New Virgin HD box runs SeaChange middleware

Virgin Media’s new HD receiver will run on middleware provided by SeaChange International, Broadband TV News has confirmed.

The Cisco-manufactured device, marketed as the V HD Box, will be made available from March 22 for a £49 (€53.9) deposit plus installation. The operator is stressing that no monthly fee will be payable. The box features HDMI, Scart, USB and Ethernet ports and a power-saving function that cuts power usage by 95% when in standby.

A spokesman for Virgin Media confirmed the V HD Box would run on Liberate middleware and that the introduction of TiVo was progressing well. Virgin has a contract with SeaChange, which acquired the European rights to the TV Navigator middleware previously owned by Liberate, running through until January 2011.

Virgin currently offers three levels of receiver: the standard basic digital V Box; the V+ HD Box, featuring a personal video recorder and the new V Box HD. Significantly, the operator retains ownership of the receivers.

The V HD Box adds to Virgin Media’s existing choice of the V Box, for basic digital TV, and the V+ HD Box which incorporates HD capability with a Personal Video Recorder.

Since the start of the year Virgin has been progressively adding to its HD line-up with ITV, Eurosport, Discovery, Sci Fi, E4 and Film4 all slated to be added this year.