6 ground-breaking EPG concepts

iPhone 3G EPG
The iPhone 3G EPG could be making its way to the App Store soon

The arrival of Sky's HD electronic programming guide this year was welcomed by many in the HD community, but was it really that much of an overhaul?

Sure, much was made of the debut of Sky's mini TV feature, episode stacking and search options, and the makeover did reveal how much difference a tweak here and a brush up there can do to making an EPG work for you rather than against you.

But what Sky has achieved is piecemeal compared to what could be winging its way to your televisions some time in the near future.

NDS 3d tv 2

TechRadar was lucky enough to peer behind the curtain of NDS – a UK-based company which is looking to change the face of TV menu systems as we know it. Award winning and with an R&D department that's bursting at the seams with innovation, NDS may not be well known to consumers, but it delivers technology behind the scenes to the broadcast world which make most of the UK's set-top boxes tick.

Guided by Jonathon Beavon, Director of Marketing at NDS, and Kevin Murray, Systems Architect – New Initiative – for the 3D side of things, here's six EPG solutions, which may well herald how we view TV in the future…

The iPhone 3G EPG

  • What is it? An EPG on your iPhone
  • Why is it cool? It allows your TV to be completely EPG free, and turns the iPhone into the ultimate remote control

NDS iphone

TechRadar: Why would we use this application?

Jonathon Beavon: Using this app, you can actually see what's on even though there isn't actually an EPG on the screen, so you are not annoying the others around you.

We have got all the channels, and you can see all the programmes that are on for today. There are things like synopsis, so you can see what's on the channel. And then you get the option of whether you want to record the programme, much like your Sky EPG. You have the option to record once, for example. Once you do that, it's recorded to the PVR.

TR: Is there any extra functionality?

JB: You also get web apps to go alongside the channel information. In this case we have info from Metacritic. Obviously, if as an operator you wanted to use this content, you would have to get permission from the website.

It's extra content from the web, in addition to stuff that's on the platform. It's treating the iPhone like a remote control, but at the same time you don't have to go on to your laptop to find out other information about the programmes.

You can use it both through 3G and Wi-Fi and theoretically do it remotely without being in the room. But we already have applications that fulfil the record anywhere role. We have a lot of control of the software that runs on the software box; some other applications haven't got this access.

NDS iphone 2

TR: When will we see this app in the App Store?

JB: We are currently showing this application to operators and asking them if this is something that you would want to do. They might have something already and we can show them how to improve it.

Recommendation app

  • What is it? A complex recommendations system which offers up content you may like
  • Why is it cool? It's one of the better ways to find new shows and movies on your EPG

NDS recommendation

JB: We can show whatever content is on the channel and for every piece of content we have an, 'if you like this you may also like this'.

What the consumer sees is an image with the options available to them. At the bottom is a synopsis with why it is recommended, reviews and even user reviews along a tab.

For this we use a variety of engine plug-ins, as some are great at analysing movie content and plot structure, others are better at half-hour British TV shows and so on. They all take different approaches, so we have an API to connect to the relevant ones.

The consumer would see this content launched through a green button. So if you like this, then you could choose these movies to watch after.

NDS advertising 2

TR: How would we get this content?

JB: You would probably see it automatically at the end credits of a movie or a show, like you would with 'press the red button'. For these recommendation engines it is like a face to the back-end technology which they use.

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.

Latest in Home
The Philips 5000 Series Dual Basket Air Fryer XXL Steam on a kitchen counter with a TechRadar deal logo for lowest price
I've been using this Philips air fryer with steam for months and I can't recommend it highly enough at its lowest price yet
Nanoleaf PC Screen Mirror Lightstrip set up on gaming PC
This Nanoleaf light strip adds Ambilight-style illumination to your gaming setup – and it's amazingly cheap
Philips Hue
Setting up your Philips Hue lights is now quicker and easier than ever thanks to the latest app update
Two Ring video doorbells on blue background with white text reading 'TechRadar Price Cut'
Ring doorbells and cameras crash to record-low prices in Amazon sale
Miele Guard L1 Comfort XL cyclinder vacuum
I've been patiently waiting for the newest vacuum tech to make its way into cylinder vacuums, and Miele has finally delivered
Smeg kettle and toaster in Jade Green on kitchen counter with spiced tea
Some of Smeg's best kitchen appliances just got a fresh new look, and I think I'm in love
Latest in News
L-mount alliance
Sirui joins L-Mount Alliance to deliver its superb budget lenses for Leica, DJI, Sigma and Panasonic cameras
Security padlock and circuit board to protect data
Trust in digital services around the world sees a massive drop as security worries continue
Samuel and Romy standing very close together in A24's Babygirl movie
Everything new on Max in April 2025, including A24's Babygirl and The Last of Us season 2
An AMD Radeon RX 9070 XT made by Sapphire on a table with its retail packaging
AMD’s secret weapon against Nvidia seems to be stock – way more RX 9070 GPUs are rumored to be hitting shelves than RTX 5000 models
Hacker silhouette working on a laptop with North Korean flag on the background
North Korea unveils new military unit targeting AI attacks
Seth Milchick and Kier Eagan's animatronic speaking in Severance season 2 episode 10
Apple TV+ announces Severance has been renewed for season 3 after that devastating finale