• Subscribe to our Daily News Emails
  • Advertise
    • Media Info
    • Terms & Conditions for Advertisers
    • Mechanical Data

Broadband TV News

Independent. Since 2003

  • Home
  • News Line
    • Central & East Europe
    • People
  • TV
    • On Demand/VOD
    • IPTV
    • Cable
    • Satellite
    • Terrestrial
    • Distribution
  • Business
  • Tech
  • Events
    • Events Diary
    • BTN Events
    • Events Coverage
    • Submit the details of your event
  • Features
  • Resources
    • White Papers

Cisco to supply first Virgin-TiVo PVR

August 2, 2010 11.33 Europe/London By Julian Clover

Virgin Media has turned to long-term supplier Cisco for its first ‘TiVo inside’ set-top when the navigation technology becomes the cableco’s prime middleware later this year. However, plans to retrofit TiVo into the operator’s existing set-top boxes have hit a stumbling block after it emerged the technology was not suitable for all of the receivers currently deployed on the network.

A new Cisco personal video recorder is due to be shipped shortly before Christmas when TiVo will soft launch. The rollout is anticipated to get underway in earnest early in 2011. The manufacturer has already been named by Spanish cablenet ONO for its own TiVo deployment.

Cisco is already a supplier of Virgin’s V+ digital video recorder, a relationship that goes back past the legacy brands of Telewest and NTL, and last September it was announced Cisco would deploy core and edge network technologies as part of he deployment of its Internet Protocol (IP) TV distribution platform and upgrade of its legacy digital TV infrastructure.

In an investor call last week Virgin Media CEO Neil Berkett described TiVo as a platform that would work for the cableco’s TV customers in the same way that DOCSIS 3 had been implemented for its broadband internet subscribers. “We will be first mover into next generation TV and I think we will also be best mover. It will be a superior product to Sky’s codename Darwin, it will be a better product than Canvas, and it will be first out”.

In addition to new deployments it is hoped the TiVo software will be downloaded into a part of the existing installed base. “The current V+ HD, ie non-DVR boxes that we are sourcing from Cisco, are compatible with TiVo, so we could drop TiVo onto those, but the Samsung DVRs are not, so we would probably launch DVRs that we would source from Cisco initially and they would be new to requirements,” said Berkett.

He explained that TiVo boxes could be rolled out within the existing capital guidance and that if there were a suitable pricing mechanism found, this could be expanded further.

Going forward, the cost on a per-box basis was no more than with the existing TV Navigator/Liberate middleware, though with the two technologies overlapping it is clear that a final renewal of the SeaChange-owned middleware will be required before the turn of the year.

  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) Facebook
  • Click to share on X (Opens in new window) X
  • Click to share on LinkedIn (Opens in new window) LinkedIn
  • Click to share on WhatsApp (Opens in new window) WhatsApp

Related

Filed Under: Cable, Editor's Choice, Newsline, Tech, Top Story Tagged With: TiVo, Virgin Media Edited: 3 August 2010 11:41

Avatar photo

About Julian Clover

Julian Clover is a Media and Technology journalist based in Cambridge, UK. He works in online and printed media. Julian is also a voice on local radio. You can talk to Julian on X @julianclover, or by email at jclover@broadbandtvnews.com.

Latest News

  • Eutelsat removing Russian channels from satellites
  • Delphine Ernotte Cunci reappointed as President of France Télévisions
  • Charter Communications and Cox Communications to merge
  • 80% of Norwegian households subscribing to streaming service
  • Amagi appoints Emma Whitmore to head EMEA sales

Most Popular

  • Ofcom outlines approach to old films and programmes on TV
    Ofcom outlines approach to old films and programmes on TV
  • Canal+ secures blocking order on illegal sports streaming
    Canal+ secures blocking order on illegal sports streaming
  • Charter Communications and Cox Communications to merge
    Charter Communications and Cox Communications to merge
  • RTL Group surpasses 7 million streaming subscribers
    RTL Group surpasses 7 million streaming subscribers
  • Eutelsat removing Russian channels from satellites
    Eutelsat removing Russian channels from satellites
  • Davie raises concept of Freely streaming device
    Davie raises concept of Freely streaming device
  • WBD goes back to basics as HBO Max
    WBD goes back to basics as HBO Max

White Paper

White Paper: Why Wi-Fi 7 is critical for ISPs in the gigabit+ era

Today, consumers are increasingly using bandwidth-intensive and latency-sensitive workloads, such as 4K and 8K streaming, online gaming, and AR/VR applications. As a result, Internet Service Providers must update their networks and by extension Wi-Fi experiences and performance. … [Download the White Paper ...]

Broadband TV News

  • Subscribe
  • About us
  • Contacts
  • Logos & Pictures
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms and Conditions

Advertising

  • Media Info
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Mechanical Data
  • Video Services

News

  • Latest
  • Central & East Europe
  • TV
  • Tech
  • Streaming
  • Cable
  • Satellite
  • Terrestrial
  • IPTV
  • Business
  • People

Events

  • Events Diary
  • BTN Events
  • Submit the details of your event
  • Media Meet & Greet

Editorial

PO Box 499
Cambridge
United Kingdom
CB1 0AH
news@broadbandtvnews.com

Commercial

Arundel View Cottage
Wepham
West Sussex
BN18 9RA
sales@broadbandtvnews.com

Connect with Us

 

Copyright © 2025 Broadband TV News LLP · Log in

 

Loading Comments...
 

    We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.OK