Good news, square-eyes: TiVo is back in Blighty today. Virgin Media is launching its TiVo-powered set-top box today, allowing your telly to access an app store and record things it thinks you'll like. Magic powers, basically.
The TiVo set-top box includes a whopping 1TB hard drive, which means you'll be able to store huge amounts of telly, even in high definition. It has two tuners, with a third tuner being added in 2011.
Virgin has teased some screenshots of the interface, which cleverly allows you to delve back into programmes that have already been on. You can find out more at Virgin's official TiVo site. Crave's telly addicts are meeting with Virgin as you read this, so stick around for a hands-on review imminently.
The box will offer live TV as well as catch-up and on-demand services. Virgin offers high-definition channels and 3D movies alongside standard programming. The new box packs a built-in 10Mbps cable modem, which means your telly-viewing arrives separately from your Internets, so your Web browsing shouldn't be slowed when you're watching TV.
The best thing about TiVo is it gets to know you, recording your TV shows and learning what you like. You can create a wish list based on a particular show, theme, actor or director that will be automatically recorded. The remote features thumbs-up and thumbs-down buttons to rate recordings.
The box also accesses an app store for Internet-powered goodness. You can access BBC iPlayer, YouTube, eBay,
Twitter and Facebook, with more sites to follow. An app to record telly from your phone is also on the way, similar to the Sky+ app.
The TiVo box will be available in mid-December. Magic powers don't come cheap: the box itself costs £200, followed by a £26.50 per month charge. If you don't have a Virgin phone line, that fee goes up to £32.50. Installation costs £40.
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PaulGreyhead 1 December, 2010 14:43
Will there be discounts or offers for existing customers?
I haven't found anything to suggest such as yet.
I'd love a TiVo but at the prices quoted I won't be able to afford it. :(
jman316 2 December, 2010 08:01
yeh same here!
Anonymous 10 January, 2011 22:05
I have a friend who has an existing cable Virgin tv box and his phone is through Virgin too. Would it be possible for him to have the new TiVo box? If so what would be the cost?
Anonymous 27 February, 2011 00:31
sounds good but i can watch all missed tv programs on and record on my v+ box alread. Youtube ebay facebook ive got a feeling thats going to be enoying to type and scroll around as its on the wii. Somethings are best left for the laptop but will see. Its going to be a improvement, but realy sending me adverts in the post when it aint proberly going to be released this year. The most importent thing is what is going to look like and how big is it this time. This day and age it should be as rhin as paper ans as small as a toe not as big as an old vhs tape machine.