Currently in beta with 5000 subscribers, here’s what we know:

• It’s free with a subscription
• You authenticate up to three devices through Comcast.net or Fancast.com
• Video playback on Move Networks player
• Video on Demand content, though no word on HD content
• Streaming will count against Comcast’s 250GB monthly bandwidth caps

But don’t take our word for it. Watch the whole interview with Comcast’s Amy Banse here:

[NewTeeVee via mediaexperiences2go via Engadget]

The full story is over at Wired, and is quite interesting, but one of the effects achieved was to basically reverse Parkinson’s disease in mice. You should head over to find more, including what they’ll do to get around the need to thread fibre through your skull. [Wired]

The solution to connecting your older Firewire 400 gear is an easy one. You buy a converter. No news here, really, they’ve been out for a while. What is news is that Newertech has announced a cheap converter. We like that it doesn’t have a cable attached. It just modifies your existing Firewire cable. Better than having another length of cable to carry about.

Newertech’s pricing is $US12.99. Locally that translates to $22.90 at MacFixIt.

Shopping around we found that Moshi’s converter, a similar product but with a short length of cable, is going at epowermac for $19.95. Even cheaper.

Being Monsters, you know they’re gonna cost a ton. Four feet of “high speed” SuperThin cable has a suggested price of $US90, going up to $US100 for 8 feet, and $US120 for 16 feet. Standard speed cables start at $US80 for 1 meter, $US90 for 2 meters, $US100 for 4 meters and $US120 for 5 meters. I’ll leave the judgments to you guys in the comments.

Monster Introduces Breakthrough “SuperThin Cable™ for HDMI™”
— Developed in Collaboration with RedMere, New Powered SuperThin Cables for HDMI Are
Ideal for Elegant Flat-Panel TV Installations and Use with Mobile HD Devices —

New York, NY, June 10, 2009 – Monster, the world’s leading manufacturer of cables,
AV accessories, and power conditioning products, today announced the introduction of
a new line of “Powered” SuperThin Cables™ for HDMI™ Cables specifically designed
for use with a wide variety of electronics devices, ranging from today’s super-slim flat-
panel TVs to digital video cameras, home theatre systems, gaming systems or portable
computers. The new Monster SuperThin Cables for HDMI are the first fruits of a
recently announced collaboration with RedMere, a leader in advanced silicon chip
development. Monster Super Thin Cable for HDMI products will be available in 4-, 8-,
and 16-foot versions in the DigitalLife line of products (DL HDMI HSMI-4, DL HDMI
HSMI-8, DL HDMI HSMI-16).Monster’s Core line of cables for HDMI will also offer a
SuperThin cable design in 1, 2, 4 and 5 meter lengths.

HD Signals Are Boosted in the Cable Itself
With the introduction of SuperThin Cable for HDMI, Monster is continuing to follow
through on its commitment to provide consumers with a comprehensive range of high-
quality, reliable connectivity solutions for every need and budget. The key innovation
that made the creation of Monster SuperThin Cables for HDMI possible is the
RedMere™ MagnifEye™ Active technology. Requiring no external power supply the
technology enables industry-leading data speeds and ultimate-quality performance by
boosting the HD signals directly in the SuperThin cable itself. This eliminates the need
for heavy-gauge copper, making the cables extremely light, thin and portable.
SuperThin cables measure just 3.5 mm in diameter, approximately 65% thinner than
normal HDMI cables.

Noted Noel Lee, the Head Monster: “Monster built our reputation on thick, heavy
gauge high-quality cables with unequalled performance capabilities. Now, thanks to
our alliance with RedMere and the leading-edge MagnifEye Active technology, we’re
able to provide our customers with the same level of Monster quality and reliability in
a brand new type of ‘magically thin’ cable. The difference is immediately apparent –
SuperThin cables are much smaller and lighter, matching the sleek appearance of
the consumer electronics products they connect. Whether you want a totally clean-
looking virtually invisible installation option for your HDTV or you just want a much
better and more convenient way to access HD content while on-the-go, there’s never
been anything like our new super-thin cables.”

Digital Life™ SuperThin High Speed Powered Cable for HDMI (SRP) 4ft. $US89.95, 8ft.
$US99.95 and 16ft $US119.95

Digital Life SuperThin High Speed Powered Cable for camcorder; Mini HDMI to HDMI
8ft (SRP) $US99.95

Monster’s Core Line of SuperThin Powered Cables for HDMI 1m $US79.95, 2m $US89.95 4m
$US99.95, 5m $US119.95.

“Super-Slim TVs Need Monster SuperThin Cables”
Monster’s new SuperThin cables for HDMI are poised to usher in a new era of
convenience and elegance in high-performance cable management, both at home and
on-the-go. Featuring a built-in LED indicator that instantly lets users know they are
active, the virtually invisible cables are ideal for use in aesthetically designed home
theater installations utilizing flat-panel TVs. Consumers can literally hide the cables
away in plain sight, as well as fit them into any tight corners for a new level of
installation flexibility. Additionally, the compact and lightweight cables, which include
handy cable ties, are ideal for taking on the road with camcorders or other mobile digital
devices. Their easy portability provides users with a fast and convenient way to connect
camcorders or other digital devices to notebook computers or other display. For total
reliability and performance, the new cables feature corrosion-resistant 24k gold
contacts.

[Monster]

in other Foxtel related news, the Pay TV company has finally launched the ability to book Box Office movies over the phone or online, which means you don’t need a home phone line connected to your iQ in order for it to work. Exciting, no?

[The Australian via TV Tonight]

Sounds crazy, but he cites the historical example of rural telephony, where the public owned the wire, not private companies. It’d work like this: A city or neighbourhood would all have fibre run to it at once, and then you’d purchase a share of the fibre and connect to whatever ISP you want. There’d be a connection point where any company could pay to set up equipment and offer service, which is sort of how it works in Amsterdam, Slater explains.

Once a normal thing, it’s now a pretty powerful idea, choosing your ISP—in most places, you don’t have a choice. There’s Comcast. There’s Time Warner. Or whoever the local monopoly is. Choice breeds competition: Where do you think cable companies are rolling out fiber-fast internet? It’s not a coincidence it’s where Verizon or AT&T are offering high-speed internet. And this could be the way to speed up the painfully slow rollout of Godzilla internet in the US, especially in those rural areas. [Fora.TV via digg]

This guy HAS to be related to Christian Slater. I was like, “Hey it looks like Christian Slater giving a lecture.” And then the name “Derek SLATER” popped up. Speaking of, did anybody that watch show he had on NBC, where he had the split personality, before it got canceled? Surprisingly not bad.

Here is my life lesson for today: no matter how excited you are to get your internet service fixed, do not expose yourself to the cable guy. I can’t stress that enough.

Here is one harrowing tale:

The technician testified that he went to Trikes’ Pinckney Road home Oct. 17, after Trikes complained his Internet service was too slow.

While at the defendant’s home, the technician said, Trikes began discussing pornographic Web sites that he had visited online as well as a sexually explicit video that he said he found in a gas station garbage can. The technician said he began talking about his date later that evening “to ease the uncomfortableness” of the situation.

However, the witness said, Trikes then exposed his genitals, which made the technician extremely uncomfortable.

Needless to say, Trikes is now facing jail time for indecent exposure. No matter how you feel about Comcast, nobody deserves that. Seriously, It’s the kind of reverse porno you will probably find in hell. [Consumerist via Digg and Image via Flickr]

There’s no word on whether there will be a premium price for cable customers once the upgrade is complete, although considering it is Telstra we’re talking about, so it’s fair to assume that there will be. Still, I’d pay a premium for 100Mbps – wouldn’t you?

Telstra unveils super-fast cable broadband – Melbourne first to be upgraded

Telstra today announced that its hybrid fibre coaxial cable broadband network in Melbourne will be upgraded to 100Mbps – more than triple the current peak speed – by Christmas.

Using new technology already successfully deployed in several cable networks overseas, Telstra will immediately begin work to turbo-charge its five-city cable network.

Melbourne is stage one of Telstra’s deployment of next generation super-fast broadband technologies into its cable network, which already passes 2.5 million homes in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide and Perth.

Cable, along with Telstra’s other fixed-line infrastructure, will be a key driver of next generation broadband in Australia, as it is around the world. This cable upgrade will position Telstra to deliver on its vision of a world-class fixed-line infrastructure that complements our world-leading Next G™ mobile broadband network in delivering services that meet our customers’ needs.

Work will start immediately with the installation of DOCSIS 3.0 software and related infrastructure in the Melbourne cable network. Telstra will invest about $300 million in the cable upgrade this calendar year.

This upgrade will increase the peak download speeds in Melbourne homes to 100Mbps, with further upgrades potentially to speeds of up to 200Mbps.

It will build on the recent BigPond Cable Extreme upgrade, which already provides download speeds on the cable network of up to 30Mbps to 1.8 million homes, with another 700,000 homes having speeds up to 17Mbps.

Telstra estimates that nearly one million Melbourne homes stand to benefit from the experience of super-fast broadband once the upgrade to provide speeds of up to 100Mbps is completed.

Telstra CEO Sol Trujillo said the cable upgrade continues Telstra’s strategy of bringing high-speed broadband to Australians, as the company has done with the Next G™ network. Next G™ covers 99 per cent of the population and is engineered to peak network download speeds of 21Mbps.

“BigPond Cable Extreme transformed the cable network into a high-speed broadband network,” Mr Trujillo said. “Now we are going to the next level: super-fast broadband with download speeds among the highest in the world.

“Late last year, Telstra foreshadowed that we would continue our investment in our cable network and, with the DOCSIS 3.0 software now well-established internationally, we have the ability to dramatically increase speeds into Australian homes.

“Melbourne will be the first city to benefit from the cable network’s super-fast broadband speeds. This broadband upgrade will bring the next generation of the internet to Melburnians, enabling new work-from-home, learning, security, entertainment, health care and energy-saving choices at home. It will help spawn an innovative, video-based, applications and content services sector in Australia.

“It will enable households to do the things that they want to do, but can’t do at today’s broadband speeds.

“Families will be able to choose a high-definition movie from an online catalogue and download it in a little over a minute to watch on the family’s big-screen TV. At the same time, they could watch their favourite sport on FOXTEL in high-definition, with instant match statistics at their fingertips and, in the near future, control of camera angles. Simultaneously, they could share a video file in a high-resolution video conference with friends and family, as well as review test results with their doctor, without leaving home.”

Mr Trujillo continued: “As well as super-fast broadband, it is important that this upgrade will turn the cable network into a two-way, fully interactive platform paving the way to an array of existing and next generation services for customers.

“As Telstra has done with Next G™ and Next IP™ in wireless and business broadband, we intend to leverage our cable network to lead the market in providing world leading services to meet our customers’ individual needs.”