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BBC iPlayer will require a TV licence from September
For years, people have used BBC iPlayer as a way to avoid the licence fee. If you watched everything on-demand, rather than tuning in live, it meant you didn't have to pay the age-old subscription. The British government has wanted to close this so-called "iPlayer loophole" for some time and, finally, their wish is being granted. From September 1st, you'll need a licence fee for anything TV-related by the BBC. It doesn't matter which device you use -- smartphone, PC or set-top box -- everything will count.
BBC warned that the licence fee may soon come to an end
The licence fee that funds most of the BBC's programming has long been a contentious issue in the UK. For some, it's a safeguard for the broadcaster's most valuable work, while for others it's an increasingly outdated and unfair tax, penalising those who only want to watch other channels. Today the UK's Culture, Media and Sport Committee weighed into the debate, declaring that it doesn't see "a long-term future" for the licence fee in its current form. It admitted there were few viable alternatives for the fee in the near-term, but emphasised the current model was becoming "harder and harder to sustain."
PSB rolls out a whole new Image-series speaker lineup
There's no shortage of quality loudspeaker brands that come to the US from its neighbor-to-the-north, and the incremental improvements to longstanding models flowing across the border usually goes without notice. But when updates are made across an entire product series, it deserves mention -- as in the case of PSB updating its Image lineup (not to be confused with its Imagine speakers). All in, there are eight new models that can blanket your HT setup: T5 ($899) and T6 ($1,199) floorstanders, B5 ($399) and B6 ($499) monitors, B4 ($299) sub-compact/surrounds, C4 ($275) and C5 ($375) center channels, and S5 ($799) bipolar surrounds. The Image lineup has always been value-conscious, so all those prices are per pair -- not the cheapest, but you've got to pay for quality. Interested? Hit that link for details.
PSB pushes out Imagine loudspeakers, leaves nothing to the imagination
PSB is noticeably proud of being based in Canada, but its patriotism is just slightly overshadowed by the pride put forth in the construction of its new Imagine line of loudspeakers. On course for a CEDIA debut, the Imagine crew consists of the Imagine T three-driver tower, Imagine B two-way bookshelf, Imagine C dual-woofer center channel and the Imagine S dual-two-way surround. The new family is available as we speak, though they aren't for the short-on-cash crowd; the C alone is $800, while the floodstander rings up at two large per pair. Full release (with all the juicy details) is just after the break.
