Demand5
Latest
Sky+ update allows undeleting recorded shows, more on-demand and future Catch Up TV
Sky+ has been on a bit of a tear refreshing its set-top boxes, and it's not about to stop now. When ready, a new update for the satellite TV provider's devices will let you undelete recorded programs; deleted shows are now moved to a separate space and only removed permanently either through age or if you really, really don't want to watch. If you're more interested in watching content that's always available, both Anytime and Anytime+ will be rebranded as On Demand, while the Sky Guide is adding a dedicated store tab for movie rentals. Catch Up TV is also nearing with the update and should aggregate the last week's worth of shows from Sky in addition to BBC iPlayer, Demand 5 and ITV Player. The gotcha, as we know all too well from these kinds of firmware revisions, is the timing. You'll have to have either a Sky+ HD 1TB box or the Sky+ HD DRX890 to get the upgrade early on, and Sky is staggering its deployment in a move that could leave some subscribers twiddling their thumbs.
Freesat launches 'Free Time' TV Guide to help you waste yours
Freesat is launching a revamped TV guide to pull together content from your satellite dish and the Internet. Free Time has a unified now and next view that lets you search backwards for shows you've missed that are available on-demand. It currently supports BBC iPlayer and ITV player, with 4OD and Demand 5 due to be added before Christmas -- and while it's still a rumor at this point, we're expecting Netflix to arrive on the platform at some point in the future. The guide will form the centerpiece of the next generation of Freesat hardware, which will be available for £280 when it arrives later this month.
Microsoft rolls out more new Xbox 360 apps including UFC and Vudu
The Xbox 360's most recent dashboard update changed everything around again, but its ultimate effect will continue to be felt over the next few weeks and months as more apps trickle out and add more functionality. A few more selections just went live today, and include highly anticipated options like UFC's PPV app, and access to Vudu (pictured after the break -- also, there's no HDX support yet, just HD) movie streaming. That's not all however as they're also joined by 4 on Demand (UK), ABC iView (Australia), Dailymotion, Demand 5 (UK), plus M6 and MSN Video (France). Also recently announced are plans to bring Orange TV in France to the Xbox 360 in the spring with live streaming of thirty TV channels and VOD access later. For its part, Vudu is trying to entice new customers with a $4.99 credit towards their first rental or purchase, plus a few other promotional pricing incentives. Check the press release after the break for more details, or just power on your console to see the channels that are available in your neck of the woods.
