The Corrie Connection...

So unless you live in a cave you must of heard by now that the so called “freeview” channels will be disappearing from the screens of expats in southern Spain. Yes we have heard it before and there was the big panic at Christmas in 2012 they came to nothing (although Ch5 and their related channels did become unavailable).

This time it is official and it is a matter of (short) time before we wake up one morning to find a blank screen where Susanna Reed and the BBC breakfast team once sat.

For some this will make little or no difference, the BBC news channel or other English speaking news broadcasts are available through the same satellite as the Spanish channels. Others are not that concerned with TV and / or can speak Spanish well enough for it not to upset their routine. But what about the rest of the expat community down here?

Let´s get things straight, Sky is not going to disappear Mr Murdock knows a good thing when he sees it . God know how many 100 of thousands of British living in Spain either full time or have second homes the demand for English speaking TV is high and people will pay.

But when I say Sky won´t disappear I refer to the channels you pay Mr Murdock a subscription for, so your Sky1, Sky Atlantic, Dave, the Movies and the Sports will all remain safe. The channels that will no longer be viewable are the ones considered Freeview in the UK, so the BBC´s, ITV´s and so on.

When will it all happen??

Well the satellite is moving into position as we speak check our post “Get ready for a change to the way we watch TV” to get the full picture. But the short answer is very soon......

Will you be ready?

There are a lot of companies offering services to fill the hole in your TV viewing that the BBC is going to leave and Future Lifestyle have looked at most of these to see how they stack up to each other.

We have been looking at each service and evaluating the following: -

• ·         Ease of use
• ·         Strain on your internet connection
• ·         Content
• ·         Extra features
• ·         Customer service
• ·         And of course price.

Fear not... we will not let you  miss out on Coronation Street or be left out of the loop of Celebrity Big Brother. We have put our name behind three different types of service that we believe will full fill everyone’s needs and budgets.

Call us today to find out what system suits you best or to book a site survey...
  
t: +34 952 830 936 
e: info@futurelifestyle.es

Satellite news, am I going to lose out?

We have recently found out that the new satellite commissioned to carry the BBC, ITV, Ch4 and Ch5 signals has been fitted with a UK Spotbeam. 

So what does this mean exactly? Well let’s not get too technical here and keep it to the points you need and want to know.

So why are they changing satellites? Like any technology satellites have a shelf life and the current satellite was due to be decommissioned early next year.

What is a spot beam? Much like a spot light in a theatre, a satellites spot beam will highlight only one area of the “stage” and not flood the whole area.

Predicted UK Spotbeam footprint

 What will happen to my TV channels? That´s the million € question really. Until the satellite is in place and transmitting no one can be a 100% sure. For UK residents the transition should be seamless and will not notice the changeover. However for people living outside the UK the signal may be weakened or lost altogether. Viewing some channels (BBC ect) may no longer be possible. 

Why are they moving to a spot beam? Well to be honest its pure speculation on our part, as you can image there is no official word as officially UK TV is not available outside the British Isles.

Firstly there are broadcasting rights, copyrights and territories. Program are produced and are paid to be shown in certain territories. They are unhappy that people are getting to view their hard work for free.

Also, as we all know in the UK we pay the licence fee for BBC TV and radio programmes to be made and broadcast. People outside the UK are not liable to pay the licence fee, which when you times the £145.50 fee by these people works out to be a pretty penny.

When is this going to happen? No fixed date has been given, but the satellite is already in the air and over the next week will be slowly moving into position. Then it will be broadcasting test transmissions for a short while before the switch over.

What next? Future Lifestyle with our team of satellite engineers will be carrying out signal tests once the satellite is in position to see the effect of the signal. We will report back our findings and post them on our Facebook page and blog. 

What are the alternatives?  With the growth of online content and internet enabled devices such as TV´s, games consoles and media centres, IPTV is going to become best way to receive English speaking entertainment.

At Future Lifestyle we have been great champions of IPTV and online content in general. You become the chief executive of your own TV station, watching the programs or movies when and where you want. One thing that has plagued the residents of Marbella is low internet speeds, however that could be about to change (read our fibre optic rumour blog).

We are always looking forwards so that we can bring our clients the latest home technology solutions. From the latest flat screen TV´s to complete home automation systems we can help you every step of the way.

Have a look at the services we offer on our website and “like” our Facebook page to keep up to date with all our latest news and offers.

IPTV for Spain

Coming to Spain soon will be a new IPTV platform called Woomi. It aims to make streaming movies and television shows as simple as channel hopping. At first it will be available as an app for Samsung’s Internet@TV and Smart TV televisions, which Future Lifestyle are great fans of. Woomi corrals a diverse collection of content channels for easy browsing and uses metadata for dynamic, intelligent searching.

The  founder Ian Valentine has said. ‘Woomi is the engine that enables a wide variety of content providers to stream directly to your TV. Small film labels and content owners that don’t have the resources to develop their own apps (as well as larger brands that don’t feel a need too) will use Woomi. We make it very easy for them to build a business. For viewers this means a broad selection of free and low-cost PPV TV shows and movies available with just a few clicks of the TV remote control.’

The company says it is currently in advanced discussions with other portal owners to take the service. One TV maker which has signed up is Vestel, the largest OEM supplier of TVs in Europe. Vestel is responsible for manufacturing screens and set-top boxes for a wide range of household brands including Alba, Grundig and Bush. Vestel product manager Chris Jones told HCC that Woomi would be included on its upcoming connected TV models. Vestel is partnering with Yahoo to usher in a new Yahoo Connected TV platform to more than 40 countries this year. In addition to Woomi, these sets will also include Facebook, Twitter, Sky News and Ebay apps.

So what’s Woomi have to offer?
Woomi may not be the place to go for the latest blockbuster movie releases, but the service does offer a diverse range of content for those with more eclectic tastes: EZ Takes offers long-forgotten horror movies, foreign material and animation; Disclose.tv is dedicated to weird WTF news; Box Office 365 offers classic TV shows, including cult favourite The Prisoner, while Sail TV specialises in nautical programmes. TV rentals start at 99p, with most films pegged at £1.99. All content is standard-definition, but quality varies. Some providers offer so-called HQ streams with higher bitrates. These have the potential of approaching DVD clarity. 'It’s entirely up to the content provider at what quality level they intend to stream,' says Valentine.

One aspect of the Woomi service which is compelling is its cross-channel recommendations. For example, choose to rent (for 24 hours) the 1939 animated version of Gulliver’s Travels and in the main menu’s recommendation bar you’ll be given the option of watching the trailer for Jack Black’s recent remake.

As the year progresses we will see the lines between the TV and the internet blur even more. More and more flat screens have the capability to surf the internet (although not always easy with the remote) and as bandwidth gets larger we will still increase in service like this. We say bring it on!!!.......the days of the satellite dish may be drawing to a close.........

Future of Home Entertainment part 2

Following on from our media player basics here is part 2. 

In this post we will cover what you will need to start unleashing your media from your PC. If you already have an internet connection and a computer then you´re half way there, why not contact Future Lifestyle to help you get the most out of the internet and your stored media.

The great thing about this form of entertainment is that it can be retro fitted into your home using wireless routers and extenders. However if you are about to build a new house or undertake some renovation work on your home, a little forward thinking about your home network will ensure you will get the best out of next generation of home entertainment. 

Here is what you’ll need:

  

Digital media files. You´ll need content—photos, and/or music and movies.  

Content can come from any number of sources: 

• Download photos and movies from your digital camera or digital camcorder. 
• Download photos from friends and family from photo sharing websites like Picasa or from emailed photos.
• Copy music CDs, or use a device to record from vinyl record albums or cassette tapes.
• Download movies from the Internet, or digital versions of movies included on DVD/Blu-ray Discs. Note: digital versions of movies may be copyright-protected and may not be compatible with many network media players.

Storage. The content must be stored on your computer(s) or a networked attached storage (NAS). When deciding where to store your files, consider:

• The benefit of a media server or a NAS is that you don’t have to leave your computer turned on in order to access your files.

• If you store your files on your computer, you will also need to turn on media streaming or acquire special software:  

A router that connects to the computers you want to include on your network. A router is a device that creates a path for all of your computers and network devices to talk to one another. The connections can be wired, wireless or both. 

Most internet providers will supply you with a modem / router combination, however these standard routers are not always the best for coverage or handing large amounts of data transfer. So spending a little on a good router is always advisable, you wouldn´t build your new home on an unstable foundation would you? 

Connection to the router, either wireless or wired. Connect your computers and devices to the router either with Ethernet cables or wirelessly.  Most laptops come with a built-in wireless card. For desktops and NAS devices, you will probably need to connect by means of cables.  

If you connect devices or computers wirelessly to see each other and communicate, they all must be on the network of the same name.  The available networks will appear in a list of selections, both on computers and when setting up a wireless connection on a network media player. Make sure you have the correct network name and any passwords when setting up the connection.

Forego Configuration Hassles by Using a Wired Connection

The easier and more reliable way to connect is to use an Ethernet cable to connect your device or network media player to the router.  If you have a newer home with whole-home in-wall Ethernet wiring, you will simply connect your Ethernet cable to your device or computer and then plug the other end into the wall outlet.

However, if you don’t have built-in Ethernet cabling in your home, it is doubtful that you would want to add cables running from room to room.  Instead, consider a powerline Ethernet adaptor. By connecting a powerline adaptor to any wall electrical outlet, it sends data over your home’s electrical wiring as if it were Ethernet cables.

Once you have set up your network, connect your media player to your TV and loaded your content you are ready to start enjoying what we believe is the way we will all watch TV in the future. There will be no more need for huge satellite dishes on your roof or the picture breaking up due to bad weather, the power of the internet and world wide entertainment will be at your fingertips.

To find out more about unleashing the power of the entertainment on your PC or the internet contact the Future Lifestyle team on +34 902 107 227 or email them at info@futurelifestyle.es.

It is getting nearer..............

Unless you have been living under a technological rock you should be aware that Google threw its hat into the internet TV ring sometime ago.... with promises of a full interactive web service for your TV .

Google and Intel have teamed with Sony to develop a platform which is based on its Android operating system for cellphones. This they hope will encourage software developers with the same creativity that the consumers have seen in phone apps.


Well it is getting closer to becoming a reality .... last week  Sony has unveiled its first products based on Android technology, using Google to add Internet functionality to TV and BD models.
The Google TV system comes with a hand-held RF QWERTY-type keypad remote control incorporating an optical mouse to simplify content navigation.

Launch partner Logitech announced a Google TV set-top box, along with remote control handsets and keyboards. The Google TV system runs the Google Chrome browser and features an Intel Atom processor. It's designed mainly to enable searching for TV content across the Internet, using technology developed in part by Rovi. Other built-in applications including Netflix, Android Market, CNBC, Gallery Player, Napster, Netlife, Facebook, Pandora and Twitter.

Sony's Mike Abary said "We're combining the power of HDTV, the power of the full Internet, and the power of apps to create a seamless experience. TV and Internet together at last. Systems in the past have failed because they held back the success of the Web on TV."

Features include support for customised homepages, Google-powered playlists of favourite videos and music, creation of personal radio stations via Pandora, access to music via Napster and photo galleries using photo-sharing sites or mobile phones.

Although not a new idea, the muscle behind this product should surely set the standard of future  home entertainment. Not set for a European launch until next year, all eyes will be on the states to see how successful this new interface will be.

To keep up to date with all of the new technologies for your home why not sign up for the Future Lifestyle newsletter or browse our website to see how we may help you upgrade your lifestyle.......

Apple tries to take over your entertainment world......

Steve Jobs and his AppleTV believe they have reinvented the way we watch TV in the future...With the new AppleTV it is possible to rent individual television episodes it appear to be a great solution for the consumer. Why then are so few television studios backing the idea? Right now only Fox and ABC are on board. So where are all the other studios?

Some prominent studio executives are staying away from Apple and this deal - and it doesn't look like they will be warming up to it anytime soon. Why?? Because Apple is trying to do to the television industry what it did the music industry, and the networks isn´t going down too well. Selling TV shows by the episode is a little too much for some television executives to digest. They see what Apple did to music and view them as a threat to their best profit centers for television shows, including home video and syndication.

The iTunes store and the iPod have been a revolution in the way the consumer experiences music. Thanks to Apple - gone are the days of sitting down to listen to an album start to finish, or even in its entirety at all for that matter. Drop the songs you want into a playlist and head out, sync it around your home or beyond. Or if that is too much work or too much time to waste, there is even the option to let iTunes make lists for you with the Genius function. Everything has become about convenience to the consumer. Even if it is at the expense of the quality of the audio. For many consumers, especially younger ones, there is no real need to buy an album any more. Don't like the third track? Don't buy it. Buy all the songs you want a la carte and play them in any order you want. Never mind what the intention of the artist was. Instant gratification in low definition is what music retail has become in an Apple driven marketplace.

Nobody is more worried about the role of iTunes more than television studios. Today's television studios make a great deal of revenue from the sale of their properties on DVD, Blu-ray and even via download. This new system Apple is putting into practice allows consumers to pick an episode and watch it, whenever they want, for a pretty low price of $0.99 per rental. This is ground breaking pricing and distribution but television and the Internet compete in ways that the Compact Disc and the Internet never really did. Yes, there was Napster but the legal and convenient way Apple sold music brought people back into the fold. With television - you have a more direct competition for distribution method and many don't want Steve Jobs to own that.

There are other venues that allow television content providers to sell their products in ways that pay differently than Apple. However, Jobs has a way taking control or whatever he sets his sights on and right now he has his eyes set on television content. With the success of the iPad, iTunes, and the lowering of the price of Apple TV - he might again win. If he were to make an Apple app for today's TVs to compete with the likes of Cinema Now and many other download services - he'd have an even more compelling argument as to why he owns so many distribution channels. The studios may then very well have to fold and give him the content.

So, has Apple finally solved the "second box" problem, or are they still struggling to turn this hobby into a real business?

AppleTV isn´t the only option out there if you want to stream video content directly to your TV. Contact Future Lifestyle

Sony steps into the future....

Sony's newest announcement from the pre-IFA press conference was the launch of their Qriocity network service platform. This new service will provide streaming music and movies to Sony’s network-enabled devices.

Sony´s European president said, “Via Qriocity, Sony will deliver a variety of digital entertainment content and services that are “powered by Qriocity”. This will include video, music, game applications, and e-books over time, and through these services, and in combination with its networked devices, Sony aims to bring new and exciting entertainment experiences to customers.”

Qriocity will be a 'cloud'-based service offering hundreds of movies on demand from top Hollywood studios and local content providers, plus the Music Unlimited service with access to thousand s of music tracks and synchronisation to Sony networked devices. 'This will change the way in which we all enjoy our digital music' he predicted.

Available here in Spain and the UK in the autumn, Qriocity media providers include 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment, Lionsgate, MGM, NBC, Paramount Pictures, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment, Walt Disney and Warner Bros. Movies will be available in HD and SD, and can be rented for 14 days.
Prices have yet to be announced. Network-enabled BRAVIA TVs and Blu-ray Disc players, Blu-ray home cinema systems and the PlayStation 3 will support the service, with portable devices to follow.

This is just another example of the way Future Lifestyle believe we will all be enjoying our media at home in the near future. Soon unsightly dishes on the exterior of our homes will be a thing of the past as we stream and download everything from the internet.
Are you interested in what the future holds and how we can improve your home entertainment experience today? Contact us and book a free consultation to see what the future may hold............

Internet TV is coming

Speaking at the pre-IFA press conference in Berlin, Sony CEO Sir Howard Stringer announced the world's first true TV/internet combination, designed in cooperation with Google. He also emphasised Sony's progress with 3D in TVs, BD players and projectors.

Details are a bit sketchy, but Stringer called this 'an important strategic alliance to bring the first true internet TV to the market', and emphasised that the un-named product would allow full Internet browsing and TV viewing at the same time.

Using the Android operating system and Intel processing, the TV would need some form of internal storage to operate with web browsers, though the form this would take, whether HDD or solid-state memory, is not yet clear.

The set is due for launch as soon as Christmas in the US, with a UK availability date should be released soon.

Sony spokesmen could only say that the TV would 'not incorporate any groundbreaking screen technology', and that Google's search expertise would be used to make sure that internet searches would yield results appropriate to the TV platform - so for instance a search for 'Mad men' would show sites about the TV series, rather than just any sites associated with the key words.

The development of the 'Google TV' will apparently not affect Sony's commitment to the Bravia Internet platform which offers access to selected services from a range of content providers.

For more infromation or to keep up to date with all the latest home entertainment trends join the Future Lifestyle mailing list at www.futurelifestyle.es