Tivo's search universe includes Internet video

DVR pioneer TiVo announced a new search service Tuesday, called Universal Swivel Search, which describes as the first "TV-centric on-screen search tool."

The tool expands TiVo's existing video search capabilities in two interesting ways. First, Universal Swivel Search expands the pool of searchable video to include Internet video, not just broadcast and cable TV. Search for, say, "Buffy" and the search results might show you an upcoming new episode of Buffy the Vampire Slayer on broadcast TV, a re-run coming up on cable and several episodes available on-demand at Amazon's Unbox download service.

Using Universal Swivel Search, you can also search online and offline video for specific subject matter like football or healthcare tips, says Bob Poniatowski, TiVo's product marketing manager for core DVR.

Second, the new tool suggests videos you might like based on the shows you currently watch from your TiVo. Click on "Seinfeld" in the TiVo Program Guide and you'll be shown a list of shows that other TiVo users have said Seinfeld lovers might enjoy. Comcast is doing something similar with its new Fancast service.

Tivo has also cross-referenced many of the terms in its Programming Guide. Click "Julia Louis-Dreyfus" from the cast list of Seinfeld, and her The New Adventures of Christine show might pop up.

The new Swivel tool represents a major upgrade to Tivo's existing search function. "The [TiVo] search tools have always been task-based; you could only search for titles you already know by using specific keywords," says Bob Poniatowski, TiVo's product marketing manager for core DVR. "This [Swivel] is less about knowing exactly what you want, and more about finding things similar to things you already enjoy."

The holy grail in the movement of video to IP platforms is the ability to perform Google-like searches on a virtually limitless selection of video from all over the Internet. TiVo hasn't reached that point yet. Universal Swivel Search only sees a small subsection of Internet video, specifically movies on Amazon's Unbox service, and various shorter form videos from 14 other sites, including CNet, iVillage, The New York Times and Rocketboom. But it's a step in the right direction. TiVo says it hopes other video providers will request that their video be included in Swivel searches.

TiVo will begin updating Series2 and Series3 TiVo boxes with the new search service (via a software download) starting Tuesday. TiVo users who want to get to the front of queue for Universal Swivel Search can sign up for the service..

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