JEDDAH, 7 March 2006 — Showtime yesterday demonstrated how its new service could help viewers to control live television, create their own channels and watch two different TV shows at the same time in different rooms.
Announcing the introduction of Showtime’s latest generation of smart technology with the launch of its new decoder — ShowBox DVR, at a press conference at Jeddah Hilton, Steven MacDiarmid, Showtime’s Dubai-based vice president for regional operations and customer management, described the “ultimate decoder” as digital video recorder.
“The service offers the ultimate level of control and convenience giving viewers the power to choose what they want to watch and when,” MacDiarmid said, adding that the new device is available to Showtime subscribers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, the UAE and some other Gulf countries.
The ShowBox DVR offers subscribers a very different way of planning their TV viewing. “With the new device, Showtime will change the way viewers watch TV forever. It actually transforms your whole relationship with your TV set and your friends and family,” he said and demonstrated how viewers could press a button on the remote control to start recording the ongoing program when they suddenly find the phone ringing.
“What’s more, if you blink too hard and miss a scene, you can rewind and play it again — in slow motion if you like. And with the on-screen TV guide completely integrated into the decoder, you can record an entire series at the push of a button — with not a tape in sight.”
Based on advanced technology, which encompasses a hard disc and an integrated on-screen TV guide, Showbox is the “region’s first DVR service that makes TV entertainment fit into a lifestyle rather than the other way round,” MacDiarmid said.
The DVR has the ability to record one channel while viewing another. In addition, Showbox is capable of going one step further and is capable of dual viewing on two separate TV sets.
“In practical terms, this means you can watch two different programs on two TV sets in two rooms while still recording a third directly onto the hard drive,” he added.
The DVR uses a hard disk to record from the original broadcast stream. “All recordings have the same digital quality and sound as live viewing,” he said, adding that 40 hours of recording space exists in the device.
The DVR connects directly to a satellite dish. The installation involves a monthly subscription plus a refundable deposit for the box.
