Acer will bundle a 30-day evaluation version if the  IceTV Electronic Program Guide (EPG)with all new desktop PCs installed with Windows XP Media Center Edition.

"Acer would probably be the first major competitor to come on board", said Duncan Ross, CEO of IceTV, adding that others were due to follow in the coming weeks.

Microsoft has yet to release a local Electronic Program Guide, but Ross rejected suggestions that manufacturers risked angering Microsoft by opting for ICE instead of waiting for an official EPG.

"Anything that encourages sales of Windows XP Media Centre would make Microsoft very happy", Ross said.

Ross added that Ice TV are also due to release a web-based, remote version in the coming weeks, known affectionately as ‘PIMP', which allows users to program their IceTV from any web browser in the world.