By Ian Neubauer
SYDNEY: Owners of selected Panasonic televisions and DVD recorders will from today be able to access a seven-day electronic digital TV guide to complement major broadcasters’ roll out of their Electronic Program Guide (EPG) service.
The guide will provide up to seven-day programming at no cost to users of Panasonic Viera plasma and LCD televisions with digital tuners and to users of the 2007 range of DVD recorders. Programming can be accessed by hitting the ‘Guide’ button on a Viera remote or the ‘programming’ function on the DVD recorder’s remote.
“As well as having a more entertaining viewing experience, never again will viewers need to spend ages looking under the couch for the lost TV guide,” said Panasonic director — consumer electronic group, Paul Reid, adding that the initiative would “deliver a better experience for the consumer and will ultimately result in further uptake of Digital TV in Australia.”
Channels Nine, Ten, Prime and NBN commenced broadcasting seven-day EPG data today. Southern Cross is expected to get onboard Nov 26. Channel Seven will not offer the service until New Year’s Day. WIN already offers EPG.