This one is for cable TV operators who are looking at providing value-added services to their subscribers. And it is coming courtesy Aegis Broadband, which has launched iVision, a set-top appliance which incorporates a cable TV tuner for "in the clear" television programming with access to authorised premium TV services and Internet capabilities.

Connectors facilitate the interconnection of iVision with other appliances such as home computers, printers and cable modems, a company release says.

"The iVision is an innovative merging of television with the capabilities of the Internet for a whole new viewing experience. The iVision facilitates enhanced revenue opportunities for cable operators by allowing television viewers to access the Internet without purchasing a PC," says D George Stathakis, president and CEO of Aegis Broadband.

The iVision is based on Aegis Broadband's SIGMA 4000 series, a highly respected conditional access technology with the encoding and decoding functions of a Premium TV system. The control system interface of the iVision is backward compatible with Aegis 4500 decoders and iBOSS Control System.

The iVision supports the standard POP3 and SMTP e-mail protocols and features the option of alternate languages and translations. Standards based HTML environment allows easy customization of applications such as a TV program Guide, Stock Ticker, or News and Sports.