It was a rather slow week for IPTV and Internet TV headlines but in week 2 (or round 2 as we like to call it) Verizon continues to be the talk of the town as they roll out FiOS TV. Verizon came out this week announcing that they would accelerate availability of FiOS TV in Texas. Additionally, they sealed content agreements with MTV, BET, and Scripps.

Comcast returned fire with CEO Brian Roberts stating Comcast Corp.'s future in the cable business depends on offering more content to its subscribers, in many cases for free.

Will Verizon be successful in peeling away customers from the incumbent cable companies? Let us know your thoughts. In the meantime, grab a bag of popcorn and enjoy the show!

Here are some other interesting reads...

CNET News.com rolled out a Blog 100 list and TVover.net was selected as one of the hundred. "TVOver.net has been selected as part of the News.com Blog 100, a feature in which News.com editors and reporters are helping find the best news and views on the Web for the convenience of our readers." Among those listed, we were one of thirteen listed under the Digital Lifestyle category.

"With more than 14 million blogs in existence and another 80,000 being created each day, how is a person supposed to find the ones worth reading?"

"That is the question CNET News.com is attempting to answer with our first Blog 100 list."

Thanks to the folks at CNET and a big thanks to all our readers for helping make TVover.net what it is today. We're very excited to be on CNET's Blog 100 list and will continue promoting IPTV and Internet TV.

Many people receive the prompt "Do you want to save this file?" or "Save Target As" when clicking on a Internet TV station or media stream using an .ASX file. An ASX file is just a playlist linking to other media files.

The following steps will help resolve the issue in Windows Media Player.

In our latest enhancement to our Internet TV station directory, we've added a new tab called "Stay Tuned". With this tab we will keep viewers informed of recently added Internet TV stations, countries, and categories.

The second section of the new tab allows Internet TV stations to send us announcements on exclusive events, news, or special features.

Lastly, we will be featuring different stations each week that we feel are worth checking out.

As always, keep sending suggestions on additional Internet TV stations to add to our growing directory.

Top 10 Lists Moved, NOT Removed

No, no, we have not removed our "All Time Top 10" and "Last 7 Days Top 10" lists from the page. They have simply moved to the "Stay Tuned" tab. In either list, you can click on the station name to be taken to it in the directory.

More to come, stay tuned.

IMS Research estimates that by the end of 2005, nearly 14 million households worldwide will be capable of watching HDTV programming. By 2010, this market is forecast to reach over 87 million households.

Based on a recent study, The Future of High-definition Television, HDTV is becoming an important offering for cable and satellite TV providers. "More operators in competitive digital TV markets are starting to look towards HDTV as a way to attract and retain premium subscribers," commented Anna Hunt, research director at IMS Research. "One of the challenges these operators face will be providing content in HD that is different and not just upconverted from existing SD channels."

Amino announced that its award-winning, single-chip IPTV set-top box for H.264 video now offers full integration with the industry's leading middleware. The AmiNET124, which was launched in June 2005, is capable of running middleware from Alcatel, Kasenna, Orca Interactive and Thales. This enhanced interoperability will enable Telcos to deploy advanced H.264 IPTV services quickly with the reassurance that the customer premises equipment is proven and compatible with the rest of the network.

Expanded Leadership Team Sets Stage for Introduction of Company's New Internet Television Service

Brightcove today announced that About.com founder and Internet visionary Scott Kurnit will join its board of directors; former Lycos General Counsel Andrew Feinberg and former Macromedia Vice President Adam Berrey will also join the company's executive team.

"We continue to add new media veterans who bring experience and vision to Brightcove as we head into to the general release of our Internet TV service in the marketplace," said Jeremy Allaire, Founder and CEO of Brightcove. "We are committed to transforming the distribution of video and TV programming through the Internet, and we have assembled a team that has the skills and experience to make that vision a reality."

MTV Networks, BET and Verizon have announced that MTVN and BET will provide content for Verizon's new television service called FiOS TV. Through the agreement, FiOS will carry all MTV Networks and BET program services, including the MTV Networks recently launched services LOGO, MTV Desi, and several other program services in the MTV World group, as well as its recently announced high-definition channel, MHD. MTVN and BET programming will be available to all FiOS TV subscribers.

Although still in the early stages of deployment, IP video services in Asia Pacific are ramping up and will grow by nearly 80% annually through 2010, reports In-Stat. In-Stat forecasts that by 2010 this market's revenue will reach $4.2 billion. China, Japan, India and South Korea will account for the majority of regional growth, the high-tech market research firm says.

Optical Entertainment Network (OEN) announced that Amino will supply standard and high definition Set-Top Boxes (STB's) for FISION's fiber-to-the-Home (FTTH) Video service. Cambridge, United Kingdom based Amino, the leading provider of consumer premises equipment for broadband and IPTV based services, will deliver the first generation STB's for FISION, that will receive over 300 video channels including over 50 channels of High Definition Television (HDTV), video-on-demand (VOD) and original and specialty programming.

FISION is scheduled to launch in December 2005 in Houston, Texas, the 10th largest Television market in the U.S. In addition to delivering over 300 channels of entertainment programming, FISION will deliver High-Speed Internet at unprecedented speeds of 10 to 100 Mbps per subscriber. FISION will also provide IP Voice services including local and long distance services, to deliver on the promise of true convergence from one company.

Narrowstep Inc., the TV on the Internet Company, has secured a one-year contract to broadcast Your Destiny TV, currently a live psychic channel on SKY, on the Internet using Narrowstep's unique Television Operating System (TelVOS^TM).

A rainy Sunday afternoon, and it's an eternity until the next episode of the favorite series? At T-Online, kids no longer have to wait till the start of their TV program: because with Inspector Gadget, Jim Knopf, Action Man and Co. there's now all kinds of action, adventure and humor right on the home screen at the touch of a button. T-Online is expanding its entertainment program in the Video on Demand sector with addition of the popular children's series from its new cooperation partner JETIX. On launch of the JETIX channel at www.t-online.de/jetix ten exciting and amusing series are now on tap.

Alcatel today launches two new IPTV applications. The Alcatel 5900 AmigoTV application and the Alcatel 5900 MyOwnTV application will enable service providers to offer personal TV services to their customers. These applications — which combine content delivery, voice services and interaction — are designed to allow consumers to enrich their TV experience with personal and community-of-interest based content. Built upon the Microsoft TV IPTV Edition software delivery platform, these user-centric triple play applications will be available in the first quarter of 2006.

Verizon and Scripps Networks have come to terms for distribution of Scripps' popular lifestyle programming on Verizon’s new video product, FiOS TV.

FiOS TV, which launched Sept. 22 in Keller, Texas, will carry the broad portfolio of Scripps Networks' content – HGTV, Food Network, DIY Network, FINE LIVING, Great American Country (GAC) and Shop at Home – as well as video-on-demand programming. FiOS TV also will carry Scripps Networks’ new high-definition networks, HGTV-HD and Food Network-HD, which will be launched in early 2006.

Verizon filed for a state-issued franchise from the Public Utility Commission of Texas to offer Verizon FiOS TV service to 21 communities in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex.

The franchise will accelerate Verizon’s rollout of its new TV service to North Texas communities in its service area where fiber deployment is actively under way. By the end of 2006, FiOS TV will be available to nearly 400,000 North Texas households with over 1 million potential viewers.