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TIVO READY FOR TAKE-OFF
Listed under: Top Story
Published: Friday, December 10, 2010
Virgin Media commences rollout of new fibre-based TV service
The new service aims to combine broadcast TV with a range of online functions, and will be available to any households covered by Virgin Media’s fibre optic cable network. Via a specially developed set-top box equipped at launch with dual tuners (a third is due to be added in early 2011), a 1TB hard drive and a built-in 10Mb cable broadband modem, users will be able to access a dedicated library of on-demand content, a seven-day catch-up viewing facility and a number of online services via an Adobe Flash-based ‘app store’ modelled on those popularised by the iOS and Android device platforms.
Cindy Rose, Virgin Media’s Director of Digital Entertainment, has stated that: “For the first time, viewers will have a truly personalised viewing experience so they can get the most out of the wonderful worlds of the internet and TV all in one place. We’re really excited to bring our customers what is just the first of successive generations of transformational services based on this unique TiVo-powered platform.”
Since ‘Virgin Media TV powered by Tivo’ employs dual fibre optic and broadband links (the latter of which can be supplied by any ISP, not just Virgin Media), users will in theory be able to access on demand content and interactive services simultaneously without having to contend with lengthy download times or compromising the speed of their household internet connection.
The service’s user interface includes an extensive search function, which will locate specific shows, films, music available from broadcast and online sources accompanied by detailed genre and production information, such as cast and crew. Those searches are then fed in to the service’s ‘recommendation engine’, which will learn over time to predict the user’s preferences and assemble a list of recommended viewing. Users can also tailor said recommendations by assembling their own ‘Wishlists’ using similar criteria, and by approving or rejecting selections with a pair of dedicated ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ buttons on the TiVo remote.
Another notable feature is the way in which the EPG pulls together the service’s PVR and catch-up functions. As well as using it to schedule recordings over the coming week, subscribers can also browse through it in reverse chronological order by up to seven days, and instantly select a programme they may have missed on selected channels (including those from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and Living) for instant viewing.
The aforementioned app store will meanwhile launch with a series of offerings designed to work with iPlayer, YouTube, eBay, Twitter and Facebook, similar to those that have been appearing over the past year on ‘connected TV’ platforms developed by the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG.
In terms of pricing, the initial set-up cost will be £199, plus a £40 installation fee for new Virgin Media customers. Thereafter, the monthly cost comes to £26.50pcm (when bundled with a Virgin phone line rental package, £32.50 without) for the XL TiVo package, which offers 160 broadcast channels – including 17 in HD – and full access to the VoD library.
Contact: +44 (0)845 454 2222
www.virginmedia.com/tivo
Cindy Rose, Virgin Media’s Director of Digital Entertainment, has stated that: “For the first time, viewers will have a truly personalised viewing experience so they can get the most out of the wonderful worlds of the internet and TV all in one place. We’re really excited to bring our customers what is just the first of successive generations of transformational services based on this unique TiVo-powered platform.”
Since ‘Virgin Media TV powered by Tivo’ employs dual fibre optic and broadband links (the latter of which can be supplied by any ISP, not just Virgin Media), users will in theory be able to access on demand content and interactive services simultaneously without having to contend with lengthy download times or compromising the speed of their household internet connection.
The service’s user interface includes an extensive search function, which will locate specific shows, films, music available from broadcast and online sources accompanied by detailed genre and production information, such as cast and crew. Those searches are then fed in to the service’s ‘recommendation engine’, which will learn over time to predict the user’s preferences and assemble a list of recommended viewing. Users can also tailor said recommendations by assembling their own ‘Wishlists’ using similar criteria, and by approving or rejecting selections with a pair of dedicated ‘thumbs up/thumbs down’ buttons on the TiVo remote.
Another notable feature is the way in which the EPG pulls together the service’s PVR and catch-up functions. As well as using it to schedule recordings over the coming week, subscribers can also browse through it in reverse chronological order by up to seven days, and instantly select a programme they may have missed on selected channels (including those from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five and Living) for instant viewing.
The aforementioned app store will meanwhile launch with a series of offerings designed to work with iPlayer, YouTube, eBay, Twitter and Facebook, similar to those that have been appearing over the past year on ‘connected TV’ platforms developed by the likes of Sony, Samsung and LG.
In terms of pricing, the initial set-up cost will be £199, plus a £40 installation fee for new Virgin Media customers. Thereafter, the monthly cost comes to £26.50pcm (when bundled with a Virgin phone line rental package, £32.50 without) for the XL TiVo package, which offers 160 broadcast channels – including 17 in HD – and full access to the VoD library.
Contact: +44 (0)845 454 2222
www.virginmedia.com/tivo
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