IceTV a developer of the icebox , a product similar to your old VCR in that it lets you receive and record TV programs has signed a deal with Altech to provide its Maestro product with an EPG. This will allow Australian viewers of free-to-air digital television the ability to enhance their viewing pleasure.

According to Altech's general manger of sales and marketing Safa Joumma, this combined product is a long time coming.

"The Maestro was developed around two years ago and we released it about 10 months ago. It's a complete home entertainment solution, built on the power of Microsoft Windows media centre 2005. The Maestro utilizes the power of the Intel Pentium 4 Processor with Hyper Threading technology. However it was missing an important component which is being provided to us by Ice TV," he said.

An icebox has an electronic program guide (EPG) which shows you what's coming up for the next 7 days. You can browse the guide at any time; the EPG includes episode names and movie synopses. This will be added into Altech's Maestro range of products. According to Joumma Ice TV has nailed down exactly what Altech wanted.

"Well basically we see this deal with IceTV as being permanent , or at least, until free-to-air digital TV channels make a deal with Microsoft and provide them with an EPG," said Joumma.