Telly-tastic
Virgin Media has debuted details of its TiVo-powered HD/3D set top box, which will give customers 1TB of storage for squirreling away their favourite TV shows.
The set top box will launch alongside the company's next generation connected TV service, set to appear later this year and will be able to store around 500 hours of content, according to Virgin.
When linked with Virgin Media's present TV on Demand service, the new offering will give customers access to over 4,600 hours of TV, films and music videos including plenty of HD and 3D content. Catch-up TV from terrestrial broadcasters will also be available according go the company.
The HD/3D set top box will need Virgin Media's fibre optic network but will also feature its own internal modem to deliver HD video and other online services without slowing down customers' regular broadband connections.
Virgin said its service will be able to bring online video in HD to customers' TV ‘without having to sacrifice other online activities when in use'.
The company said its competitors' connected TV products rely on only one central broadband connection that is normally DSL, which makes it tricky for people to watch TV or an on-demand service and surf the net quickly at the same time.
Cindy Rose, 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 said more information will be released in ‘due course', including the small matter of price.
