Viaccess France is on a warpath. First they revoked Humax's license for VACI series and now they are after anyone with Magic Cam in stock. Well, actually they were after salesmen, but it seems they don't quite know their qui pro quos and just keep slapping everyone on their way. Viaccess calls retailers and wholesalers to "stop the sale of these illegal devices". Technically I don't see anything illegal in Magic Module since it's sold clean and empty, however, I'm not a lawyer, so I won't argue with Viaccess France - good luck proving the sale of empty PCMCIA module is unlawful…

Vivendi Universal is in the middle of restructuring their assets in order to create some funds (mostly out of thin air) and reduce their debts. Last week Le Figaro implied the media giant might want to get rid of it's Canal+ resources. Le Nouvel Observateur also reported talks between TF1/M6 tandem and Pathe to acquire Canal Plus. This week Vivendi Chairman and CEO Jean-Rene Fourtou confirmed that some of the significant assets would be indeed for sale. No details were given as of yet but today Vivendi announced new structure for French Canal+ - Canal Plus SA. Combined group of Canal Plus Distribution, Canal Plus Regie, Canal Satellite, Multithematiques, i-Television, Media Overseas, Pathe Sport and Studio Canal is to be introduced to stock exchange floors in the very near future. Analysts reckon most of the non-French unprofitable structures, namely Canal+ investments in Poland, Portugal and Spain will be on the market by the end of the year. Subscribers speculate whether future acquisitions might bring positive change in content and size or turn their perfectly usable package into low budget localized nightmare like Italian Stream.

Talking about Stream - our Italian friends from satnews.it report Stream will begin Mediaguard2 migration in the first week of August.

TPS, French bouquet known for it's strange cryptography tactics and first major Big Brother spin off series - The Loft Story has been entirely taken over by TF1 and M6. Earlier this month anonymous authors on the Internet released Funcard 6in1 software rendering the Viaccess authored TPS Crypt protection completely useless...

Irdeto Access on the other hand, in close partnership with MultiChoice Hellas teaches cops of the Digital Evidence Investigation Department from the Hellenic Police Crime Investigation Division about digital satellite piracy. Nova pirates beware. What pirates? Exactly…

Finally to domestic affairs:

Pace Microtechnology reportedly miscalculated their revenue and will have to lay off some 180 staff. Sorry folks.

Delotte&Touche, the administrators of British most notorious Digital Terrestrial letdown - ITV Digital said they might need to recall all of the 2 million set top boxes left on the market after the platform collapsed. This could be fun to watch, as many of the subscribers already flogged their Nokia, Philips and Pioneer boxes on ebay while most of the high street chain stores, like Dixons offer the STBs for £80 to anyone who wants them.