As Blockbuster flounders around in an attempt to determine what it really wants to be, we're seeing that it's finally taking advantage of that whole Movielink purchase from last year. A new download section on the company's website has gone live, encouraging XP / Vista users running Internet Explorer (feel alienated yet?) to simply pick a flick, download and watch. In related news, the rental outfit has announced an expanded partnership with NCR that will see 50 DVD rental kiosks deployed in a pilot test, which is separate from the download-only kiosks which are being tested in Dallas, Texas. Anyone tried out the new download service? Do you prefer it more / less than Netflix's Watch Now?

[Thanks to everyone who sent this in]

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Although Raleigh, North Carolina is set to become one of the first DVB-SH test markets in America, WRAL is already testing out yet another standard. The station known nationwide for taking its local newscasts to the world of HD while everyone else sat and moped in their SD control rooms is currently teaming with CBC in order to test out the ATSC-compatible MPH mobile television transmission system. As we've seen before, the system enables "local broadcasters to deliver digital television to mobile devices including cellphones, laptops and personal media players," all while moving quickly in vehicles, hoverboards, rocket-powered scooters -- you name it. There's no word on what exactly will happen once the trials conclude, but we'll be keeping an ear to the ground just in case it's something big.

[Via BroadcastingCable]

Utilizing big honkin' displays for advertising purposes is nothing new, but East Japan Railway Company (JR East) and East Japan Marketing & Communications have decided to try "digital posters" out for reference. In short, ten 65-inch Sharp PN655R LCDs have been installed within "the internal concourse on the first floor of Tokyo Station's Yaesu South Entrance," and folks who stroll by can get a glimpse of whatever (the image changes each minute) in stunning 1080p. The goal here, as you might imagine, is to "evaluate the advertising effects of still image ad posters using large LCD panels displayed in a relatively busy gateway." If you're anxious to lay your eyes on the installation, you'd better hurry, as there's no guarantee that they'll remain after September. At least the video posted after the jump is forever.

As our tipster Rob so eloquently put it: "Gentlemen, start your satellite." According to fresh documentation from the FCC, the agency has granted DirecTV "temporary authority" to operate its recently launched DirecTV 11 satellite and "conduct in-orbit testing." The satcaster will also be allowed to "conduct telemetry, tracking and control operations" when the window opens on May 25th. September's getting closer all the time, eh? [Warning: PDF read link]

[Thanks, Rob]

Just months after BBC HD headed to Taiwan on Chunghwa Telecom and Vastar Cable began HD IPTV trails in the same region, in comes word that local public broadcaster PTS has fired up its first OTA HDTV trial. Currently, the signals are only covering the metropolitan areas of Taipei and Kaohsiung, but if all goes well, we could see it spread to other regions in the near future. Reportedly, the Taiwanese government has provided PTS with an $88 million subsidy in order to "establish a nationwide HDTV broadcast network in three phases," and from what we can gather, the HiHD channel will enable residents to watch the opening ceremonies of the Beijing Olympics in high-definition later this summer. 'Grats, Taiwan!

[Via DigiTimes]

It's no secret that Americans can't get enough of that HD goodness once its graced their eyes, and apparently the Brits feel the same way in their own homeland. Following a six month trial in London which broadcasted HD content over Freeview, surveys showed that a vast majority of individuals adored the service and are now chomping at the bit to get more. BBC, ITV, and Channel 4 all reported positive results, as a whopping 98-percent of the 450 partakers felt that "OTA HD service should be available now." Moreover, 90-percent of the trialists felt "the public broadcasters should be responsible for HD development," and desired to have "at least" seven HD channels available to them. Of course, there's always the critics, and a paltry five-percent of participants felt that the HD experience didn't exactly live up to their lofty expectations, but considering some broadcasters apparently compressed the feeds to squeeze more channels into their limited bandwidth, we can't exactly blame them.