Nintendo takes TV to the next level with Nintendo TVii
Nintendo TVii is Nintendo's attempt to rein in multiple video streaming services and push them to once place. The free service will be included with both the Basic and Deluxe Wii U bundles. Its main goal is to enable users to find and watch TV shows, movies, and sports events.
Using both the Wii U GamePad's infrared port and screen, Nintendo TVii enables users to find or select video content with a simple, touch-enabled graphical interface. Once said content is selected, users are given multiple options to view it. Netflix, Hulu, TiVo, Amazon Video, and live TV via your home cable service, are some of the potential services available. What's more, Nintendo TVii automatically searches those services, letting the user know exactly how they can access their content. Leveraging both TVii's guide and TiVo, users can even set their DVR to record upcoming content.
Nintendo TVii offers multiple ways to watch
your media. Streaming media coming from Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Video is sent
directly to the Wii U console itself, enabling that content to in turn be sent
wirelessly to the GamePad for separate viewing. Unlike these services, TiVo and
cable TV will remain external to the system and do not stream video to the Wii
U, meaning that streaming to the GamePad is not possible. When users select
content to be viewed on live TV, the channel the content is on will be
beamed from the GamePad IR port to your cable box; however, users will have to
use the GamePad (or their TV's remote) to manually select the correct video
input on their TV which their cable service is connected to. The same must be
done when viewing content through TiVo.
Nintendo TVii also offers multiple ways to engage accessible media. While watching various TV shows or sporting events, using the GamePad, users can partake in multiple live interactions with other people watching the same content. These interactions, dubbed "Moments," include anything from participating in polls to comments or information about a specific scene, and are attach to timestamped screen captures. Moments happen as the show progresses and can be commented on using the Facebook and Twitter account of the logged in user. Nintendo has created a team focused on creating these moments for the top 100 TV shows, so as of now, Moments cannot be created by users. TVii also makes use of the Moments system for sporting events with the added ability to view a top-down, play-by-play analysis of what is going on during a given match.
All of this is tied together through personalization. Multiple accounts can be used with Nintendo TVii. These accounts, which are pulled from the Wii U's list of users, can be used to save and share favorite TV shows with not only other system accounts but friends located in your friends list as well. Nintendo TVii also tracks user viewing trends in order to provide content suggestions. User accounts can be switched on the fly or even combined to suggest shows that everyone might like when users are watching TV together. Nintendo TVii's built in spin-wheel remote also takes part in personalization, enabling users to save favorite TV channels to a button for quick access.
Nintendo TVii has been primed to become the ultimate TV companion, combining the ability to personalize, search, share, record, and view into one central and convenient hub. While the service has yet to be fully explained, the long list of features has great potential for users who currently subscribe to the services TVii makes use of.
