Thursday 28 June 2012

Pilot software Version 15.3 rollouts for Virgin Media's TiVo: Reminders & Global Padding coming soon

All settled down after all the excitement of 15.2? Well, the pilot software release for 15.3 (or 15.3.RC4-VMC-2-C00 to be precise) has started according to a post at Virgin's Help and Support Forums:
We've just started piloting the next update to the TiVo software to selected users in the Preston, Ashford, Andover, Stoke, Colchester and Crawley areas. You don't need to do anything to receive the new software, it should download automatically overnight over the next two days if you're part of the pilot. We're hoping to push it out to everyone after the Olympics if the pilot is successful, we'll make an announcement when we've got more news on that.

What's changed in the new software:

Record and Reminders - Reminders, where even if you do miss the reminder pop-up, you still won't miss your show as TiVo will still record it for you.

General stability updates for TiVo and interactive services

HDMI connection reliability improvements – Some of you who've seen this issue should see a reduction in the number of invalid HDMI error messages.

You can check if you're on the pilot by going to Help & Settings > System Info > System Info, the software version will read 15.3 if you're on the pilot.

That's right - reminders, an often requested feature - are indeed coming to Virgin's TiVo. Here's a screenshot (thanks to nicko at Cable Forums):


At first, I thought it odd that a TiVo Reminder would remind you and record - that potentially creates a little extra work since you'll have to remove the 'reminded' programme from your My Shows list. However, this approach does have the advantage of recording the programme for you if indeed you're unexpectedly out when the reminded big game or (shudder) X-Factor Final is on. In effect, a TiVo reminder is an Announced Recording.

15.3 will also bring another requested feature - user-defined global padding for all recordings, as well as reducing the army of screens one must fight through to play VOD content.

The pilot is expected to last 5 weeks, with a full rollout not expected until after London 2012 in order to minimise disruption to the TV services during the Games.


Friday 8 June 2012

App arrivals & updates for Sports & Music on Virgin Media's TiVo

Among the latest app arrivals for TiVo is a new Music Search app which will - not surprisingly - let you search for music from Virgin's vast VOD Music library. Its available from Red Button on Channel 300, or via drilling into the Apps and Games menu. It will also be available from the Catch-Up/On Demand Music menu from 12th June.


In an ideal world, this search would be available from the main TiVo search, but, this app will do nicely.

Already available (and very recently rolled out for Virgin's TiVo) is an update for the BBC Sports app, with new options for Euro 2012 and (soon) Wimbledon, HD video when available, autoplay of videos and more live and on-demand coverage. Unfortunately, the app also had some issues with video playback for the opening game of Euro 2012 which both Virgin and the BBC are looking into.

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