Tiscali launches TISCALI TV a television channel, transmitted over IP network and received directly on home TVs, will initially be available in the Cagliari, Milan and Rome areas and will be free until 31 March 2008. The service combines IP and DTT television programming and will be gradually expanded across Italy over the coming year.

TISCALI TV liberates the format
Innovation and simplicity. This combination has always characterised Tiscali research into products and services that respond to the most diverse and complex needs of human communication, while making use as friendly as possible. These two basic characteristics have resulted in Tiscali TV, a simple, ample, dynamic and democratic television whose primary objective is to give viewers their favourite programming, whenever they want it, with no restrictions on air times or assortment. This is how Tiscali TV liberates the television format.

Thanks to the Time Shifting feature, the entire programming format of the key generalinterest channels is available to viewers for 48 hours. This means that you’ll never miss another programme and you won’t have to worry about remembering to tape your favourite show for later viewing. Tiscali takes care of all that for its viewers. Shifting from a live programme to a taped programme is simple: the EPG – Electronic Program Guide, is simple and interactive, and incorporates live and taped programmes into a single interface.

Thanks to the EPG, the Video On Demand feature is also extremely simplified so that television viewers can select the film they want to see from an assortment of suggested features, or from the wider complete film library, simply by pressing the green button on the remote control. It is that easy — just press a button and the show will begin.

Furthermore, for viewers who are interested in “tailor-made” television, it is possible to set up a personalised programme schedule: by simply selecting the programmes of interest by pressing the yellow button on the remote control, you can build a personal programme schedule in My TV. Several different viewers can use this feature: each member of the family can create his or her own personalised television schedule.

Thanks to the broad band of connections to the Internet that Tiscali offers and the quality of its proprietary network, as well as the technology incorporated into the set-top box that comes with the service, Tiscali TV offers exceptional viewing quality for linear channels as well as for Video On Demand channels. The quality is so high that it can even support highdefinition viewing. Tiscali decoders are already completely HD compliant.

Tiscali TV: 5 key theme areas and use for democratic and original viewing

Area Bambini

• The new interactive channels for kids use an original and amusing graphic environment: including Scamp (for small children), Flipper (for young school-aged kids) and Teens, for adolescent viewers.
• The best RAI and international BBC content and Entertainment Rights shows (Teletubbies, Winx, Cosmic Cowboys and others).
• Channels, programmes and graphics specifically designed to appeal to school-aged and pre-school kids.
• An easy-to-use, colour-coded remote control (Telemio) which allows kids to choose programmes in their own viewing area, while giving their parents peace of mind.
• Plus, educational programming and shows to help kids learn a foreign language. There is also a “sleepy time” area with programmes selected to help smaller children get ready for naptime.

Area Cinema

• Segmentation into theme channels with a view to meeting the needs of various types of viewers: Movies Now for Hollywood blockbusters, Cineclub for indie films, Horror Park for horror film buffs, and Movies Central for a complete listing of all the movies available on Tiscali TV.
• Special airings by genre and special events to enhance and facilitate best use of the vast video library.
• Promotion of certain films through the use of previews and interactive trailers to help viewers make informed selections.
• Film and features by the European and American majors.
• Special channels such as Fandango TV, which offers viewers the best selections of the major Italian and international film production companies.

Area Musica

• VMX, the highly recognised music channel created by Tiscali UK, is making its debut in Italy. VMX offers subscribers a completely innovative music television experience. Its numerous channels are divided by genre and offer playlists designed by the world’s leading VJs. Viewers can select the video clip they want to see or their favourite artist on each channel, or they can create a music video selection best suited to any given moment of the day.
• A channel devoted to live concerts by the most famous international artists and special in-depth features on the stars that have made music history.
• Material by the leading international labels.
• Plus, other channels will be added shortly, including channels dedicated to jazz and classical music, in addition to a Karaoke channel.

UGC

• Your TV, innovative channel dedicated to User Generated Content, which was conceived for and by television viewers. It gives the nod to the Internet-television convergence.
• Mondomotori, Io Viaggio, Chef, Doc Tv, and Cortociak — new channels designed to bring together the best of the network and become benchmarks for professionals in the video industry, giving them a new platform to market their works.

10' TV

• New 10’ TV
• Rapid viewing of short features, ranging from 2 to 10 minutes.
• Entertainment, comedy, sports, cinema and variety programming.
• An innovative format, designed for people with little time to spare and who want pure entertainment, as well as younger viewers who are used to watching videos over the Internet and on their mobile phones. It is also ideal for zappers who like to change channels frequently.