Maybe you haven't noticed, but AT&T is a big fan of the Olympics. It has already provided U-verse customers with exclusive behind-the-scenes footage during the run-up to the Games, and now it's vowing to give Olympics junkies everywhere even more footage that they'll never, ever have time to watch. On the U-verse front, we're talking about material which includes "a wrap-up of the best events of the day as well as on-demand access to between 15 and 20 unique events each day," while wireless and broadband customers will be able to tap into all sorts of other Olympics-related stuff. So, anyone plan on cloning themselves to keep up with all of this?

Those located in Macau can start gearing up for a little HD in their lives, as Teledifusao de Macau (TDM) has just started internal testing of a trio of new channels. The new digital broadcasting stations should be opened up to the public during the Olympic Games, with Macau HD airing in high-definition and TDM / Canal Macau showing in SD. Initially, Macau HD will simulcast material from TDM, but it will be developed into a channel with its own identity in due time. Also of note, it's unclear whether any of the stations will actually be used to show Olympics coverage, but we doubt the mention would've been made otherwise.

You'd think that if a provider had only added one HD channel in the past year -- and was falling behind its competition in the HD arms race -- that it'd be the first to proudly announce any new additions, but you'd be wrong. FiOS subscribers around the country started reporting on Saturday that USA HD and CNBC HD showed up in the guide as channels 884 and 879, respectively. The rumor is that this is in preparation of all the Olympics coverage in HD on those channels, and this makes sense as in addition, there were also two dedicated Olympics HD channels added to the guide at 896 and 897, which are currently displaying nothing more than color bars now.

Making sure Phoenix-area customers have access to those thousands of hours of Olympics coverage, Cox is launching USA HD, CNBC HD+, NBC Olympic Soccer Channel HD and Lifetime HD July 21. The first three should account for more than 750 hours of HD Olympics action, so check out the schedule and get your DVR ready.

Our friends in the Great White North can expect some great HD coverage of this summer's Olympic games, as the CBC recently laid out its broadcast schedule, planning 282 hours of high definition coverage, while TSN promises 150 hours of HD coverage. CBC will also throw in 400 hours of SD coverage, which, may not equal NBC's numbers, but anyone who's viewed both can tell you without a doubt their presentation has trumped NBC's in its ability to satisfy sports fans (with the exception of their curling obsession during the Winter Olympics) with live action for many years. Online streaming of 1,500 hours of event coverage including live events will also be available, so we don't expect Canadians will miss a minute of the action from Beijing.

A nation full of DVR subscribers with access to DirecTV On Demand have something new to watch, now that a partnership with NBC is pushing a special Olympics package on the service in SD and HD. Consisting of athlete features, Beijing previews and other related content, there should be ten VOD titles each week, with more than 500 by the time the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games are over. It's been a couple of weeks since the service exited beta status, are you not entertained?

If you haven't seen enough behind-the-scenes footage in the run-up to the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (or you just don't subscribe to AT&T's U-verse TV for whatever reason), MOJO is hoping to give you even more just prior to the start of the Games in August. Reportedly, the network will begin airing a 10-part weekday series on July 28th at 9:00PM ET / PT in which US Olympic athletes are profiled and interviewed in order to give the general public a look at what it takes to compete at the highest level. For a full list of who all will be showcased, check out the read link.

[Via Multichannel News]

Although Hungarians have tasted HD in their homeland before, we're pretty sure having a full platter is much preferred. National broadcaster Antenna Hugária has just announced that it will be launching HDTV services via its Antenna Digital cable platform at the close of this month. Reportedly, the service will be available initially in Budapest and surrounding locales, though we aren't told if plans are in place to spread it elsewhere. Two new packages are slated to become available, the first of which includes National Geographic HD, Eurosport HD and m2; as for the second, you'll find HBO HD. Better still, those who subscribe to m2 HD will already have a ticket to the televised version of the 2008 Olympics in Beijing (in HD, of course). Prospective consumers will be asked to upgrade to an HD-capable set-top-box as well as hand over HU 990 per month ($6.16) for the first HD tier and HU 799 per month ($5.50) for HBO HD.

With just about every other nation out there looking to provide at least some of the 2008 Beijing Olympics in high-def, it's about time we heard from Deutschland. Reportedly, Anixe HD will be airing select events in HD to German viewers, although the Opening Ceremony will not be included. Thus far, it has vowed to show cycling, sailing, archery and a few others, although it could secure more before the Games begin in August. Locals are also holding out for a potential German version of the Eurosport HD coverage, but even if that falls through, at least Germany won't have to watch the entire thing in SD, right?

[Thanks, Chris]

Just in case it didn't really sink in last August, NBC is gearing up to air 3,600 hours of Olympics coverage this year. Yeah, 3,600 hours. So, how are mere plebeians supposed to watch that much content? With a couple HD DVRs, you ought to have no troubles at all. Hailed as the "most ambitious single media project in history," NBC Universal will be broadcasting across seven different NBC networks: NBC, USA, MSNBC, CNBC, Oxygen, Telemundo and Universal HD, as well as NBCOlympics.com. Granted, this is speaking strictly of coverage here in the United States, but there's no denying that nations across the globe are doing their best to snatch up as much of the Games as possible. For a complete rundown of what to expect just under a month from now, bookmark the links below.

Read - NBC announces Olympics plans
Read - Coverage listings

'Tis a shame we don't know more about LG's latest bundle of HDTVs, but here are the facts so far. Apparently the outfit has dished out a pair of LCDs and a duo of plasmas to commemorate the upcoming Beijing Olympics, and the whole gang comes packing a 160GB internal hard drive. This "Time Machine" functionality will (predictably) enable viewers to capture content right inside of their set, though details beyond that (you know, port assortment, contrast ratio, etc.) are few and far between. That being said, we do know how much each of these buggers will set you back: anywhere between ₩1,650,000 ($1,607) for the 42-inch 42PG31RD plasma and ₩3,000,000 ($2,916) for the 47-inch 47LG50ED LCD HDTV.

[Via AkihabaraNews]

We've got this sneaking suspicion that we'll be forced to digest bucketfuls of Olympics news as the run-up to August continues, and Wavexpress is making sure our thoughts are accurate. Said outfit has just announced a partnership with NBC that will see the former "develop, host and support a service for viewing NBC's coverage of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games in Microsoft's Windows Vista Media Center." The NBC Olympics on the Go will utilize Wavexpress' TVTonic internet video application to enable Media Center users to "watch channels of NBC's coverage of Olympic events in up-to-HD quality on the go on their laptop." As expected, the service will be free to all who choose to take advantage, but this time you'll actually need to download the TVTonic application (versus just logging in via the web portal).

Although some analysts aren't attributing the heightened flat-panel sales in China to the upcoming Olympics in Beijing, Tokyo-based BCN most certainly is pointing the finger at said Games to explain a similar surge in Japan. Reportedly, overall flat-panel TV sales skyrocketed some 35.3% during the June 1st - 15th period from a year prior, with demand particularly high for 40-inch models. Additionally, DVD recorders saw an equally impressive 25.2% increase in sales, with just over half of those supporting Blu-ray. Maybe they're just trying to beat the impending taxation?

[Image courtesy of HDTVUK]

Good news, Spain. The president of the Radio Televisión Española has just announced that high-definition coverage of the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing will be available in your country. After a meetup with the Directors Board of the Association of Olympic Sports, Luis Fernandez asserted that details were being finalized for a TVE channel that will carry the events in HD and will likely be broadcast by Canal+ HD. Outside of that, details were scant, but considering the dearth of time before the Games get kicked off, you probably won't be waiting long to hear more.

Not like you couldn't piece this one together yourself, but NBC Universal isn't going to let this opportunity pass it by. Just like the run-up to the SuperBowl, it's planning on using the Olympics as a campaign platform for HD. Reportedly, affiliates will be "provided with on-air, direct mail and bill stuffers to promote HDTV content sales, as well as material designed to retain current HDTV subscribers." In other words, expect to see an onslaught of ads coaxing folks into making the jump to high-def if they haven't already. Gotta love those marketing gurus, eh?