, is buying a Freesat HD+ box this year a good idea or would I be better off sticking with Freeview+ until next year awaiting project canvas compatible Freesat+ boxes?
Project canvas will initially come in two flavours Freeview HD and Freesat HD (and could be extended to others later e.g. games consoles, pay TV boxes etc., as it's an open standard). It's timed to coincide with the introduction of Freeview HD to reduce confusion, so it looks like all Freeview HD PVRs will be project canvas compatible.
The consultation talks about new hardware being required for both Freeview and Freesat so it looks unlikely that first generation Freesat+ boxes will/could be upgraded to it. A full specification hasn't been published AFAIK but it may include codecs or other features that aren't in the current Freesat hardware specs.
With this in mind, is buying a Freesat HD+ box this year a good idea or would I be better off sticking with Freeview+ until next year awaiting project canvas compatible Freesat+ boxes?
