After getting AnyRoom DVR settled to its satisfaction, Comcast is now beginning to activate the bells and whistles it developed for its DVR services and its associated program guide.
Comcast introduced AnyRoom DVR last week in its Oregon/southwest Washington network, a system it commonly uses to try out new products and services. Subscribers get an HD DVR that controls DVR functionality for the primary TV and up to three more HD set-tops elsewhere in the house.
Comcast has added a new Watch in HD button feature that allows viewers to automatically switch to the HD version of the channel they are watching, so that they no longer have to search for it through the program guide.
Another new feature is On Demand Skip Ahead/Skip Back, which enables customers to do exactly that while watching on-demand programming. Skips are in five-minute increments and are accomplished by using the Page Up (skip ahead) and Page Down (skip back) arrows on the remote control.
The new myDVR Manager allows customers with a Comcast DVR and high-speed Internet service to remotely schedule and adjust their recordings online using Comcast TV Listings. Comcast customers can log on to add programs to their recording list and manage their scheduled DVR recordings, as well as change the priority of recorded series, Comcast said. In addition, customers with an iPhone or iPod Touch can remotely schedule their DVR recordings using the Comcast Mobile App.
DVR Search & Record enables customers to search for a program by actor, title, director and keyword.
A set of related features allows subscribers to manage what’s stored on their DVRs. DVR History displays information on already recorded, watched and deleted programs. DVR Clean Up allows customers to delete, in bulk, programs they no longer want to save. DVR Folders will automatically create a folder where programs are stored when customers record more than one episode of a series.