Search and apps proving popular for Virgin Tivo homes

Almost 80% of Virgin Media TiVo households has used the platform to access an app, and on average each box launches 4.5 apps each week.

The findings come from the UK cable operator’s latest Entertainment Index, which for the first time takes into account Virgin Media’s new DVR powered by TiVo technology. Data shows that TiVo’s search and recommendation engine is proving popular, with one in every four views of a TV channel not originate from the EPG. Half of the top ten searches were for programmes that are not in the top fifty most watched according to audience ratings company BARB.

Across Virgin Media’s entire TV subscriber base in the first half of the year, customers made 484 million On Demand views, which was a 19% increase on the same period of 2010. That year saw 15% higher viewing in the second half, with particularly high viewing in the last three months, which means Virgin Media is on track to exceed the predicted one billion on-demand views in 2011.