TiVo making UK comeback with Virgin

As announced last fall, TiVo will return to the UK market after a seven-year absence. TiVo will partner with the UK's Virgin Media, which will develop the cable firm's next-generation set-top box. While details on the hardware are thin on the ground, TiVo chief executive Tom Rogers said it will be heavily based on the TiVo Premiere slated for other markets and confirmed for the US.

The co-branded TiVo and Virgin box will be out in the UK before Christmas, though pricing has not been announced. Rogers believes the service will give users "infinite choice." In the US, TiVo boxes let users access content they can download from Amazon and Blockbuster, though any potential similar partnerships for the UK have not been announced.

TiVo first entered the UK market early in 2000, in partnership with cable provider Sky and electronics maker Thomson Multimedia. This fell apart, however, as Sky came out with its own set-top box.

This time around, TiVo and Virgin will face newfound rivals from the likes of the Internet-enabled TV offering from BBC, ITV, Channel 4, Five, BT and TalkTalk -- called Project Canvas -- though this is still awaiting approval from the BBC Trust. [via Telegraph]

By Electronista Staff

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