US cabler Comcast has launched the Xumo Stream Box for its Xfinity Internet customers, giving them a new way to view streaming entertainment in the home.
Available at no additional monthly cost, Xumo Stream Box joins Sky Glass and Sky Stream as the latest device powered by EntertainmentOS, Comcast’s entertainment operating system that combines UI, metadata platform, and voice technology into a what the company says is a scalable experience.
The move follows an earlier launch on Charter Communications’ Spectrum service. Xumo is a streaming joint venture between Comcast and Charter that provides FAST channels as well as the Stream Box.
EntertainmentOS is built upon the RDK technology platform. The Xumo Stream Box offers the same search and discovery features Xfinity customers are familiar with from the company’s X1 and Flex devices within a new user experience that it says makes it easier for them to navigate between live, on-demand or streaming content.
Customers can search for a show or movie by saying its name into the included voice remote, and Xumo Stream Box will search across available apps and services to find it.
Comcast said that Xumo Stream Box uses both AI-driven personalization and an in-house editorial team to surface content recommendations within the experience.
Live channels from Xfinity Stream are prominent on the Xumo Stream Box, with over 20 FAST channels, and Comcast’s NOW TV customers can access their 40+ streaming channels from A&E, AMC, Hallmark, Warner Bros. Discovery, and others.
New features include a “currently playing” tile that shows what’s airing on the last Xfinity Stream channel the customer watched, and the built-in channel guide makes browsing Xfinity Stream channels a seamless part of the experience.
The box comes preloaded with multiple streaming apps, enabling users to say the name of the streaming service into the voice remote, to find and launch apps.
Xfinity customers will now be able to build personalized viewing lists for every member of the family with a ‘My List’ feature. With one click, customers can add a show or movie available on Xumo Stream Box to a specific list.
“Finding something to watch across streaming apps can be frustrating and time consuming for customers,” said John Dixon, SVP, entertainment.
“Xumo Stream Box helps simplify streaming so customers can spend more time watching and less time searching with key features like live TV at start-up, leading voice search, an integrated guide, and all the most popular apps preloaded and ready to watch.”