Comcast 'Xcalibur' test program brings web video, unified search to cable boxes

There's not a lot of details available yet, but according to the Wall Street Journal, Comcast has begun testing features that rival what Google TV and TiVo are doing in the living room by letting cable set-top boxes access streaming video from the internet. Known to participants in Augusta, Georgia as Spectrum and within the company as Xcalibur it combines a DVR with unified search across cable VOD and the internet, plus social media tie-ins, but does not include a full web browser. So far the available content is described only as "limited," so we're going to guess that Netflix isn't on the menu but with rumors indicating it could launch to other areas in 2011 it could very soon be taking its place as the next Xfinity branded tie-in next to current efforts bringing TV content to iOS , Android and other platforms.