Video Briefs

SUNNYVALE, CALIF. — TiVo recorders are being used by Nielsen Media Research in an experiment in 20 homes around the country to collect viewership data. Nielsen this summer has wired the digital video recorders, using specially developed software from TiVo, to track and report back which shows viewers are watching and how they are watching them, including which shows are recorded and when the recordings are viewed.

AUSTIN, TEXAS — Software developer BroadQ said it has developed tuner software called Qcast to enable a Playstation2 game terminal to connect with a PC to perform a host of multimedia functions. The company said "using a PS2 network adapter, a Qcast Tuner-enabled PS2 can access, via a home network, the audio and video files residing on a computer hard drive and play them on a television or home theater." Applications include playing back digital still photos or listening to digital music files. Additionally, if a PC is equipped with SnapStream Media's video recording software, the PS2 would be able to double as a digital video recorder, similar to a TiVo. The $49.95 Qcast software package includes two disks — one for the PC and one for the PS2.

WASHINGTON — AT&T Broad-band, Washington's largest cable operator, is offering HDTV services to subscribers here starting at the end of October, the company announced. AT&T Broadband subscribers will be able to tune in a variety of local DTV channels as well as HBO and Showtime's high-definition services. The cable provider expects about 5 percent of its subscribers to use the services. The company is also looking next to offer HDTV services in Chicago. The service requires a special HDTV cable tuner, which carries an extra $15 monthly fee. No charge is assessed for the programming in high-def. Recently Cox Communications announced it had launched HDTV service in Las Vegas — that company's second HD market.