Remember TiVo? Back in the pre-cord-cutting days, the company’s DVRs were omnipresent – so much so that the phrase “TiVo it” was used interchangeably to mean recording a TV show. Now, the company is bouncing back as a third-party smart interface alternative to Google, Amazon, and Roku on the best 4K TVs, with the first TiVo-powered sets expected to arrive sometime in mid-2023 in both Europe and the US.

That information comes from streaming business publication Next TV, which, directly quoting TiVo parent Xperi CEO Jon Kirchner, also dropped news that the company’s TiVo Stream platform will appear in sets from a "leading tier 2 provider that makes multiple TV sets under multiple brands."

Making TiVo Stream a widely available smart TV interface option pits the company against Google, Amazon, and Roku, all of which have been regularly tapped by tier-2 TV brands to run their respective Google and Android TV, Fire TV, and Roku TV OS platforms. 

It also throws TiVo into a very crowded smart TV environment: beyond current Google, Amazon, and Roku options, sets from LG, Samsung, Hisense, Vizio, Panasonic, and Philips each come with their own proprietary smart interface. None of these are particularly distinguished, however, and some can be downright irritating. For example, Samsung TV owners are required to set up an online user account to do something as simple as add an app to its Tizen smart interface, or to adjust its layout.

Compared with the proprietary interfaces offered by major TV brands, Google TV and Roku, in particular, have a clean appearance and are easy to customize and search content with, including using voice control. Google, of course, requires the same account sign-in to make actions happen, but Chrome/Gmail accounts are common, and so most people already dwell in Google’s ecosystem.

Tivo doesn’t exactly arrive as a stranger to the TV streaming world. The company’s TiVo Stream 4K, a $40 Android TV streaming box, has been kicking around for a number of years, and it still sells TiVo Edge DVRs with cable TV and antenna-only connections that also provide built-in streaming from apps such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Vudu, YouTube, and more. 

But the Stream 4K has been eclipsed by other cheap streaming sticks from Roku and Amazon, while the Edge is endangered by a 2020 FCC ruling that cable providers are no longer required to supply the CableCards used by Edge DVRs to tune and record TV programs. Given the tenuous nature of its hardware business, it makes sense that the company is seeking other options like smart TV integration to rake in revenue.

Does TiVo have what it takes to be a smart TV player? 

Between existing Roku and Google-based offerings, the third-party smart TV ecosystem was already crowded, and the more recent introduction of Amazon’s Fire TV to that mix makes it seem like there’s now more than enough options for set makers to turn to if they don’t want to create a proprietary platform.

Let’s now toss TiVo into that smart TV maelstrom. In its favor, the company already has a deal in the works, so TiVo-powered smart TVs are on their way in 2023 whether anyone wants them or not. Its hardware business may have taken a downturn with the advent of cord-cutting, but the TiVo brand still has strong consumer recognition, even if people are now much more likely to stream than “TiVo” shows using a DVR.

As a former TiVo user for many years before cutting the cord myself, I was a fan of the TiVo interface and the remote control used to control the company’s box. I also remember its search features as being infinitely better than what was available on the DVR supplied by my cable TV service. Given TiVo’s tradition of superior usability, there’s a good chance that the qualities which set it apart in the now-fading cable TV and DVR era will carry over into the current smart TV and streaming one.

It’s important to emphasize at this point that the new TiVo we’re talking about which will appear in smart TVs won’t have any DVR-like capability. In the words of Xperi CEO Kirchner  – once again quoted in Next TV – the forthcoming TiVo sets will be for "people looking for an OEM-branded experience powered by TiVo, and not looking for a TiVo-powered TV.”

Even so, apps such as YouTube TV, fubo TV, Sling TV, Hulu with Live TV, and others offer cloud-based DVR functions that allow subscribers to record and store live TV channels online for later streaming, in some cases at no additional cost. Such a TiVo-like feature could conceivably be incorporated into a “branded experience powered by TiVo” even if there are no current plans to make that happen.

If it did, we’d get our old TiVo back to TiVo stuff, but this time without the clunky external set-top box.

EE has announced its foray into the television market with the launch of its first set top box service dubbed EE TV.

The box - made by Netgem - offers the full range of Freeview channels as well as a range of on-demand and catch-up TV services with the aid of EE's broadband connection.

Controls such as pause, rewind and record are all present, and there's a whopping 1TB of storage (good for up to 600 hours of movies and TV) and 4 HD tuners allowing you to watch/record up to four different channels simultaneously.

EE TV will be free for all EE mobile customers who already have or sign up to an EE Broadband plan, while eligible plans start from just £9.95 per month. Customers on existing pay monthly mobile plans who sign up for EE TV and home broadband will also receive a boost to their 4G data allowance, increasing to 10GB or 20GB depending on their plan.

In terms of an EE TV release date, the network says it will be available "shortly" - which isn't overly helpful but you can expect it to land before Christmas.

New tricks

EE has packed in a series of features into its first set top box, the first of which is a digital remote control available on Android and iOS tablets and mobile phones. From this you can switch channels, control volume, play/pause/rewind, browse the guide and set and view your recordings.

For those of you who still love an old school remote you'll be pleased to learn that one is also included in the box.

With the multiscreen feature you'll be able to watch four different channels live on four difference devices (your main TV plus three additional mobile devices), which will hopefully put an end to some of those remote hogging arguments.

Another useful feature is the ability to watch any recorded program on your tablet or smartphone, freeing up the TV for someone else. You will, however, have to be within your home's Wi-Fi network for EE TV to work.

There is no offline option (so no downloading shows to watch on the plane, for example), and you can't go out and about and watch EE TV.

Meanwhile Replay allows you to select your six favourite channels, and the EE TV box will have the last 24 hours of all six channels recorded on its hard drive, ensuring you don't miss your favourite shows.

If you come home mid-way through your favourite show, and the channel is one of the six you've selected on Reply, you can instantly skip back to the start and watch it in full.

You can move from the TV to your phone or tablet to finish watching elsewhere around the home, and if you fancy sticking it back on your main TV all you need to do is flick up on your device's screen.

Virgin Media has announced that it's giving its TiVo services a significant overhaul, bringing some new features to the platform that will focus on recommendations and discovery.

The new design will make it easier to navigate through live and on-demand content, while a new app store will offer support for HTML5 apps. The benefit of this will be that apps like iPlayer will be able to roll out their updates more quickly to the service.

Meanwhile the new 'What to Watch Now' feature serves up a list of recommended shows based on your viewing habits., all of which will be categorised to make your life a bit easier.

There are a few other minor changes: the red colour scheme has been painted over with a shade of purple, and the search function has also been given an overhaul to offer suggestions as you type.

Oh, and handily, Virgin is now offering newcomers a 'TiVo in a box' option, which will let them install the DVR themselves without coughing up for installation charges.

Some features will start to be added next week, we're told, but the full update will start rolling out to Virgin Media TiVo customers from the end of October.

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Virgin Media television customers who subscribe to the Sky Sports and Sky Movies channels through their cable service will have the added bonus of on the go viewing from this August.

Virgin customers paying for Sky's premium content will be able to log into the Sky Sports Mobile TV and the Sky Movies apps for iOS next month using their existing Virgin account details.

As well as live action in time for the start of the Premier League season, they'll also be able to tap into to the on-demand content from within the apps. There's a host of additional content through the iPad app.

Just like Sky TV customers, Virgin-ers will be able to log in on two Apple devices, but there's no access for Android customers as yet, according to a post on the Virgin community forums

Common enemy

Virgin Media customers are already able to access 7 Sky channels (from farther down the trough) through the Virgin TV Anywhere apps for iOS and Android.

Earlier this week the company also announced the arrival of the Sky Sports 3, Sky Sports 4 and Sky Sports Formula 1 channels in HD.

It seems, through this latest alliance, Sky and Virgin have resolved to unite against the threat posed by BT's television and broadband offerings.

Earlier this week Sky announced a new Sky Sports 5 channel which will show the Champions League coverage next season. Virgin customers will have access. BT's will not.

As the old saying goes: "The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

Via Engadget

The World Cup may be over but Virgin Media is pushing ahead for a new season of sport, rolling out three new Sky Sports channels starting today.

Earlier this year we reported that Sky and Virgin struck a five-year deal to see Virgin Media earn itself every Sky HD channel available.

Now Sky Sports 3 HD, Sky Sports 4 HD and Sky Sports F1 HD are appearing on Virgin set-stop boxes, according to Virgin itself, with Sky Sports 5 to also appear when it launches in a few weeks time. If you're already paying £7 a month to get Sky's HD content then you'll get the new channels for no extra charge.

At the same time, Virgin has also announced that seven Sky channels are also joining the TV Anywhere lineup: Sky 1, Sky 2, Sky Living, Sky Living it, Sky Arts 1, Sky News and Sky Sports News.

• On the hunt for a set-top box? Take a look at Now TV

Via Engadget

Sky and Virgin have struck a tasty five-year deal that will see Virgin Media land every Sky HD channel available.

On top of existing Sky channels, Virgin Media subscribers will now also get Sky F1 HD, Sky Sports 3 HD, Sky Sports 4 HD, Sky Sports News HD and Sky News HD, thanks to the extended deal.

They'll be coming in at no extra cost to existing Virgin subscribers who already take out the Sky Premium HD bundle, which costs an extra £7 per month.

Fight! Fight! Fight!

Virgin is also making no secret of its intentions to attack BT when it comes to sports, highlighting that Sky customers need a separate BT subscription to get BT Sport, while BT customers are unable to get many of the Sky Sports channels.

On top of that, Virgin customers will be able to enjoy Sky Sports and Sky Movies via the dedicated apps, also starting this summer.

• Not too fussed about HD? Maybe Now TV is the one for you.

Tivo fans can breathe easy knowing that Virgin Media won't be retiring its much-loved service any time soon.

Speaking to Digital TV Europe, the company's CEO Tom Mockridge allayed fears that its new owners would force the service to move in line with its own television of choice, Horizon.

When asked if that was a possibility, he said, "The short answer is no."

Mo' apps, no problems

We could see more streaming apps hit Tivo boxes in the near future, though, as Mockridge said Virgin is "certainly open" to these kinds of deals after adding Netflix last year. Amazon's Prime Instant Video service is already in talks with Virgin.

But the company won't be hitting the production studios to create its own shows any time soon. Despite it being Quite The Thing among TV providers and streaming services - Netflix's House of Cards recently won an Emmy, Sky's Moone Boy is much-loved and Amazon runs a production arm too - Virgin says it won't be following suit.

"We carry a wider selection of channels than anyone else in the market because we are the middle guy," said Mockridge.

"We would rather have a comprehensive offer and we don't see the differentiation in the programming as being critical to our future."

That's because Virgin Media now sees itself "primarily as a broadband supplier" rather than a TV player.

"We see our differentiation as being in the quality and depth of broadband."

• Everyone loves Tivo - find out what we make of it in our full Tivo review

When Virgin Media welcomed Netflix onto its set-top boxes, some observers likened it to voluntarily sticking one's privates in a bees nest - there's maybe plenty of sweet honey on offer, but you're going to get stung!

With those fears seemingly unfounded, the television provider is looking to business with the next big on-demand company looking to put traditional cable companies out of business - Amazon Prime Instant Video.

Talks have begun with a view to the platform formerly known as Lovefilm to join Netflix as an app on TiVo boxes across the UK, according to Virgin Media's CEO Tom Mockridge.

Speaking at a Broadcasting Press Guild event in London he said "the honest answer is we have talked to them [and] we are certainly open to it, [but] It takes two to tango," before adding Amazon is still working out its proposition.

A good sport

Meanwhile, as the Guardian reports, Mockridge also reiterated that Virgin will never get involved in big bidding for the Premier League football rights he considers to be "Hollywood in the UK."

Instead, it'll continue to make deals with the likes of Sky and BT in order to bring the content directly to Virgin customers.

Do you think allowing Netflix and potentially Amazon Prime onto Virgin Media is a shrewd move? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

• Netflix vs Amazon Instant Prime: The battle lines have been drawn.

Netflix and the pay TV industry haven't always been the best of pals, with the former seemingly keen on negating the need for the latter by offering cheap, commercial free, all-you-can eat access to new TV shows new and old.

However, the apparent conflict of interest hasn't stopped Virgin Media jumping into bed with the on-demand giant by commencing the full roll out of the Netflix app for TiVo customers in the UK.

Following a successful trial in 40,000 homes in September, Virgin is now in the process of facilitating all 1.8m TiVo boxes in the UK within the next few days.

Virgin's Premiere TV and VIP Collection customers will also have the carrot of a 6-month free Netflix trial dangled in front of them, while the usual price is £5.99 a month.

Accepting the enemy?

Virgin Media will hope that the presence of Netflix will keep more customers out of the clutches of BT and Sky, rather than allowing users to realise they can probably live without those 200+ channels after all.

The company will also be more hopeful Netflix will put more eyes on its own on demand offerings as well as looking at live TV options before selecting content from Netflix.

Do you think Virgin runs the risk of cannibalising its business by allowing Netflix through the gate, or is it a smart play that's mutually beneficial to both parties? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.

• Want to know where you can watch your favouritie shows online? We've got more answers than Walter White when Skylar askes where he's been.

Virgin Media has told customers to expect an influx of new, on-demand 3D content, with 50 hours of programming to be added this month

The cable TV provider will be supplementing its offering with new shows from the Discovery Channel, Sony and New Media Vision during the next couple of weeks.

In addition, the company is adding a host of 3D movies to rent on-demand, including The Hobbit, Oz: The Great and Powerful, Wreck-It Ralph and the visually spectacular Life of Pi.

Virgin's additions to its 3D line-up little over a week after BBC decided to abandon 3D content, citing a "lack of appetite" from a public who found it a "quite hassly."

Still breathtaking?

With today's supplements to its 3D library, Branson's company said that, although the technology hasn't taken off as anticipated, there's still an avenue to greater adoption.

Kevin O'Neil, head of TV production management said: "3D offers a unique and often breathtaking experience and our customers are making the most of Virgin Media's 3D on demand line-up to sit down and try it for themselves.

"We offer our customers a wide choice of content and 3D at no extra cost is proving to be a valuable addition for many of our TV fans."

Disappointing

Earlier this month BBC put the creation of 3D content on hold indefinitely, with no plans to produce or broadcast content beyond the business end of the Wimbledon tennis championships

"I have never seen a very big appetite for 3D television in the UK," claimed Kim Shillinglaw, the BBC's head of 3D at the time.

"I think when people watch TV they concentrate in a different way. When people go to the cinema they go and are used to doing one thing - I think that's one of the reasons that take up of 3D TV has been disappointing."

It's fair to point out that Virgin isn't investing in producing its own 3D content as the BBC was and what it is paying isn't from the license payer's back pocket. Virgin is simply picking up 3D content produced by others and making it available on demand, making its decision to persevere a relatively low risk strategy.

Via Inquirer

UPDATE: So, after a bit of digging, it wasn't a direct tweet but a response to Lorna Cooper, so it's still there in the public domain. The headline and text has been changed to reflect this.

You can find the conversation on this Twitter thread

For those Virgin Media subscribers desperate to get the likes of Game of Thrones and Boardwalk Empire there may be hope yet, with the official twitter page hinting, albeit briefly, that Sky Atlantic could be coming to the service.

The tweet was in response to a comment by MSN TV correspondent Lorna Cooper, and it certainly makes it sound like Sky Atlantic is getting closer to the Virgin Media platform saying 'we're working on bringing the platform to our subscribers, so keep you eye fixed here [the customer update page].

We've not heard that any deal has been done; and we wouldn't hold our breath just yet or, indeed, start hitting refresh on the Virgin Media customer update page. We'll tell you if we here anything concrete.

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Little Monday treat for all you Virgin Media subscribers out there: 21 new channels have been added to Virgin TV Anywhere for your cloud-based viewing pleasure.

The channels include Channel 4, SyFy, Dmax, More 4 and even a few from Virgin's arch-enemy: Sky 2, Sky Arts 1 and Sky LivingIt.

The content you can watch live online, live on iOS and on-demand varies from channel-to-channel, and in some cases depends on what subscription package you're signed up to - so to make sense of what you're entitled to, we recommend you check out the TV Anywhere site.

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Virgin Media's flagship TiVo-fuelled television service is edging close to the half million users mark, with the latest figures showing that 435,000 people have opted for the service.

Virgin Media's envious fibre optic network has played a big part in a positive year – with the company's revenue up to £4 billion for the year.

The headline stories for Virgin Media are the extra 273,000 people who plumped for the Virgin Media TiVo cable television service and 133,000 who opted for superfast broadband speeds of more than 30Mbps.

Encouraging

That brings a total TiVo number that is closing in on the half million mark; certainly encouraging for Virgin Media, with a big investment and steady improvement in the service paying dividends.

"Our strategy of focusing on customers who want more from the digital world is paying off," said CEO Neil Berkett.

"With the number of TiVo customers doubling in the final quarter of the year, our new TiVo service is attracting both new and existing customers.

"Since its commercial launch mid-way through the year, the number of TiVo subscribers has grown to almost half a million with a large and growing proportion now using its next generation functionality on a regular basis.

"Demand for better broadband also continues to grow fast, with around half of new customers choosing superfast speeds.

"The combination of the best TV experience and the best broadband, has enabled us to acquire more new customers in the quarter."

With television on demand on the service hitting the one billion streams mark, the company is certainly well placed as the UK's television world increasingly looks to delivery over the internet.

Virgin Media has announced that its catch-up television service TV on Demand has reached the 1 billion views milestone, with nearly 490 million hours of television watched in this way.

With the launch of the Virgin TiVo box last year, Virgin Media has managed to increase the number of people using its catch-up service by 14 per cent since 2010.

Virgin is putting this down to the innovations found in its set-top, including the likes of backwards EPG functionality and the amount of personalisation the TiVo service offers – that, and the addition of Sky Anytime on its platform.

Most watched

While its customers may be tech savvy having embraced on demand, their tastes leave a lot to be desired.

According to Virgin Media, the most watched boxset was emo snore-fest The Vampire Diaries.

They do earn some cool points for having Paul as their most-watched film of the year and good ol' Coronation Street topped the most-watched TV show for the second year running.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media explained about the numbers: "Essentially people are watching more TV; whether that's On Demand, suggestions recorded for them, or as a result of new and exciting interactive experiences.

"We know On Demand is incredibly popular as it's watched more than any channel except for BBC1 or ITV1 but we far surpassed our expectations in 2011.

"The TV world is changing, with TiVo's powerful functionality and ease of use giving people even more control over what they watch and when. The advocacy we're seeing from users is vociferous with over half telling us they're recommending the service to their friends and family."

TiVo customers should see the Virgin Media Spotify app hit their set-top boxes from today, allowing that lucky Tivo-owning Spotify-Premium-subscribing breed to play music through their TVs.

The app, which will land in the apps and games section of the TiVo service, lets you stream music through your home cinema system and browse playlists, albums and artists and using the TiVo remote control.

Virgin Media has hopped quite firmly into bed with Spotify, offering its TV and broadband customers free subscriptions to the service for 3 and 6 months respectively.

SpoTiVo

"The world of digital entertainment is continually changing," said Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media.

"Our goal is to deliver a truly unique experience for our customers and we're really excited about bringing Spotify to our TiVo service as part of our ongoing initiatives to develop the platform further with new features, applications and content."

If you're not a Spotify fan, never fear – quite aside from the music channels available on Virgin Media, you can still browse the company's "chart-busting" library of music videos as part of the TV On Demand service.

And Virgin promises that there's plenty more to come, as it is "in discussion" with other content providers too.

Virgin Media's quarterly results have shown that it now has 222,000 subscribers to its flagship TiVo cable service, with its superfast broadband business growing fast.

The TiVo service is now being pushed hard in ad campaigns and that appears to be having an effect, with 127,200 net additions in the quarter – one third of which are new to Virgin Media.

Apparently over one million households are now on 20MB broadband or higher, while 54 per cent of new subscribers are signing up for 30MB or up services.

Success

Neil Berkett, Chief Executive Officer of Virgin Media, said: "Our results show that we're successfully serving what is a rapidly emerging market for better quality services.

"The demand for superior connectivity is accelerating as more people, regardless of their circumstances, recognise the best digital technology is worth paying more for.

"In TV, we have quadrupled the number of households using our game-changing TiVo service and customer advocacy for this product is very strong.

"We are increasing the value and mix of our customer base as people add or move to higher tier services and as new joiners increasingly take up higher value products.

"This, along with subscriber growth, has increased revenue and we have had further substantial increases in free cash flow and OCF. Our strong and sustained financial performance allows us to continue to invest in giving our customers more value and further differentiating our range of market leading products."

On the financial front, Virgin Media showed quarterly revenue growth of 2.2 per cent – up to £1 billion – while the company received £348 million in cash as part of the sale of the UKTV channels.

Virgin Media has announced that you can now get Sky Anytime through its on-demand service, as long as you are on the company's XL service.

In an interesting move, Sky is offering its content on Virgin Media through its online Anytime service – with so much being available that Virgin is saying it's on-demand content has increased by more than a third.

Speaking about the new link-up, Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: "Virgin Media offers the most complete TV on demand experience in the UK and is the perfect place for movie fans with over one thousand fantastic films available instantly on demand."

Growing demand

"The addition of Sky Anytime on Virgin Media forms part of our ongoing commitment to developing a compelling and complete digital entertainment service. With a growing on demand library designed to offer range and depth, all delivered instantly, customers now have even more flexibility to enjoy whatever they want, whenever they want it."

If you are a subscriber to the Sky Sports channels and Sky Movies package on Virgin Media, then you will also be offered on-demand content for these channels as well.

Back in February, Sky told TechRadar it was hoping for 2 billion on-demand views this year - with this latest addition, it may well get there.

Virgin Media has announced that it will be adding five new HD channels to its line-up, plus Sky Movies Classics HD for those with a premium film subscription.

Virgin Media is keen to add to its HD offering as it continues to invest heavily in its TiVo marketing campaign.

The addition of seven new channels includes five in HD – and an added bonus of a Sky Movies Classics HD channel and pricing change (from £7 per box to £7 per account) for customers paying for movies.

Channel phwoar

The HD channels arriving for Virgin Media are Eden HD (7 October), Good Food HD (7 October), Dave HD (10 October), Watch HD (12 October) and Alibi HD (TBC 2012).

The two standard definition channels are Yesterday +1 and Eden+1.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media said: "We're thrilled to be bringing more dazzling HD channels to our TV service, offering our customers even more choice and variety.

"Our commitment remains to deliver and develop the most compelling digital home entertainment service available in the UK and we will continue to build on our great TV and On Demand offerings to give our customers the best range of services now and for the future."

If you include the Sky premium channels (which cost extra) then Virgin Media has a total of 37 HD channels, 24 on its XL package including its sole exclusive HD channel – Film 4HD.

The rundown is now:

M: BBC HD, ITV1 HD, 4 HD, FIVE HD
M+: add Film 4HD (exclusive to Virgin Media)
XL: add ESPN HD, FX HD, MTV Networks HD, National Geographic HD LIVING HD, E4 HD, SyFy HD, Discovery HD, Eurosport HD, Comedy Central HD, Sky 1 HD, Sky Arts 1 HD, Sky Arts 2 HD, Good Food HD, Watch HD, Dave HD, Eden HD, (Alibi HD from 2012)

Virgin Media's TiVo hard disk recorder and on-demand set top box has changed the way people find and view TV programmes, according to the fibre-optic entertainment supremo.

A quarter of its users forgo the electronic programme guide (EPG) favoured by other set top boxes, instead preferring TiVo's intelligent search feature.

Half of these searches are for programmes that aren't in audience research company BARB's top fifty for the UK - which means more people are seeking out programmes, rather being spoon-fed the top result on the EPG.

According to Virgin Media's second 'Entertainment Index', the top ten customer searches were:

1. The Apprentice
2. Camelot
3. Doctor Who
4. House
5. Glee
6. EastEnders
7. Dexter
8. Casualty
9. Desperate Housewives
10. Fringe

Too demanding

Dexter and Fringe aren't broadcast on conventional 'terrestrial' channels, instead being shown on FX and Sky1 respectively which, Virgin Media reckons, reinforces the prominence of "word of mouth social recommendations or marketing campaigns".

What Virgin Media hasn't revealed is the number of people who prefer watching on-demand to recording on the TiVo's hard drive, so it's not clear if the Tivo's 1TB of storage is proving increasingly redundant.

At 484 million views in the first half of 2011, Virgin Media's on-demand service is still dwarfed by the BBC iPlayer - which achieved 175 million views in December 2010 alone.

The company believes it's on track to achieve one billion views this year, but this could be a drop in the ocean compared to the (free) iPlayer's results.

We doubt Virgin is too worried though. It's already delivered Britain's fastest fibre-optic broadband to many homes, and many will take out a TV package at the same time.

Virgin Media has confirmed that it has sealed a partnership with music streaming giant Spotify.

The deal has been on the cards for some time, and the cable company has now confirmed that it has signed up Spotify to run across 'multiple services'.

The Spotify service on Virgin Media will offer up over 13 million tracks for Virgin Media customers either through the internet, their mobiles or on their televisions.

With a UK launch date set in 'the coming months', Virgin Media has set out a plan to offer the service to new and existing customers through a range of special offers.

Premium offer

That will apparently include Spotify Unlimited and Spotify Premium, with the latter offering download of tracks for playback on offline devices.

Jon James, executive director of broadband at Virgin Media, said: "We are delighted to have united the Virgin Media brand with the world's best music service.

"Spotify will help our customers to fill their world with music, whether it's at home or on the go, and provide a unique way to get even more out of Virgin Media's leading digital services."

Andreas Liffgarden, director of business development at Spotify, added: "By teaming up with Virgin Media we're giving millions more people across the UK the chance to enjoy all the world's music at their fingertips, however they choose to listen to it - be that on their computer, mobile, and for the first time through their TV."

Virgin Media has spoken to TechRadar about the recent rumours it is to partner with Spotify, saying that it is "working hard on a new music service".

It neither confirmed or denied that its music service would involve Spotify but it does sound as if Virgin Media's music offering would be a major player in the market.

"We're working hard on a new music service and are in very encouraging and progressive talks with both major and independent labels," said a Virgin Media spokesperson.

"Our focus remains on providing a compelling music service for both consumers and industry and we're developing a proposition that promises to be a truly attractive alternative to illegal file-sharing."

Musical partnership?

The Virgin Media music service has been gestating for a few years now. In 2009 it announced plans for an all-you-can-eat music service but only Universal signed off on the idea.

It's not clear whether Virgin Media has managed to entice the labels this time around, which would mean that a deal with Spotify would make total sense – as this would bypass any need to get the fickle music bigwigs on board.

If a deal between Spotify and Virgin Media does indeed go ahead (and the Guardian is reporting that it is all-but done) it will be interesting to see how much of a dent the combined service would make in the music market.

Currently Sony is pushing hard with Music Unlimited, but there's plenty of other – Sky and its Sky Songs included – that have fallen by the wayside.

Virgin Media has announced that it will be screening the French Open tennis in 3D, with the Eurosport coverage to be screened live on channel 523.

Although Virgin Media does have 3D content, until now it has been part of the on-demand service rather than on a live channel.

However, the cable giant is now bringing a key sporting event to its customers in 3D, as it looks to compete with Sky 3D – which uses Sky's own 3D sports coverage as a keystone of its content.

Delighted

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: "We're delighted to be adding one of the year's most prestigious sporting events to our calendar and giving our customers more of those 'wow' moments in breath-taking 3D.

"With Sky Sports, Eurosport and ESPN all available in HD and SD and a great choice of sport on demand, Virgin Media is the perfect choice for sports fans everywhere."

Channel 523 is currently an unused channel on the EPG, and presumably has been chosen as it sits next to Eurosport HD on 522.

SKY: filming Master Tennis in 3D at the O2 Arena

Jean Thierry Augustin, Eurosport's Managing Director, Distribution, Rights Acquisition and Development said: "This agreement with Virgin Media will enable UK sports fans to experience Grand Slam tennis as never before.

"The iconic clay courts of Roland Garros are the perfect stage to demonstrate the progress being made in 3D sports broadcasting.

"It will be the first time an entire Grand Slam event has been accessible in 3D to viewers at home from the opening day to the final and it reinforces Eurosport's commitment to innovation and new technology."

Virgin Media has announced that a brand-new TiVo box is on its way - with a lower cost 500GB set top box arriving on the service in mid-May.

The current TiVo offering is a 1TB box, available only to customers on the XL TV package, but the 500GB box will be available to ALL Virgin Media customers and for a shade less than £50.

"Whilst the 1TB box is available exclusively to XL TV customers, the great news is that the 500GB box will be available to Virgin Media TV customers for just £49.95 and can be used with our L or M+ TV packs too, making it even easier for more telly fans to join the TV revolution that is Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo," a Virgin Media spokesperson told TechRadar.

1TB £150

Virgin Media has also announced that the 1TB box will be dropped to £149.95 to existing customers who pre-ordered or £199.95 for new customers with installation for no additional cost.

You might be wondering why a box that is apparently the same apart from double the storage costs three times as much - we certainly are, especially considering the price of HDDs.

The 500GB box will be available in around six weeks' time, and brings all the features of the 1TB box – including the three tuners and the built in modem.

TechRadar's Virgin Media TiVo review gave the 1TB box a four-star rating, praising its power and suggesting that it was a firmware upgrade and a polish away from being the best set-top box in the UK.

Virgin Media has boosted its HD channel offering, with the two Sky Arts channels making their high definition debut on 26 April on the cable service.

Virgin Media's channel line-up now includes 19 HD channels available at no extra cost and a grand total of 31 high def channels, with the addition of Sky 1 Arts HD and Sky Arts 2 HD.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media said: "All of our XL TV customers, including those enjoying our new TV service powered by TiVo, will be able to watch these great Sky channels in stunning HD.

Value

"Virgin Media's TV service provides unbeatable value and, now with 19 HD channels for no additional monthly fee, we're going from strength to strength.

"We'll continue to develop our next generation digital entertainment platform, with more HD channels and On Demand content to be announced throughout the year."

"We're pleased to be joining the Virgin Media platform in HD, to bring the arts to a new audience", adds John Cassy, director of Sky Arts.

Sky is currently leading the way with more than 50 HD channels, with Virgin Media a clear second in the market well ahead of Freesat and Freeview HD which each offer just a handful of HD channels.

The battle between the UK's biggest Pay TV operators is heating up. Satellite broadcaster Sky, long time ruler of the subscription TV world, is now having to contend with the return of old nemesis Tivo, courtesy of rival Virgin Media. With it's smart recording functionality, jazzy interface and blended linear and VOD (Video on Demand) programming, Tivo is getting clued-up telly addicts in a lather.

But how do the two TV titans actually compare?

We've pitched Sky's top-end 1TB receiver against the Virgin Media Powered by Tivo (official moniker) box, rating each on a scale of 1 to 10 for Ease of Use, User Interface, Hi-def Content, 3D programming, Non linear TV Choice, Wow Factor and Price.

• Compare Virgin Media Tivo deals
• Compare Sky HD deals

Ease of Use

With its clean EPG and self explanatory genre tabs, Sky+ HD is a model of simplicity to use. However finding particular programmes if you don't know what day or channel they're on is almost impossible. The Search functionality of the platform is very limited.

TIVO GUIDE: Tivo enables you to plan recordings from both the main TV listing Guide and via recommendations made by the service itself

The Tivo interface takes a little more time to master, but includes a variety of powerful search tools. Metadata helps link creators with stars and genres and the platform itself will make suggestions about related content that may be of interest. A search for a particular programme will quickly bring up available episodes on VOD and upcoming broadcasts. It will even link you into relevant YouTube content.

SKY GUIDE: When recording from Sky's TV Guide you'll be prompted to add a Series Link to catch all episodes

User interface

The Sky+ HD interface is sharp but conventional. Ease of use is its key merit. The brand's Push VOD service, Anytime, hides behind the red button on the remote, with the all important recordings Planner assigned to green. Recent minor tweaks have located Sky's HD channels nearer the top of the EPG guide.

TIVO HOME: The Tivo user interface takes viewers on an adventure through the TV choice available

Tivo's interface is something else entirely. The smart looking TV listing goes backwards seven days as well as forwards, and provides an entirely new way to access catch Up TV services. Outside the guide, you can navigate in multiple directions, thanks to interlinking metadata. Pictured TV shows across the top of the screen provide one jumping on point; you can also dig into cast members or genres.

High def Content

Sky is the UK's biggest provider of high-def entertainment. Now with over 50 HD channels covering everything from general entertainment and sport to documentaries and movies, it literally has something in 1080i for everyone. Indeed, the selection is so wide HD snobs will find it's quite possible to avoid the low resolution waters of standard def TV entirely. You are asked to pay a monthly surcharge for the privilege though.

TIVO CHANNELS: Tivo has a good selection of HD channels plus extensive HD VOD

Virgin Media's Tivo service has fewer linear HD channels, although all the leading services are represented. But this is not a clear victory for Sky, as the Tivo platform also has access for wide selection of HD VOD, both through dedicated streams and the BBC iPlayer.

SKY CHANNELS: Sky has by far the largest number of linear HD channels, over 50 and growing

3D programming

For all its contextual wizardry, Virgin Media's platform is not big on 3D. There's some movie and documentary content hidden in its On Demand sections, but it's just me-too scheduling.

Sky, on the other hand, has plenty on offer. An early advocate of 3D technology, it boasts the only dedicated 3D channel in the UK. This is a mix of sport and entertainment, most of which is included in the satcaster's top HD subscription tier. There are also movie premieres presented on a PPV basis. Indeed, Sky offers more films in 3D than you are likely to see made available on 3D Blu-ray all year.

SKY 3D: With a dedicated 3D channel, no other broadcaster comes close to Sky's 3D output

Non linear TV choice (VOD and Push content)

Sky's 1TB box actually has an additional 500GB reserved for its Push Anytime VOD service. This refreshes overnight and is used as a platform for big movie and TV premieres. If you are a Sky broadband subscriber, you'll get the Anytime Plus service, which offers an expanded viewing choice. This is Pull content delivered across your broadband line. It's all in standard definition.

TIVO CATCHUP: The TiVo interface makes catching up with Virgin's huge VOD library a snap

Virgin Media's Tivo, however, builds upon the fastest broadband infrastructure in the UK. This allows it to deliver an unprecedented amount of non linear content, be it in the form of Catch Up TV, music playlists, themed channels or back catalogue oddities.

SKY ANYTIME: Sky offers Push VOD to all subscribers but only Sky Broadband customers get its Pull service

Wow factor

In truth, both services dazzle. Tivo offers a fresh take on TV that could fundamentally change the way you view; with so much content ready to stream there's often little need to record material to your local hard drive. The Tivo user interface is innovative and its Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down recommendation engine can be astonishingly appropriate. As the box grows to know your preferences, it auto-records any material it thinks you may like.

TIVO RECOMMENDATIONS: Tivo's Thumbs Up & Down recommendation service is a unique attraction

Conversely, if content is king Sky still wears a jewel-encrusted crown. The satcaster impresses with the sheer amount of hi-def material it can offer, including exclusive attractions like the Awards-laden Sky Atlantic channel.

SKY ATLANTIC: Sky has a strong channel line up, with Sky Atlantic its latest jewel in the crown

Price and packages

Wrapped in convoluted TV, phone and broadband deals comparing the actual cost of these two services can seem as challenging as counting fish in a pond. Unsurprisingly, they come out pretty evenly matched. The Sky 1TB receiver itself costs £249; a full channel package including all HD services is £62 a month. This also includes up to 20MB broadband.

SKY BOX OFFICE: Special events and early first run movies are an additional purchase for Sky subscribers

The Virgin Media Tivo set top box is priced at £199. Virgin Media's XL TV package with up to 10MB broadband is £45 – but this doesn't include Sky Sport or Sky Movies. That's an additional £29.50 pm.

In both instances there are additional setup costs which can be waived during promotional runs. Look for offers.

TIVO PPV: Virgin Media Tivo subscribers can pay for Sky's film conteSnt on a per-movie basis rather than by entire channel

Free Alternatives

Of course you don't need to jump onboard with the Pay TV goliaths. You could opt for a Freeview HD or Freesat solution. The latter hooks up to a regular Sky dish (take advantage of the idle feed if you churn away from Sky) and offers BBC One HD, BBC HD, ITV One HD CH4, and soon, NHK World HD.

Catch up TV is provided by BBC iPlayer with itvPlayer due soon. Want something clever? Consider the new Freesat £350 Echostar PVR which incorporates a Sling Player. This allows you to watch Freesat TV and recordings on other phones and computers running iOS, Android, Windows, Mac or indeed any browser with Flash.

ECHOSTAR: Echostar's Sling-powered HDS-600RS Freesat PVR provides an attractive alternative to the Pay TV services

Over the air Freeview HD is now the ubiquitous HD choice in all TVs, and offers hi-def channels from the BBC, ITV and C4. For something different, consider Samsung's £250 BD-D6000 which combines a Freeview HD tuner with Blu-ray playback and external HDD recording. It also includes Smart Hub net connected functionality for Catch-up TV.

SAMSUNG BD-D6900: Samsung's BD-D6900 combines a Freeview HD tuner with Blu-ray player and IPTV services

Conclusion

While both Freesat and Freeview HD have plenty to offer, they can't compete directly with the powerful Pay TV propositions of Sky and Virgin Media. Of the two, Sky is our first choice when it comes to hi-def and 3D.

However, the satcaster has some serious catching up to do when it comes to Catch Up TV and VOD services, and its content Search options remain rooted in the past. Sky broadband users can take advantage of Sky Anytime+, but this is not an all-embracing solution.

SKY+HD: The Sky+HD 1TB receiver is the ultimate hi-def telly addict companion

When it comes to streaming video and Catch Up TV, Virgin Media's Tivo sets the new gold standard. Powered by the cablenet's high speed fibre optic broadband, it offers an unbeatable VOD catalogue ingeniously interweaved with regular programming. Its unique recommendation engine is also enormously compelling.

In the end, each proposal has clear, definable strengths. Ultimately, your choice may be decided by other factors such as location and availability. The good news is that whatever way you jump, both services guarantee you'll always have something great to watch.

VIRGIN TIVO: With its extensive VOD choice and unique recommendation engine TiVo is a taste of the future of TV

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The Virgin Media TiVo box has been given a key update, with the BBC iPlayer app coming out of beta and now apparently offering HD catch-up of Auntie's programmes.

The iPlayer app is already on the boxes, but was a beta offering with several bugs which have, presumably, now been ironed out.

The BBC catch-up service has proven to be phenomenally popular on Virgin Media, and the extension of a full app onto the Virgin Media TiVo box will be good news for many who have got their hands on the eagerly anticipated kit.

Taking advantage

"Taking advantage of the power to run dedicated 'connected' applications on the TiVo powered set-top box, a new BBC iPlayer app can be found in the growing 'Apps and Games' section and offers the full library of BBC iPlayer content, including catch-up shows in HD as well as radio shows for the first time ever," a Virgin Media spokesperson told TechRadar.

"With around 900 hours available - previously 350 hours - to watch from the last seven days and other new features such as subtitling and signing, the new service will also gain new functionality over time and supersedes the existing BBC iPlayer serviceon Virgin Media to provide the most complete TV on Demand service possible."

As TechRadar's Virgin Media TiVo review discovered, the latest PVR on offer is a powerful beast but in need of a bit of a polish – and a refreshed BBC iPlayer app is certainly a step in the right direction.

Virgin Media powered by TiVo has been a long time coming, with the cable giant finally taking the plunge and updating some ageing hardware with an exciting, fresh and powerful set top box that takes advantage of the growing world of on demand video and internet television and provide credible competition with Sky.

For those not familiar with the TiVo brand - the US personal video recorder specialists are the brand that took time-shifting to the masses in North America, bringing a host of recommendation features that became a huge hit and featured heavily on shows like Sex in the City.

A brief foray into the UK years ago and in partnership with Sky ended in acrimony, and now where many say "I'll Sky Plus it" in Britain, Americans will be talking about "TiVoing" programmes.

The time was ripe for Virgin Media to move from its old V+ HD box and software and look for a fresh approach, not only because the box and its software was showing its age, but also to take full advantage of the company's enviable instant on-demand service.

Compare Virgin Media Tivo packages

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TiVo has always prided itself on 'surfacing' content - making it easier to find your favourite programmes and the television you weren't even aware you would like - so it made a huge amount of sense for Virgin Media to agree a partnership.

That news was welcomed to a small but vociferous group of TiVo fans in the UK who have kept hold of their boxes and still give the service three green thumbs up, and you can see why.

But, from the outset, one thing is clear, this is not a perfect product, it lacks the polish and finesse that would have made it a darn-site better and although the sheer power of the box makes it a seriously tech-friendly piece of kit, it comes at the risk of making it a little over-complex for less tech savvy people.

However, if you have Virgin Media, or are thinking about upgrading, this is the box you should be demanding. Once you get used to it (and, wonderfully, once it gets used to you and your viewing habit) this is a piece of kit you will be showing off to your visitors and talking to people about in the pub.

This is not so much a step change for Virgin Media's offering as a bound up a fairly steep staircase.

Box and remote

Make no mistake about it, those people who get their hands on a Virgin Media powered by TiVo box (we're going to call it Virgin Media TiVo from now) will be trying to tell you why it's better than Sky's best offering, and Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson told us that it was not only a weapon against the satellite rivals but that it would convert thousands of people.

The box is made by Cisco – to be exact it's a CT8685DVB – and looks-wise it's a very different looking box to its predecessor. The V+HD box was bedecked with a fairly pointless on-box screen and the shape could probably best be described as, well, boxy.

But the Virgin Media TiVo box is much closer in looks to the popular Virgin Media router – which in turn looked a lot like a PS3 – although a wise decision to go with matte black rather than piano shine means that you won't be quite so aware of the finger prints.

Virgin hasn't gone the whole minimalist hog and taken physical buttons off the front of the box. On top of the power button there are also buttons for 'Home' 'TV' 'Back' four arrow keys, 'OK' and a record button. There are lights for your connection, one for remote control action and one for power.

We still don't advise losing the remote though – because it's a nice piece of kit in itself.

Curiously peanut shaped, and very similar to the well loved TiVo version, Virgin Media's remote cannot be accused of being short on buttons. In truth, Apple man Steve Jobs would probably have a field day with just how many options are given rather than allowing the on screen menus to do the work.

To that end, on top of volume and channel up and down there is also a Home button to get to the main menu, a TV button to get back to the TV programme, a self-explanatory guide button, an info button, a text button (not in use yet) an expand picture button (more later) a sub titles button, a record button and TiVo's thumbs up and thumbs down.

And that's just the top half of the remote. We've heard of being thorough but quite honestly, there must have been a way to simplify the remote. The expand picture button, for instance, offers functionality that surely could have been rolled into other buttons and pressing the Home button twice takes you to My Shows (or once to the menu and then down one place).

It's a minor criticism, but on a box that is offering great power, a little simplification on the remote might have been a nice option.

Of note are the coloured thumbs up and thumbs down buttons on the remote, which allow you to grade programmes with up to three thumbs up or down. This is a key addition and we'll explain why when we get deeper into the functionality of the Virgin Media TiVo box.

The bottom half of the remote has, as you would expect, a numerical keypad, a slow button to slow things down, a skip back button, which take you back eight seconds or skips back a screen if you are in slow mo, a skip forward, play stop, fast forward rewind and, in a lurid yellow, pause.

This is an indication of just how powerful this box is as a PVR. For people who like live pause, who like skipping back to see something again (and in slow motion) or who want to not feel constrained by linear broadcast this is a fine, fine piece of kit.

It's also a good place to talk a little more about what having three tuners and a big hard drive does for this box. As opposed to Sky's double tuners, Virgin Media's three tuners also provide you with a neat multiple-buffer which means that you keep the rewind live TV option functioning not just on the channel you are currently watching, but also on whatever is running on another tuner.

That means you can be watching a couple of sporting events, for instance, and flicking between channels but still have the capacity to rewind on both to catch things you may have missed. It's a neat trick.

The back of the box is packed with various ports; the cable in (duh), SCART, HDMI, Optical Audio and USB and Ethernet ports that are not used for anything (yet). The card is inserted here and there is a power switch.

Interface

On to the user interface, and we see just how different the TiVo experience is. This is a flash UI modelled strongly on TiVo's US interface, and it's a big part of why Virgin Media decided on a partnership.

It's a beautifully thought out UI, not perfect by any means, but more powerful than anything else on the market.

Finding content is the key to the new box, and from the first press of the home button, you will begin to see why.

The home screen immediately includes some of the big ticket offerings of TiVo. At the top is a bar filled with television shows. This is called the discovery bar, and as you move through various options it will be ever-present.

More impressively it will dynamically change depending on what you are looking at. The offerings are a mixture of shows that have been plucked out by the Virgin Media team and choices based on what you are watching and recording.

Pressing the up button on the remote will highlight a show and tell you why it is in the discovery bar (expect to see a lot of 'We love it, we hope you will too' when you start). If you watch a lot of sci-fi, for instance, you are likely to get a sci-fi flavoured recommendation – and the explanation of 'It is similar to other shows you enjoy.'

Pressing the okay button brings you to the show's 'hub' allowing you to decide if you want to record the show, check out the cast or set up a series link. These hub pages are central to TiVo's UI; you'll arrive at them every time you get to a programme, and options are grouped in.

There are hub pages for every show, every movie and ever actor; every page acts as a conduit to other hub pages and programmes and it's at the heart of the TiVo experience

From that hub page you can choose recording options, see what episodes are coming up, see an episode guide and cast list and see bonus features that include YouTube search results. There is also an 'If you like this...' option to check out similar shows.

Back to the home screen and you can see a now familiar mini-television screen showing whatever is playing or showing on the last linear channel you were on.

The first option on the page is the TV guide – you may think that this needs little mention in these EPG enabled days, but actually this guide does have a very cool trick; namely you can move backwards as well as forwards and see what shows are available in on demand catch-up.

Obviously, not everything can be viewed from the past seven days, but as more and more catch up TV channels arrive, expect this feature to become a familiar and welcome site.

You can also narrow down your channel choice to favourites that you set, HD or genre.

Next up on the menu is the Catch up and on demand menu – taking you to an alternative way of looking through what is available to instantly watch courtesy of the always impressive Virgin Media on demand service.

Third down is the search and browse section, allowing you a powerful search engine for your television shows and access to YouTube.

Tapping in a search brings up the most popular options – a bit like Google Suggest – which means that the mainstream your tastes, the less likely it will be that you are having to type in more than a couple of letters.

Once you have run your search you then have the option of setting up a 'wishlist' search. Every time you pick out, say, an actor or director you have the option of making it a wishlist search – namely one that you can quickly run again from this section or, you can tell TiVo to record everything that appears in that wishlist search.

You'll never miss a Tom Cruise film or interview again…

Having someone or something selected in your wishlist searches also helps TiVo decide what you would like to watch.

Which brings us neatly to TiVo's suggestions. We called the hub pages the heart of TiVo, but it is the recommendation engine that is the brain of the operation.

TiVo learns what you like. It looks at what you record and it asks you to mark programmes with those thumbs up and thumbs down buttons and then it uses other (anonymised) user data and meta data to make (generally) sensible decisions on what to record for you.

These TiVo recommendations live in their own folder in your 'My Shows' and, don't worry, they are the first recordings to be sacrificed if you manage to fill that terabyte with your own recordings.

In essence, as you go through grading programmes with thumbs ups and thumbs downs even as you just use the box, Virgin Media powered by TiVo learns the kinds of things that you like and starts to record programmes that you might like.

You may look at the screenshots, and read about all the features (including YouTube and apps) and begin to worry about how this will affect your internet connection.

But fear not, with a built in modem, the box and the mass of data it pulls in to give you a fine experience is not going to clog up your broadband. With Virgin's cable offering a nice fat pipe, all that data arrives quickly and, only occasionally, does the box take a little while to process it.

Given the popularity of the BBC's iPlayer on the Virgin Media service, it's important to look at another of the TiVo box's features: the apps.

That's because the Apps section is home to the BBC iPlayer app - which neatly showcases the on-demand content from Auntie Beeb in a neat and obviously iPlayer-branded way.

It's a feature that is still in beta - and occasionally quirky - but it's a straightforward UI that is easy to use.

Other apps include social networking functionality through Twitter and Facebook, as well as another way to access YouTube.

There's an eBay app and news feeds for celebrity and weather. They are all perfectly okay, but perhaps not enough to discourage you from getting your laptop out and using that with the convenience of a keyboard and a mouse or trackpad.

Verdict

The Virgin Media powered by TiVo box is a wonderful piece of kit and it ultimately wants to be held up as the best of its kind not just in the UK but globally.

Bringing TiVo's UI on board was a master-stroke by Virgin Media, but just as its US cousin is still a flawed product, the Virgin Media box is not quite there yet, something that could be fixed.

We liked:

It's fair to describe Virgin Media TiVo as a triple threat. First and foremost it is a lovely bit of hardware – three tuners, modem and a big, big hard drive.

Next, the user interface is brilliant at making it easy to find what you want to watch, quickly. It brings together material and groups it in an obvious and straightforward way and blurs the boundaries between what is on demand, recorded or live.

And last, but not least, it makes it easier to find things that you *might* want to watch. It can tell you if your favourite actor is about to make his television debut, it can tell you when the new seires of Dr Who is on and it can tell you that most of the people who love your favourite show also love something on a channel you've never venture on to before.

We disliked:

It is without doubt the most powerful set top box around, but with that power comes, no, not great responsibility, but complexities and that is either a wonderful thing or a bad thing, depending on your point of view.

The huge amount of things that you can do are well laid out and simple enough, but it's still more complicated to do simple things than its closest rival; the Sky+HD 1TB box.

Like any powerful system, there are still issues. Digging into the menus quite often brings you to some ugly standard def interface screens that are clearly not on the same Flash UI that is so gorgeous through the rest of the experience. It's a crying shame, if not a critical one, because it's like being in a beautiful hall and opening a cupboard to find a mud floor – and it surely could have been easily avoided.

The box is, by and large, quick and impressive, but there are points where it slows down. And remember that the money you pay does not mean you own this box, merely rent it.

Verdict:

Will it keep the TiVo fans and television nuts happy? Yes. Is it the most powerful box on the market? Yes. But is it better than Sky's flagship 1TB Sky+ HD box? Not yet. And it won't be until it's given a much needed polish.

We hope that the blips will be quickly wiped out as Virgin Media gathers feedback and improves its product, and we're always impressed by a product that gives you the power to do something seriously cool.

Perhaps the most important point about the TiVo box is that it takes the best points about being on cable – fast internet, instant HD on demand and the capacity to quickly suck in data, and makes them more fun, more usable and more powerful.

Sky's deep pockets, greater range of context and simpler user interface remain a powerful force in British pay-television, but finally we have a challenger with the power and the hardware to genuinely mount a challenge. And with a bit of polish, The Virgin Media powered by TiVo box will become the finest PVR on the market.

Virgin founder Sir Richard Branson has told TechRadar that he thinks the new TiVo-powered Virgin Media boxes are a weapon that can be used to convert thousands of Sky customers.

Virgin Media launched its TiVo box at the very end of 2010, although very few boxes are in the market at the current time.

As more and more customers get the next-generation set top box, Virgin Media will begin the push for the new equipment, which has already wowed critics with its feature set, including a backwards EPG, searchable content and, crucially, the famous TiVo suggestion functionality.

A weapon against Sky

"I think that it is fantastic," Branson told TechRadar and T3 in an exclusive interview.

"There's numerous things one can do and I think that we have finally got a weapon that can give Sky a run for their money.

"We may well get thousands of people switching over from Sky to Virgin; it's a weapon that we've got that they can never develop which obviously gives us a bit of an advantage."

Moving places?

The British entrepreneur was getting his first taste of the technology when we met him, and was wondering just how he could take advantage of the service from his normal base of his privately-owned Caribbean paradise Necker Island.

"The only problem is whether I have to sell my island to move to a place where I can get TiVo," he joked.

"Someone suggested that I swap Necker Island for the Isle of Wight so I'm going to have to work out if I go that far or maybe lay an enormous cable from here to the Caribbean; that would be tremendous."

TechRadar will be producing an extensive Virgin Media TiVo review next week.

Virgin Media is expecting to pass one billion video on-demand views this year – with a trends report revealing that if its VOD service was a channel it would be the third most popular on UK cable.

The Virgin Media Entertainment Index 2010 shows over 900 million programme views though the on-demand service, a 10 per cent rise on 2009.

In the context of other channels, this would place it third behind only BBC1 and ITV1.

Credible bronze

"Virgin Media's on-demand service is the third most watched 'channel' on the platform with customers, on average, each watching for almost two-and-a-quarter hours every week," suggests Virgin Media.

"This is longer than the typical UK family sees anything on TV other than BBC1 or ITV1."

The 900 million programmes add up to a whopping 430 million hours of viewing – which would apparently take a single person 49,000 years to watch.

Transformational

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: "This year looks set to be transformational in terms of how we watch our favourite shows and I expect we'll break through the milestone of one billion views in the coming months.

"We've pioneered On Demand in the UK, putting nearly five thousand hours of programming at the fingertips of our customers for them to watch when they want.

"As connected TVs bring even more great content to the social screen, the ability to navigate this vast world of entertainment will become critical.

"Search, browsable collections and recommendations are set to become the dominant discovery tools for the next generation of TV viewers."

Sky, games consoles and internet

Sky's Anytime on demand, along with the BBC iPlayer (available on several platforms), proprietary services from manufacturers like Samsung and Sony and on-demand services though games consoles are also boosting the use of on demand in the UK.

Virgin Media are now rolling out a new set-top box which TechRadar's hands on: Virgin Media TiVo box review suggests will be a major boon for finding and accessing on demand on the cable service.

It's certainly clear that video on demand had quickly become a vital part of UK television viewing, and it's only going to become more pivotal in the coming years.

Virgin Media has announced its 3D content for the coming months, with the cable giant ramping up its on-demand offering.

Although it does not offer a 3D channel, Virgin Media insists that it is building on its 3D content for those people with a 3D capable television.

The latest content announcement from the company includes 3D documentaries for its XL TV customers, 3D animations available to all Virgin Media TV customers and on-demand pay-per-view movies.

In The Hole!

The latter includes The Hole, arriving on 17 January and Despicable Me which will be arriving in February.

"This exciting new line-up ofcontent will enable Virgin Media TV customers to experience a close-up of the Sun, explore the lost world of the dinosaurs, uncover the secret world of bats and rediscover the Pharaohs of ancient Egypt all in breathtaking high-definition 3D," said Virgin Media.

"Virgin Media customers already have access to a range of 3D movies through its pioneering TV On Demand service and can now choose to enjoy a growing selection of diverse 3D content instantly at the touch of a button."

We're all looking forward to The Extreme Nature Bats and Waking the T-Rex: The Story of Sue.

3D documentaries available to XL TV customers only

• 3D Sun – 23 Dec
• Dinosaurs Alive – 23 Dec
• Mummies – Jan
• Waking the T-Rex: The Story of Sue – Jan
• Siegfried and Roy: The Magic Box – Jan
• The Extreme NatureBats – Feb
• MircoWorlds – Feb

3D animations available to all Virgin Media TV customers

• Xenopod – 23 Dec
• Curse of Skull Rock – 23 Dec
• The Mission – Jan
• Voyage to Mars – Jan

3D Movies on Demand – pay per view

• The Hole – 17 Jan
• Despicable Me – February
  

Virgin Media has told TechRadar that it will continue to "build on" its 3D strategy in the coming year, with the imminent arrival of its latest set top box making it much easier to find content.

Like many others, Virgin Media's 3D content has been limited so far, although the company is well aware of the strides being taken by rival Sky.

Sky 3D launched this year bringing an entire channel of 3D content from the worlds of film, sports and arts.

Virgin Media's 3D content is available through its on demand service, and a strategic deal with Samsung "to bring its cutting-edge 3D TV viewing experience to the public", which means that the company has not forgotten about those customers that want to have access to content to play on their expensive 3D equipment.

Building

"We're still building on the 3D strategy that we put into place," Virgin Media's Cindy Rose told TechRadar.

"We have a collaboration with Samsung so we will be doing a lot of stuff around 3D.

"We are aware that some of our XL TV customers have spent a lot of money on 3D televisions sets and we want to make sure we give them content."

Content is king

For the time being 3D content remains thin on the ground, with bidding wars over high profile films like Toy Story 3 and Avatar which boost company's 3D line-ups.

Sky's financial clout and its impressive investment in 3D content means that it is going to be in pole position for many of the high profile movies and other bits of content.

However, as 3D content becomes more common, it is important that the likes of Virgin Media can be viewed as an option for people who are looking to upgrade their television to a 3D set.

Viewers need a 3D capable television to watch the 3D broadcasts, but manufacturers like Virgin Media's partner Samsung are putting huge amounts of money behind the push for 3D.

Virgin Media has formally unveiled its latest set top box, with a TiVo powered UI, a built-in modem and three tuners all bringing the cable giant's television service bang up to date for the modern market.

The company believes that a partnership with US PVR specialist TiVo has brought a 'game-changing' user interface as it looks to modernise its offering and compete with Sky, BT Vision and the forthcoming slew of IPTV services.

The box will be available this month for existing customers, costing £199 for the box and a £40 install fee.

"The new service will lead a much-anticipated revolution in the way people find and enjoy their favourite content," said Virgin Media.

Graphical interface

"An easy-to-use graphical interface will combine the live TV schedule with catch-up TV, a huge library of on-demand programming and popular web-based applications alongside a market-leading personal video recorder," it added.

"As a result, Virgin Media customers will never miss out on great programmes and will find it easier than ever to discover new types of entertainment to match their tastes and preferences."

The new platform will offer instant (and potentially HD or 3D) content on demand – still a huge selling point over its rivals, and the new box offers 1TB of storage and three tuners, allowing two things to be recorded while a third is watched live.

However, the box will initially only launch with two tuners, with the third being added to new boxes early in 2011.

"This also means that – unlike other internet enabled TV services – customers will be able to watch what they want at the click of a button, rather than waiting for time-consuming downloads," adds Virgin Media.

"As Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo utilises dedicated channels of bandwidth, the user's viewing choice will not come at the expense of their broadband connection, so households can watch and surf simultaneously without interruption."

Recommended

The TiVo recommendation engine will be a major new addition – but it will be the way in which content is grouped and surfaced which will be the major pluses in a revamped UI.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said, "This is a landmark moment in the UK's digital revolution and vividly illustrates why Virgin Media is the only company who can provide the ultimate digital lifestyle.

"For the first time, viewers will have a truly personalised viewing experience so they can get the most out of the wonderful worlds of the internet and TV all in one place.

"We're really excited to bring our customers what is just the first of successive generations of transformational services based on this unique TiVo-powered platform."

Get connected

Connected television is a massive part of home entertainment's future, and Virgin is hoping that the inclusion of a separate modem in the box will help push its offering ahead of its rivals.

"Through its dedicated 10Mb cable broadband modem, which is built into the personal video recorder, the new platform will also bring the ever-growing popularity of the app store to the living room for the first time, doing for TV what the iPhone and Android have done for the mobile phone," the company stated.

"Built on an Adobe Flash-based platform, the latest videos, social networking and information apps will be updated regularly.

"The service launches initially with apps from major web brands including catch-up TV from BBC iPlayer, videos from YouTube, shopping from the online marketplace eBay, Tweets from Twitter and photos from sites such as Facebook, and the app line up will expand over the next several months."

TechRadar will be getting its hands on the new box very soon – so keep an eye out for a full review in the coming days.

Virgin Media's new set top box and the brand new TiVo-powered user interface have been officially unveiled, and TechRadar has all the pictures.

The Virgin Media powered by TiVo concept has been in development for over a year – with the first public announcement made back in November 2009 – and will begin to roll out this year.

The TiVo user interface is the headline-grabber for the new box – bringing a wealth of connected features and the famed recommendation engine, enabling people to mark programmes with thumbs up or down and allowing the box to record things you might just like after analysing your choices.

Virgin Media TiVo set top box: Looking quite PS3-like

First up, the new box itself which will have offer 1TB of storage and, interestingly, comes with its own built-in modem. This means that the box can be hooked up straight to your cable connection, so any internet use on it won't impact on your normal web connection.

It also has the expected three tuners, although only two tuners will be active at launch, with a firmware upgrade bringing the third tuner into play in 2011.

"In due course, there will also be the facility to set recordings remotely via online and mobile devices," adds Virgin Media.

"Featuring cutting edge hardware design, the Virgin Media TV powered by TiVo box will have three tuners, allowing viewers to record two channels whilst watching a third so recording conflicts become a thing of the past."

Virgin Media TiVo remote: Featuring TiVo 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' buttons

The new Virgin Media box remote control is hugely reminiscent of the current TiVo remote control – and features the distinctive 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' buttons.

Virgin Media has not gone down the route of having a full QWERTY keyboard – which may surprise some people given that search is such a massive part of the 'discovery' experience in the user interface.

Virgin TiVo box: exclusive shot of the back of the box

Last but not least, here is a picture of the back of the TiVo box – complete with ports.

The user interface for Virgin Media's television offering has needed an overhaul for some time, and the TiVo deal has obviously provided this in spades.

The new interface, which is very similar to the US TiVo offering, is bedecked in Virgin Media's red, black and gold and the TiVo branding is fairly muted.

"Through its dedicated 10Mb cable broadband modem, which is built into the personal video recorder, the new platform will also bring the ever-growing popularity of the app store to the living room for the first time, doing for TV what the iPhone and Android have done for the mobile phone," states Virgin.

"Built on an Adobe Flash-based platform, the latest videos, social networking and information apps will be updated regularly.

"The service launches initially with apps from major web brands including catch-up TV from BBC iPlayer, videos from YouTube, shopping from the online marketplace eBay, Tweets from Twitter and photos from sites such as Facebook, and the app line up will expand over the next several months."

Virgin Media TiVo UI: Home screen

The Home screen is an immediate showcase for just how different the user interface is – with a so-called discovery bar running along the top and showing off a much more graphical experience.

Options include Apps and Games, My Shows and Recordings and Catch Up & On Demand – along with a host of options for each.

Virgin Media TiVo UI: EPG Grid

The familiar EPG is in place – as you would expect – although it has been given a huge overhaul and is far more pleasing on the eye.

Virgin Media TiVo UI: My Recordings

My Recordings has been given a welcome spruce-up as well – grouping programmes and, again, using the discovery bar to make things look a little more exciting.

Search is a key part of the TiVo and Virgin Media experience, enabling you to look by type, programme name and even things like actor or director.

"The game changing platform features a highly intelligent recommendations engine which will learn to predict the type of shows that a particular customer loves and, just like a personal shopper, will recommend great content on offer," adds Virgin Media.

"The superior search technology will find films, music, TV shows and online content as well as providing rich programme information and details about the actors and directors, allowing viewers to discover even more content connected to the cast and production.

"The user will be able to create a WishList search based on a particular show, theme, actor or director and all future content relevant to that will be automatically recorded."

Virgin Media TiVo UI: Finding a programme

Searching by programme is the most obvious thing; with the discovery bar again prevalent. Search is done through rather clunky multi-tap entry on the remote control number keys.

Virgin Media TiVo UI: Discovery bar

Choosing the discovery bar gives you a drop down box of whatever is being shown – the bar is contextual, meaning that it changes depending on where you are.

So if you're looking through sci-fi then it will only have the key sci-fi shows and if you're on the Home screen you will get a mix of popular or noteworthy shows.

Virgin Media TiVo UI: Pick of the week

Of course, Virgin Media's UI will offer a pick of the highlights for the week ahead – with the graphical nature again obvious.

Virgin Media's UI also brings a lot more information to the fore, with detailed programme info. Also worth a look is the series link page, which allows you to not have to worry about forgetting to record each week.

It's not a groundbreaking new feature, but the way it's been packaged up is slick and will help make sure you don't miss the shows you've been looking forward to for months.

Virgin Media TiVo UI: Programme details

Virgin Media TiVo UI: Series link

The first screen shots of Virgin Media's brand new 'powered by TiVo' interface have surfaced, with the long-awaited overhaul to the cable giant's UI bringing massive changes.

The decision to partner up with US PVR maker TiVo was huge news for customers of Virgin Media, with its current user interface showing its age.

The revamp is based heavily on the latest TiVo interface, boosted hugely by a more graphical look and built around finding content from any source more readily.

The colours, as you would expect, remain Virgin Media red, black and gold, with the TiVo logo present in the background.

TiVo did have a brief foray into UK territory but found itself pushed out by former-partner Sky and its Sky+ technology.

There is residual bitterness over this, and the US company will be keen for the Virgin Media tie-up to do well against the latest Sky+ HD boxes.

Search will play a major factor in the user interface, and you can rely on the fact that the TiVo 'thumbs up' and 'thumbs down' rating, which not only allows you to set your preferences but also to have the box automatically look for viewing patterns across its user base, will be present.

The final details on the box are thin on the ground, but expected to arrive in the coming week, with the first boxes set to arrive next month in order to meet the timeframe of a 2010 launch.

Virgin Media has announced that it is has sealed a deal with Five for its Demand Five catch up and video-on-demand service.

The cable giant has nabbed a key deal for the platform, with Five's catalogue now arriving on its admired Catch Up TV service – including content from the Five, Fiver and Five USA channels.

The deal is a multiscreen offering, meaning that the programmes wil be available on mobile and internet through Virgin Media, and the addition will not cost customers any extra.

You're a Mentalist!

Programs that will be available include British shows like The Gadget Show and Fifth Gear and some of the Five's key US imports like The Mentalist, Grey's Anatomy and CSI: Miami.

And who could forget the Australian behemoths of soap – Neighbours and Home and Away.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media said: "We're delighted to add Demand Five to our pioneering TV On Demand service and to complete our offering of terrestrial TV catch-up services.

"With a high calibre of shows including quality US drama, popular Australian soaps and entertaining and informative home grown programmes with many in HD, Demand Five has something for everyone."

Jonathan Lewis, Head of Digital Media at Channel 5 Broadcasting Ltd added: "We're really pleased to be able to offer Demand Five through Virgin Media, giving even more consumers the opportunity to watch a selection of our great shows, at a time convenient to them whilst still being able to enjoy the high quality of a full TV experience."

Virgin Media has finally confirmed details on its eagerly-anticipated TiVo-powered HD/3D set top box - which will have 1TB of storage and a dedicated internet modem to bring internet services and apps direct to the television.

Virgin Media's announcement of a deal with TiVo last November caused great excitement, and the cable giant is keen to create a real buzz around its efforts to upgrade and compete with Sky.

Virgin Media is already offering a well-established HD on demand service, but the TiVo-powered user interface will make a much-needed difference to the customers' experience.

Later this year

The HD/3D box will launch alongside the new TiVo powered next generation connected service 'later this year' – and the 1TB of storage will be very welcome to those people who like recording series in HD.

"Powered by Virgin Media's unique fibre optic network, the box will also feature its own dedicated internal modem able to deliver HD video and other online services without impacting customers' regular broadband connections, adds Virgin Media's release.

"As a result, Virgin Media's new TiVo-powered service will not only be able to deliver linear TV alongside an unbeatable instant TV on demand offering but will also be able to support compelling online video in HD straight to customers' TVs without having to sacrifice other online activities when in use."

UK release date

The Virgin Media Tivo box pricing and UK release date will be announced "in due course".

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, said: "Virgin Media's next generation connected TV service - powered by TiVo - and combined with our superior broadband will blow other 'connected TV' products out of the water.

"We're really proud of our new next-generation TV service which will appeal to anyone and everyone looking for the best of live broadcast TV, catch up, on demand and internet apps and services."

Virgin Media has announced that it has well and truly jumped on the 3D bandwagon, with the launch of 3D Movies On Demand.

This marks the first time you will be able to get a 3D broadcast to your home through cable and not satellite.

The service will be powered by FilmFlex and is said to have "a diverse range of content" available.

To receive 3D Movies On Demand, you will have to have a 3D ready Virgin Media box – which is either the V HD or V+ HD variety.

Another dimension

The price of a 3D movie from Virgin Media will be £5.99, with Street Dance 3D being the first movie available.

Other movies lined up include Garfield's Pet Force 3D (October), Disney's A Christmas Carol 3D (November), Step Up 3D (December) and Despicable Me 3D (early 2011).

To go alongside the 3D service, Virgin Media has also announced a partnership with Samsung, with Samsung 3D TVs featuring in Virgin Media stores.

This is similar to LG's link-up with Sky to show 3D content in pubs.

The timing of this on-demand service couldn't be better for Virgin as it takes some of the shine off of Sky's impending official launch of its 3D channel this weekend - 1 October.

Sky is tying its 3D channel in with the start of the Ryder Cup, which it will be showing in 3D.

For more details on Virgin Media On Demand and the 3D service which launches today, visit www.virginmedia.com/ondemand.

Virgin Media believes that the return of Five to the Project Canvas fold represents an even greater threat to the television status quo, and has renewed calls for an independent investigation into the IPTV collaboration.

Virgin Media has already made it clear that is opposed to the IPTV scheme that involves BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Arqiva, Talk Talk, BT and now Five again.

And it is the decision of Five, now it has new owners, to reverse its decision to leave the project that has prompted another reaction from Virgin Media.

Pressing needs

A Virgin Media spokesperson said: "With the return of Five, the Project Canvas joint venture partners represent an even greater concentration of all TV viewing.

"This reinforces the pressing need for a thorough and independent examination of this closed, anti-competitive platform.

"We're all already paying for this, whether we want it or not, so we urge Ofcom to bring some much needed transparency to the whole collaboration."

Controversy

Canvas has been controversial from the off, with Virgin Media hardly a lone voice of dissent for a project that hopes to bring some of the major UK broadcaster together for what has been described as Freeview over the internet.

Sky has also been a vocal critic of the scheme, along with major manufacturers like Sony, who believe that the BBC's desire to shape the user experience in Canvas is unfair to those who wish to sell equipment that differs from competitors' kit.

Virgin Media has has made an official complaint to Ofcom regarding Project Canvas, the BBC-backed IPTV initiative, calling the service anti-competitive.

Virgin Media has been quite vocal about its reservations of Project Canvas, previously stating that it had the potential of "severely restricting competition and innovation in the UK's digital media landscape".

And this is the slant that it has taken with its complaint to Ofcom.

In a statement Virgin Media explained: "The Canvas partners have significantly exceeded their original claims to be creating a common set of open standards which could have been improved upon by others and are now intent on controlling every aspect of how people watch TV.

"The BBC Trust has already acknowledged, but then completely ignored, the impact that Canvas will have on so many different organisations; from consumer electronics firms to software developers and enterprising new technology manufacturers to independent programme makers."

Open platform

This comes after the BBC Trust approved Canvas as long as a number of conditions were met.

Virgin Media now believes that these conditions are not being met and the spec for Project Canvas – which is backed by BT, Channel 4, ITV and the BBC – is over-stepping the mark.

At the moment, Virgin Media is one of the forerunners of on-demand content in the UK. Project Canvas' arrival would be a massive rival for the service it offers, although the door is open for Virgin to offer content through the Canvas platform.

Virgin Media isn't the only opponent to Project Canvas. Sky also has major reservations, but it seems that as of yet no complaint has been lodged.

Speaking at an event with TechRadar in attendance recently, CTO Anthony Rose said that Project Canvas is set for a 2011 launch.

All about innovation

Rose believes that Canvas is an open platform, noting: "It's an open platform and that means anyone can come up with something for the platform."

"If you make it closed, then only you can provide innovation. When it's open, other people can collaborate to the success of the platform and come up with applications that you've never even dreamed of.

"Because of this, Canvas is a great proposition."

Project Canvas was recently delivered a blow with the news that Channel Five was pulling out of the venture, though Richard Halton said this wouldn't change the "strategic rationale".

When TechRadar spoke to Humax about Project Canvas – which is rumoured to be called YouView when it is made available to the public – it told us to expect the boxes when they do arrive in the UK to cost "a premium".

That's if Ofcom doesn't step in to scupper proceedings.

Virgin Media will launch its first online and mobile TV player in beta today.

The cable giant has been teasing the launch of a VOD service over the internet and through mobile phones for some time, and has now confirmed that the service will launch today.

'Hundreds of hours' of content will be available to those on the trial including ITV, LIVING, Disney, Cartoon Network, National Geographic and, following a new agreement with MTV Networks UK & Ireland, a raft of MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon shows.

Popular shows

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media said: "MTV, Comedy Central and Nickelodeon already offer some hugely popular shows on our TV on demand platform so we're delighted to be expanding our line-up across all three screens.

"We continue to explore innovative new ways to bring our customers' favourite content to them and, with Virgin Media Player, we're making sure they're spoilt for choice."

Trial opening

The trial will be open to Virgin Media XL customers who also have a broadband connection through the company and registration is now open at www.virginmedia.com/player.

Additionally, registered Virgin mobile pay monthly customers will be able to watch an hour of Virgin Media Player every day for no extra charge.

"Virgin Media will bring more content to Virgin Media Player as the company builds towards full launch later this year," added the company.

Virgin Media will offer movie Clash of the Titans on its video on demand service three days before it goes on general DVD sale, but viewers will pay £14.95 and receive a hard copy in the post.

In an interesting new sales model, Virgin Media and Warner Bros UK appear to be testing the waters with early access and premium prices, offering VOD access for 48 hours and then a DVD through the post.

It remains to be seen if consumers believe £15 to be an excessive amount to pay for a DVD and a couple of days' grace, but it's certainly an interesting concept.

For those just wanting the on demand version – it will be available for £3.95 from Virgin Media through its usual mechanism.

Delighted

Aleks Habdank, director of on demand television and strategy at Virgin Media said, "We're always looking to bring the best films to our customers and we're delighted to be offering them the first screening of Clash of the Titans on demand in the home.

"Virgin Media has a long track record of innovation and we're actively exploring new commercial deals that make the most of our TV on demand platform.

"Clash of the Titans is a fantastic addition to our service and, with over 500 movies on demand and now the chance to buy a Hollywood blockbuster on DVD, film fans will never be stuck for choice."

Online retailers are currently selling the DVD for around £10, with a Blu-ray version available for £15.99.

So, if you have £15 to spare, don't want to buy the Blu-ray, are really keen on watching the film in your living room a few days earlier than your friends can, and like getting parcels containing plastic rectangular cases then this just might be for you.

Virgin Media has confirmed that it will be showing Sky Sports 1 and Sky Sports 2 HD from 2 August, with the company charging its customers £7 a month to upgrade a standard def sports package.

With BT making a huge effort to push its standard def Sky Sports package, Virgin Media will no doubt be reminding people that it will be carrying the high definition versions.

The cheapest way you can get the Sky Sports channels in HD is to take the M+ TV with Sky Sports and HD subscription and take a Virgin Media phone line which will set you back £44.99 per month.

Bolt-on fee

The £7 bolt-on HD subscription will give access to 'subscribed Sky Premium' HD channels, so if you have the Sky Movies package, or are going to sign up for it, then you will get HD versions.

"The new Sky Sports HD channels will be available from August 2nd and will cost just £7 per month on any TV package when subscribing to Sky Sports in standard definition," explains Virgin Media.

"The optional HD subscription covers all available HD versions of subscribed Sky Premiums including Sky Sports HD1 and HD2 and ten Sky Movies HD channels, though high definition versions of standard channels (such as BBC, ITV1, FX, Eurosport and SyFy) remain free of additional subscription costs, giving customers a simple upgrade path to take advantage of HD content as they choose."

Sky 1 HD

The deal also sees the arrival of Sky 1 HD and Sky Arts HD to the basic HD channels (so no bolt-on fee required).

This take the total number of HD channels available on Virgin Media to 30, with the launch of Film 4 HD giving the platform another exclusive HD channel.

Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment said: "As the new home of HD telly, we're delighted to bring our customers Sky Sports in HD at incredibly competitive rates.

"With the rapid growth of HD content, customers are demanding more and more from their TV service, and with our growing range of HD channels and on demand content in HD, Virgin Media is the best place for the whole families' entertainment needs."

The monthly price of multichannel hi-def TV has been slashed with the introduction of Virgin Media's latest set-top box, the Virgin V Box HD.

The first in what promises to be a new range of receivers and PVRs, the HDD-less V Box HD, made by Cisco, allows subscribers to the cablenet to get on-tap HD without a monthly surcharge (a la Sky).

Virgin Media customers just need make a one-off, £49 payment (plus £35 installation charge) to get hold of one.

Unboxed, the unit is a little larger than first imagined, and sports a distinctive curved chassis. Once up and running, there's a similarly oversized blue LED display dominating its fascia. This allows it to function as an oversized clock.

Seven forward facing buttons offer full navigation even without the rather routinely styled remote handset. One curiously features a 'heart' graphic which illuminates to confirm your box is connected to the Virgin TV network.

Rear connections include HDMI, optical digital audio, Smart card slot, F-Connector and legacy Scart. There's also an inactive Ethernet port and e-SATA connector.

Up and running

Once viewing card and receiver have been paired and authorised, you're up and running.

The user interface is no different from that seen on the company's V+ PVR: a simple, but effective, grid-based guide with Mini TV windows running top right. This iteration of the trademark GUI is very fast and responsive to navigate.

Image quality via the HDMI output is excellent (source dependant, naturally). Virgin Media's current HD channel selection comprises: BBC HD, ITV 1 HD, Living HD, 4 HD, E4 HD, FX HD, Syfy HD, Discovery HD, National Geographic HD, MTV HD, Eurosport HD and ESPN HD. Coming soon are BBC1 HD and Film4 HD, plus a number of Sky's HD channels (including sports and movies) following a recent deal between the two rivals – although additional subs costs will almost certainly apply for the premium Sky content.

Alongside this healthy selection of linear HD TV is by far the best VOD choice in the UK TV market. Drill into the menus and you'll find more than just Catch-up TV variants (although these are also comprehensive and can be searched by either channel or day).

Genre-specific strands support special (and general) interests, such as Sci-fi and fantasy, Sport, Comedy, documentaries and more. Elsewhere branded offerings like Warner TV and HBO allow (at least partial) season runs of big shows to be revisited; there's also a reasonable selection of music clip packages – plus adult-themed material for those that fancy it.

Apparently, the TV on demand library now offers over 4,600 hours of telly, so it's unlikely you'll ever run out of stuff to watch.

Unique platform

It's worth noting that Virgin Media's implementation of the BBC iPlayer is that unlike any other living room platform. Uniquely you can catch-up selected shows in HD as well as SD.

The quality of streamed HD is astoundingly good. With so much Pull content available it's rather easy to get over the lack of any hard drive recording capability. Such content richness also elevates the V Box HD away from the likes of Freeview HD set-top boxes and prompts the question: when so much telly is available on demand, do you really need a hard drive at all?

For causal (but considered) viewers, the answer is probably not. Equally, the V Box HD makes for a brilliant second source in a multiroom TV installation. If you want to feed off Virgin Media's TV smorgasbord in a secondary den or bedroom it's an ideal solution. And, of course, no HDD means zero noise.

It's unclear at present just how the V Box HD will sit within the upcoming Virgin TiVo landscape.

The characteristic TiVo user interface is radically different from what's on offer here, although the hardware itself would seem to be a perfect fit for the linear TV/iPTV mash-up of services planned. It's possible that a firmware upgrade could be used to bring to V Box HD in line, although the difference may be so jarring for users that the cablenet could be reluctant to go in that direction. Wait and see.

Virgin Media offers a variety of TV packages, which vary in cost depending on the services taken (TV, broadband, phone line). If you opt to take just its TV package, prices start at £11.50 and rise to £29 per month.

TV service costs falls dramatically though when you bundle it with a phone and broadband package. It's best to check the Virgin Media website for deals, as money can often be saved on installation.

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Sky's acquisition of VMtv is a major announcement for British television – but what will it mean for cable and satellite customers and some of our most familiar digital television brands?

Virgin Media TV or VMtv is the collection of television channels that Virgin Media owned including LIVING, LIVINGit, Challenge, Challenge Jackpot, Bravo, Bravo 2 and Virgin1. By selling VMtv, Virgin Media is no longer a content producer, but is concentrating on being a platform for other people's content.

In essence, Virgin Media customers look set to benefit hugely from the deal – which has helped to push through some long term negotiations over HD channels, on demand and wholesale pricing.

They will get more channels, more HD options, more on-demand television and more red button interactivity.

Sky customers will get new HD channels to enhance their already impressive high definition line-up. Sky's purchase means that they no longer need to pay a 'carriage fee' to provide the VMtv channels – which could free up investment in the future.

1. Sky customers will get Bravo and Living HD

Already dominant in terms of HD channel offerings, Sky will now be able to offer two of the key HD channels that it didn't previously have – with Bravo and Living, homes to programmes like Spartacus Blood and Sand and Ghost Whisperer, now set to appear on the satellite platform.

2. Basic Sky Sports HD and Movie HD channels to appear on Virgin Media

"Virgin Media will, for the first time, have the option of carrying any of Sky's basic HD channels, Sky Sports HD 1 and Sky Sports HD 2, and all Sky Movies HD channels," says the release.

Virgin Media cable customers will not get all of the Sky HD channels, but will get more of them – including the opportunity to subscribe to HD Premiership football.

3. All the VMtv channels will still be on cable

"New carriage agreements will secure wholesale distribution of …the newly acquired VMtv channels, on Virgin Media's cable TV service."

So, you won't be losing Bravo, Living or Virgin 1 (or whatever it is rebranded to) if you are a cable subscriber.

4. New carriage deals done for Sky basic channels for cable.

"New carriage agreements will secure wholesale distribution of Sky's basic channel line-up, including Sky1 and Sky Arts."

So, deals have been done as part of the purchase that will make sure that Sky basic channels are still available on the cable platform.

5. More on demand content for Virgin Media customers

"Virgin Media will make available through its on-demand TV service a range of content from Sky's basic and premium channels, including the newly acquired VMtv channels."

The success of Virgin's on demand service has been proven by a constant increase in consumer use - this deal will only make that offering even better and help more people understand the value of VoD.

6. Red button interactive sports for Virgin Media customers

"Virgin Media will also have access to red button interactive sports coverage…"

Which could potentially mean access to all of the live Sky-covered Champions League matches that aren't the main feature and are normally only accessible through the Sky red button, as well as things like Fanzone, highlights and a whole host of interactive goodies.

7. Internet television offerings from Virgin Media

"Virgin Media will also have…the opportunity to deliver selected standard definition programming over the internet."

So the long-awaited Virgin Media internet catchup and choice television platform will still have some content.

8. Sky's basic HD channels to arrive on Virgin

Sky One HD and a few more will now be coming to Virgin Media - although the company has not yet finalised what the pricing will be or what TV packages will get the channels.

9. Virgin One to be rebranded

Sky now owns Virgin One and all of its content, but not the Virgin branding, which means that Virgin One will be rebranded. Sky 4 anyone?

Virgin Media has told TechRadar that it is eager to launch its TiVo-powered new set-top boxes, following the announcement of a potential rival platform in Google TV.

Although Google TV had been mooted for weeks, the internet giant showed off how the platform would work and announced that the likes of Sony, Intel and Logitech are all already on board.

Some of the functionality apes that of the US TiVo platform that will form the basis of the new Virgin Media set-top boxes, due later this year, including a focus on search and collating multiple sources that include video on demand and internet clips.

TV times are changin'

"The way we're watching TV is clearly changing," a Virgin Media spokesman told TechRadar.

"Virgin Media was the first to bring the likes of BBC iPlayer to the living room TV and to help customers watch what they want, when they want.

"We're particularly excited about the launch of our TiVo-powered next-generation service later this year, which will offer Virgin Media customers a unique intuitive TV experience to help recommend and organise the vast digital world of entertainment."

So, aside from obviously not mentioning anything about Google TV, it is clear that Virgin Media will be keen to get its boxes to market and prove that it doesn't take an internet giant to provide our television entertainment.

Virgin Media has revealed the latest stats surrounding its on-demand TV service, celebrating the fact that its catch-up offering has hit 200 million views in 2010 alone.

In the first three months of the year, the amount of homes viewing content from the BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Virgin1 and Living – as well as the myriad movies on offer – has also risen by 250,000 year on year, to 2.1 million homes.

Demand is high

Virgin Media is putting the rise down to the quality of programming on offer. The likes of Glee, Shameless and Skins meant that 8 million tuned into 4oD in March via the service.

Around 250,000 tuned into EastEnders Live on the iPlayer through their Virgin Media boxes alone.

In February, the BBC announced that the iPlayer was receiving some 120 million requests a month, showing that the need for on-demand content has never been higher.

"Watching TV on demand is now part of the nations' daily viewing habits, with millions of people tuning into the TV programmes they love when they want to watch them," said Cindy Rose, executive director, digital entertainment, at Virgin Media.

Virgin isn't slowing down in its push for on-demand content. Later this year, the company is set to release its own web rival to the iPlayer and Sky Player.

Two of the major players in UK broadcasting – Virgin Media and Sky – are both enjoying the new decade, with HD offerings proving a major draw as Britain ploughs through the credit crunch.

Sky has added an impressive 428,000 HD customers, and increased its total customer base to 9.7 million – helping a 10% increase in total revenue and profits of £618 million.

The company now has one in four of its customers on an HD package, and 20 per cent taking its package of TV, broadband and phone services.

Huge response

"We have seen a huge response to our decision to cut the upfront cost of high definition, with net additions of 428,000 - up 76% on the prior year," said Sky chief executive Jeremy Darroch.

"The number of customers taking all three of TV, broadband and telephony is up 39% year on year and, as customers reward us with more of their business, ARPU has surpassed £500 for the first time."

Virgin Media

Virgin Media added customers to its cable and broadband services faster than it ever has before, benefiting from the UK's flagship 50Mbps broadband.

"We are developing our services to exploit our natural network advantage, both now and in the future," said Virgin Media chief Neil Berkett.

"More customers than ever before are choosing faster broadband and every day millions of our customers are enjoying the benefits of the video-on-demand revolution we are leading.

"On average our customers pressed 'play' more than two million times a day, every day in the last three months."

So happy times for the UK pay-satellite and cable platforms.

Virgin Media has unveiled it's jumping on the online movie bandwagon, with the launch of Virgin Media Online Movies.

No stranger to the on-demand scene, Virgin is hoping it can bring some of its movie magic to the web and it has teamed up with FilmFlex – which is a joint venture between Sony and Disney – to do just that.

Launching in May, the service will launch with 'hundreds of titles', including recent movies Fantastic Mr Fox and District 9.

It will also show The Twilight Saga: New Moon as of 6 May.

Flexing its movie muscle

"Virgin Media already offers the UK's leading movies on demand TV service and we wanted to bring the same high-quality, easy-to-use experience to film fans online," said Alex Green, executive director, commercial, TV and online, Virgin Media, about the launch.

"Virgin Media Online Movies will help visitors discover and enjoy a whole world of film and we'll continue to develop the service by adding download functionality, even more titles and a great choice of HD films to the line-up."

Virgin Media already uses FilmFlex for its on-demand movie service through its set-top boxes.

Those who want to use the service will have to set up an account through Virgin Media's website. Once done, you will have 48 hours to watch whichever movie you choose.

Price plan

The good thing about it is that you are not tied to any one PC as Virgin Media Online Movies is based on the account rather than device used.

Those who already use Virgin's on-demand service through Virgin Media will be familiar with the pricing – although prices do vary depending on what title you rent, expect to pay around the £3.99 mark.

Earlier this year Virgin launched a music on demand service and it hopes to have a similar online TV service later in the year.

To have a look at Virgin Media Online Movies for yourself, point your browser to www.virginmedia.com/onlinemovies.

Virgin Media has confirmed that it will be launching a rival to both the BBC's iPlayer and Sky Player by the end of 2010, with subscribers accessing content both online and through their mobile devices.

Speaking at the IPTV World Forum, Virgin Media's Alex Green – the Executive Director, Commercial, of TV and Online – twice stated that the Virgin Media Player would arrive this year and would offer the 'highest quality experience'.

"We'll be launching our player this year," said Green.

"This will deliver a super-high quality click to watch experience for our subscribers to see their favourite on demand shows online and on their mobile.

"We're determined to get the experience right in terms of viewing quality and usability and we're taking advantage of the way technology has developed in the past couple of years to do that."

HD featured?

The announcement by Green suggested that HD could well be a feature of the Virgin Media Player.

"It…allows us to build on our recent slew of HD TV announcements like ITV Eurosport, Discovery, E4, Film 4 and others," he added.

"We have a strong HD line-up and our onus is to offer the highest quality experience on demand on TV, online and on mobile."

Full steam ahead

Although a Virgin Media Player was always likely, it seems that the company is going full steam ahead to get it out and available by the end of 2010.

This is also the time-line being given for the launch of Virgin Media's TiVo-enabled new set top boxes – which would suggest that the two services will tie together.

In the mobile realm, Virgin Media appears to be putting much greater onus on getting top quality phones – like the HTC Desire for instance – rather than simply offering cheap handsets that can be bolted on to the company's other offerings in broadband and television.

Virgin Media has unveiled its brand new V box, and it signals the company's move to HD for all of its customers at no extra cost.

The latest V box is a non-PVR option for Virgin Media's customers, with the replacement for the V+ PVR likely to coincide with the arrival of the TiVo software later in the year.

But the V box is a big stride forward for the company, signalling the growing HD offering of the company, and bringing a host of high definition channels for no extra monthly fee.

Cisco-made and 3D ready

The 3D-ready Cisco-made box includes HDMI, SCART, USB and Ethernet ports, and an energy efficient standby mode.

Virgin Media's executive director of digital entertainment, Cindy Rose, said: "We want to make the best High Definition TV available to more people at affordable prices and without the additional monthly subscription fee.

"If you really love telly you'll probably want our V+HD box because then you can then record programmes on up to two channels while simultaneously watching another.

No extra fee

"Our new V HD Box is ideal for anyone who wants to experience the power of HD without the extra monthly fee," Rose added

"We think our superb range of TV content gives our customers a real choice and makes Virgin Media the best value TV offering available."

Customers can pre-register for the V HD Box and find out more about Virgin Media's HD products and services at: www.virginmedia.com/hd.

TiVo partnership looming

With the TiVo partnership on the horizon, this is a box that makes it clear that Virgin is mounting a full scale assault on Sky.

An overt mention of '3D Ready' shows that Virgin Media is not dodging the 3D band-wagon, but it is the increasing relevance of HD to the audience that is made most clear.

Virgin Media has announced a raft of new HD channels this year, although it remains some way behind Sky's offering, but the cable company does have the added bonus of an ultra fast fibre-optic network that can offer superfast broadband.