TiVo all but disappeared from our shores a few years back but that will all change when Virgin Media launch its next generation of set-top boxes with TiVo functionality.
The cable TV company will be re-introducing TiVo after an hiatus of several years following an announcement last November. Virgin Media boss Neil Berkett said the boxes will be ready to roll by the end of the year.
The new Premiere and Premiere XL boxes not only deliver cable TV and PVR functionality but will also incorporate the BBC’s iPlaer and Channel Four’s 4oD.It will also offer other on-demand services such as YouTube, Netflix, Amazon Video on Demand or Blockbuster On Demand plus ‘options from the web.’
“Premiere is at its best when you want to browse, discover and explore the almost infinite array of TV options,” says TiVo’s release.
“Every show, from every source, is organised by category or topic. With a full-screen display that includes a rich display of movie posters and TV show logos for exploring it’s simple to stumble upon interesting things to watch or record.”
It will also offer informaiton about a show’s content, adtors and other IMDB-like services.
The user interface is built on Adobe’s Flash technology, which said the company offered “a pathway to user-generated experiences and development opportunities.”
The Premiere box sports a 320GB drive, wireless G and N support and a resolution up to the Full HD 1080p. The XL features a whopping 1TB hard drive and a THX Optimiser, which lets viewers have more control over the video output.