Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

One of us has to go upstairs 'cos she does watch some rubbish!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Although I doubt forum users here are interested the personality cult of Richard and jj20x have had me banned from Digitalspy. I would hope this forum remains more flexible - DS have in the past been essentially an advertisement for Sky anyway so disinformation about Virgin Media would suit their agenda.

I am however exploring legal options regarding their retention and use of data, as apparently this relates to an issue five years ago - which under GDPR I'd be amazed if their position is sustainable.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Not sure bringing your problems from another website and airing them here is the right thing to do, especially in the coming soon thread. Totally off topic and inappropriate. Why name the people involved in your dispute? Are you hoping things are going to kick off here where you aren't banned so you can continue your grievance with them? I don't get it mate.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Considering legal options because you got banned from a forum? Get a grip :rolleyes:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

New international channels from Monday 3rd Channels:

https://www.virginmedia.com/virgin-t...-channel-guide

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

No, although I accept your point - I won’t raise it again.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It would appear to me that my 'objectionable' post was this one:-

I'm happy to contribute to this forum while others do not. I'd hope that everyone on a 'coming soon' thread would consider my input of some value, especially considering neither of them can offer evidence based opinions on the capacity on the Virgin network.

If we aren't considering the evidence made available by others then what is the point.

My intention of quoting my post from the other place is to ensure comments on available capacity are evidence based and not speculative. I'm happy to discuss those further should forum members require it.

For clarity the legal issue may arise around GDPR. Although that's not relevant to any discussion here.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Only one actually appears to be new - Living Foodz.

The others, if correct, are just switching to HD and maybe the package too.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

That's a good point actually ozsat. As VM switch to HD only emissions, I suspect that their policy of only supplying the majority of HD channels to those in Full House will be quietly dropped. Either that or VM will again start to advertise HD as being available at no extra cost.

They can hardly insist upon customers upgrading packages as they start to make their channels available in HD only!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

That's correct.

SONY TV HD replaces Sony TV on 805
SONY MAX HD replaces Sony Max on 806
Zee TV HD replaces Zee TV on 809
Zee Cinema HD replaces Zee Cinema on 810
Living Foodz HD replaces Zee Punjabi on 812

5 new HD channels.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Going from SD to HD is a resolution change - not really a new channel.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Is Living Foodz HD an Asian channel as well?

Has Zee Punjabi closed down everywhere or just on VM (like Disney XD +1)?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Yes and yes, on all platforms.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

This was on another internet forum one you are now banned from.......best to just move on.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Thanks.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

SONY TV HD has replaced Sony TV on 805
SONY MAX HD has replaced Sony Max on 806
Zee TV HD has replaced Zee TV on 809
Zee Cinema HD has replaced Zee Cinema on 810
Living Foodz HD has been added to 812, previously occupied by Zee Punjabi

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

"Living foodz"? Deary me the english language takes another battering. "If we put a z at the end of food it'll make us look quirky and appeal to the youth"

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Totally agree there mate, more rubbish coming soon...……:(

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Agreed

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

STV HD to be given prominent position in Guide and the STV Player app added to V6:
https://www.virginmedia.com/corporat...rtnership.html

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I asked them earlier what would happen to 113 (e.g. is it just a HD/SD swap or is SD disappearing and what would it be replaced with) and they were just basically "watch this space" about it. :-)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I wonder if the STV app will be in Scotland only or available throughout the UK :confused:

Can they even regionalise apps anyway??

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

They’re already regionalised. There’s already an ITV Hub app and a separate STV Player app.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Yes, on mobiles/tablets/steaming sticks & boxes. There's ITV Hub branded content in Catch-Up and On-Demand but there isn't an app on Tivo/V6 on VM.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

My own view is Virgin Media UK are maybe making room for the BBC Scotland (SD Channel) to launch on Channel 113 in Scotland.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I was thinking the same thing. :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

That will be interesting. Two different channels on the same EPG number depending on where you are. Anyone buying a TV listings magazine would get totally confused.

Agreed Freeview do it with S4C & Channel 4, but mixing ITV with BBC might be aukward..

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Two unknown channels has been added tonight to Total Channels.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I highly doubt they would do that

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

This appears to be happening. There are a couple of frequencies being duplicated in my area at present.

Some of the ad hoc channels have reappeared in relation to upcoming PPV events as well.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Actual Premier Sports 2 has moved, with the off EPG one being now being broadcast on it's own. Also a 'this programme is not available' slate is off EPG relating to content restricted on Premier Sports 2.

In my area there are currently 17 SD channels (mostly duplicates) broadcast off EPG, and 8 or so 'slate' channels for Vevo, Youtube, etc broadcast in addition to this. Some of the SD channels are the ones recently replaced by their HD variants.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

We have found that Virgin Media are moving the lot of channels about in the last few weeks:

ITV3 and ITV3 +1 was moved to new streams last week*.

Within the last 48 hours the following channels has moved to new streams**:

Sky One
Sky Witness
More 4 +1
4Music
Film4
Film4 +1
CNN International
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network +1
Boomerang
Boomerang +1
Channel 4 AD (Audio description)
BBC Radio 1
BBC Radio 2
BBC Radio 3
BBC Radio 4 FM
BBC Radio 5 Live
BBC World Service
BBC Radio 1 Xtra
BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra
BBC Radio 6 Music
BBC Radio 4 Extra
BBC Radio 4 LW
BBC Asian Network
BBC Radio Scotland
BBC Radio Wales
BBC Radio Ulster
BBC Radio Foyle
BBC Radio nan Gàidheal
BBC Radio Cymru
BBC Radio London

*MB HQ has to re add the ITV3 Channels to "Favourite Channels" late last week

**All of this weeks Channels was moved to other steams within Monday at 10pm and Wednesday at 3pm. We had to re add them all to "Favourite Channels" on our TiVo boxes.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Does it matter what streams a channel is on if it's channel number doesn't change.

Hardly something worth spending time thinking about.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Well in and of itself yes, I agree it’s relatively meaningless to everyone.

However, this appears to be a reasonably large rearrangement to increase capacity overall and consolidate free space together. This could result in more frequencies being reallocated for broadband (booo) or space for further UHD/HD channels. If there’s plenty of duplication it also proves what I’ve said all along:- there’s plenty of space in there.

The fact Virgin are taking this action now may be indicative of plans afoot.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

UPDATE: We have found that Virgin Media has move the following channels to new streams last night:

NOTE: When channels are moved you will need to re add them to your list of "Favourite Channels" on TiVo boxes.

Absolute Radio
Smooth Radio
RTÉ Radio
Heart
LBC
World Radio Network (WRN Radio)
Heart 80s
Classic FM
Gold Radio
Planet Rock
Absolute 80s
Absolute Classic Rock
Capital
Capital XTRA
Radio X

Only THREE Radio channels did not move this week to new streams - they are:

talkSPORT
Magic Radio
Kiss FM

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It makes sense at present, BT Sport 4K, the slate channels and radio channels are all fixed bitrate so grouping them as much as possible is the most efficient use of that space.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I wish we could have RTE 1,RTE 2 and RTE News on Virgin in the UK. On a recent visit to Dublin I really enjoyed them along with Eir Sport.
It's a pity that there are licencing agreements that prevent them being broadcast elsewhere although I can view RTE News on thier website.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Why do virgin still charge £7 a month for sky sports HD, when it’s now standard on sky for £2 more instead of £7

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Why did EVERYONE incur a charge for BT Sports even if they didn't want it? :mad:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Presumably the contract requires them to pay Sky more than £2, making it not financially viable. The £2 is officially a special offer for now.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

If your paying that fee you must be on a terrible deal either the Full house sports and VIP packages just eat that amount and they wont go down in price in 18 months when sky sports get rid of the HD fee and SD channels close.

In fact I changed my grandparents sky package the other month on "my sky account" it was offering sky sports HD at £5 pounds discounted from £7. I then saw the advert on TV for entertainment HD + sky sports HD for £40 pounds for 18 months giving them HD sports plus a 20+ pounds saving

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Because I got extremely bored I decided to check out just how much capacity there is on the Virgin network, based on the information on Digitalbitrate.com (I use a recent average over the last week to reflect the post movement position:-

TSID QAM Max Recent Average
34 256 51 47
35 256 51 47
33 256 51 47
6 256 51 47 Added ABN TV
7 256 51 49 Added Nick jr too
8 256 51 45
9 256 51 45
10 256 51 45 Added food netword, ndtv india
11 256 51 42
12 256 51 40
13 256 51 45
36 256 51 3 One channel - static image ps2
37 256 51 5 one channel - ps2 duplicate
43 256 51 45 All duplicates
44 256 51 44 All duplicates plus Virgin 4K test
45 256 51 20 Sky red button
31 256 51 47
22313 256 51 - vod
22313 256 51 - vod
22313 256 51 - vod
22313 256 51 - vod
14 256 51 48
15 256 51 45 porn
16 256 51 46 bt red button
17 256 51 46
101 256 51 25 bbc 1/2
102 256 51 35 itv/c4
32 256 51 46
104 256 51 32 bbc/itv hd
2 256 51 42
3 256 51 48
4 256 51 47
5 256 51 46
18 256 51 34
19 256 51 43
20 256 51 35
21 256 51 34 all duplicates tv. Some radio
104 64 51 32 bbc/itv
2 256 51 41
1 64 38 34
42 64 38 32
30 256 51 46
22 256 51 44 bt 4k plus slates
23 256 51 49
24 256 51 48
25 256 51 48
26 256 51 47
27 256 51 49
28 256 51 48
27 256 51 47

Now frequencies above 45Mb on average are realistically 'full' because you lose a small percentage in overheads which is why they max out about 48Mb.

They key finding is however that TSIDs 36, 37, 43, 44 and 21 are fundamentally empty, except for Virgin's own 4K test (every other channel is duplicated somewhere else). TSIDs 18, 20 and 21 all have over 12Mb of free space so could realistically consolidate into two frequencies. TSIDs 11 and 12 probably have enough bandwidth for 2 or 3 SD channels.

I don't know what kind of efficiencies Virgin could make with the frequencies broadcasting the regional four main terrestrial channels due to regional overlaps and HD variants (Channel 5 HD is national I believe).

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Whoooooooosh :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Hi no what I meant was the VIP Pack includes that for the price that we pay. So once removed it’s no longer charged but vip pack remains the same

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Any one noticed this?

https://www-express-co-uk.cdn.amppro...date-how-watch

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

That is a excellent spot Devil.:tu:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

As good as this is it can’t compete with

Sky Cinema

Final Score (UHD Premiere) – 3rd September • The Disaster Artist (UHD Premiere) – 3rd September • Murder On The Orient Express (UHD Premiere) – 10th September • Daddy’s Home 2 (UHD Premiere) – 19th September • All The Money In The World (UHD Premiere) – 24th September

Battle of the Sexes (UHD Premiere) – 24th September • 2001: Space Odyssey – 10th September

Sky Store

Deadpool 2 (UHD Premiere) – 17th September

Sky Entertainment

Discovery of Witches – 14th September • Karl Pilkington - Sick Of It – 27th September

Available now on Sky Cinema

Justice League (UHD Premiere)• Kingsman: The Golden Circle (UHD Premiere) • Goodbye Christopher Robin (UHD Premiere) • Patti Cake$ (UHD Premiere) • Jumanji (UHD Premiere)

Cloud Encounters Of The Third Kind: Collector’s Edition • Bourne Identity • Bourne Legacy • Bourne Supremacy • Bourne Ultimatum • Zombieland

Sky Sports

Anthony Joshua Fight (Pay-per-view, 22nd September) • F1 GP Singapore (16th September) • F1 GP Russia (30th September) • Eng V India (5th Test Oval) X 5 days from 7th September • Nations League: England v Spain – 8th September • International Friendly: England v Spain – 11th September

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

But that content you have listed above has a pretty hefty extra price tag on it...

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Well I did check against my package and excluding by sport I don’t watch is £8 a month more, I know somebody with that price £112

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Press release:

Virgin Media is launching the UK’s first dedicated 4K ultra high definition (UHD) entertainment channel, which will start broadcasting from next week.

The Virgin TV Ultra HD channel will air a line-up of must-see shows in incredible picture quality from Monday 17 September.

The channel will be exclusively available for Virgin TV Full House and VIP customers with a V6 set-top box. These customers can tune into a collection of critically acclaimed dramas, beautifully shot documentaries and get up close to some of the biggest names in music with a selection of hot-ticket concerts; all in dazzling UHD detail and at no extra cost.

The schedule is packed with blockbuster entertainment series such as ‘Start Up’ with Martin Freeman, ‘Masters of Sex’ starring Michael Sheen and political powerhouse ‘House of Cards’ as well as wildlife and nature documentaries set in Zambia and Vietnam, plus gigs from the Rolling Stones, Sting and Imagine Dragons.

A number of these programmes will be broadcast for the first time on UK television, such as ‘Start Up’ as well as ‘Shut Eye’ with Isabella Rosselini and ‘The Art of More’ with Dennis Quaid.

To celebrate the launch of Virgin TV Ultra HD, comedian, author and ‘Love Island’ narrator, Iain Stirling will become the ‘voice’ of the channel for its opening night next Monday.

David Bouchier, Virgin Media’s Chief Digital Entertainment Officer, said:

“With the launch of Virgin TV Ultra HD we’re giving our customers the ultimate entertainment viewing experience with must-see shows in incredible, crystal-clear picture quality.

“From epic dramas and stunning documentaries to the front row feeling of a rock concert, our customers will get closer to the action than ever before – with four times the picture quality of HD. It really is the next best thing to being there.

“We’ve shown some of this year’s biggest sporting events in Ultra HD, such as the Champions League and Wimbledon finals and we’re now giving entertainment the Ultra HD treatment. It’s all part of our ongoing investment to give our customers the best way to watch the best TV.”

Iain Stirling said:

“I can’t wait to get behind the mic for the launch of the Virgin TV Ultra HD channel and introduce some brilliant shows in awesome picture quality.

“I like the idea of an ultra-high definition channel being championed by a man more known for what he sounds like than looks like!”

Dazzling detail in glorious ultra HD

Virgin TV Ultra HD will air on channel 999 and broadcast at prime-time until the early hours. The channel will begin broadcasting from 8.20pm on the launch night.

Virgin Media customers with 4K televisions and a V6 set-top box can take their TV viewing to the next level when watching UHD programming as they will experience life-like picture quality, unbelievably crisp colours and stunning detail.

The V6 is Virgin Media’s fastest, smartest and smallest set-top box and offers lightning fast access to YouTube and Netflix in 4K. The V6 is free to new customers taking one of Virgin Media’s bundles (TV, broadband and telephone). Nearly two million Virgin TV customers have a V6 box in the UK.

Full House and VIP customers without a 4K set can still watch Virgin TV Ultra HD as the picture will automatically adjust to HD quality.

The new channel continues Virgin Media’s continued investment in 4K UHD programming, following the launch of BT Sport 4K UHD on Virgin TV in August.

Virgin Media has also broadcast an array of sporting events in 4K UHD including the Champions League Final, the 2018 French Open, Wimbledon Championships, as well as a selection of matches from this year’s World Cup.

Virgin TV Ultra HD programme highlights:

- ‘Start Up’ airs on Mondays at 10pm and stars Martin Freeman. The show explores what happens when a brilliant yet controversial tech idea gets funded with dirty money, from three entrepreneurs you would never find in Silicon Valley. Distributed by Sony pictures television.

- ‘Shut Eye’ airs on Tuesdays at 10pm and is a UK network premiere. It’s a darkly-comic look at the activities of storefront psychics and the underground criminal syndicate that controls them. The series stars Jeffrey Donovan (Burn Notice), KaDee Strickland (The Sixth Sense), Isabella Rossellini (Blue Velvet). Distributed by Sony pictures television.

- From the producers of ‘Blue Planet’ and ‘Planet Earth II’, Love Nature’s ‘The Big Dry’ will air Monday to Wednesday at 8pm during launch week. Set in Zambia’s Luangwa Valley, this visually stunning documentary series follows the challenges the valley’s wildlife must overcome during the long dry season as they await the life-giving rains.

- ‘The Art of More’ airs on Thursdays at 10pm and is a UK network premiere. Graham Conner (Christian Cooke), a blue-collar former soldier turned auction house executive, leads a dangerous double life as he uses his secret past to beat the auction world elite at their own game. Distributed by Sony pictures television.

- ‘Masters of Sex’ airs on Fridays at 10pm featuring Michael Sheen as renowned obstetrician Dr. William Masters who hires sexually liberated, single working mother Virginia Johnson (Lizzy Caplan) as his assistant in carrying out pioneering, intimate research into human sexuality. Distributed by Sony pictures television.

https://www.virginmedia.com/corporat...t-channel.html

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

That's really great news.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

it great news we getting more UHD just got a 4k tv few weeks ago just wish sky would let us have there 4k too but think gonna be very long wait for that if we do ever get it

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

'At no extra cost' (but we'll keep on putting our prices up above inflation more than once a year).

It's the same trick they use for the 'free' broadband speed upgrades and the 'free' BT Sport.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

The last Virgin Media controlled price change was this time last year.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

If customers are not happy with the future price rise then the best and most sensible suggestion l can make is they go elsewhere to other suppliers but there is just one caveat and that is you better prepare yourself for the same type price rise with them...

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It is not a trick and you have the right not to pay it!

The price would go up anyway.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Indeed. The only way to break the cycle is for the platforms to tell the content providers (or production companies) that year on year they are going to pay less in real terms in future years than they do now.

That way content goes off platforms and everyone tells the platform they should stump up a “fair” price.

The real problem is that Sky, Virgin and BT aren’t in true competition. They’re offering comparable products at comparable prices in an oligopoly just like the Big 6 energy providers.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

UPDATE: We have found that Virgin Media has move the following channels to new streams since Thursday:

NOTE: When channels are moved you will need to re add them to your list of "Favourite Channels" on TiVo boxes.

Comedy Central +1
BET
PBS America
Food Network
Clubland TV
Freesports
NDTV (Channel 621)
Nick Jr. Too
Gems TV
TV5
ABN TV

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Until you mentioned this the other day I had always wondered why they, seemingly randomly, disappeared. Thanks MB. :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

You are welcome.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Profit comes to mind.....

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It certainly does in the case of Sky/BT. Given the levels of debt held by Virgin Media and predecessor companies, and associated interest payments, the one thing it’s safe to say is cable in the UK isn’t profitable (although standalone accounts don’t exist any more due to now being part of LG).

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

UK private companies still have to file accounts. https://beta.companieshouse.gov.uk/company/02591237

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I stand corrected - an interesting read.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Do anyone knows what is going to happen to Premier Sports 1 and Premier Sports 2 after September 22nd? The two FREE months runs out on that date.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

more than likely go back to pay for channels

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

A cast iron certainty sadly Dave.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Also, Premier Sports has confirmed that sky customers are to get Premier sports 2 in HD - But haven't said anything about virgin yet.

The Premier sports deal on virgin is pathetic compared to what sky customers get - and it costs the same £9.99 per month. Absolutely fuming.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

So Virgin charge exactly the same for exactly the same channels, and you are fuming?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Nope.

Virgin charge £9.99 for Premier Sports 1 in HD and Premier sports 2 in SD.

Sky charge £9.99 for Premier sports 1 in HD and Premier sports 2 in HD (imminent), plus access to Premier sport web player which gives live streaming of the 2 channels plus access to all Premier sports video on demand content. For this equivalent service as a virgin customer - it would cot me £18.99 per month - and that's possibly without Premeir sports 2 in HD on my tv (yet to be confirmed)

So - as a Virgin customer, it costs me twice as much as a sky customer to get barely the same service.

Do you think that's fair?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It’s up to Premier Sports if they want to make that content available to their customers on Virgin. Sky can, and do, make their sports/movies apps available to Virgin subscribers.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

The difference on the Sky Platform is you are subscribing direct with the channel rather than through Virgin hence why you generally get more of course in many cases the negatives are that you'll generally be asked to pay more for it on Sky.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I meant a Sky Sports subscriber on Virgin can log into the Sky Sports app.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I know that , I was just stating the reason there is a difference in what third party channels offer across platforms is because on VM the third part broadcaster has to negotiate with Virgin and then the channel is sold on behalf of the broadcaster by VM.

On Sky in many instances it's sold directly by the broadcaster hence why on occasions more is thrown in.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

The £9.99 on Sky is for new customers only and for a limited time. Regular subscribers pay £11.99 for access via Sky.

If PS2 HD ever happens now - and I suspect not for some time (if at all) - it will be on VM too.

A couple of times when I've wanted to use the app I've had the message that the event is not available on the app due to copyright restrictions.

I've no interest in their OnDemand services.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Not according to Premier Sports it's not. I asked them directly and they said Virgin had not made this deal available, and Sky sports had.

---------- Post added at 12:15 ---------- Previous post was at 12:15 ----------

Or they can pay £89.99 for a year.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

So Premier Sports make content available on their website to their direct subscribers but deny it to Virgin subscribers who pay exactly the same per month?

It puts virgin between a rock and a hard place, pay more, charge more, customers complain anyway.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Direct subscribers via sky, yes.

Sky customers get a code to put in when they log in to Premier sports web player and get all live events and on demand catch up events. For some reason Virgin didn't or couldn't make this service available to their customers. Therefore, to get the same service you have to pay £18.99 instead of the £9.99 at sky.

Some people are bound not to care. I do.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

There’s no such thing as a Premier Sports subscriber “via Sky”. They subscribe directly through Premier Sports themselves. Sky aren’t a middle man in the transaction the way Virgin are.

Premier Sports could make the service available but choose not to, as direct subscribers are presumably more profitable.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

In that case Premier Sports lied to me when they said Virgin Media didn't want to be part of the deal in the same way sky have.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It’s not unheard of.

Many company “customer service” agents engage in selective use of facts.

Sky don’t have a deal with Premier Sports to supply anything to Sky customers.

Premier Sports lease transponder space, pay for the encryption system and sell the channel directly themselves.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I just went to the virgin website last week and looked at the additional channels that you could subscribe to and premier sports is there to subscribe to at £0.00 extra a month.Confirmed by email.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Official twitter account told me this:

https://twitter.com/PremierSportsTV/...50693463826432

Fact: It costs £18.99 for virgin customers to get what sky customers pay £9.99 for.

That is shoddy.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It is, Premier Sports should really pay Virgin for customer data to authenticate access for Virgin subscribers (just as they pay Sky).

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Indie that a couple of weeks ago - no mention how long this free access lasts for either on the website or in the confirmation email.

Also no indication that you are signing up for x months or starting a new 12 month contract with Virgin.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Premier Sports in the past has always been standalone, so I think a 30 day minimum term applied and that was all. Didn’t affect your contract.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I think as Premier Sports get the vast majority of their subscribers via satellite, they and VM are not too bothered about the discrepancy. I agree it's not great and as viewing on mobile devices increases, I would expect to see the situation improving.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Looking at the frequency plan, space available and lack of channels likely to launch I can see most of the capacity available going to broadband. The frequencies running duplicates in my area are presently those directly above the broadband spectrum.

That is of course not to say that there isn’t space available for future HD channels to launch.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I can understand that the extra capacity can be used to squeeze in more TV channels to the spectrum but what would this mean if it is used for broadband?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It’d help solve broadband capacity issues in some areas by sharing the load across more frequencies. For areas that presently have no real issues they could push faster broadband.

If they released superhubs that could support 32 bonded downstream frequencies that’s theoretically 1.6Gbps shared between the users online in the area, and 500Mb realistic as a customer offering.

My hub currently connects on 139-323Mhz inclusive. I’m not near the results of my last scan but everything to near 403mhz is either legacy broadband frequencies or duplicates. That’d allow full 32 bonded downstream channels with compatible hubs.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Thanks for the explanation, jfman. Of the two I'd rather have more, higher definition TV channels right now but maybe the faster broadband speeds would be more interesting in the future with IPTV.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Well it’s not a choice of one or the other - there’s space for more HD channels remaining anyway - even if a number of frequencies get moved to broadband.

Virgin should have now removed all SD boxes from the network so, should it be necessary in the future, there’s scope to remove a reasonable number of SD channels where HD & SD are in the same package anyway. All BT Sports and Sky Movies channels being obvious quick wins, Sky Sports potentially soon as they’re notifying their remaining SD customers of a £2 charge to go HD (not optional). Would also help tidy up the EPG.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

By all means give us more HD, but get rid of the dross and make room for more quality shows in HD.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Indeed, although it'll not come to the choice between one or the other. Once the available space is fully utilised there are further efficiencies to be made.

As far as I can tell (per Virgin website) there are 30 HD channels being broadcast in the same package as their SD counterpart (that is to say - there shouldn't be anyone out there now that needs the SD channel to be on air at all if VM have removed the SD boxes on schedule). I haven't for these purposes included the main channels of BBC/ITV/C4 and Five, or considered legacy packages that I'm sure Virgin could swap the HD versions into or migrate the customer to a new package by retentions.

BBC News
BBC Four
Cbeebies
CBBC
Paramount
4 Seven
Quest
BT Sport 1
BT Sport 2
BT Sport 3
BT Sport ESPN
Crime & Investigation
Discovery
Animal Planet
Nat Geo Wild
National Geographic
H2
History HD
Nick HD
Sky Cinema Premiere
Sky Cinema Hit
Sky Cinema Greats
Sky Cinema Disney
Sky Cinema Family
Sky Cinema Action & Adventure
Sky Cinema Comedy
Sky Cinema Crime & Thriller
Sky Cinema Drama
Sky Cinema Sci-Fi
Sky Sinema Select

Further to this if Sky absorbing the 'HD charge' for Sky Sports into the main subscription cost follows onto the Virgin network we can add a further 8:-

SS Main Event
SS Premier League
SS Football
SS Cricket
SS Golf
SS F1
SS Action
SS Arena

If things get really desperate there are 48 '+1' channels (again, on their website not from a scan). By that point I'm sure the V6 would be well established and between six tuners and on demand I'm not sure the majority of +1s will justify their existence. An outdated idea going back to single tuners and the terrestrials trying to corner Freeview.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

On the Mix pack and we only get SD versions of Nat Geo, H2, Discovery, Animal Planet and Nick from that list jfman.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Wasn't there an issue a while ago, that you needed to have an HDMI lead connected to your Tivo in order to view HD channels? Or to flip it round, if you only had an SD TV and therefore no HDMI lead, you couldn't view HD variants? This, I assumed, was one reason why Gold HD hadn't just replaced Ch124 but was now going to be a new EPG slot.

Which I guess would mean the question is how many VM TV viewers only have SD TVs...

Also in jfman's list above, National Geographic is included. Not sure this is entirely right, NatGeo is in Fun and above according to my current channel guide (August 2018 V6), NatGeo HD is only Full House. Same with Nickelodeon I think.

Totally as an aside, we do still record in SD sometimes - where the program content isn't going to hugely benefit from HD it does give the benefit of disk space. But that's only a small proportion of our viewing, to be fair.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/bundles/vip.html was the list I used - but I do know that packages change quite regularly and some people remain on old packages. And websites go out of date!

I've had a look into the Tivo/scart issue and can't see any posts about it - presumably something that can be resolved with a software update if it is still an issue? Anyone got a Tivo and a scart cable handy?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Why is no one rejoicing virgins first 4K tv channel that isn't football

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Sorry, but disagree on the +1s. I find them very useful in my household.

Not everything is on catchup and you can't record a whole programme if its already started, hence the need for the +1s and besides, not everyone has a recordable box yet.

On the 30 SD channels/space issue, on satellite, these take up about 3 slots (or channels/transport streams) so would not save much space on VM either. However, I agree that they should be axed as they're pointless now.

I would assume that if people can afford cable tv, they most probably would have a hd set too, including secondary bedroom/kids tv sets too.