VMedia Launches Cloud-Based PVR

VMedia announced the availability of their cloud PVR service today. The update to enable the feature is expected to hit VMedia TV customers by the weekend.

The new recording capability is available to existing VMedia customers at no additional cost. Read on for details.

Are you ready for some streaming? A cord cutting guide to NFL Game Pass.

As an NFL fan, I never thought I would be able to part with my (outrageously priced) cable TV package. After looking at my latest Roger's bill, I decided it was time to explore alternatives. Boy, was I happy that I did!

Even with my expensive cable package, I'd rarely get to watch the game I wanted as I would only get up to three 1pm games even though I had 600+ channels.  Although I don't enjoy watching the Bills lose, I like to watch the game nonetheless.  Purchasing Sunday Ticket was always an option, but I felt like I was paying too much for cable as it was.

Enter NFL Game Pass!

Read on to see how Game Pass allowed me to drop cable but have a better NFL experience than before.

Tablo Sets its Sights on Cord Cutters

Canadian company Nuvyyo is hoping to cash in on the frustration many people have with the cost of cable/satellite TV by launching an over-the-air TV recorder. What's different about Tablo is that it's built from the ground up for the way many cord cutters and millennials already watch most of their TV shows - on a mobile device or streaming set-top box.

On Friday they launched an Indiegogo campaign aimed at rounding up beta testers and early adopters to help shape the product, which is expected to ship in 2014.

What's especially nice for Canadian cord cutters is that the product will support guide data for Canadian TV stations - something you often can't get without doing some wrangling in products aimed at the US market.

Hopefully I'll have more to say about Tablo in the near future, in the meantime, head on over to Indiegogo and show your support:

http://www.indiegogo.com/projects/tablo-dvr-enjoy-free-hdtv-on-any-device-anytime-anywhere

Canadian Government to Push TV Providers Toward Pick & Pay Pricing

One of the promises in the Canadian government's speech from the throne last Wednesday involved unbundling TV channels to give consumers more say in which channels they pay for. The actual wording was this:

"Our Government believes Canadian families should be able to choose the combination of television channels they want. It will require channels to be unbundled, while protecting Canadian jobs."

The text is understandably short on specifics, but most people take this to mean that the government, through the CRTC, will push TV distributors and channel owners to move to a "pick and pay" system where customers can choose individual channels rather than have bundles where it's impossible to avoid paying for channels they don't want. For the TV-viewing public this is a good move, but don't get too excited... it's going to take some time to get there, and it's extremely unlikely that you'll be able to subscribe to the 10-15 channels you watch and nothing else.

Read on for my thoughts on what has to happen and where I think we'll eventually end up.

Zazeen IPTV Begins Commercial Service

In January I wrote about Zazeen's plans for a TV service that uses your Internet connection to deliver the signal - see Zazeen - shaking up the Canadian TV landscape. Since then they've been busy working to clear technical and business-related hurdles, and after 10 long months, they've finally launched.

The service became commercially available on October 1st for Quebec customers, and October 15th for those in Ontario.

Shaw Direct's Free TV Program Nears Its End

Just a reminder: Shaw Direct's free satellite offer for those affected by the transition from analog to digital over-the-air TV signals ends November 30th 2013.

You can read more about Shaw's LTSS (Local Television Satellite Solution) in this blog post: Free TV

VMedia kiosks coming to Canada Computers Stores

VMedia announced a partnership today with Canada Computers that will see VMedia kiosks in Canada Computer stores. They'll launch in 16 of Canada Computers’ Ontario stores and will allow customers to see VMedia's IPTV service for themselves, purchase the VBox set top device, and order TV and Internet service right from the kiosk.

This is great news for cord cutters that want to hang on to some conventional broadcast TV but are reluctant to try something from a new company like VMedia sight-unseen.

You can view the full press release on VMedia's web site: Canada Computers and VMedia Form Strategic Partnership