Virgin Media working with TiVo on 3D EPG

Broadband TV News reports that Virgin (and Sky) are planning on introducing 3D versions of their EPGs.

Virgin's Head of VOD Development Kevin O’Neil told the DTG 3D Seminar that Virgin will be updating its future boxes to use HDMI 1.4, which allows for automatic switching by the TV to the appropriate 3D format:

We’ve just launched TiVo with a brand new UI and we’re now working very closely with them and that is the platform we will initially work to create a full 3D EPG with Z-plane.

To enjoy the forthcoming 3D EPG will require a 3D TV, a TiVo, HDMI cable and 3D glasses.

Virgin Media TiVo Blog is now on Twitter

You can now follow the twitter feed for this blog via:
http://twitter.com/VM_TiVoBlog

Virgin Media reveal FAQ for TiVo; 18 month contract for next-generation PVR

As the waiting continues for the Virgin's next-generation PVR to be unleashed within Digital Cable TV areas, I've noticed Virgin's own TiVo FAQ on their Help website. I have no idea how long the FAQ has been there for, nevertheless, here are the highlights from the document:

We aim to make TiVo available in early 2011 (current Virgin Media customers will get the chance to upgrade first). By pre-registering your interest you’ll be kept up to date with the latest news on TiVo such as great new features and, a confirmed launch date once we are able to make this available.

TiVo will be offered to existing customers before any new customers are offered the service. We launched it to our staff first, current Virgin Media customers will be next and then we’ll offer it to new customers. 

[Can I have TiVo alongside other Virgin Media boxes?] Yes, as long as you sign up for an additional outlet offer. There is no problem technically having one box powered by TiVo, while other boxes are running on Virgin Media’s existing TV service.

The contract for TiVo will be 18 months.

No BBC iPlayer app for Virgin Media's TiVo?

According to Broadband TV News, the BBC will no longer be accepting requests from platform operators and receiver manufacturers to build separate versions of its catch-up TV platform, the iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer has been very successful on Virgin's TV service (which was the first TV platform to support the iPlayer) and at least some of iPlayer's content will also be available via TiVo, obtaining its content via Virgin's VOD service and the Catch-Up enabled EPG.

However,  the screen-shot below from the TiVo interface clearly shows an icon for a separate iPlayer application, which was believed to pull content via the dedicated broadband connection.

Today's announcement by the BBC may mean the lack of the IP-based iPlayer App on TiVo, and several other devices:

The move would impact platforms such as Virgin Media and its recently launched TiVo box. There is currently no BBC iPlayer app, instead the assets are made available through the main TiVo interface over DVB-C as opposed to IP. Although Virgin has been working with the BBC for some time there are concerns that the consumer experience may alter as the quality of the IP delivery is not as good as through DVB-C. The existing Liberate/TV Navigator version of the iPlayer was developed between the operator and the BBC.

Virgin believe that the BBC "is becoming increasingly prescriptive and inflexible in its dealings", but, from the looks of it, Virgin will have to pay the BBC development and maintenance costs to get the full iPlayer application onto their next-generation PVR.

More photos of Virgin Media's TiVo box

Dave Zatz of the Zatz Not Funny! website went to the invite-only TiVo booth at this year's CES. While he couldn't share any information (yet) gained from his visit, he did manage to take some photos of a unclassified Virgin Media TiVo box.

TiVo: Virgin Media to deploy the 'World's Most Advanced Cable Set-Top Box'

While the waiting continues for Digital Cable customers who wish to get their hands on Virgin's TiVo box, TiVo themselves unleashed a press release at the CES about the World's Most Advanced Cable Set-Top Box, in part thanks to the 10mb dedicated broadband connection which will play a key part in streaming internet content to the home:

This deployment marks the first time a cable provider anywhere in the world has offered its customers an advanced cable solution encompassing linear TV, on-demand content and web-based video with a dedicated broadband connection, rather than having to share bandwidth with other content. As a result Virgin Media customers using the TiVo powered set-top box can enjoy the ultimate television entertainment experience through the award winning TiVo user interface to seamlessly search across all the content sources provided by the UK's number one cable operator.

Cindy Rose, Executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, had some words to add:

After laying all the necessary groundwork to bring the exciting TiVo experience to our customers in record time, we are thrilled to have begun rolling out our next-generation entertainment platform. TiVo has implemented a complex solution, which stitches together the full breadth of Virgin Media's content assets and created a television user interface which is second to none. We are the only UK company to provide a true entertainment discovery experience and offer the ultimate digital lifestyle for our customers.

Joshua Danovitz, VP & General Manager, International, TiVo Inc, wasn't short on words either:

There is a lot of discussion in the cable industry about the need to provide internet content to the living room. Unlike current offerings which provide 'best efforts' delivery of Internet video, Virgin Media has redefined the term 'over the top' by providing dedicated bandwidth for these services within the cable video plant and by unifying the consumption experience for end users. As a result of Virgin Media's groundbreaking approach, subscribers with a TiVo powered set-top box will have access to the best TiVo technology and features at their fingertips enabling all kinds of interactive content to be searched, discovered, and delivered in a truly elegant way.

I can't wait for my TiVo to be delivered, in any way.

Virgin Media prepares Entertainment Metadata and Advert Sales for TiVo

Probably not a surprise this, but Virgin Media have signed a deal with Tribune Media Services who will supply all sorts of metadata for TiVo to do its magic. As reported by PR Newswire:

TMS will provide Virgin Media with rich, deep and robust entertainment content including linear TV schedules, program and video-on-demand metadata, celebrity metadata and images.  The agreement also includes TMS TV Showcards which offer show synopses, logos, cast ensemble and cast-in-character photos plus award histories.  TMS Unique IDs serve as the data taxonomy which ties all the information together allowing easy search and discovery of related content across all programming sources and consumer devices. 

TMS have a knack for doing this sort of thing, they already supply metadata for 40 countries and their clients include Microsoft, Google, Comcast, Multichoice, IMDb, Zon Multimedia and of course, TiVo. Ian Mecklenburgh, Virgin's Director of Consumer Platforms, sounded quite pleased with the deal:

For the first time, UK viewers are enjoying a truly personalised viewing experience and getting the most out of great online, on demand  and live TV content, all in one place.  We're really excited to bring our customers what is just the first of successive generations of transformational digital entertainment services and our agreement with TMS will help them find exactly what they want and discover even more.

Meanwhile, MediaWeek reports that Virgin Media's Digital Sales Team will be looking after the adverts on the TiVo platform, as well as adverts on Virgin's VOD system and on VirginMedia.com.