Virgin Media giveth and taketh away multi-room streaming for TiVo

Hopes were raised - briefly - when TiVo customers discovered that the long-awaited multi-room streaming feature was working for some content from Channel 5. Virgin has since confirmed that they are testing this feature for future deployment:

The blockade continues for streaming between TiVos.

We've been testing the Multi Room Streaming feature on TiVo, to do this we had to switch a few channels on for a short period of time. These channels have now been switched off so you will no longer be able to use the feature. Once we're happy it's working the way it should we'll be able to confirm a launch date. More news as and when we have it.

There's no word yet regarding if multi-room streaming on Virgin's TiVo will use the customer's own home network, or if streaming will involve Virgin's own network (via sending the stream to the nearest headend and back again). Virgin were previously investigating a method of enabling streaming within the home while excluding the use of the customer's home network.

This (and the complex nature of UK content rights) had contributed to the delay of multi-room streaming, along with the iPad app. Since Virgin are a Pay-TV operator, they have to take into consideration the content rights owned by the channels broadcasting on Virgin's network. TiVo sold in the States have no worries since their sold at retail.

A breakthrough of sorts was made with the announcement of Virgin TV Anywhere, but for now the waiting for streaming between multiple TiVos continues.

Virgin Media's TV Anywhere Service: 30 channels to stream & enhanced for TiVo

More details have been revealed from Virgin Media and various media sources regarding the forthcoming TV Anywhere service, which will allow customers to stream around 30 live TV channels and over 2000 hours of On Demand content directly to their PC or Tablet device.

Virgin TV Anywhere will use adaptive bitrate streaming technology (currently used by the likes of Netflix and Lovefilm), so the more bandwidth available on your connection, the better the stream quality. For reference, 720p HD streams via Netflix only requires 3.5Mb.

According to CNET, streaming will only be available via WiFi. Recorded content won't be available to stream, but Virgin are apparently looking into offering that option in the future.

There's no word yet on what the available channels will be, but I wouldn't expect to see any Sky channels on the service since its likely that the likes of Sky One will be exclusive to stream on Sky Go.

Customers without TiVo (and Virgin are trying their best to convert you) will also be able to use Virgin TV Anywhere's web access on their PCs to enable limited TV Recommendations.

Customers with Tivo will also have access to a Tablet app which will allow you to remote control your TiVo and change channels, fast-forward and rewind live TV via buttons or gesture control, search and discover content, manage content and set recordings.

There is no extra charge for the service and all content will be available to stream regardless of what TV package you're subscribed to.

Virgin TV Anywhere is scheduled to launch this Autumn. The app will be available for Fruit owners from the iTunes store around the same time. Owners of Android devices will have to wait until 2013. If they can't wait until then, they should check out the excellent TV Catchup app from Google Play.

There's no connection details yet for the service, but I'm betting (hoping?) that CAT-5/6 cable is involved if the remote control functionality is to be responsive enough to use. The Virgin version of the TiVo iPad app had been previously delayed due to Virgin's desire to eliminate the need for extra cables within their customer's home networks (we can handle the extra cables, Virgin, really!).

Revealed: Virgin Media's plans to export TV Anywhere, via TiVo

Virgin's main rival for Pay-TV services - Sky - have offered their customers the ability to stream content from Sky boxes to mobile devices for a while now. Now, it looks like Virgin have plans to offer the same service to their customers, as confirmed on the Help and Support Forums and as printed in What Hi-Fi Magazine (via Cable Forum, thanks to Chad):

Virgin is taking the battle to SKY and looking to free further your TV from your living room with the launch of its TV Anywhere service. The new service will deliver live TV and video-on-demand content, and it will give you the ability to manage your set-top box in the form of a new look website and a brand-new app.

The app aims to bring the Virgin TiVo experience to your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to browse the EPG, manage your recordings and change channels without affecting the image on your TV screen. And if you can't agree on what to watch, you can stream content straight to your portable device for a multiscreen experience.

Due to launch in Autumn 2012, Virgin TV Anywhere is free and, theoretically, available to all Virgin customers. While any Virgin customer can access the new look website, the live TV and on-demand content that you can access will depend on your choice of Virgin TV package. The added extras via the website, such as setting your box to record, managing your recordings, and social aspects such as liking certain content will also be exclusive to Virgin TiVo customers.

The New Virgin TV Anywhere app will also be for Virgin TiVo customers only, bringing the sort of functionality familiar to SKY customers with the SKY Go app to Virgin TiVo users. The TV Anywhere app will launch on iPod touch, iPhone and iPad in Autumn 2012, though an Android app is in the pipeline for 2013. You'll need a wi-fi connection to watch content, though a 3G offering is on the wish list.

Also on the to-do list is the ability to watch your own personal recordings stored on your TiVo box on your tablet or smartphone. Clever.

It's a big push for Virgin in to the mobile TV domain, and the company is bullish about the advantages of its own service when compared with SKY's. Virgin has been doubling its customers' broadband speeds. Fibre optic network speeds of up to 100Mb help ensure stable streaming to other devices in your home, while the TiVo box has its own dedicated 10Mb connection for streaming content, ensuring it won't throttle speeds elsewhere. Exciting times for TV, then - and wherever you want to watch.

Sounds good, if a bit late - to say that the iPad app has been delayed is an understatement, in part due to Virgin believing that their customers don't want another cable (CAT-5) near the TV, or TiVo for that matter. There's also no mention of the long-awaited multiroom streaming facility between TiVos.

I suspect that Virgin Media's TV Anywhere (can we call it VMTA for short?) may require a Virgin version of the TiVo Stream Transcoder, first shown at the CES show. TiVo Stream converts live, recorded or On-Demand video (all in MPEG 2 currently for Virgin) into video formats suitable for mobile devices (MPEG 4 and potentially Flash, before that's killed off by HTML 5)

There's also the matter of streaming rights - will for example, Sky's TV channels be available to stream on VMTA? Or will streaming for channels like Sky One be exclusive for Sky Go customers?

Full rollout for Software Release 15.3 coming soon for Virgin Media's TiVo

Well worth the delay for 15.3

With the end of the Olympics (and Team GB's superb performance in London 2012) coming to an end, its almost time for Virgin to unleash the latest software update (Version 15.3) for TiVo:

We’re updating your TiVo box to enable some great new features

Your update will happen in the early hours one morning between 13th and 24th August. That’s the time we know you're least likely to be watching TV or recording shows, so we hope it won’t interrupt anything. We’ll let you know back here on 27th August to confirm we’ve updated your TiVo box.

Make sure your TiVo box is either turned on or in standby mode overnight during this time, since the update won't start until your box is next switched on. Instead of switching your TiVo box off at the mains every night, it’s best to just put it in standby. That way, any updates (including smaller ones we might not write to you about) can happen while you’re doing other things.

Most importantly, the update will take on average 30 minutes and you won’t be able to watch TV or use the box at all during this time.

If the update is interrupted by someone switching the TiVo box off, there is a small risk you could lose all your saved settings and recorded shows. So, it’s really, really important that you leave your box on and make sure everyone at home knows not to use it during that time.

Also, if you have any recordings planned for that particular time they won’t record.

Thanks

But what extra features are in the update? Well:

• Record and Reminders - Reminders, where even if you do miss the reminder pop-up, you still won't miss your show as TiVo will still record it for you. 
• General stability updates for TiVo and interactive services
• HDMI connection reliability improvements – Some of you who've seen this issue should see a reduction in the number of invalid HDMI error messages.
• Global settings – You can now set default recording options for new single recordings, Series Links, and WishLists
• Streamlined Video On Demand Search – You can now find and play your favourite video on demand shows in a flash

15.3 has been piloted in several areas for a while now, with the full rollout delayed until after London 2012.

25% of Virgin Media's TV customers have TiVo; iPad app coming in late 2012?

Virgin Media's 2nd quarter results for 2012 are in, and the TiVo invasion of the Digital Cable TV network continues with 938,800 customers getting TiVoed - that figure is due to reach 1 million this week. 25% of Virgin's TV customer base now has Virgin's next-gen PVR. Despite the fact that the monthly TiVo fee (now included in the Collections packages) increased from £3 to £5 per month, the take-up for TiVo increased compared to the previous quarter.

But what about the impending threat from YouView? Virgin Media CEO Neil A. Berkett doesn't seem to concerned about that:

TiVo is a significantly superior product to the impending YouView. It has far greater intelligence search, recommendation, and discovery tools, which means that our customers wherein combined with a far greater array of content whether that be free, over the top, or pay will have a significantly superior product and well-priced and well positioned as part of our essentials 25 pound bundle.

TiVo braces over the top applications and clearly these are distributed by a dedicated IP pipe. Separate from the dedicated IP pipe or spectrum such as video on demand, separate from the broadcast taking advantage of our connectivity advantage.

And the iPad app? Where the heck is it?

We have an exciting product roadmap ahead of us with the next step being the launch of iPad companion app with live streaming in the fourth quarter....that will ultimately move to a full application across multiple devices.

Pilot software Version 15.3 rollouts for Virgin Media's TiVo: Reminders & Global Padding coming soon

All settled down after all the excitement of 15.2? Well, the pilot software release for 15.3 (or 15.3.RC4-VMC-2-C00 to be precise) has started according to a post at Virgin's Help and Support Forums:

We've just started piloting the next update to the TiVo software to selected users in the Preston, Ashford, Andover, Stoke, Colchester and Crawley areas. You don't need to do anything to receive the new software, it should download automatically overnight over the next two days if you're part of the pilot. We're hoping to push it out to everyone after the Olympics if the pilot is successful, we'll make an announcement when we've got more news on that.

What's changed in the new software:

Record and Reminders - Reminders, where even if you do miss the reminder pop-up, you still won't miss your show as TiVo will still record it for you.

General stability updates for TiVo and interactive services

HDMI connection reliability improvements – Some of you who've seen this issue should see a reduction in the number of invalid HDMI error messages.

You can check if you're on the pilot by going to Help & Settings > System Info > System Info, the software version will read 15.3 if you're on the pilot.

That's right - reminders, an often requested feature - are indeed coming to Virgin's TiVo. Here's a screenshot (thanks to nicko at Cable Forums):

At first, I thought it odd that a TiVo Reminder would remind you and record - that potentially creates a little extra work since you'll have to remove the 'reminded' programme from your My Shows list. However, this approach does have the advantage of recording the programme for you if indeed you're unexpectedly out when the reminded big game or (shudder) X-Factor Final is on. In effect, a TiVo reminder is an Announced Recording.

15.3 will also bring another requested feature - user-defined global padding for all recordings, as well as reducing the army of screens one must fight through to play VOD content.

The pilot is expected to last 5 weeks, with a full rollout not expected until after London 2012 in order to minimise disruption to the TV services during the Games.

App arrivals & updates for Sports & Music on Virgin Media's TiVo

Among the latest app arrivals for TiVo is a new Music Search app which will - not surprisingly - let you search for music from Virgin's vast VOD Music library. Its available from Red Button on Channel 300, or via drilling into the Apps and Games menu. It will also be available from the Catch-Up/On Demand Music menu from 12th June.

In an ideal world, this search would be available from the main TiVo search, but, this app will do nicely.

Already available (and very recently rolled out for Virgin's TiVo) is an update for the BBC Sports app, with new options for Euro 2012 and (soon) Wimbledon, HD video when available, autoplay of videos and more live and on-demand coverage. Unfortunately, the app also had some issues with video playback for the opening game of Euro 2012 which both Virgin and the BBC are looking into.