Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Another possibility for the VM box if LG decide to relent on more streaming services for Virgin Media in the future, following the revelation that it was LG that scuppered plans to add Amazon to the Tivo/V6 boxes.

http://advanced-television.com/2017/...ix-for-europe/

Telefónica plans ‘Netflix for Europe’


Reports in Spanish newspaper El Pais say Telefónica is planning to launch a streaming video platform with its own original content in Europe to compete against Netflix.

The Spanish operator is said to be finalising plans to launch the SVoD service in Germany and the UK. The service will be marketed at a low price with unlimited access to all content à la carte directly to the subscriber or through distribution agreements with other TV operators.


The service will be made available across all devices – smartphones, tablets, consoles, multimedia players and smart TVs. The company will start with the service in the UK and Germany and extend it later on in other European countries, except Spain. Latin America will also not receive distribution of the service.

The streaming service will streamTV series produced in Spain and in Peru. Movistar Plus has become a big content producer. The company plans to release between 6 and 8 TV series per year and currently it is working on 20 different projects with an investment of €70 million a year.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Looks like Samsung have beaten Virgin Media to it. Why do we always seem to be at the back of the queue?

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2017...ng-to-tv-plus/



Samsung adds Insight programming to TV Plus

Samsung is adding three channels with Insight programming to its OTT service TV Plus.

The three channels will offer sports, lifestyle and entertainment programming from Insight TV’s UHD library of content, and is availbe free of charge in the five European countries where Samsung offers its TV Plus service, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

It's only going to be good if any of the content that they will be offering is worthwhile watching, OB.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Which in my experience it isn't.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Personally, I would rather have BT's UHD content.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You never know, we might get that too!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Samsung now has Pluto TV, another app that would be good for VM and it's not on Roku, surprisingly.

http://advanced-television.com/2017/...s-in-pluto-tv/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

l doubt it..:nono:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Well, Den, you are starting to make alternative predictions from mine that relate to the near future (such as UHD stuff from BT and Amazon successfully challenging Sky for sports rights).

It will be very interesting to see who's right.

Hats at the ready? I don't do pants!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

l hear you do a good line in straw hats though OB.;)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

I am hoping that VM add this app to the V6s sooner rather than later.

http://www.digitaltveurope.net/76387...lean-back-app/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Considering YouTube TV isn't available in the UK, the app won't be available either ;)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Thanks for putting me right on that, Ben, the article doesn't make clear that this is for the US only. I had made the assumption this was launching in Europe, given the name of the web site.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

:p:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

:erm:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Soho Theatre content on Virgin TV.

http://advanced-television.com/2017/...-on-virgin-tv/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Sounds promising

---------- Post added at 16:59 ---------- Previous post was at 16:59 ----------

Thanks for posting

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Never heard of any of those people!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Demand Africa would be a useful app to include on the V6.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2017...nd-africa-vod/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

If YouTube Red launches as a subscription service in the UK, as I'm sure it will before much longer, this would be a good new source of content if it were added to Virgin Media's apps.

Does anyone know whether YouTube Red is accessible through the existing YouTube site in the States, or is it a completely different app?

http://www.digitaltveurope.com/2017/...at-some-point/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Virgin Media announces new exclusive drama, Will.

http://www.seenit.co.uk/virgin-media...ve-drama-will/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Nice to see VM going for more exclusive content.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Interesting to see T-mobile come up with plans to 'disrupt cable TV' in the States through Layer 3.

Hopefully, Virgin are keeping an eye on this. They could start by offering Facebook, Twitter and other social media sites through additional apps on the V6, and having a new 'popular' package comprising the most viewed TV channels only plus additional channels which could be paid for as 'add-ons'. It would be nice if we could get access to the internet as well through our TVs.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2017...-up-layer3-tv/

https://www.theverge.com/2017/12/13/...ernet-protocol

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

From the second link Eh? It spends three paragraphs highlight Layer3's Unique Selling Points, then says "a lot of it won't necessarily apply to the T-Mobile's new service".

What was the point of mentioning it, then?

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

I know, I thought that myself, but presumably there will still be benefits as some of the functionality will apply, zlbeit we don't know which!

However, the reason I posted this was because this is an indication of where we might be in the medium term, and cable companies need to take note now before it becomes a reality and they are left out in the cold.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Given the existing relationship with Curzon, there may be a good chance that Virgin Media might launch this new video subscription service on the V6 and Tivo boxes. I certainly hope so, I would be tempted to subscribe to Filmstruck.

https://www.rapidtvnews.com/20180119...#axzz54epxfo40

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Ash Vs Evil Dead season 3 premieres in February, exclusive to Virgin Media TV.

https://www.cable.co.uk/news/ash-vs-...-tv-700002218/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

I'll make sure I give that a swerve...........:rolleyes:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Good stuff. The only(?) VM Exclusive that has been available to those on packs lower than XL/Full House.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Good grief you are becoming quite a fusspot in your old age MM.;)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Come on Den, Monsters and Zombies!! Really!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Well obviously some discerning viewers like it MM.;)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Presumably other Monsters and Zombies. :D

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Cannot believe how many series they have got out of this zombie genre.:D

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

And I expect quite a few more will be resurrected in the future, too!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

And here's some new content on it's way:

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...mazon-the-feed

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Wow, that's great news and will hopefully pave the way for an Amazon video app to arrive on TiVo at some point! :)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

A very good move IMO and one hopes that is just the start.:tu:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Thank you for this, Ben - really good news! This is the way to go, and hopefully serious effort is now being put in to getting the Amazon app on the Tivo and V6.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

It's the first sign of vertical integration between Malone's companies. He owns the production company via Discovery's ownership of all3media.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Interesting - I had felt Amazon was losing ground to Netflix in new content but I like this :)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

So what's happened to VM's strategic policy of being just an aggregator of other companies' content?

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Reality struck..

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Yes, change of strategy. It must have dawned on him that being an aggregator of content was all very nice and cheap, but ultimately the consumer would lose out because competitors were basing their success on original content.

I'm just glad he saw the light in the nick of time.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

One of the problems of being a content aggregator is when the content owners (such as Sky Sports and BT Sport for 4K) won't agree to have their content broadcast on your platform. Amazon also produces content, but it isn't available on VM's platform.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

As I understand it, VM was the party that pulled out of the original negotiations with Amazon.

If VM want Amazon on their boxes, I think they will be pushing a door that is already ajar. Hopefully, it will come later this year.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

This is interesting, and we can now see OTT services diversifying beyond films and drama.

I particularly like the idea of the audience being able to compete with one another.

http://www.digitaltveurope.com/2018/...-svod-service/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Yes, agreed. :)
I think VM was keen but its owner LGI less so. VM and Amazon are now co-operating on The Feed TV series so never say never.
https://www.cable.co.uk/news/virgin-...eed-700002270/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

I'm not sure you can read to much into these things Amazon has worked with many others including Sky on Brittania and had a deal for rights to Fortitude.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Of course VM wants Amazon as it lives solely off others' content. But Amazon sees itself as an OTT operator which cuts out the middle man - unlike Netflix - so could easily have brought negotiations to a halt by, say, demanding an obscene amount of money for VM to distribute its content.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

There were indications/rumours that LG pulled the negotiations that had been commenced by VM.

If nothing else, I hope that Sky's deal with Netflix will force a change of mind.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Doesn't bother me one way or the other - as long as my subs don't go up for something I don't want

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

They won't as Amazon and Netflix subscriptions are paid directly to those companies.

If some sort of package deal were to be offered, I would imagine these will be add-ons rather than including any other package.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

They will certainly be add-ons IMO.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Almost definitely in the short to medium term, I'd say.

Things could change when the broadcast channels start dying off in a big way, but that's a way off yet.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Now lets not get on to that old chestnut again you naughty man.:naughty::nono:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Well, that's what our revered BBC think, Den, and that informs their direction of travel. :)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

The BBC will be around for a long time to come OB even if others are not enamoured by that scenario.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

It will indeed, Den, but not still broadcasting those same old scheduled channels, because on demand and streaming is the future as far as the eye can see.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

This link demonstrates how the streaming services on offer will diversify over time. A new OTT service from Discovery would be very welcome in many homes, I am sure, including this one. I do hope that VM are quick to have this added to the V6 when it is launched.

https://www.a516digital.com/2018/03/...sition-of.html

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

And that will be another £5.99 on top of all the others subscriptions and before you know it its more expensive then a normal TV subscription..

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Good luck with that - my experience of Virgin Media is nothing happens very quickly

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Be fair, price rises do ;)

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Subscribe to Discovery at your assumed price, Amazon and Netflix and you will have far more watchable material for a lot less than your cable subscription. You didn’t expect any OTT services to be free, surely. But good value? Definitely.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

On the money, OB.....:tu:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

None of these have any sport on that I watch so no good for me.

I wouldn't expect anything for free, but wouldn't want to pay a fortune for very little.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

That very much depends on what one wants to watch.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

There's a lot to choose from, Den, I'm pretty sure there is enough varied content to suit most tastes, from dramas to documentaries to wild life shows.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Well, my expectation is that there will be a range of OTT services available covering all the genres, so you'd just pick those that you are interested in. Not everyone likes nature, science and engineering programmes, and if you are one of those people, then Discovery is not a service you would wish to watch. However, if you are a more serious kind of person who is drawn to factual programmes, this might be right up your street.

These will all replace the free and pay-tv scheduled channels in due course and so you won't be paying twice over. I envisage VM providing packages of on demand and OTT content that will look something like this:

Freeview on demand: Featuring BBC i-Player, ITV Hub, All4, Demand 5, (or perhaps a 'Kangaroo' style package Netflix style which the regulatory authority stopped from happening back in the day)

Virgin Showcase With Virgin exclusives and other acquired content such as ABC Studios, UKTV, etc

Sky With Sky original and acquired content - similar to Now TV with general entertainment, dramas, documentaries, films and sports.

Netflix With their mix of dramas, films and documentaries.

Amazon Similar to Amazon, but possibly with the addition of sport.

Hayu Featuring reality shows.

Discovery With factual programming including nature, science and engineering programmes.

Eurosport Player Featuring Eurosport programming, which may expand from today's offering.

YouTube for music, and the rest as now.

Curzon Films

Virgin Movies

Virgin Media Store

And so on. So you would pick the material you were most interested in and just pay for them. My choice out of that lot would be Freeview On Demand, Virgin Showcase, Sky, Netflix, Amazon and YouTube, which I suspect would cost me in the order of £45 at today's prices. Much better value than our current cable subscription, and at the moment of course, many of us are already paying for Netflix and Amazon on top.

Of course, VM may seek to give us a more extensive choice of these OTT services and may build on what they offer under their Virgin Showcase offer. The better the range of material on there and the better the range of OTT services, the more revenue they would generate.

There would be no separate charge for channels on the EPG because that would not exist anymore.

That's how I see it, folks!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Presumably, we will get access to YouTube Red when it is launched in the UK.

http://www.digitaltveurope.com/2018/...usic-metadata/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

This might be a decent app for Virgin Media and may interest sport enthusiasts. Unfortunately, it doesn't look as though it is available in HD, so that would inevitably reduce its popularity.

I had never heard of the Sports Channel Network before now.

https://www.a516digital.com/2018/04/...-promises.html

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Personally despite your optimism l cannot see it happening OB.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

It's doesn't grab me as must have if I'm honest.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Most of the content is what l call third rate.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Starts getting expensive in families with a wide viewing habit from different package streams. You may be happy with one set of "channels" but your wife wants some of those and some others and the children of differing ages and interests also want other sources. Soon you need to subscribe to "everything" because content providers don't want to split off just bits of their material.

Then you also miss finding new stuff by channel hopping. Maybe content you didn't even realise existed.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Yes, that's true enough. The app doesn't appeal to me simply because it's sport, but I thought some might be interested, particularly if it was part of a package without extra cost.

I would never advocate finding stuff to watch by channel hopping, by the way. That rarely ends well. When you do eventually find something you like, you normally find that you are three quarters of the way through it and it's on a +1 channel! Best to plan your viewing in advance and record what appeals, I believe.

---------- Post added at 12:28 ---------- Previous post was at 12:20 ----------

What about this, then? I think a NASA channel would go down very well with VM viewers.

https://www.a516digital.com/2018/04/...satellite.html

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

And the cost is?.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

vm should have space for this channel

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

I don't believe that NASA charges for this channel.

EDIT

Yes, it's free to air.

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2018...at-satellites/

NASA TV HD is transmitted free-to-air from the Hotbird video neighbourhood at 13 degrees East for viewers in Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, and via the 7 degrees East video neighbourhood for viewers in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

If its free to air then that's great as its a subject l find very interesting.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

:p:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You Tube Red rebranded as YouTube Premium and is coming to the UK. I do hope we will be able to pick this up through our V6 boxes.

YouTube Music is also launching, which is even more good news.

With luck, we will be able to access the premium services through the YouTube app on the V6.

https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2018...pean-launches/

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

More costs when it does eventually come.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You old grouch!

YouTube Music will have a free option with commercials, though.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Old l certainly am , stupid l possibly am but miserable no that is generally a label more fitting for others on this forum OB.:D

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

I don't think anyone has called you stupid, so you do yourself down, man!:sorry:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Google very often leave the UK until well after it launches things in the US and other countries , as an Android user and Google Music subscriber it's extremely annoying.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

http://deadline.com/2018/05/starz-st...ny-1202397689/

I note that Starzplay has been added to Amazon's channels. It will bring new dramas to UK screens at the same time as in the US. This would be a good addition to Virgin's line-up of apps. As far as I can tell, this is not exclusive to Amazon, so it should be possible for Virgin to add this app.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

It's advertised as exclusive to Amazon.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

In fairness with the fragmenting of content into each broadcasters individual app I honestly believe this will increase the amount of people looking to watch by whatever means.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You're right - sorry. I looked for that word as well, and missed it!

---------- Post added at 13:31 ---------- Previous post was at 13:28 ----------

Yes, exclusivity is rather corrosive and tends to force people down the piracy route. I am in favour of open platforms, but that's not the way we are going at the moment. I am hoping that will change with time.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Not a chance.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You can't say that with any degree of confidence, Den, although that may be the way you see things going.

Even Sky have had to concede that it makes commercial sense to let other platforms have Sky Atlantic. They have also realised that co-operating with BT Sport over the sports channels made sense.

Be patient. It will all get more sensible with time!

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

When Corbyn is elected OB, everything will be free and Clarkson will be executed - a policy which could win it for Corbyn ;)

Till then you'll need to subscribe to Sky to get Sky Atlantic, much over rated imho.

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You frighten me, Mr K. :erm:

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

He reminds me of a nice fluffy teddy bear.;):D

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

You don't half let yourself down sometimes Hugh ! ;)

My image of you below:-
https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2018/05/13.jpg

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Certain names spring to mind but alas this is a family forum..;):D

Re: New content for Virgin Media
 

Too much hair, not enough guy-liner... ;)