News
Cableco’s new TiVo-powered STB able to record six channels at once, costs 100.
Virgin Media UK on Wednesday shared details of its hotly-anticipated new set-top-box (STB), the V6, and surprised with the unveiling of a new tablet designed with TV watching in mind.
Powered by TiVo, a pioneer of digital video recorders (DVRs) and integrated video streaming, the V6 is capable of recording six channels at once, storing shows on its 1 TB hard drive. Linear and on-demand content can be streamed over WiFi to smartphones and tablets; recordings can also be downloaded to devices for watching while out and about.
As has become standard for TV services, streaming apps like Netflix, BBC iPlayer and YouTube are all easy to access through the newly-designed interface, which includes TiVo’s intelligent search function, which looks for content across linear channels, recordings, and streaming services.
"There is still a real demand for an industry-leading DVR and that’s what we’ve got with the V6," said David Bouchier, Virgin Media UK’s chief digital entertainment officer, at a press conference in London hosted by TV presenter Andi Peters.
The V6 will go on sale to TV customers before the end of the year, and comes with a one-off, upfront cost of £99.95. Existing customers can upgrade to the new box without changing their TV package, while new customers will be able to order the V6 with their TV bundle from January.
For a limited time, new and existing customers who select one of Virgin Media’s top-tier TV packages will be able to get their hands on a V6 for £49.95.
Virgin Media first revealed its new STB in August, so the V6’s official launch did not come as much of a surprise.
What was unexpected though, was the launch of a new, 14-inch tablet designed to appeal to customers who don’t want to lose the immersive TV experience when streaming content to another device.
Called the TellyTablet, as well as a big screen, it has an eight-hour battery life, four speakers and an integrated stand. The interface has a similar look and feel to Virgin Media’s TV interface.
"We ended up building our own device because we weren’t happy with what was out there," Bouchier said, describing the TellyTablet as "the missing link."
The TellyTablet will go on sale in December, and is available on Virgin’s 24-month, Freestyle mobile contracts, or for £299 up front.
Throughout Wednesday’s presentation there were not-so-subtle digs at rival Sky.
Sky stole a march on its major rivals at the beginning of this year when it unveiled its Sky Q service, which allows customers to watch TV in multiple rooms and on multiple devices, and record up to four channels simultaneously. It makes for a compelling, if pricey, proposition when combined with Sky’s broad range of premium content, which includes a growing number of 4K channels.
Bouchier criticised Sky for completely redesigning its user interface, forcing Sky Q customers to re-learn their way around the service.
By comparison, he described the updated Virgin Media TV interface as an evolution, not a revolution.
"We want to bring our existing customers along with us," he said, explaining that even those TV customers that don’t own a V6 will receive a software update that adds some of the V6’s features – such as the new look interface and intelligent search – to their current STB.
Ramping up the competition with Sky further, Virgin Media also launched a new store. Similar to Sky Store, the Virgin Media Store lets customers buy and keep their favourite films and TV shows, and watch them on their TV, tablet or smartphone. They can also opt to receive a DVD through the post.
"Virgin Media becomes the latest U.K. provider to revamp its TV service. In many areas it has been playing catch up, but in others [it] leads," said Paolo Pescatore, director of multiplay and media at CCS Insight.
"Virgin has identified a gap in the market for ultimate home TV viewing and its new TV TellyTablet will also dominate the headlines," he said. "An increasing number of people are watching live TV as well as downloading content on mobile devices, especially millennials, who watch programmes on their mobile devices while their parents use the main TV set in the living room."
The kids are alright
In addition, Virgin Media also launched a new child-friendly streaming app for smartphones and tablets that gives children access to age-appropriate content, but contains no adverts or in-app purchases.
"There are no commercial influences of any kind," Bouchier said.
The app will be available next February for free to TV customers signed up to Virgin Media’s ‘Fun’ bundle of kids’ TV content.
The app also contains an interesting feature for particularly young viewers who want to watch the same show over-and-over again. The interface contains a number five button, which when pressed, repeats the same show five times in a row.
Bouchier said Virgin Media consulted with child psychologists who said that five is the optimum number of repetitions for helping young children absorb and process information.
"There’s method in our madness," Bouchier said.
