Project Canvas is going great guns

MORE THAN 40 ORGANISATIONS apparently are backing Project Canvas and the IP TV project is confident it will hit the market by 2011.

Although the project is being contested by Virgin Media and Sky, organisers insist it has widespread backing.

Project Canvas proposes to bring consumers standards based, Internet-connected TV devices. Backers say that if it comes off it will "change the way that punters watch telly".

The initiative has been developing the core technical specifications to support the launch of the first consumer equipment through close engagement with the Digital Television Group (DTG) and its members.

It's a sign of progress that technical documents have been published today on the Project Canvas website in the 'Industry and Technology' section, and Richard Halton, director of Project Canvas said that the response from industry has been phenomenal.

"We're really excited by the strong desire to work with Project Canvas to bring internet-enabled set-top-boxes and TVs into people's homes next year," he said.

Project Canvas is testing responses from the consumer device manufacturers that have expressed an interest.

The joint venture is backed by the BBC, ITV, BT, Channel 4, Talk Talk, Arqiva and Five. µ