Showtime, a leading pay-TV network in the Middle East, announced today the introduction of the latest generation of smart technology with the launch of their new decoder: the ShowBox DVR. The service offers the ultimate level of control and convenience giving viewers the power to choose what they want to watch and when. The new device will be available to Showtime subscribers in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, and the UAE from 15 February, followed by other Gulf markets.
The Showbox DVR offers subscribers a very different way of planning their television viewing. Peter Einstein, President and CEO of Showtime commented, “I am very proud that Showtime is yet again leading the way in the region. As a provider of premium entertainment content we are now giving subscribers more choice about when to watch what they want. I am confident Showbox will change the way viewers watch TV forever.”
Showbox actually transforms the viewer’s relationship with their television set and friends and family. Einstein added, “Suddenly the phone ringing at a crucial point in a movie is not as big a deal as it used to be. And 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 (the EPG), Showbox is the region’s first DVR service which makes television entertainment fit into a lifestyle rather than the other way round.
Showtime has pushed the boundaries of personal TV with the power and simplicity of this new device. The power comes from the combination of advanced functionality and a simple user interface, which makes it intuitive to use. A much requested feature of the DVR is its 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 television sets. In practical terms, this means you can watch two different programmes on two television sets in two rooms while still recording a third directly onto the hard drive.
And as the ShowBox DVR uses a hard disk to record from the original broadcast stream, all recordings will be the same digital quality and sound as live viewing and will offer an average of 40 hours worth of recording space.
The ShowBox DVR connects directly to a satellite dish. Showtime has not applied a premium for subscribers using the ShowBox DVR system, but a refundable box deposit of $408 is charged for the box or $217 if a second subscription is taken up at a cost of $20 per month.
Showtime Arabia is a leading pay-TV network in the Middle-East and North Africa. It provides 50 channels of mainly international content, with an especially strong offering of first run Hollywood films, due to its exclusive relationships with Disney, Sony, Paramount, Universal and Dreamworks. Showtime owns and operates its own channels including The Movie Channel, TV Land, Nickelodeon, Paramount Comedy Channel and Movietime. Included in its third party channel line-up are such global brands as MTV, CNN, Discovery, the Disney Channel, Cartoon Network and Bloomberg.
The network is owned by Gulf DTH, which is a joint venture of KIPCO and Viacom. KIPCO is Kuwait’s largest private sector investment company with more than US$ 15 billion under management. Its portfolio of investments includes around 55 companies, in sectors such as media, telecommunications, financial services, real estate and aviation, throughout the Middle East, North Africa, Europe and the U.S.
Viacom is a leading global media company, with preeminent positions in broadcast and cable television, radio, outdoor advertising, and online. Viacom’s well-known brands include CBS, MTV, Nickelodeon, VH1, Paramount Pictures, and Simon & Schuster.
