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Unison is currently the only TV-Internet service available in the Republic of Ireland. The service is operated by Internet Ireland Ltd, a joint venture between Chorus Communication and Independent News and Media. It began in February 2000.

The service has two elements to it. The first is the TV-Internet box, which allows non-PC users easy access to the Internet. The second is the regional news portal. As the service will be the prime means of accessing Internet services for Chorus Digital customers, here we will examine both.

TV Internet Set-Top Box.
Actually, there are two different models of Unison set-top box. The most well known version is that sold for £299 in electrical retailers (If you live in the North - while you cannot subscribe to Unison - you can have one of these boxes for £5 a month on top of an ONdigital subscription). This is a dial-up box that offers free access to the internet through a 56KBPS modem- telephone charges apply. The second version is fitted with a cable modem instead. This will not be sold in shops but instead distributed by Chorus- one will be installed in your house when you subscribe to Chorus' Digital TV Access Pack.

So what is the box actually like?
It's made by NetGem, a French company. There are a number of different models - Chorus have apparently opted for the Netbox 3 (or an integrated version in their STB?), while the dial-up service (and also for that matter ONdigital's ONnet service, available for £5 extra on your subscription) are using the Netbox PSTN. Externally they all pretty much look the same. They're suprisingly small, about the size of a hardback book. The box has no moving parts. On the back are a number of connectors including 2 SCART connectors (in and out), an AC input,
and a telephone line socket on the PSTN model. On the side is a slot for a smartcard - more
later. An infra-red keyboard and a remote control with integrated joystick are also provided. The top of the keyboard features a number of function keys described below. There's no on-off switch so with PSTN boxesI suggest unpluging the ac adapter (and phone line!) while not in use.

When you plug in the box NetGem's splash screen - a test card with the NetGem logo and Linux penguin - appears, followed by the Unison logo. The internal modem on the PSTN model dials into the internet then - with Chorus Netboxes' you're always connected. The Unison portal will then load.

At this point you can do a number of things:

• Read Unison's site, of course....

• Press Menu (beside Control). This brings up a panel overlaying the bottom of the screen, which gives you access to your favourites, allows you to zoom in, or overlay the TV picture in the top left corner. There's not much here that can't be done with the keyboard or remote control though.

• Press WWW... to go to another website. Favourites brings up your favourite pages, Bmark adds the current page to your favourites. There is also a print key - a deal is available wherby you can buy a Netbox PSTN and a Canon printer (the only manufacturer supported) - a special cable is required.

• Pressing Email brings you to the Message Centre. You can add video clips (from the TV) or audio clips (built in microphone) to your messages.

• Press TV/Net to switch back to the TV. This button comes into its own for cable modem netboxes - it makes accessing the Internet as easy as Teletext and quicker too! On dial-up netboxes your best plugging out to save phone call costs.

With the netbox is supplied a smartcard which allows you to customise the box to your own personal settings. Pressing the Option key brings up a menu, which leads to a number of screens which allow you to configure the STB. Most of these options can only be changed when the smartcard is inserted. Thus it acts as a means of parental control for the STB.

SPECIFICATIONS:
Netbox 3 - Chorus Digital service (Provided free as part of Chorus TV)
- Integrated MCNS/DOCSIS1.0 Cable Modem
- Simultaneous PC and TV Internet connections
- Linux-based Open Embedded Internet Operating System
- Universal standard HTTP1.1 client, HTML 3.2, Javascript
- Common multimedia Internet file format support (GIF, JPEG, Flash3...)
- Support of ATVEF specifications (Advanced TV Enhancement Forum)
- Exceptional TV display quality (640x520 pixels), HTML On Screen Display,
- Picture-In-Picture
- Mono or stereo audio, MIDI support
- Universal Smart Card reader compatible to ISO 7816 and AFNOR standards
- Automatic remote software upgrade
- IEC female F connector
- 10 Base T Ethernet interface and slave USB for connection to a Personal Computer. (I'm not sure if Chorus are enabling this though - Chorus PowerNet will be providing PC highspeed access to Chorus customers)
- SCART (Euro-AV) interface for PAL / SECAM
- Audio jack (L/R)
- CVBS video input
- RJ 11 jack for connection to a standard phone line (optional-for IP telephony)
- IrDA and parallel port printer connection
- Mini-Din for optional remote Infra-Red receiver or standard webcam power connection.

Netbox PSTN - Unison TV-Internet Dial Up (£299 in electrical retailers)
- Internal V90 56kb/s modem with PPP script, PAP/CHAP dial-up
- Linux-based Open Embedded Internet Operating System
- Universal standard HTTP client, HTML 3.2, JavaScript
- SSL 2.0 and 3.0 compatible (40 and 128 bits)
- MIME-compatible POP3/SMTP client
- Common multimedia format (GIF, JPEG...)
- MP3 streaming
- Flash 1,2,3 and partial support for Flash 4
- Exceptional TV display quality (640x520 pixels in PAL / 640x440 in NTSC)
- HTML On Screen Display, Picture-In-Picture
- ISO 8859-Latin 1 character set
- Universal Smart Card reader, compliant with ISO 7816 and AFNOR standards

Unison.ie - The Portal
The Unison portal at www.unison.ie is the first thing Unison and Chorus customers will see when they access the internet. The portal features content from the Irish and Sunday Independents as well as a number of IN&M's regional newspapers. Personally though, I have a number of misgivings about the site. The national content is already available more quickly and in more detail at independent.ie, while the regional content doesn't have much detail - barely the front page (and remember, a large regional newspaper such as the Lenister Leader may have several editions - there's only one here with little content). Overall as a local portal, Eircom's Local.ie is far better. Unfortunatly you won't be able to change your homepage - your STB will only allow Unison.ie or one of its regional variations as your home page.

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