General Virgin TV Anywhere arriving in Autumn 2012 - Page 6

HDFootyMan · 08-09-2012, 18:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad

I agree however it's better than what Talk Talk, BT Vision, Smallworld Cable, Youview and Freesat offer their customers. Virgin have to be applauded for that.

Remember we will have access to TV on demand and catch up tv too. We will also be able to access records on our TiVo boxes too.

I've seen nothing to suggest that the Anywhere service will allow recordings will be streamed, only live TV.

Chad · 08-09-2012, 18:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaMac

It will be Eurosport, this is already available on many smart TV's, Blu-ray players and Hand held unit's, if you add this to iplayer and the like we arn't going to be able to access much more than a lot of us already can.

The main difference will be everything available in one slick interface with the ability to watch recordings directly from the TiVo box you have at home. Personally I'd rather have Virgin Anywhere ahead of having to use various apps over a series of devices.

passingbat · 08-09-2012, 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaMac

It will be Eurosport, this is already available on many smart TV's, Blu-ray players and Hand held unit's, if you add this to iplayer and the like we arn't going to be able to access much more than a lot of us already can.

Deleted: My post didn't make a lot of sense

muppetman11 · 08-09-2012, 18:05

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad

The main difference will be everything available in one slick interface with the ability to watch recordings directly from the TiVo box you have at home. Personally I'd rather have Virgin Anywhere ahead of having to use various apps over a series of devices.

that is only in a later update isn't it ? That would require the TIVO stream wouldn't it ?

Chad · 08-09-2012, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by HDFootyMan

I've seen nothing to suggest that the Anywhere service will allow recordings will be streamed, only live TV.

http://www.whathifi.com/news/virgin-...imate-tivo-app

"Also on the to-do list is the ability to watch your own personal recordings stored on your TiVo box on your tablet or smartphone. Clever."

What HiFi where the first to have access to Virgin Anywhere and broke the story a couple of weeks ago. Whilst watching recordings won't be available from launch, it seems to be one of many updates we should see in 2013.

---------- Post added at 19:43 ---------- Previous post was at 19:11 ----------

Okay I've done some more digging and I'm a little confused about the info to hand.

The Inquirer states:

"Virgin told us that it expects to have around 30 live channels available from launch across genres such as sports, kids, news and entertainment."

However T3.Com gives an alternative version:

"Boasting 2,000 hours of on-demand content across 30 channels"

http://www.t3.com/news/virgin-media-...in-tv-anywhere

The T3 article suggests there will be 2000 hours of content over 30 on demand channels plus linear channels too. This seems to make sense because Virgin do offer 30 channels of on demand material if you are on their top package:

1. BBC
2. ITV Net Player
3. 4 on Demand
4. US Boxsets
5. Warner TV
6. Aardman Animations
7. Comedy Central
8. CBS Reality
9. E! Entertainment
10. FX
11. CBS Action
12. Discovery
13. National Geographic
14. Bio
15. History
16. Crime & Investigation
17. PBS America
18. MTV
19. Extreme Sports Channel
20. ESPN Classic
21. Military History
22. CNBC
23. Baby Channel
24. SKY 1
25. SKY Living
26. SKY Arts
27. SKY News
28. SKY Movies
29. SKY Sports
30. Virgin Central

So what is really launching?

devilincarnate · 08-09-2012, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by passingbat

Deleted: My post didn't make a lot of sense

Stop trying to copy me

HDFootyMan · 08-09-2012, 21:18

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chad

http://www.whathifi.com/news/virgin-...imate-tivo-app

"Also on the to-do list is the ability to watch your own personal recordings stored on your TiVo box on your tablet or smartphone. Clever."

What HiFi where the first to have access to Virgin Anywhere and broke the story a couple of weeks ago. Whilst watching recordings won't be available from launch, it seems to be one of many updates we should see in 2013.

Yep, CNET just says their looking into it:
http://crave.cnet.co.uk/homecinema/v...ival-50009126/

Quote:

Virgin is also looking at the possibility of streaming recorded TiVo shows direct to your iDevice, which is 'something we are investigating for the future' -- so here's hoping.

Its odd, the point of PVRs is to free viewers from the broadcasters TV schedules, but with both Sky Go and the initial version of Virgin TV Anywhere, you're locked back into being a slave to those schedules for streaming (especially if the content you want to stream isn't on VOD).

The whole 'stream recordings' feature can't come soon enough, and will hopefully open the door for box-to-box streaming too.

As for what's available, I'm sure its 3-ish linear TV channels to stream + over 2000 hours of VOD.

zantarous · 08-09-2012, 22:51

I guess streaming live TV and VOD are easy i would suspect that your Tivo is not actually involved in either of these two and the streams come direct from Virgin via your internet connection.

To stream what you have recorded would need direct access to your box and I suspect this is where things get complicated like needing your Tivo to be networked, I believe in the version that is being prepped for you only need to network your Tivo if you want to use the app as a remote.

Tezcatlipoca · 09-09-2012, 01:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by Risco

Listen, it is not FREE. I am paying a subscription ( VIP ) and this is part of the service. Sky have also had this for years in with the cost of subscription, Virgin are playing catchup. It has sod all to do with my network being ready, Virgin should supply the dongle, does not matter if there is a small cost it should be supplied. Also seriously, it not as if it is something I am asking for that TiVO do not already supply. They also supply a qwerty keypad. If the text input used predictive text like Nokia then there would be an issue.

What has Sky had for "years"?

Sky Go for iOS first launched in July 2011 (just over one year ago), with an initially extremely limited selection of live TV to stream (this has since grown, gradually).

It was updated in November of last year with on-demand films, and updated again in July of this year with more on-demand content.

The Sky+ app for the iPad was updated in August of this year to allow the app to be used as a remote control and also enable full access to the Planner to allow recordings to be scheduled and managed. Both of those features require the Sky box to be on the same network as the iPad, via Ethernet or WiFi (Â£60 dongle from Sky, or a cheaper 3rd party bridge). These features are currently only available to Sky customers who have the latest Amstrad Sky+HD boxes, as the new EPG is required.

The only thing Sky has had "for years" is the basic Remote Record.

09-09-2012, 01:55

Sky Mobile TV was there long before Sky Go.

Tezcatlipoca · 09-09-2012, 02:11

Only the year before from what I can find, plus it only offered the Sport channels.

Being able to watch general entertainment channels live or on-demand on a mobile device is still quite recent.

09-09-2012, 03:11

Hm, I always thought it was on the N95, maybe I'm wrong.

andy_m · 09-09-2012, 04:00

This is basically a re-launch of Virgin Media Player plus TiVo commander and the promise of some exciting updates which will be reliant on rights issues being resolved, then?

09-09-2012, 04:18

If I had a small house to bet, I'd bet on these 30:

Spoiler:

denphone · 09-09-2012, 04:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by andy_m

This is basically a re-launch of Virgin Media Player plus TiVo commander and the promise of some exciting updates which will be reliant on rights issues being resolved, then?

All well and good but rights issues can drag on for a eternity without being resolved and as we know dates on updates seem to slip all the time.