Mass Media & Technology

Xbox One 'OneGuide' coming to Sky & Virgin

(June 2014)

This site closed in March 2021 and is now a read-only archive
VM
VMPhil
Good news, the Xbox One TV capabilities are being enabled for Sky and Virgin Media this month:

Quote:

http://cdn.pocket-lint.com/r/s/727x/assets/images/phperz4y6.jpg

Microsoft has confirmed that UK Xbox One owners will finally support Sky and Virgin Media electronic programme guides (EPGs), empowering their tellies with the Xbox One's media smarts - just in time for the World Cup.

After the Xbox One update rolls out (which Microsoft assures us will be before the World Cup kicks off on 12 June), you'll be able to access your EPG directly from the Xbox itself. And you don't have to have a Sky or Virgin Media box for it to work either.

Microsoft tells Stuff that EPGs will be pulled from other set-top boxes too. Just plug your box into the Xbox One's HDMI input, and it'll pull all the information through automatically.

Currently you're able to view set-top box content via the Xbox One, but the lack of EPG support means that you can't take advantage of Kinect's voice controls to go directly to your channels of choice.

After the update lands, you'll be able to tweak the guide in a number of ways. for starters, you can set HD channels to be the default option, so that SD versions of the same channel aren't cluttering up your guide.

You can also save a favourite channels list for each Xbox profile, so little Timmy's cartoons won't drag down your favourite movie and sports channels.

Additional channels also appear in the guide, ranging from Twitch streaming content, to TED talks and gaming clips recorded to Microsoft's OneDrive service. But EPG guide support is only one half of the update...


http://www.pocket-lint.com/news/129152-xbox-one-june-update-coming-next-week-oneguide-for-uk-and-external-hard-drive-support

Nice to know they've getting around to supporting other countries a lot faster than I thought they would. I don't think it will persuade me to get an Xbox One however, but I can imagine it being a handy feature for those who do, only having to go through your Xbox to control both your games console and set top box.

Interesting that it says it will let you set the HD channels by default; Virgin Media doesn't offer this at the moment (Sky does but not with the main 5 terrestials) so I'd definitely welcome that feature.
DA
David
So what does it do?
MD
mdtauk
With your tv and STB going through the Xbox One, you can switch between your games and TV shows. Use kinect to control the tv with voice, so "Xbox, switch to BBC One" etc.

Also you can pin apps like Skype etc to the side while you're watching TV.

Oh and when VoD apps are released for Xbox, you can view and search for that content along side live TV shows through the same UI
BA
bilky asko
A thread was made previously about it.

see here ……..

MEDIATECH on TVFORUM.CO.UK
04-Jun-2014 @ 02:08

It basically means that the Xbox One theoretically becomes the one device you control all your home entertainment with. If you're in the middle of the game, and you realise that Bargain Hunt is on, you can tell the Xbox to put BBC One HD on, rather than reach for the remote, switch inputs, possibly reach for another remote, and put BBC One HD on. It would seamlessly switch over to BBC One HD.

Once you get sick of TV, you can switch back to building representations of various antiques and a towering Tim Wonnacott on Minecraft.
VM
VMPhil
I would have posted it in the original thread but unfortunately it was archived.
AJ
AJ
Yep, I've been beta testing this for a couple of months now and it really does work a treat.

I've been using it with my TalkTalk Huawei YouView box. You select your TV provider (BT/Sky/Virgin/Freeview/Freesat) and then enter the make and model of your set top box and you're off.

The Kinect Sensor essentially works as an IR blaster and it sends the commands over to your set top box to change channels, pause, rewind etc. (So if you get the new Xbox One which comes without Kinect, then it won't work).

You can also use voice commands too - so saying "Xbox Watch BBC One" will switch you straight over to it - and it'll automatically put you on the HD one if you want too (you can change this in the settings).

It all integrates with the Xbox One Smartglass app, so you can basically use any Android/iOS/Windows device as a universal remote for your TV and set top box.

Things in the works include programme reminders etc, EPG scrollback (similar to YouView - it'll pull the programme you want to watch out of the relevant Xbox One app (i.e. Demand 5 etc).

All in all, a really useful function if you've got an Xbox and are in to gaming - because you can snap TV in to the corner whilst you play, and get all your usual game notifications (like invites etc) whilst you watch TV.

EDIT: Incidentally, if anyone wants to be added to the Preview programme, let me know your gamertag by PM and I'll get you added. Smile
AJ
AJ
Kind of relevant to the thread, but Xbox have launched a "Brazil Now" app this weekend, ready for the World Cup. It's basically a second screen type experience that you can snap to the side of your screen when you watch the World Cup matches (or play games whilst the matches are on).

http://news.xbox.com/~/media/images/media%20assets/xbox%20one/sports%20on%20xbox%20one/20140602%20destination%20brazil/matchdetails_en.png?h=349&w=620

It'll bring you match stats and interactive features and votes as games are in play.

http://news.xbox.com/~/media/images/media%20assets/xbox%20one/sports%20on%20xbox%20one/20140602%20destination%20brazil/destination%20brazil%20dash%20final%2052914.jpg?h=312&w=620

You can also set it to remind you when the matches for your "favourite team" are about to start, and it'll automatically switch to the correct TV channel if you've set up the OneGuide feature.

Next weekend will also see the launch of Xbox's first foray in to original TV with an interactive series called "Every Street United."

More info: http://news.xbox.com/2014/06/ent-destination-brazil

**

Seems pretty good from what I've seen so far - I've downloaded the app and set the notifications up. Historically, interactive TV hasn't worked so well with laggy applications and dial up connections (ala the Sky Active era of interactive TV), so it'll be interesting to see how this works next week.

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