Enjoying the Euro 2008 championships in high definition?

No?!

Then you’re missing out on something truly amazing. For £150 or so, you can turn your HD Ready TV into an HD Reality TV. Pop down to Currys, or anywhere else you can find stock of one of the Freesat HD boxes, and you can be up and running in minutes - assuming that you already have a satellite dish on your property!

The BBC HD channel is showing around half the games live, whilst the remainder are covered by the brand spanking new ITV HD channel. This is exclusive to the new Freesat platform, and is available via the red button on the ITV1 SD channel.

Having said that, there is actually an ever-growing list of non-Freesat STBs than can receive ITV HD, but then you’d miss out on the great Freesat EPG and all the other benefits that a Freesat box will bring over time. ITV HD is not available using a Sky digibox.

Check out our review of the Humax Foxsat HD receiver at http://www.nosky.co.uk/forum/index.php/topic,3445.0.html for more info.

A nice looking receiver. At least the specifications are, even if the box itself looks like it's made from Lego bricks.

Supposedly released right about now - but Joe Public doesn't seem to have taken any deliveries yet...

* Multimedia Linux ENIGMA PVR Ready Set-Top-Box

* WLAN integrated (not in the ‘light’ version)

* 10/100 Mbit Fast Ethernet LAN connection

* Support for internal 2.5 inch hard disk in any capacity

* Sharp Blind Scan DVB-S satellite tuner

* Twin Plug&Play Tuners (DVB-S, DVB-T, DVT-C) - single tuner in ‘light’ version

* Diablo CAM revision 2.3 incorporated - update via WLAN/Ethernet/USB

* Enigma OSD user interface - multi-language

* Recording on external USB hard disk possible

* 2 x USB (1 at the front for media USB stick, 1 at the rear for external HDD)

* 1 x mini USB (at rear, for communication with PC)

* 2 x card reader slots incorporated (DuoCrypt)

* Video/Audio streaming facility

* 2 Scart sockets (YUV, RGB, FBAS) i.e. one can be used like component

* Separate safe-boot storage (bootloader therefore protected against corruption)

* Small enclosure - this receiver measures only 6 x 23 x 15 cm

* IBM PowerPC 250 Mhz processor

* Linux kernel 2.6.17

* External 12 volt power supply

* S/PDIF for digital bit stream out

* 2 status LED

* V.24 RS232 serial port

* Video/audio cinch out

* Channel change time <1 second

* Supports EPG (Electronic Program Guide)

* Supports multiple LNB switching control (DiSEqC)

From Duolabs - makers of the original 'Diablo' CAM.

'Diablo inside' (compatible with the standard Diablo light multiCAM support) you don't need to update it with an ftp program, you will be able to update the Diablo emulator with a specific file from Stealth team using USB, Wireless or Ethernet. It is believed that the Diablo V2.3 inside is simply an emulator and not hardware, but Duolabs must have gone to great lengths to ensure that it’s not portable to other Linux STB’s!

Price: £175

Availability: Unknown at present time

The Israeli satellite operator has reported a problem with the supporting arm of the launcher, discovered during pre-launch checks at the Baikonur cosmodrome in Kazakhstan. Further inspections are required, and a solution implemented ahead of any launch decision.

Both the Amos-3 satellite and the launcher itself have checked out OK and are ready for launch, Spacecom said.

The Land Launch rocket - a Zenit-3SLB - will propel Amos-3 to a staging orbit, from where it will make its way to its intended operational position at 4° West, joining the Amos-1 and Amos-2 satellites. Here it will ultimately replace the ageing Amos-1, which is already operating beyond its projected lifespan of 11 years.

You can follow further news and press releases on the Amos-3 launch here.

Amos-3 has a predicted lifespan of 18 years and will carry a 250 kg payload in comparison to 160 kg for other Amos satellites.

• Orbital location - 4° West
• Frequency bands - Ku, Ka
• Number of 36 MHz Ku-band segments - 24
• Number of Ka-band txponders (up to 425 MHz) - 3
• Service areas
  • Fixed beams:
    • Ku-band - Europe, US East Coast, and the Middle East
    • Ka-band - Middle East
  • Steerable beams: Ku and Ka – Global steering range
• Projected Service Life - 15 years