The Red Button facility has been in existence in the UK for over 10 years now, however, it today has taken a further step forwards to becoming a proper interactive service.
Starting today, for those viewers on Virgin Media, with a TiVo set top box a new version of the red button is being rolled out, the “Connected Red Button”. Traditionally, the red button was just another broadcast channel and information sent to the user, however the new Connected Red Button enhances the experience via the internet, allowing proper 2 way communication.
While limited use at the moment, the service is planned to be rolled out over Smart TV’s and connected set top boxes over the coming months. How we, as a nation, watch tv is changing and the BBC aim to push the boundaries further, enhancing the viewing experience all the time.
This is part of the BBC’s grand plan to make TV more interactive, this is only the first steps down that route. For example, in the future, we may be able to use mobile and tablet devices at the same time as the TV to see alternate views, or extra information for what is on now.