Reg Hardware

Original URL: http://www.reghardware.com/2010/07/29/virgin_media_online_mobile_media_player_beta/

Virgin hitches MTV to media player loveliness

Three screens. When will the madness stop?

By Drew Cullen (drew@theregister.co.uk)

29th July 2010 12:45 GMT

World+dog must have a media player to call its own. Not to be outdone Virgin is in on the act as of today with the launch [1] of Virgin Media Player, for mobile and computer use.

The cableco has lined up "hundreds of hours" of content, including various youthie MTV network shows, which already appear on its on-demand TV service.

Virgin is calling this a "three screen line-up". This sounds rather glib to us.

The beta is open to Virgin XL TV customers with a Virgin broadband connection. They can register at virginmedia.com/player [2].

Virgin Mobile contract customers can use VMP for one hour, free of charge, via the firm's mobile portal.

As well as catch-up TV, the VMP will also run MTV Snax - short snappy clippy things designed for viewing on mobile phones.

Virgin launches VMP in earnest later this year. In the meantime it is gunning for a bust up with Project Canvas, a rival media player backed by the BBC, ITV, BT and TalkTalk, which it thinks is anti-competitive.