January 15, 2019

TiVo replacement on its way?

Virgin Media's parent company Liberty Global unveiled its next-generation TV entertainment platform, Horizon 4, late last year.
The new Horizon 4 suite of products includes a superfast set-top box with 4K Ultra HD picture quality, a remote-control with voice capabilities and an upgraded version of the operator’s 'GO' mobile app, which works together with the set-top box to deliver a seamless viewing experience. The platform will be introduced over the coming months to selected customers in The Netherlands, Switzerland and Belgium, with a wider rollout in these and other Liberty Global markets expected to follow. No mention of Virgin Media adopting the Horizon platform yet though
The Horizon 4 set-top box has already been introduced as the ‘V6 box’ in the UK, where nearly 2 million customers are already using it of course with TiVo software. The new platform to be rolled out in non-Virgin Media companies in the coming months combines this set-top box with the new Horizon 4 user interface instead, which includes enhanced features. Could the days of TiVo be numbered? You can read more about the new Horizon 4 suite here.
(My thanks to IrishManc for the alerting me to this news. Cheers, fella!)


January 11, 2019

StarzPlay now available on Virgin Media

After a delay of six weeks, StarzPlay has now launched on the Virgin Media platform. Virgin Media customers need to pay a StarzPlay add-on subscription (costing £4.99 per month) and you can't do it via the TV but have to ring Virgin Media up to add the service. Disappointingly, the seven-day free trial Amazon Prime customers get before paying for the service doesn't appear to be extended to Virgin customers. I'm assuming it's an HD service rather than 4k offering but there's nothing in the VM press release.
It's all somewhat underwhelming, to be truthful.
The streaming service is the exclusive UK home to the Stephen King adaptations Mr. Mercedes and Castle Rock. Future Lionsgate owned Starz original series will also be available exclusively on StarzPlay. The launch on Virgin Media comes just after StarzPlay sealed a deal with ITV for the exclusive rights to Hulu’s period drama Harlots, after it was dropped by ITV in the wake of the closure of ITV Encore. The show’s first season launches on Friday January 18th, with season two following on Thursday February 14th.
Still no word on Sky Atlantic coming to Virgin Media (yawn)...