Tiscali TV has unveiled its new enhanced Electronic Programme Guide (EPG). The unique EPG, which will be launched on 10 June, is faster and widescreen, with HD graphics and the most user-friendly and personalised interface ever for TV viewers in the UK.
The service, which can be personalised for each user in the house, has a digital clock and an enlarged two thirds screen preview pane. Below there is an Icon Bar designed to allow the viewer to access popular content quickly.
Previously the entry screen was menu-driven and presented the viewer with 40 options, however the new Icon Bar offers seven options taking you directly to: All Channels, Catch Up, On Demand, My Tiscali+, TV Guides, TV Showcase and an extremely powerful Search. "Now our viewers can jump from the welcome screen to the exact content they want more simply and faster than ever before," says Jonathan Sykes, Managing Director of Tiscali TV. "We think that we have now given Tiscali TV the most elegant and usable TV EPG in the UK. That's quite a feat when you consider that we need to help our viewers navigate quickly through over 110 channels, 19 radio stations, Catch-Up programmes 5,000 hours of on demand and up to 1,000 movies, and 8,000 music videos.
The top level screen is one of many which also include an extended two hours of broadcast viewing across the screen to make better use of the wide screen format.
The Catch-Up area is much improved and allows the user to choose the channel, day and programme all in one screen.
In addition, all catch-up programmes are available from 15 minutes into the live broadcast, allowing viewers who arrive after the programme they want to watch has started to either pick up from the live stream, or go straight back to the beginning.
The Tiscali EPG has also introduced a unique search function which allows text message style search across all content from broadcast programmes to catch-up and all on-demand (including films and music videos). Any programme or performer on the service can be found by simply entering the first few letters of the title, name or subject to identify programmes first by looking for the text in the title of the programme, but then also applies it to the synopsis and the credits, so if you are looking for the latest tennis coverage, it will find the schedule for Wimbledon. Traditional browsing search also remains, to allow users to find content by genre and artist etc.
Jonathan Sykes, says; "Our goal was to create a new EPG that had the viewer's interests at its heart. With so much content now available we wanted to make it easier and quicker for viewers to find the TV they want to watch but also give them options to get to that content in different ways to suit their needs and habits.
The changes will come into effect automatically with a software update sent directly to the set top box and with no action required from the Tiscali TV customer.
