Best Buy Launches TiVo Connected TVs

By Greg Tarr -- TWICE, 8/1/2011

Minneapolis - Best Buy formally revealed Monday that it has introduced under its private-label Insignia brand a pair of connected TVs powered by TiVo.

The 32-inch and 42-inch Insignia Connected TVs carry $499 and $699 selling prices in Best Buy stores and on BestBuy.com. Both can access broadcast and online movies, TV shows, and music.

Best Buy said TiVo designed the user interface on the set to be simple, and with easy-to-find entertainment options without a paid TiVo subscription.

Service partners available on the sets at launch include Netflix, CinemaNow, YouTube, Pandora and Napster, plus popular entertainment and social-media applications from the Chumby content network, including Facebook, Twitter, Photobucket and more.

"The Insignia Connected TV gives our valued customers a new way to easily setup and access the entertainment they want, when they want it," said Patrick McGinnis, Best Buy exclusive brands VP. "We've heard from customers that Smart TVs can be intimidating, and we've put 110 percent of our energy into making the powerful features of the Insignia Connected TV easy to enjoy."

 "TiVo has evolved from its roots as the DVR that changed the way consumers interact with entertainment, allowing us to customize and deliver solutions that best meet the needs of our partners like Insignia," said Jim Denney, TiVo product marketing VP and general manager. "The Insignia Connected TV is the result of great collaboration and we are proud to bring the TiVo experience to this leading consumer electronics brand and innovative product."

 Customers can customize their experience by selecting additional content from the Chumby network, which supports hundreds of applications for the Insignia Connected TV.

It also benefits from Chumby's wide network of developers working on new content, Best Buy said.

Insignia will continue to update and add applications to the Connected TV as new, high-demand applications become available.

Additional product features include:

• LED edge lighting for energy efficiency, advanced picture quality and a thin panel design;

• 1080p/120Hz FullHD resolution;

• Audyssey and SRS audio enhancement; and

• wireless, uncompressed digital audio input to the TV or output to speakers such as the Insignia soundbar and the Rocketfish outdoor speaker.