Project Canvas STBs for Christmas 2010?

Next year could see Project Canvas Set Top Boxes (STBs) appearing on Christmas shopping lists, as Richard Halton, the BBC’s IPTV programme director has promised they will be in the shops before Christmas 2010, subject to approval by the BBC Trust.

The STBs are expected to cost between £100 and £200 and will offer a common electronic programme guide (EPG) so that users can choose from both scheduled and on-demand programming.

If talks are successful, content providers such as LoveFilm and Blinkbox could be joining the current partners in the project, broadcasters BBC, ITV and Channel Five, and telco BT.

The BBC recently announced plans to sell the internet-based TV service globally.

The platform will be built on open standards, allowing manufacturers to use the specification to create their own set-top boxes that plug directly into the internet.