Digital Spy takes a look at Virgin Media's TiVo; Future software patch planned to increase dedicated broadband connection to 20Mb?

An article is online now at Digital Spy which has a close look at Virgin Media's TiVo box. Virgin Media's head of corporate relations Gareth Mead showed Digital Spy a demo of the box in London and explained that due to TiVo's advanced features, Virgin has to make extra effort to explain the benefits of the next generation PVR:

For someone who has never had Virgin Media before, this will take quite a lot of explaining, because it's so different in terms of how you interact with it. If you are a Sky customer, for example, the TV guide would be familiar to you but many of the other services would be brand new. When we do an install, we take a lot longer than normal simply because the engineer sits down with the customer and goes through each of the services. The difficult job our advertising and marketing colleagues will have is trying to capture the platform in a message.

In keeping with Virgin's plans to move their entire TV customer base over to TiVo,  the article mentions that subscribers on the legacy TV platform will be offered incentives, including possible offers and service tiers.

Gareth reveals that Virgin have a "scarily hectic" development programme to improve the service over the next 2 years. The article also states that despite the TiVo box containing a 10Mb cable modem, "Virgin has the ability to increase that to 20Mbps via a software patch for heavy users, or for future services such as 3D content streaming."

I'm speculating (not for the first time today) that the '10mb' cable modem is actually capable of faster speeds, but is limited to its default 10Mb via config files (like the normal cable modems for Virgin home broadband), either in the box itself or elsewhere in the cable network.

Check out the full article, which includes comments from Gareth comparing Virgin TiVo to Google TV and YouView.

And so it begins: Virgin Media start contacting registered customers for TiVo installs

I tell ya, its like waiting for the buses.

Earlier today I posted about the latest status of the TiVo rollout. Since then, according to this thread at the TiVoCommunity forums, Virgin's TiVO customer team have begun contacting urm, customers who have registered interest in the next generation PVR. Nialli from the Virgin Media High Definition & TiVo Services Blog has also confirmed that Virgin are now opening communications with customers regarding TiVo installs.

Yes, ladies and gentleman, the great wait is almost over:

The TiVO Team have also begun contacting owners of the TiVo Series 1 boxes within the cable network who have been given the option of upgrading to Virgin TiVo.

A quick 'Virgin Media Tivo' search on Twitter also reveals customers who have already received the holy phone call from Virgin.

So, keep those mobile phones well charged and if possible, those landline phones within earshot, because sooner or later, you'll be getting a call, followed a van looking something like this being parked near your house:

Facts and speculation regarding Customer rollout for Virgin Media's TiVo

Virgin said that TiVo would be with us in early 2011. As some of you have pointed out to me, its indeed early 2011.

So.....when can Virgin customers (me included) get their hands on one of these?

I've read loads of speculation, but, sadly, no facts regarding a customer release date for the next-generation PVR.

The facts I do have, are:

• Virgin Media Technicians have been receiving training on TiVo installs, partly because the power levels have to be configured precisely in order to deliver the 10Mb deciated broadband connection which plays such an important part of the service.
  

• Around 500 Virgin Media Staff members received a TiVo during December-January, and Virgin Customer Services staff have been receiving TiVo training.
  
• Existing Customers who have pre-registered their interest in TiVo, along with remaining Virgin Media Staff members who weren't part of The TiVoed 500, will get first priority on TiVos. So, if you haven't registered yet, are interested in getting TiVo-ed, and live within Virgin's cable network, then you know what you have to do, don't you?
  
• Virgin Media Staff on various forums can't really reveal details about TiVo until the restrictions set by the NDA they've signed are lifted, most likely when Virgin start contacting customers regarding TiVo installation dates. Speaking of which....
  
• ....as far as I know, Virgin haven't contacted any customers (excluding Staff) regarding TiVo installs - yet. This situation could and hopefully will change any day now.
  
• Virgin Media have given some of their vans a new paint job. Note the hearts at the right of the van - with Valentine's Day coming up, could February 14th be Virgin Media TiVo Day? (Please take that as speculation on my part folks).

• Virgin released the TiVo User Guide manual last week. They wouldn't be doing that unless the release day was close......would they? The customer help documents have been up for a while as well.
  
• The speculation regarding a reduced TiVo price for existing customers remains exactly that for the moment - speculation. There's been no official word from Virgin regarding this. Yet.

So, the waiting continues. But given recent events, TiVo really should be 'coming soon'.....I hope.

Complete guide to your Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo

The user guide for Virgin Media's TiVo is now online for your reading pleasure in PDF format.

With so many channels and thousands of hours of On Demand programmes, sometimes it’s hard to be sure that you’re seeing all the best shows on TV. This smart little box makes it easy.

Now you can search for specific shows and stars in one place, browse for programmes by your tastes, the sort of show you are looking for or even your mood. It gets to know you and recommends more of the TV you love and saves it for you so you don’t miss anything. It even brings online stuff like YouTube and eBay to your TV. Sounds good doesn’t it? But to really get to know your TiVo® box, get involved and see where it can take you.

Accessibility improvements for Virgin Media's TiVo; BBC iPlayer app lives on TiVo? (and brings subtitles with it)

Virgin Media's PDF document explaining how they've improved accessibility for their TV service is online, and also included details of TiVo's accessibility features.

The new TiVo service gives you the same basic accessibility features that are on our standard TV service, like Audio Description and subtitles. The difference is that, on our TiVo service, these features are now much easier to find and use. You can find them in the main Settings menu, as well as through new areas, like the Info Banner. There’s even a dedicated Subtitles button on the remote control.

Over time, we’re hoping to carry on developing our new TiVo service, to make it even more accessible.

The last page of the document is interesting - if its to be believed, then contrary to a previous reports (and blog post), the BBC iPlayer app lives on TiVo! And so does subtitles on said iPlayer app:

Since we launched our TV On Demand service, we’ve been aware that the lack of access services has been a source of frustration to the many customers who rely on subtitles or audio description. The problem is that, while on demand programmes look and feel like ordinary TV shows, the technology behind them is very different. This means that providing access services is very complicated – not just for us, but for on demand services from all providers.

That’s why we’re delighted to announce that the first version of our new TiVo product can deliver subtitles on BBC iPlayer.

Virgin Media reveal Customer Help documents galore for TiVo

Everything you wanted to know about the next-generation PVR you're still waiting for can be found by searching for TiVo on Virgin's Customer Help Site.

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.