At a bare minimum, you’re looking at an increase of $2, because the starter package has gone up to $42 (from $40). Platinum subscriptions have added $4 from $106 to $110, while Platinum HD have gone from $131 to $135. The HD add-ons ($10 for HD Sport, $10 for HD Explore and $15 for both) have been consolidated into one package called HD, which is $16.

Aside from that though, all that’s really happened is all the packages have been renamed.

The HD package though, is slightly different for your $16, you get the HD channels that correlate with the other packages you subscribe to. So if you’re on basic, you’ll just get Discovery HD, Fox8 HD and National Geographic HD. If you also subscribe to the Sports channels, you’ll get the HD sports channels as well. Although it would reach a point fairly quickly when you’d just be better off with the Platinum HD package, I’m sure.

Finally, Foxtel have added some new iQ and iQ2 packages. Starting at $72 with an iQ (not iQ2) and ranging up to the $135 HD Platinum pack with an iQ2, each package offers a selection of channel packages and a DVR.

You can check out all the new package details here.

Other improvements included in the free update coming to the iQ2 are the ability to listen to the current TV channel when you enter the EPG, distinction between free and paid content for their On Demand service, the iQ2 will automatically return to the last TV station and volume level after being rebooted and you can no extend the audio delay up to 200ms.

Even though some people argue that having firmware-upgradable hardware means that you get products released before they’re ready, I for one love it when my hardware suddenly gets new features, without me having to fork out for special equipment. I am a bit bummed that the window for the update is up to two months though…

[Foxtel]

One HD, Network 10’s 24 hour sports channel, officially kicks off on March 26. While it’s not particularly our cup of tea, at least it’s offering (mostly) original content.

[IceTV]

Unfortunately, the TV EPG is still restricted to 7 days in advance, but watching the way this war is really building up, surely it can’t be too long before we see 14 days become the norm for all EPGs…

[Foxtel]

The IPTV service, which uses the currently disabled ethernet jack on the back of the iQ2 box, will let users download video on demand over the internet, and will be launched in the first half of next year. Of course, we’ve known that IPTV was coming to Foxtel sooner rather than later (why put an ethernet port in the back if you’re not going to use it?), but this is the first definitive timeframe we’ve heard.

The service will be available to all iQ2 subscribers, but at the moment they haven’t worked out any agreements to have content unmetered, meaning you’ll probably end up paying for the content twice.

But the more exciting news was the announcement of the iQ2Go device, which will let you take programs stored on your iQ and play them back on a portable device.The iQ2Go has been in the making for a few years now – I remember writing about it back when I was at T3 magazine – but historically it was always going to be in the form of a PMP that plugged into your iQ to copy content, and you’d take that device with you.

Now though, Foxtel have announced that instead of a dedicated PMP with a battery and screen, instead they’ll be using a 16GB USB key that’s so packed full of DRM (so you can’t copy it and to ensure you’re a Foxtel subscriber), it makes the iPod look open source.

Moving the iQ2Go concept to a USB stick will save Foxtel a heap of coin, which we’re hoping is passed on to subscribers. Of course there’s no word on pricing yet, nor specific information on what types of devices it will work with (Macs? PCs? PMPs? PSPs? iPods?), but at least we should know more withing the next six months or so.

[The Age]

Well, the good news is that the digital prince will be rolling out to iQ2 boxes around the country starting next week to activate the sleeping 4th tuner. Once it’s been woken up, Princess Tuner Number 4 will allow you to record two channels at the same time as watching a third channel live (at the moment you can only record two and either watch one of them, or watch something already recorded to the HDD or watch one of the On Demand movies or shows).

All iQ2 subscribers should be getting the update rolled out by December 1, but you won’t be notified when it’s been upgraded. It’s also a staggered rollout, so you’ll just have to keep trying to record Futurama at the same time as The Daily Show and Star Trek Voyager to see if you’ve been updated yet.

[Foxtel]

The only problem with the Freeview concept is that it’s only launching in 2009. It should have launched at least 4 years ago. It launched in the UK in 2002, and even New Zealand has used its masthead as a driver for FTA TV since last year. The reasons behind the delay are probably too numerous to mention, but the fact that Channel 7, 9 and 10 were so precious about their EPG information for so many years certainly wouldn’t have helped.

So, get ready for an onslaught of phone calls next year from your less tech-savvy mates asking what the hell Freeview is. You’re going to get a few calls.

[Via TV Tonight]

UPDATE: One of our tipsters has sent through this image of an upcoming catalogue proving the Samsung giveaway is legit. Of course, what’s interesting to note (that wasn’t mentioned in either the Australian or CNet articles, is that customers have a choice between the Foxtel iQ2 box or a new Samsung BDP-1500 Blu-ray player. This would make sense – not everyone can get Foxtel, and not everyone would want to subscribe to the Foxtel service either.

We’ll obviously keep you posted on any official announcement from Samsung, but seeing as how this catalogue is due to go out this week (and the promotion due to start on July 1, we expect to have official word for you very soon.

Since the advent of plasma TVs and their subsequent rise to power (alongside LCDs, of course); TV manufacturers have seen huge sales boosts just before major sporting events. And seeing as how this year is an Olympic year, it’s no surprise that we’re seeing some really awesome promotions come out of the woodwork in the lead up to Beijing.

Earlier this week we told you about the Sony Bravia promotion, which will see 35,000 Bravia customers receive a free PS3, but now the Australian (and CNet AU) are reporting that next week we’ll be hearing about a Samsung promotion which includes a Foxtel iQ2 box for HD entertainment.

The rumours state that Samsung will be forking over the $200 upgrade fee that Foxtel is charging subscribers to install the iQ2 when they buy a new Samsung TV. There hasn’t been any official confirmation from either Samsung or Foxtel yet, so we don’t know which TVs will include the Foxtel box in the price, but it will obviously cater to their premium lineup of HD displays.

So it looks like July is going to be the month that many of us buy TVs. But which promotion is more appealing?

Aside from the obvious dilemma of where to spend your money (there’s some new phone launching on July 11, remember?), the mid-July timeframe does work with the previous announcements that Channel 7 made about it launching before the Olympics.

The box itself is likely to cost somewhere around the $700 mark, which isn’t exactly cheap for a DVR. Seven are likely to promote the box’s superior EPG functionality in order to justify that price, although we’ll wait to see how it’s implemented ourselves before we recommend on whether you should spend the money.

The other interesting point made in the Fin’s article is that Harvey Norman are likely to have an exclusive distribution arrangement for 3 months, before it will be available in JB Hi-Fi and Dick Smith’s shops.

I’m sure there are important factors influencing that decision, like scratching the backs of old mates and heavy advertisers, but I think Channel 7 may be overestimating TiVo’s appeal in Australia. Personally – I’m very intrigued, but I would need to see some obvious advantages in TiVo’s local implementation before I dropped 700 big ones. Especially now that Foxtel’s iQ2 is on the market.

UPDATE: Pete Blasina over at GadgetGuy.com.au is reporting that the launch date is officially July 15. Considering his relationship with Channel 7, I reckon this is pretty much guaranteed.

[MIS Australia and GadgetGuy]