It’s like Siri combined with a TV remote and the Internet.
The new Rogers Ignite TV is a marvellous product that puts a world of television within easy reach; classic movies, your favourite sports, kids shows and just about everything in between.
They’ve set up a Rogers Command Centre down near the Rogers Centre in Toronto (look for it at the southwest corner of Bremner Boulevard and lower Simcoe, just inside Roundhouse Park), and the public is welcome to drop by today, tomorrow and all through the Labour Day weekend.
For folks who may not be up to date on the latest in TV technology, Rogers Ignite is a really big deal in the TV biz. I had a chance to take it for a bit of a test drive on Wednesday, Aug. 29 and came away hugely impressed.
The “sports house” at the Rogers Ignite Command Centre in Toronto. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Right now, when my wife or I want to watch a TV show, it usually involves a conversation that goes something like this: “Hey, hon, where do we find The Sopranos again? Is that Netflix? Or HBO? Or is it somewhere else? How do we find that show again?”
With Rogers Ignite, you don’t need to worry about it. Just push the voice button on your remote, say “Sopranos” and the show pops up onto your screen.
Want to watch a baseball game? Just say the word “Blue Jays” and you’ll get connected to an interface that allows you to watch or record the game.
You also can check out your favourite team’s schedule or look at the stats of the players or that night’s starting pitchers. Big fan of Devon Travis or Aaron Sanchez of the Jays? You can “favourite” them and get their stats.
Rogers Ignite lets you find terrific recipes in the blink of an eye.
I’m a UCLA grad and love keeping an eye on the Bruins during college football and basketball season. I picked up a Rogers Ignite remote at the command centre yesterday and said “UCLA,” and up popped a preview of their Saturday night game against the University of Cincinnati, complete with starting players and stats.
We’ve all been in a position, I would think, where we forget the name of a particular movie. But we often remember a well-known line from the picture, such as “Show me the money,” or “I”ll be back.” With Rogers Ignite, all you have to do is say the line and the movie pops up on your screen. Crazy!
Likewise, if you’re watching a show and hear a song you like playing in the background, all you need to do is say “What’s that song?” and your TV will tell you.
If you love music like I do, you also can ask for the Stingray feature to come on, and then browse from a wide variety of music stations; everything from classic rock to country to baroque or Hindi music. Or you can ask YouTube to show you the top songs of the week so you can stay in touch with what’s new.
The Kids Zone at the Rogers Ignite Command House in Toronto. JIM BYERS PHOTO
Feel like whipping up something for dinner but don’t know what to make? Simply hit the voice button on your remote and say, “Chicken recipes” and you’ll get taken to YouTube, where you might find Gordon Ramsay or some other well-known chef demonstrating Chicken Parmesan in five easy steps.
On top of all that, it’s easy to download a favourite show and store it on your portable device. For someone who spends a lot of time on airplanes and doesn’t always get a plane with the TV shows or movies he wants to see, that’s a great option.
Intrigued? Be sure you drop by the Rogers command centre over the next few days and see how it works. They’ve got a terrific setup, with big screen TV’s and a couple of great add-ons, including a sports building with a “Tim and Sid” studio set-up and a Kids Zone with both TV’s and places for the kids to play for a bit.
They’ll have celebrities on hand all weekend for various events, and they’re also showing movies on a big screen. On Thursday, Aug. 30, you can meet on-air personalities from Breakfast Television from 11 a.m. to noon. They’ll be showing “Night at the Museum” from 6:15 p.m. to 8 p.m., and then “Jurassic Park” on the outdoor screen from 8:30 to 11 p.m.
Rogers Ignite is a great TV treat for sports fans.
Friday events include a meet and greet with Cityline host Tracy Moore from 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday is family day, with cartoons on the Disney Channel and a meeting with “Bad Blood” star Kim Coates from 1 to 2 p.m. Sunday is gaming day, with a Super Channel GINX E-Sports gaming event from 2 to 6 p.m. and outdoor movie viewings of “Jumanji” and “Ready Player One.”
Monday is sports day, with the chance to meet and greet one of the Blue Jays from noon to 1 p.m. (likely Aaron Sanchez) and a Blue Jays’ alumni player from 4:45 p.m. to 6:15 p.m. (possibly former ace pitcher Jack Morris, I was told). You also can meet Ben Wagner and Richard Deitsch from Sportsnet 590 The FAN from 1 to 2 p.m. From 4:30 to 5:30 p.m., hockey fans will want to come down and meet former Toronto Maple Leaf player Shayne Corson, as well as the team mascot, Carlton the Bear.
For a schedule of what’s on, check out the Rogers Ignite Facebook page.
