TiVo is teeing up a tasty update. Virgin Media is automatically updating TiVo boxes tonight and over the next week to bring you a raft of new features.
The update to Virgin Media's clever set-top telly recorder lets you search iPlayer, type more easily and record programmes with your iPad through a new TiVo iPad app.
When you get the update, you'll be able to search BBC iPlayer using TiVo's search, catch-up and On Demand menus.
Express Series Link let you record an entire series with one click from the guide, discovery bar or programme information. Recordings will now begin one minute before a show is scheduled to start, and won't stop until four minutes after it's finished.
New parental controls lock shows after the watershed, so crafty kids can't enter the PIN and watch contraband telly.
It's now easier to type on the TiVo remote with multi-tap text entry, so you can search TiVo by typing the same way you would text on a mobile phone keypad, instead of fiddly scrolling and picking out each individual letter.
You'll also start to see the first wave of red button-style interactive services, from BBC, ITV, Sky Sports and other partners. Music On Demand, YouTube and apps have also been improved, with YouTube now in high definition and apps including Spotify.
The update will happen at 2am one day this week. You won't know which night it'll happen, so leave your TiVo box on standby overnight between now and 24 November. The update can take up to an hour, during which time you'd best not use the box.
Are you a TiVo addict? Tell us your thoughts on the new features in the comments, on our Facebook page, or at Google+.
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Comments 11
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anonymous 17 November, 2011 19:10
they will never beat the stability of sky+HD
anonymous 18 November, 2011 08:28
I reckon they are already miles ahead of Sky, both for Tv and Broadband - and these updates move them further ahead
anonymous 18 November, 2011 10:35
HAHAHAHA good one
anonymous 17 November, 2011 19:10
they will never beat the stability of sky+HD
You have never tried to watch sky when its snowing or in the middle of a thunderstomr then!
anonymous 18 November, 2011 11:49
Having 3 tuners and watching another recorded program beats Sky+ hands down. The integrated internet tvs e.g. iplayer are also very good. And like the previous poster said, you dont need to worry about the weather.
anonymous 18 November, 2011 12:26
Also it looks like the new update has given access to MAK key and enabled the network port meaning things like Tivo Remote and Tivo Commander now work on Virgin boxes. Mine certainly worked for first time this morning!
anonymous 21 November, 2011 16:33
I assume the post about the stability of Sky is from a customer who has never had a Virgin or Tivo box , I've used both and can say that Sky's reliability and performance pales into insignificance compared to the virgin offering , don't get me wrong the TiVo box ain't the most user friendly to navigate at times , but these are what these updates are for ..... so for the die hard Sky users , feel free to live in ignorance .... for TiVo users , embrace future technology , it's here and on its way
anonymous 21 November, 2011 18:56
I swapped to VM from Sky in June (been with Sky for nearly 20 yrs!!) and have no regrets whatsoever.
I have a TiVo 500 and it is bang on. Picture Quality is Excellent in SD and astonishing in HD. I haven't
had any stability problems. It doesn't miss a beat. As stable as you like. Get my update tonight. By all
accounts the PQ is even better. Happy Days!
anonymous 2 December, 2011 21:09
There is no comparison. i would not go back to sky plus hd now evenf if it were free. Tivo is miles ahead. how about going back in the schedule and watching stuff you missed even if you didnt bother recording it, and the on demand films and iplayer, utube etc. its 10 years ahead of sky and if it goes wrong its not your problem. oh and i saved £30 a month!
anonymous 5 December, 2011 22:46
Why does iPlayer stutter terribly on my tivo box while watching the same program at the same time on my laptop plays perfectly? This is unacceptable!
anonymous 7 December, 2011 14:16
Where is the TiVo iPad app, anyone know whether this is available? If so where / if not when?
anonymous 11 December, 2011 22:03
On the whole the Tivo is excellent - however, following the recent update the YouTube app is certainly redesigned but not in a good way. You can no longer log on to YouTube so have No Subscriptions, No Favorites, No History. It is a pain in the ass to enter text and whatever the claim, it is a poorer experience than the original YouTube app. Everything else in the upgrade has been great but this nseds sorting!