No TiVo In Australia!
According to this article, (subscription required, unless you go through Google) Australia copyright law has prevented PVR makers such as TiVo from using guide data. In other words, no PVR maker has emerged in Australia because under current law, it is illegal to use raw programming data!
The TV networks control who gets program guides in Australia because the courts here apply a different copyright law to that in America. A seminal case called Telstra v Desktop Marketing, in which Telstra prevented that company reusing the White Pages, has resulted in copyright in Australia applying to raw data.
Can you imagine this? Here in the USA, people were complaining that the FCC basically determined whether or not TiVo could release new technology (TiVoToGo)! It looks as though the Australians have a long way to go before they start seeing any TiVo like technology.
August 1st, 2007 at 3:40 am |
In 2008, TIVO will be in Australia.