Onkyo just announced their updated line of A/V networked receivers, the TX-NR1008, 808 and 708 models update the previous 1007, 807 and 707 models. These “networked” receivers feature ethernet ports for accessing your computers media files and internet streaming sites. The new models feature HDMI 1.4, iPod/iPhone compatible USB port, and new onscreen display. Reports of retailers clearing out the xx07 models are being reported.

Rogers customers just got a new service – watching TV shows over the Internet. Called Rogers On Demand, current Rogers subscribers get access to certain channels and content online with limited ads. Unfortunately, anything worth watching is probably not on the site right now, unless there’s lots of people wanting to watch old episodes of the West Wing. It doesn’t make up for the fact that Hulu is blocked from Canadian residents, but it’s a start. As the service gets more popular I hope the content improves.

I was looking at the Rogers Internet plans today and realized that both the $60 Extreme and $47 Express service are now 10Mbps. The only differences are upload speed (1Mbps vs. 0.5Mbps) and bandwidth cap (95GB vs. 60GB).

I’m not much of an uploader and I’ve never downloaded more than 60GB, so it was an easy way to save $156 a year.

Frustrated by bandwidth caps, torrent slowdowns, port blocking and other practices that are rampant amoung Canada’s Internet Service Providers (ISP)? The CRTC has launched a website to get public opinion about those matters. Many of these issues are summed up as “Net Neutrality“. Have your say via the eConsultation and make sure our Internet access stays unburdened.

Over the weekend I called Rogers because the Cable TV portion of my bill was way higher than I thought it should be. Turns out a “Speciality TV” package was added to my bill at a cost of $40/month. By removing it I only lost a few channels and none of them I really watch anyways because the VIP package already gave me a lot. Basically the two packages overlapped significantly.

What strikes me as odd is that I didn’t ask for that package to be added. It was added when I had some problems on my account and it was put there for “free” because of the headache I went through from Rogers. Little did I know that there was a term limit to how long it was free for and it quickly turned into a fee package.

So, double check your bills – make sure you’re getting only the services that you want. And be careful when Roger’s offers you something for nothing…