The Telegraph talks Tivo

Nice long piece in Sunday's Telegraph on Tivo and Virgin Media

Tivo Premiere

Who knows if this is what we'll get on Virgin Media, but boy does it look cool:

In The Loop on BBC HD, Sunday 10pm

From the team behind The Thick Of It, last year's best funniest movie gets an early non-Sky debut.

Off topic: ads on this blog

You may have noticed that I've reintroduced ads on this site. I removed them before when I noticed that pirate cable boxes were being promoted via AdSense. I'm told that this should not happen now but if anyone spots them, please let me know and I'll take action. Thanks.

Neil Berkett reveals Tivo on Virgin Media boxes this Autumn

Virgin Media Chief Executive Neil Berkett has confirmed that TiVo software will be in Virgin Media set-top boxes this autumn. “We will be launching TiVo at the end of the year and we will have TiVo inside our set-top boxes across all of our customers. We believe TiVo will supply the best user experience, Flash-based, and creating a new gateway to the digital world, so no longer will we think about ‘I’m in a walled garden’ or ‘I’m not in a walled garden’. What you don’t want to do is confuse customers, if they can get it, they should be able to get it. Being able to search for a particular style of programme or being able to search for a particular actor and being presented with your options whether they are linear, video-on-demand or over-the-top will become irrelevant”.
More information on www.broadbandtvnews.com

More on Tivo's new technology

For more on "a tantalizing glimpse at what Virgin Media will be rolling out in the UK for its subscribers" check out this story on the Home Cinema Choice site.

New Tivo hardware

No guarantees that this will arrive in the UK, but that's a pretty neat looking piece of kit. More details at Endgadget HD and an interesting read on why the BSkyB/Tivo partnership failed at TechRadar

Tivo unveils new interface

Is this what Virgin's "Next Generation TV" will look like?

More pictures on Endgadget HD

ITV HD and Sky1 HD coming soon to Virgin Media?

Interesting comment posted by Big Red to this blog yesterday:

I caught up with my friend who works in one of VM area headoffices.
Virgin have issued a internal newletter recently stating that ITV HD and SKY 1 HD will be coming to the VM HD line up.
As most of us know from 1st April the xl tv package is increased by £1.50.
I can confirm that with Discovery/EuroSports HD coming on board from April there will be no extra HD fee for any channels added from 1st April for atleast a year - (Note this does not include Sky's Premium Sports and Movies HD channels) - the £1.50 fee also included some new channel line ups
It also stated that Discovery, EuroSport. ITV and Sky HD channels are just a start to get VM to its 20+ HD line up.
I did ask if a copy could be issued so I can scan and post but VM have blocked all Forward/Print methods.
It also states that there is no dates set in stone but agreements have being made that these will be become available.
Official press releases will be issued during Mar & Apr.
It also goes on that VM expects Ofcom to conclude its probe into Sky's premium sports and movies wholesale prices this month allowing VM to buy these products at a cheaper price.
Chief executive Neil Berkett also stated that any saving would be passed back onto VM customers. - this would be from this summer (VM buy in seasons) 

I can't vouch for the accuracy of Big Red's source, but it's big news if Sky1 HD and ITV1 HD are really "coming soon". I don't think we will get Sky1 HD for nowt whilst Sky customers still have to pay £10 a month to get it - maybe there will be a "Sky HD" bundle on Virgin with the movies, sports and Sky1 for a monthly fee?

Films on 4HD

Sunday, 28th February
9pm Saving Private Ryan
Saturday, 6th March
9pm Braveheart
Sunday, 7th March
8pm Stardust (the Neil Gaiman story - not the David Essex one)
10.30pm 30 Days of Night

Not bad for nowt...