TiVo's 2TB, four-tuner PVR breaks cover in US

TiVo has taken the wraps of its most high-tech PVR to date at the US CEDIA Expo in Indianapolis.

The TiVo Premiere Elite claims to be the 'world's most advanced' set-top box, thanks its inclusion of four tuners and a 2TB hard drive.

The latter means it can record around 300 hours of HD material, which should be enough for even the most devoted of telly addicts – although an eSATA port allows buyers to connect an external hard drive should they need more space.

The quad-tuner system, meanwhile, means four programmes can be recorded while a fifth recording is being watched.

Other features of the TiVo Premiere Elite include THX certification, a 1080p output and the ability to stream content from your home network – as well as the usual TiVo tricks.

Doug Bieter, VP of Retail Sales for TiVo, explained the new PVR is aimed at the "enthusiast looking to complete their home entertainment system with a best-in-class TV experience."

The $499 box is also expected to appeal to the high-end custom install market, thanks to its compatibility with home automation controllers such as Crestron and Control4.

Special relationship

The big question for UK TiVo owners is whether the impressive features of the TiVo Premiere Elite will make their way across the pond and into the second-generation of Virgin Media's hardware.

Virgin Media's current offering incorporates three tuners, 1TB of recording space and doesn't offer any networking capability or option to plug in your own drive – so UK TiVo fans might begin to feel left out.

A Virgin Media spokesperson said to TechRadar about the news: "As Virgin Media TiVo continues to evolve, we're looking at a range of exciting new features to further enhance the service and give our customers a truly unrivalled viewing experience."