Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

Yeah, I was waiting for that and I understand.

But, I have been here for years and, as I posted earlier today a cable TV customer for 28 years. I have been promised so many times that cable had the technology to win.

- Originally it was that they could deliver more channels down a cable than Sky had room on "limited" satellites.

- Then cable could deliver On Demand, and Sky couldn't "from a satellite"

- Then TiVo would offer a new world of integrated broadcast and internet TV, back in 2010.

Each time the opportunity and promise was wasted.

Finally, 3 months ago, I jumped ship (for TV only) when I got a 4K TV and my TiVo ground to a halt. But still, in my heart of hearts I'd like to see cable deliver on it's promise and switch back.

I have waited for the V6 announcement in the hope they were holding something back. But, IMO, no, it seems they have given up on the top-end of the TV market, which if it works for them it's fine.

I guess I will stop posting here until the V7 or whatever, if it offers promise, once I've got my disappointment out of my system! But, still, I think it is important for people to compare and contrast these 2 systems, so they can decide what is right for them.

---------- Post added at 17:53 ---------- Previous post was at 17:46 ----------

Very true. The V6 is a big step up from the old TiVo, no doubt. But Sky can record 4 while watching TV, so I'm not convinced being able to record 5 while watching or 6 and not, is a real benefit for 98% of people.

---------- Post added at 17:58 ---------- Previous post was at 17:53 ----------

You don't really notice the difference tbh. Once you start downloading you can start watching within a few secs, maybe 10 secs if its UHD (thanks Virgin 200Mb/s broadband!), from the same screen. One extra key press.

The difference is with Sky it's then on your disc afterwards until you delete. The plus side to this is you can rewind and fast forward (up to where you have downloaded) properly - always tricky with streamed shows. The minus is you have to delete it when you are done.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

I feel the same. It COULD have been so good if they just got some of the basics right and fixed a few things in the annual update instead of causing new problems like Dolby Digital (ok that was finally fixed but it took too long) and poorly implementing Series Links+ that, for some people like me, broke something that worked. I don't want 4K, in fact most of what I watch isn't even in HD. That said HD has become unwatchable for me due to lip-sync problems - I assume that still hasn't been addressed in V6? And I don't want a bigger tv because SD is too badly compressed and already looks c**p. For me there are still just too many bugs to even consider making sacrifices like losing scart for multi-room television. I have learned to live without On Demand as that has never worked due to either 25% buffering, random errors or just slow performance, so there are no benefits there. 6 tuners will just fill up 1Tb twice as quick with the same duplicates episodes/repeats. Even wishlist films just re-record a few weeks after you last deleted them! It just wasn't good enough for me and it COULD have easily been so much better.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

"Hassle" was mentioned earlier regarding coax or something.

But I see "hassle" as changing from one provider to the other. Personally I feel there isn't much at all between sky and virgin over recent times! So if someone has been with one or the other provider for years, why change is my view.

Doing that, is what I would call a waste of time "hassle". But hey just my view.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

If you are having to lose all your recordings to get a new box, you may as well take the opportunity get which ever box is going to suit you best. The discussion about coax, is because Sky Q gives you the opportunity to multi-room simply with a wi-fi signal. With Virgin Media you have to resort to getting a 2nd tivo, which many consider to be overkill and you then have to get it connected via coax and you also need a wi-fi signal for it too work as well. All part of people weighing up which way to go, especially when people are currently using multi-room options with the current Tivo scart socket which is not available with V6.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

^^
And cost. And noise. Although some aren't bothered, I wouldn't have a box with an HDD, which spins up and down periodically, in a bedroom.

TiVo recognised the need for this years ago.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

Getting one installed in Jan, for free. Can't be worse than the TiVo.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

Nope, I wont be losing any recordings, when I change to a V6 soonish. Not with the set up I will have.

I know, like I also said in another post. Personally I don't see any of the thing's you mention as being a big deal.

And many people are all ready set up with cables anyway, many people have had 2 or 3 boxes for years in there set up!

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

I didn't mean "you" personally, just a general explanation. You personally seem to have it all sussed and I'm sure will be very happy with it :clap:

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

I'll be ecstatic who needs Christmas pressies when the V6 is about to take the world by storm!! ;)

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

Don't see why , it takes 2-3 seconds even for the UHD stuff to become available ,i seem to remember it took the same time for the old V+to load on demand content.

Even with my 40meg sky broadband it only takes 2-3 seconds .I don't see having to delete stuff as a problem .The wife records her soaps then deletes them ,why would she want to keep them ? I watch a film then delete it ,i've never been one for watching the same film over and over again

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

Yep, sounds like all those who "registered an interest" are being offered them for free.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

That is correct, they called me this afternoon out of the blue. And they mentioned that I registered an interest. I was waiting for the catch but there wasn't one. Not a self install either.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

I'm trying to see both sides. I totally agree it's not a problem at all and the benefit of being easily able to rewind occasionally without the hit and miss nature of rewinding with streams, far outweighs any slight downside for me.

But I still suspect you are being a little optimistic when you say for UHD it's only 2-3 secs from pressing the button to start to download to "ready to watch". Probably for HD that's about right here. Not a problem, but a little longer I think.

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

I got my call about 17:45 tonight saying I had registered my interest in the V6 and as I had a top package with the 200MB broadband then I qualified for a freebie from them but the earliest I could have it was Jan 11th as due to Christmas, the fact the box is new and they were giving this to hundreds of people there was a little wait.
She even apologised and I said not at all as after all the rises and worse service it's finally worth waiting for something to get it free.

Fair play to Virgin on this one. What packages are the other guys on who are getting it free?

Re: Virgin Media V6 - Powered by TiVo(new STB)
 

Are those that are getting it free are the end of or out of contract I registered but not heard anything. Though I'm still in contract sonwonsering if that's why. I want to get 2 if possible are they letting you do that or just 1 ?