Virgin Media picks TiVo for next-generation HD TV platform
UK cable TV and broadband company Virgin Media has chosen TiVo in the US to develop its next-generation HD TV platform.
Regular readers may remember that TiVo's set-top box and PVR (personal video recorder) technology was considered groundbreaking at the time, before it was withdrawn from the UK market.
Under today's deal, TiVo will develop "a converged television and broadband interactive interface to power Virgin Media's next-generation, high-definition set-top boxes".
TiVo customers in the States particularly praise the system's ability to guess which programmes you might like to watch, based on your viewing habits, then automatically record them.
Neil Berkett, CEO of Virgin Media, says: "TiVo's proven track record of innovation, the strength of its patented technology and experience in developing best-in-class user environments make it an ideal strategic partner for Virgin Media as we move aggressively to bring our next-generation TV service to market."
Berkett is making big promises for the new service, saying it will "allow us to offer consumers the most significantly advanced and compelling TV service available in the UK.
"We believe we will do to the TV market what we have done to the high-speed broadband market." Take that, Sky.
The first co-branded Virgin Media/TiVo product is expected to become available sometime in 2010.
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Comments
The quality of the TIVOs' product will depend on the remit or specification that TIVO is given.
It is obvious that the person who reccommended to buy PACE, probably never had a PACE unreliable 'V' box.
Yay, finally Tivo back in the UK. Just a shame its a rubbish provider like Virgin that have taken the chance.
I really hope that Tivo realise that now HD is available in the UK it is time to re-introduce their PVRs to the UK market. Having used them in the US in the past I can honestly say that there is no better or more reliable PVR on the market than a Tivo.
What s wrong with these people?Why on earth do they not support a great British company like PACE! Pace will have a far better product that does all and more,like recording then sending to whatever tv set you have in other parts of your house. Virgin for not supporting British. I for one will NOT be supporting you.
Gordon
The contol & everyting else about the units are 2nd to none. I've used a TiVo since buying it 9 years ago in, what was then, Dixons. It's been switched on 24 hours a day for 9 years. How's that for build quality!! It originally cost us £250 + £200 for a lifetime subscription to the service. If you didn't have this it would be £10 per month (much like the subscription to SKY+HD.) I think we can safely say we've had more than our moneys worth !
The whole TiVo experience is by far better than anything else SKY could bring out. We've also got SKY+HD and the system is poor by comparrison. The features are nothing like TiVo. The only reason we got SKY+HD was we wanted to watch the HD movie channels.
Well, I hope the remote control and general interface is better than the current Virgin Media offering, because I personally find them very poor even compared to some of the low-cost Freeview recorders out there.