Cox 'Plus Package' brings advanced Trio UI, 500GB multiroom DVR and more HD channels
By Richard Lawler 
posted May 10th 2010 12:52PM
posted May 10th 2010 12:52PM
The star of the show however is the new "Trio" program guide (video embedded after the break), a 16:9 interface that spaces out program info over three panes -- channels on the left, programs in the middle, details on the right. TV programs can also be sorted grid-style, by themes, HD-only or favorite channels, while VOD lists titles, box art and detailed info in the three window style. There's personalization for up to eight members of a household, as well as TiVo-style suggestions and related programming searches based on metadata. An exec told Multichannel News the new tru2way-built software started by realizing that "our guides were, in fact, broken" and this all-new approach is a step towards fixing that. Besides the TiVos and Moxis of the world, other service providers with similar setups include DirecTV, FiOS, Dish Network and U-verse and while we'd definitely like to see that middle pane expanded a bit to show more of each title, Cox could be the first cable company offering a set-top box that actually competes with any of them.
Cox Introduces Advanced TV Plus Package - a Superior TV Experience Enabled by New Trio Program Guide(SM)
'Plus Package' Offers Advanced Interactive Programming Guide, Whole Home DVR, More DVR Storage, More HD Channels, Zone Channels and Personalization
ATLANTA, May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications today announced its new superior TV experience, the Plus Package, available with Cox Advanced TV, offering access to:
The Trio program guide(SM) - A new, advanced interactive programming guide
Whole Home DVR Service
Additional DVR storage space
Additional high-definition channels
Zone Channels
Plus Package will debut in select Cox markets in the second quarter and will be deployed to Cox's entire footprint by year-end.
The crown jewel of the Plus Package subscription is access to Cox's innovative and highly-anticipated Trio program guide, designed by Cox in partnership with Frog Design and implemented by NDS.
"Plus Package gives customers everything they've been asking for – more great HD content; easier, more intuitive discovery of programming; the ability to personalize their TV viewing; and, with whole home DVR, anytime/any room access to what they want to watch," commented Steve Necessary, vice president of video strategy and product management for Cox. "We are especially excited for Cox customers to experience the revolutionary Trio guide, which we built in response to their feedback on how a better guide could improve their TV viewing experience."
The Trio guide features three panels on a single screen to make content browsing easier, more informative and intuitive. Panel one (left) lists channels vertically in numerical order. Panel two (middle) shows programs on the selected channel, and panel three (right) gives a detailed description of the program selected in the middle pane. On DEMAND listings include titles, poster art and program description information all in the three panes of a single Trio screen, making navigation and selection of On DEMAND content fast and easy. In addition, the Trio guide gives customers the ability to sort available program information in a grid guide view, a theme view, a high-definition programming view, a Zone Channels view and a favorite channels view. Uniquely, the Trio guide also endows customers with the ability to search and browse related content across three platforms – linear airings, On DEMAND titles and DVR recordings – seamlessly and conveniently. The Trio guide's powerful unified search function allows customers to search based on title, actor/director and keyword. The Trio guide's browse-related feature identifies shows that have something in common with a currently selected show, such as upcoming episodes, related series, shows within the same genre or shows starring the same actors. Up to eight users in a home can personalize their viewing experience by selecting favorite channels and customizing iTV applications.
"After extensive research and thorough review of available guide options, we determined that the best way to meet customers' needs was to design our own guide from scratch," said Lisa Pickelsimer, executive director of video product development. "We involved our customers all along the way in our development process. Customers are frustrated with the limited capabilities of simple grid guides and many have resorted to channel surfing only a small number of favorite channels -- missing out on the joy of discovering exciting, new content included in their TV subscription. The easier, more logical navigation and powerful search and browse capabilities we're giving customers with the Trio guide will help them get more out of Cox Advanced TV as they uncover new entertainment favorites."
Necessary observed the significance of the Trio guide's personalization options, "We are no longer serving the household in simple broadcast fashion. Instead, we are serving each individual in the household. Users will be able to access the programming they personally care about rapidly and will more easily find content of interest that they may not know is available. This is just the start of how we will make our video service more relevant for each member of the family."
Plus Package also offers customers access to the Cox Whole Home DVR solution, allowing them to watch and control recorded shows on any TV in the home from a single DVR unit. Up to three different recordings can be viewed simultaneously on different televisions throughout the home. Customers will also have access to up to three times more DVR storage space with a new 500GB hard drive.
Cox is using tru2way-based Cisco 8642 HD/DVR and 1642 HD receivers to deploy Plus Package and these will be used in all Cox markets, including Cox's Motorola environments. This marks the first time that a cable company broadly implements a cross platform set-top solution. The new Cisco set-tops also have the capability to tune above 860 Mhz, where Cox will transmit the additional HD channels included with Plus Package in markets so enabled. A leader in the enhancement of its video network for additional capacity, Cox is among the first cable operators to begin delivering video in 860 Mhz spectrum.
"Tru2way has created an environment for innovation," said James Kelso, Cox's vice president of video engineering. "Now that we are using a standards-based platform, the opportunity for working with more and different vendors is real. With tru2way, we anticipate faster application development and speedier deployments of new services to our customers."
Customers can add the Plus Package to any level of Cox Advanced TV (digital video service) for a small monthly fee.
'Plus Package' Offers Advanced Interactive Programming Guide, Whole Home DVR, More DVR Storage, More HD Channels, Zone Channels and Personalization
ATLANTA, May 10 /PRNewswire/ -- Cox Communications today announced its new superior TV experience, the Plus Package, available with Cox Advanced TV, offering access to:
The Trio program guide(SM) - A new, advanced interactive programming guide
Whole Home DVR Service
Additional DVR storage space
Additional high-definition channels
Zone Channels
Plus Package will debut in select Cox markets in the second quarter and will be deployed to Cox's entire footprint by year-end.
The crown jewel of the Plus Package subscription is access to Cox's innovative and highly-anticipated Trio program guide, designed by Cox in partnership with Frog Design and implemented by NDS.
"Plus Package gives customers everything they've been asking for – more great HD content; easier, more intuitive discovery of programming; the ability to personalize their TV viewing; and, with whole home DVR, anytime/any room access to what they want to watch," commented Steve Necessary, vice president of video strategy and product management for Cox. "We are especially excited for Cox customers to experience the revolutionary Trio guide, which we built in response to their feedback on how a better guide could improve their TV viewing experience."
The Trio guide features three panels on a single screen to make content browsing easier, more informative and intuitive. Panel one (left) lists channels vertically in numerical order. Panel two (middle) shows programs on the selected channel, and panel three (right) gives a detailed description of the program selected in the middle pane. On DEMAND listings include titles, poster art and program description information all in the three panes of a single Trio screen, making navigation and selection of On DEMAND content fast and easy. In addition, the Trio guide gives customers the ability to sort available program information in a grid guide view, a theme view, a high-definition programming view, a Zone Channels view and a favorite channels view. Uniquely, the Trio guide also endows customers with the ability to search and browse related content across three platforms – linear airings, On DEMAND titles and DVR recordings – seamlessly and conveniently. The Trio guide's powerful unified search function allows customers to search based on title, actor/director and keyword. The Trio guide's browse-related feature identifies shows that have something in common with a currently selected show, such as upcoming episodes, related series, shows within the same genre or shows starring the same actors. Up to eight users in a home can personalize their viewing experience by selecting favorite channels and customizing iTV applications.
"After extensive research and thorough review of available guide options, we determined that the best way to meet customers' needs was to design our own guide from scratch," said Lisa Pickelsimer, executive director of video product development. "We involved our customers all along the way in our development process. Customers are frustrated with the limited capabilities of simple grid guides and many have resorted to channel surfing only a small number of favorite channels -- missing out on the joy of discovering exciting, new content included in their TV subscription. The easier, more logical navigation and powerful search and browse capabilities we're giving customers with the Trio guide will help them get more out of Cox Advanced TV as they uncover new entertainment favorites."
Necessary observed the significance of the Trio guide's personalization options, "We are no longer serving the household in simple broadcast fashion. Instead, we are serving each individual in the household. Users will be able to access the programming they personally care about rapidly and will more easily find content of interest that they may not know is available. This is just the start of how we will make our video service more relevant for each member of the family."
Plus Package also offers customers access to the Cox Whole Home DVR solution, allowing them to watch and control recorded shows on any TV in the home from a single DVR unit. Up to three different recordings can be viewed simultaneously on different televisions throughout the home. Customers will also have access to up to three times more DVR storage space with a new 500GB hard drive.
Cox is using tru2way-based Cisco 8642 HD/DVR and 1642 HD receivers to deploy Plus Package and these will be used in all Cox markets, including Cox's Motorola environments. This marks the first time that a cable company broadly implements a cross platform set-top solution. The new Cisco set-tops also have the capability to tune above 860 Mhz, where Cox will transmit the additional HD channels included with Plus Package in markets so enabled. A leader in the enhancement of its video network for additional capacity, Cox is among the first cable operators to begin delivering video in 860 Mhz spectrum.
"Tru2way has created an environment for innovation," said James Kelso, Cox's vice president of video engineering. "Now that we are using a standards-based platform, the opportunity for working with more and different vendors is real. With tru2way, we anticipate faster application development and speedier deployments of new services to our customers."
Customers can add the Plus Package to any level of Cox Advanced TV (digital video service) for a small monthly fee.
I wish my Comcast DVR looked like that.
@dontbecreepy
Well it looks like they have been paying attention to all the wish lists from all the DVR makers including the software/PC ones. The family support has been requested ad infinitum since the beginning of timed recordings. And this is the first time I've seen it implemented.
How are they doing multiroom? Via coax?
@dontbecreepy the current COX UI makes me want to gouge my eyes out! I hate it so much. It forgets the shows I want it to record all the time! If it wasn't for a few things I'd just be watching hulu for everything.
@dontbecreepy
I don't understand why any one would say anything bad about Cox after this post. THEY ARE TRYING TO GIVE CUSTOMERS WHAT THEY WANT. I think that the should be given praise because they are actually doing things that we are asking for whole home DVR, full 16x9 menu that doesn't suck. It is doesn't work out to be everything we want it is still better then any one else out there.
So I say thank you very much Cox for trying and I will sign up for this the first day that I can.
How much is this going to cost me?
I already pay $7.99 for HD and $9.99 for DVR service from Cox and it's very rudimentary.
I welcome the change, but only if it's at no cost. Tivo is looking better every time I look at my cable bill...
@chodaboy19 You pay for Cox?
I love me some big Cox.
Cox is actually the first cable company that I've had a positive experience with. Their equipment was adequate, their internet was fast, and their channel tiers were reasonable in price and content. (They were also the only US operator that I've encountered that offers BBC World News.) For office visits, their setup was well organized and comfortable. There were never long waits, clueless staff or lines out the door.
Comcast on the other hand...
@StalkyTheFish
Wait wait wait!? BBC World News isn't available on most cable lineups? (I have Cox) I've watched that channel for the past few years and thought everyone had access to it, best news network available by far.
@StalkyTheFish I have BBC World News on Cablevision (ch. 104). I watch it every morning. It shits all over American cable news channels from a great height.
Now if they would only get BBC America...
@shorties
I know, right?!
No, it's very difficult to find in the US. Neither satellite provider carries it, and that's where you'd really expect to find it. No Comcast or TW systems carry it that I know of. I have heard the thing about Cablevision carrying it in NYC.
That channel is what kept me subscribed to a digital tier one step above where I would otherwise have been. Back around 2002, I had a hacked Canadian satellite system pretty much for the sake of BBC World and a couple music video channels that didn't suck.
I would have gladly paid up to $10 a month for it if there was someone willing to sell it to me. To my knowledge there is still no way to even get a streaming version in the US. It's sad because it really is the only good all-news channel left (and from what I've seen recently even they've deteriorated somewhat, from being beset on all sides by "news-tainment channels").
i have Cox with a SA 8300 HD DVR. It runs SARA so i have been able to use an eSATA external hard drive to expand the capacity. is this update likely to mess that up?
I can only imagine how much "plus" this would cost me. But it is a moot point, as I assume this will show up in Kansas the second quarter after the sun explodes (same time-frame as DOCSIS 3.0).
As a fellow Kansan your comment amused me considerably. Sadly we're the tech world's asshole in this country. =(
@TheHoldSteady DOCSIS 3.0 Rocks on Cox! 50 down 5 up. 'course you have to buy the home based business package to get it.
Comcast is so far behind, it's not even funny.
I'm in San Diego. The current DVR (Explorer 8300HD) sucks. I wish it could play smoothly at faster speeds with audio so I could watch shows faster (ie jay leno, snl); instead, it fast forwards with no audio by frame. Also, it's hard drive is noisy--it sounds like rain if you don't realize where the noise is coming from. I hope this new DVR will replace the current ones. If not, I'll probably move to AT&T TV--the cheaper alternative. The only thing that's holding me back is the fact that I have a bundle with COX, and I've been really comfortable with their internet service.
@excgadget
The lack of sound on Jay Leno isn't the DVR, it's just that no one is laughing...
Jokes aside, I don't know many DVR's that actually do fast forward the sound when fast forwarding. Not even my TiVo does that. The newest firmware update that they released for those devices (8300HD) in my area this week (Santa Barbara) has definitely made the whole user experience smoother though, its much nicer. And it does the predictive skip back thing when you fast forward so it goes back a few seconds when you hit play to more accurately resume where you want it to.
Cocks "Plus Package" ???
It's about freakin' time!
So it looks like you can only see whats on one channel at a time?
Right now with the crapcast guide I can see whats on 6 channels at once. How is this better?
@Peteo There is an option for a grid guide in the tutorial videos. It shows around 5 to 8 channels or something like that.
I see the value added, but the proof is in the pudding when it comes to what pricing model they adopt with this. If history is any indication it will be either $expensive or $more_than_it_should_cost_or_is_worth.
People still watch cable TV?
@brenro
Yea, unfortunately.
Too many puns and play on the name, must... resist...
They just made a huge hoopla about upgraded my area's devices to the newest Passport software. And while its nice compared to the old passport software, the old passport software was terrible. I hope it doesn't take them like 5 years to get this here as well. Though I have a TiVo so it doesn't really effect me. But SEE THIS TiVo!!! This is why you will lose the set top box war unless you really reinvent the DVR. TiVo will become the next palm, they will continue to release niche products for 5 more years and then fall apart and get picked up by some bigger company like HP.
@shorties
TiVo will never lose the set-top war as long as Time Warner Cable are still making their own software using people who think it's 2001.
Really great UI.
@trainwrecka It actually looks fun to use!
I predict a lawsuit. Trio both looks and sounds suspiciously like TiVo.
Well, I guess the agreement with Tivo and Cox is for naught, Two years ago Cox signed an agreement with Tivo to develop the Tivo interface for the Cox DVR's.
This cant be any worse then the new Tivo Premier. What a joke that is right now.
Why can't people be satisfied with the glorious set top box the cable companies already offer? Is not 160GB good enough? Do we really need to record more than 2 shows at a time?..
OK, just watched the "tutorial" videos... I'm not impressed at all. It's not as hideous as their current DVR UI, but it's clear that this UI was designed by a programmer and not a designer! Everything is arranged by grouping features in menus, it is not arranged by how people will actually want to use the device!
I think I'm done with COX now. I'm going to cancel all everything I have with them except my high speed internet. Maybe I'll get DirecTV for broadcast television, but maybe I'll try just watching hulu.
I'm about to go strictly Internet sourced TV. I pay way to much for the Time Warner service I get. This is the first time I have seen a company look to offering something that looks reasonable for a family. Cost is always going to be the decider though. Will it cost just as much as it does having a DVR for 3 of my tv's? If so then It would come down to 2 things.
1. Will it only require one box for the house.
2. Will it be faster UI wise?
To bad I can't even take this offer cause I can only get Time Warner or crappy AT&T Uverse or whatever.
No you'll need client boxes. If you have a legacy STB from Cox, you'll need to upgrade it so you won't get this functionality with the older STB's.
NDS the developer of this guide said that they would sell this to other operators if they had wanted an advanced tru2way guide.
This is why Americans are fat. Too much time on the tube. Get your fat ass outside and go workout.
Wow this is impressive.
First off, I like to see the clean new UI utilizing the 16:9 aspect ratio of HDTV. Finally the graphics fill the screen with a much higher resolution then was previously available. I do wonder what it would look like on a 4:3 TV though. Perhaps letterboxed?
The set top boxes are real nice. The cisco 8642 series is their flagship box at this point. I'm really impressed with it, and I like to hear that they are using Simulcrypt so that it can be used on Motorola based headends. I'm pleased to hear that the guide was written in Tru2Way, so theoretically it can be easily ported to other Tru2Way certified devices (such as Motorola DCX series, Panasonic TV's, Set back boxes, etc...). Finally, it's nice to know that a full DOCSIS path is used for the set top to communicate to the headend. This is required for all of the graphics, poster art, data mining, and quick downloads of guide data. No longer after a power cycle, will you have to wait 5 hours to get a full days worth of guide data. The legacy OOB pipe is awfully overused with it's small 2 mbps downstream pipe.
I can really see NDS's influence in the guide, with the DirecTV look to the grid, text and other elements. It's ok though because this is much more improved. One thing that would take getting used to is the default guide view. I like seeing that big "grid" where you see channels by time. To me, I can see more information at once, rather than scrolling and only being able to see whats on one channel at a time.
In the video's, it looked like the screens simply 'popped' in and out of view. I hope that they add some transition effects to help guide the user as to what they selected or where they are going. If you push the right arrow and it changes the three panes, I'd rather see the pane scroll smoothly into view. When you see information just immediately change with no transition effect, it can lead to a very confusing operation. I guess you get used to it in time, but it's no iPhone.
This is great to see some advancement out of an actual MSO. I hope the other players out there soon follow with some sort of announcement. The UI is the face and branding of the MSO. They should want to put on their best game face so to speak. You don't want everyone associating "so and so" cable company with a really outdated late 80's early 90's UI. Were so used to our smooth user friendly interfaces on the computer, game systems and our mobile devices. It's time to seal the deal and bring that flexibility home to cable providers.
@cypherx They're using Cisco boxes but they'll have Motorola M-Cards rather than Cisco ones.
I love Cox!! Does that sound bad?
Anyone hear which markets this will be deployed in first. I'm in the Phoenix area and want to get rid of my SA Explorer 8240HDC. The sooner the better.
@jbcaro cox has zero competition in Phoenix beyond the satellites. I doubt we'll see by 2012. You saw how long it took them to just roll out onDemand.
@salmoriarty
I understand that cox has a monopoly in the phoenix area, but the article states that all of the cox service areas will be covered by the end of the year. I just hope that we are not last on the list.
@jbcaro This guide won't be available on your box type; however, they'll be deploying Passport to the legacy boxes which is actually quite good.
too little too late for me. i already switched to at&t uverse here in the okc area and i am loving it. it has had all of these things that cox is advertising for a while now. i'm just mad it took me this long to realize how awesome their UI is compared to cox's current one. and this won't even be out until the end of this year at the latest.
I want to see the channel logo next to the channel number is that so hard?
I was forced to join Cox when I moved to Virginia from Texas and hated it from the start! I miss Direct TV and wish I would have checked to make sure my new apartment was facing in the right direction but that's what I get for not basing my choice of living because of Direct TV.
My HD-DVR from Cox has such a small HD it quickly filled up in a couple of days, this is great news and I'm glad Cox got the message and decided to make the proper upgrades.
The Passport layout just seemed so third-rate...
I guess Comcast will never unlock the full power of their new DVR not at least without signing a second mortgage to pay for it.
Is that (BBC World News CH) different from BBC America? I'm with Brighthouse and we have BBC America.
@shortyd999 BBC World News is, as the name might suggest, the BBCs 24-hour news channel for international audiences (as opposed to BBC News 24 which is their news channel for British audiences.)
BBC America is their entertainment channel for American audiences. BBC America and BBC World News are two different channels.
I have BBC World News on Cablevision. It is so much better than MSNBCNNFOX it's not even funny. But I don't have BBC America, and that vexes me greatly.