Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

On cable I suspect they'd average out at 2 SD channels / 1 HD channel. HD seems to average about 6-7 Mb/sec. The standard definition versions of Sky Sports channels are higher than this at one extreme at 8 Mb/sec, others go as low as 1.3 Mb/sec.

I agree each individual channel won't save much space, but 38 of them certainly adds up.

I would imagine that the numbers with SD sets are low - but I suspect the SD only STBs have been withdrawn and there's no technical reason the remaining STBs with scart couldn't downscale the HD variant if this restriction is still in place. There will probably be a point it's more cost effective to give away HDTVs than maintain an SD service if that's the reason!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Have a TiVo and use both hdmi and scart lead .so the signal goes to two tv,s .No problems with it at all ,hd works on both TVs clearly only one is in hd but no problems with the picture l get.

---------- Post added at 18:51 ---------- Previous post was at 18:46 ----------

I was told keep contract ,keep premier .but who knows. With regard to recording pro 14 I use manual and just look at kick off times readly available on the net.Having said that premier repeat the games so many times not really required

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I can't think of any TiVo issue like that. Perhaps someone is thinking about the old Scientific-Atlanta V+?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Thanks itshim for testing, and spiderplant for giving your take on it.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

The HD signal works down the Scart cables.

It worked in the Tivo boxes pre V6 box. My son had a scart connecting his old TV to the Tivo and the HD channels worked fine through it. Can't see a reason for not getting rid of the SD channels (that don't have a HD variant) now.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

UHD channel 999 EPG is now there.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Virgin TV EPG Updated

The short / long titles are now:
100 Showcase / Virgin TV Highlights
300 Music / New Music On Demand
400 Movies / Virgin Movies & Store
700 Kids / Kids TV On Demand
968 For Parents / A Message For Parents
985 For Parents / A Message For Parents
997 Welcome / Virgin TV For Newbies
998 What's On / Virgin TV Highlights
999 Ultra HD / Virgin TV Ultra HD

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

On 999 repeats of shows start quickly, it’s good but underwhelming. What customers want like premier league and movies we can’t get till if all end of next year

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Might be a bit daft but I never get the whole need for ultra HD. HD alone is good enough. In fact i sometimes forget there is a HD channel and watch the SD stuff. I sound really old fashioned in a sense and i'm only at my early 30s. Its my birthday next month btw fans....

As someone who once watched a portable tv in my bedroom and had to adjust the aerial constantly to get a clear picture going from HD to UHD seems....rather pointless. I can view the tv. Its a crystal clear picture. Why do i want to see the sweat on someones brow? Again an utterly pointless opinion and i'm utterly in the minority i know.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

The new channels names appeared early Friday at Media Boy HQ.

---------- Post added at 16:09 ---------- Previous post was at 16:03 ----------

a516Digital is reporting that Motorsport TV will soon close on all TV networks.

http://www.a516digital.com/2018/09/m...line-only.html

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I did some digging into the network upgrades - with some areas on 750mhz networks and others on 860mhz I decided to look for figures on this.

At year end 2015 only 13% of homes were on 860mhz capable networks, in 2016 this rose to 25% and at 31/12/2017 this figure was 78%.

I suppose the next question is whether the new kit is 1Ghz capable (approx 65% of the network upgraded since 31/12/2015).

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Just one word in reply

Philistine

Actually 2 - Luddite

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Sorry for once I agree with Vince .think 3d TVs , laser disks ( I fell for that one) have 90" screen and then the details are very clear in hd .But would I waste good money for ultra HD
don't think so.sitting now looking at 2 42" screens side by side 1 hd and the other via scart in what is sd (but in fact Hd feed) I can not see any difference. I guess that in this case size does make a difference , many to the profit companies selling this to the gullable , emperor's New clothes comes to mind!:rolleyes:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Long term though it's not just about the resolution.

HDR is a noticeable difference, so anyone with a 4K HDR compatible TV will get a quality bump over both SD and HD when HDR is standard across all 4K broadcasts.

But getting HDR to be included is the current technical challenge faced by all broadcasters. That's why the BBC trial during the summer wasn't just about 4K's bandwidth requirements, but also (and mainly) about how well HLG HDR would work.

It's not been completely settled how HDR will work in the DVB standard either - https://www.digitaltveurope.com/2017...adata-for-hdr/

Even if it has been sorted since the above was written, it will take time for all playout technology to be updated to copy with HDR standards.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

haha i like the "for once i agree" do i usually talk rubbish on here? Haha actually dont answer that! No doubt once UHD becomes the norm the television companies will create a new type of television to get us to invest further.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I think an issue is the fact that the move to HD represented a number of simultaneous changes - not just resolution.

With the move to HD in the UK many users experienced three improvements for the first time.

1) a digital interface between STB and TV.
2) moving from low bitrate MPEG2 streams
3) improved resolution, some of the SD channels aren't even full resolution standard definition.

Back in the day I had a FTA HD set top box and motorised satellite dish, and viewing the German public broadcasters in SD over HDMI was night and day compared to what we were being offered in the UK. Routinely fixed bitrate 8 Mb/sec was the norm, as opposed to 2-3 Mb/sec (and sometimes less) variable and 544x576 resolution that we were routinely offered in the UK.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Already happened.... 8kTV

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

With HD and UHD the distance from the TV is a factor. You won't necessarily notice any difference unless you sit closer.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Indeed - it was me that mentioned this restriction, maybe I was thinking of the old V+ but I was pretty sure I'd read it somewhere more recent than that. Either way, I stand corrected.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Gold HD launch 25th September


Official UKTV
‏
Verified account

@UKTV
16m
16 minutes ago


More
Replying to @CMonkRoberts @virginmedia @goldchannel
Hi Colin, Gold HD will replace Gold SD on Virgin Media’s platform on the 25th of September. Hope this helps!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

But how much of the content on Gold is available in HD in the first place?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

not sure just glad we finally got a date for gold HD launch

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Not much especially if video tape was used. If film was used there is a chance of HD.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Can definitely see a difference viewing channel 999 on my Sony 4K tv. And the sound is much better on my 5:1 sound system. Most HD channels especially Sky Sports have very low volume levels, had to turn this down several notches just now.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I've just had a look, and tbh I can't really see a big difference between HD and the so called UHD, it's a very good and clear picture, but not as good as I was expecting, and my settings are correct at 2160P.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Big Dry that I watched some of on 999 it wasn't in 5.1, not on my set-up at least. It was coming over in just stereo for me hence why it was louder than 5.1 usually is at the same volume.

Most of Sky sports live stuff is 5.1, hence why the volume is lower that's how 5.1 tends to work you have to turn things up.

---------- Post added at 21:33 ---------- Previous post was at 21:25 ----------

I think I'm right in saying Big Dry and all the wildlife documentaries on 999 are LoveNature productions. I've seen some of that channels programs on the LoveNature channel and it's not the greatest HD in the world, so it makes sense that the 4K from that channel also won't be the greatest. It isn't Planet Earth or Blue Planet production levels. I think it's still pretty damn good though.

The Drama's on 999 are going to be a good test for how good Virgins 4K channel can really look!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I think we'll really start seeing the difference once we watch more content in UHD more of the time. Watching HD consistently you can see the clear difference between the SD picture. I think the same will happen with UHD.

Although the football on BT Sport 4K definitely looks a lot clearer and crisper than in HD.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

What sort of TV and what size screen to you have, Max? Maybe your TV was upscaling everything to near UHD already so that the difference is not so perceptible.

If you've already verified your picture settings both on the TV and the V6, you are using a good quality HDMI cable supplied by VM and your V6 is plugged into the appropriate HDMI socket on your TV, I don't know what else to suggest.

Having watched the Virgin Ultra HD channel for 10 minutes last night, the picture on my 49" Sony was astounding.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Same here OB, the picture was brilliant. Mine is a LG OLED.

I think with having a 4K tv that has upscalling capabilities, you are right. Because of the upscalling to near 4K anywhere, the different won't be as much.

It is definitely a lot clearer on the VM UHD channel though. Is the broadcast also in HDR?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

No, nor is BT Sport UHD.

I don't think the DVB spec has completely sorted out HDR support for broadcast yet.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I have a 50" Panasonic LED 4K Ultra UHD TV, OB, it has just recently had a firmware update to HDR standard, I do see a difference when the football is on BT UHD, but as I said earlier, not a huge difference in other content.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

How far away do you sit?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Approx 10 feet away, SS.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Too far, if you want to get the full benefit of UHD.

TL;DR article here, but this chart summarises nicely:
https://www.cableforum.uk/images/local/2018/09/4.png

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Have to agree .

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

So going by that chart I would need to be approx. 6 feet away to get the full benefit of 4K UHD? I'd be interested to know how many people actually sit that close to a 50" TV, it seems far too close imo.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I have to say BT Sport 4K is very good at 4K, as you say you can clearly see the difference.

Some people seem to think all 4K is equal and if it's filmed with 4K cameras then everything you watch in 4K will be of equal quality, unfortunately that isn't the case there's a lot more to it than that. The same thing obviously goes for HD.

---------- Post added at 16:38 ---------- Previous post was at 16:30 ----------

Talking of picture quality I'd love to see the Ultra HD version of Sky one's S.W.A.T it looks awesome on Sky One HD.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Media Boy sources has confirm that GOLD HD will replace GOLD SD on channel 124 on Tuesday 25th September 2018.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

By sources you mean Twitter ;)

https://twitter.com/uktv/status/1041...918715392?s=21

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I’d love to see how virgin spin it’s better to pay separately for Netflix

For Sky Q subscribers, Ultimate On Demand will cost £10 a month, which is cheaper than the combined cost of subscribing to Netflix and Sky Box Sets separately.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

l suspect MB has more then one source.;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Correct me if I’m wrong but didn’t VM originally offer Netflix free for 6 months and have offered other promotions since. They seem ok deals to me.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

But we are talking regular customers and packages not time limited deal

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It's not all about price, though. It is also convenient to pay one bill rather than two.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

mmm, Google being the other one...... ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Exactly and I just think virgin should look into similar thing

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

that was confirmed in post 2120 MB ;)

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...postcount=2120

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Does the Sky Ultimate On-Demand have the basic Netflix package, or the 4 screen UHD package?

If it's just the Netflix 2 screen HD pack, that may be no good to those wanting the higher package.

Sorry - I found the answer. Not bad from Sky...I'm on the UHD Netflix package, be interesting if Virgin can get it into the VIP package. If not, I'm happy to pay Netflix separately, it's just a £10 direct debit anyway.

"Ultimate On Demand will cost an extra £10 a month if you want to join, which is the same price as Netflix's highest package that allows for Ultra HD content and up to four concurrent screens. If you subscribe to Sky Q's premium subscription, that's exactly what you'll get through Sky. But if you only have a Sky Q Entertainment subscription, you'll only be getting Netflix's Standard Plan for the same price – two screens at once, and no 4K content. With Netflix, that package costs £7.99 a month."

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I am still hoping that VM add Amazon and integrate both Netflix and Prime into their packages similar to the way Sky have done for Netflix. This, I believe, is the way to the future, with channel packages ultimately replaced by streaming services packages.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Imagine the VM VIP Package standing at:
2x V6 boxes
Full House TV + On-Demand
350meg BB
Talk Anytime
Sky Movies + On-Demand
Sky Sports
BT Sport + 4K
VM UHD Channel
Netflix UHD Package
Prime Package

That would take some beating, cost depending of course

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I suspect he has Twitter , Facebook digital spy and can't remember full name but part is geek very good to see what channels have what shows. Have as a book Mark on home pc oldage it's - geektown

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Geektown is really good :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Ecstacy!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Indeed. 'Media Boy sources' just means 'read it somewhere on the internet' and frequently posted without credit.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

So this is the box that we are likely to get in the next version of the V6.

I like the idea of being able to record to the cloud with the ability to retrieve your recordings up to 5 years hence if required, if that is what we will be offered, provided there are no limits to the number of recordings you can save in this way.

I hope the UI is updated by then!

https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2018...ud-pvr-and-4k/

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

From the article, it looks like that box is the same hardware as the V6, just different software which enables cloud recording.
So maybe the V6's software could be updated to do this in the future without changing the boxes?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It’s just a V6 with Horizon branding. The capability to “record to the cloud” is implemented in the software, and in practice really the cable operators are recording everything and storing it for their users to retrieve.

Virgin would almost certainly never reach an agreement with their major content providers to do this here.

http://www.analysysmason.com/Researc...-Global-RDVS0/

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Why can't an agreement be made in the UK if similar agreements have been made in other countries?
Also interesting to see what happens to the Horizon software if Comcast acquires Sky.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

The major content providers here are largely rivals and/or have their own plans that masses of cloud storage on the cable platform would undermine.

If it was likely to happen here it’d have happened before now. The technology isn’t really new, and not really different from Virgin retaining a never expiring catch up library.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

That's right, I should have been clearer about that. The design of the new Horizon 4 set-top box is the same as the V6 device, but instead of running on TiVo software, the new Liberty box was developed using RDK.

---------- Post added at 15:03 ---------- Previous post was at 15:00 ----------

Because there is currently a contractual arrangement with Tivo, but when this expires, I think we may well transition over to the Horizon software.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

No reason whatsoever.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

We was given the GOLD HD info just after 7.30pm on Monday Night by Virgin Media Sources. but we did not see info until we want online testing out internet phone out and seen it. The Tuesday post was our first and only post using Internet phone. It took us over 2 hour to post it.:dunce:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Of course there’s a reason.

Why would say, BBC, ITV, Channel 4 who are planning a “Netflix rival” allow the cable operator to store five years worth of content?

Of course they could slap a high price on it, however given the “price rises” thread would the customer base pay more for it? Unlikely.

Similarly Sky and BT, who would struggle to offer a comparable service without impacting broadband speeds, would have no real incentive to make their content available.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

TiVo boxes at Media Boy HQ is reporting that Motorsport TV UK will close on Virgin UK Channel 545 on September 30th at Midnight - early Monday October 1st.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Five years of content where have you plucked that number from ?

Edit : Ultimate Conj has just confirmed from OB's article.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Hi MM,

This is from the article, OB posted

"Recordings will be stored in the cloud rather than on a local hard drive – the company gave no details how long the recordings will be saved, but in Belgium Telenet said rcordings will automatically be erased after 60 days, unless the viewer wants to keep the recording, which is possible up to five years."

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Thanks for the confirmation , as a comparison YouTube TV in the US allows cloud recordings for upto 9 months and Comcast is a year I believe.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

If you read the article...

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

5 years in Belgium doesn't mean it would have to be exactly the same in our country look at the times I mentioned in the USA.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Does this mean in a couple of months the epg and Ui will be changing

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Nice of you to accept I didn’t pluck five years from nowhere and it’d be unlikely content providers here would make content available on the terms enjoyed by our European counterparts.

---------- Post added at 18:05 ---------- Previous post was at 18:02 ----------

No. They have licenced the Tivo software for use in the UK specifically. If we were going to go down the Horizon road in the short to medium term we’d have not started with TiVo on V6.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I can cope with that - if I haven't watched it after 5 years I never will.

It depends how it works, I suspect every program will be available on the cloud with a marker to say you want it. Possibly you might be able to browse past programs recorded on the cloud and watch even if you didn't know about it at the time of broadcast?

I just hope this applies to all live sports otherwise I wouldn't use it much if at all.

If you have to mark a program prior to broadcast (as you would to record it on V6) I hope there are no limits to the overall number or number at any one time.

This sounds promising, eagerly awaiting the details.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Can someone explain to me the difference between recording in the cloud and On Demand please?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Recording in the cloud: You choose what is recorded
On Demand: Someone else does.

(Actually that isn't really true. On Demand content is generally provided completely separately from the broadcast, often in advance, and may be a different edit)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

There are similarities in how they operate. However recording in the cloud in theory could cover any content on any channel with no (or a very long) expiry date.

There would be some kind of restriction that you had to flag a programme for recording at the time, you couldn’t just go back to say September 2016 and fish out an old episode of Casualty.

Given enough time and enough series links the back library available to you could be huge, and be a huge incentive not to switch provider.

Depending on how it is applied the benefit to the operator would be it only has to store two copies of each programme (presumably a backup) and each request to play it back comes from that source.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Is there a technical difference to how cloud recordings and on demand are delivered to set top boxes? Fast forwarding​ a hard disk recording is a very different experience to fast forwarding on demand for example. Would cloud recordings have the same fast forward experience as on demand currently does, for example?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I would say your guess is as good as mine at this stage. It is certainly a development which will be needed when you bear in mind a single football/rugby match in UHD takes 5% of the miserly disk space on a V6.

As some have previously stated, this may be why the idea of V6 boxes with larger disks was binned.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Cloud DVR has many benefits for both provider and consumer over time I'm sure the rights will get ironed out.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I will never use anything with an "Cloud" in it. I hear the media saying bad things about "Cloud".

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

You probably use the cloud daily in one way or another.;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I disagree with your figures.
In my experience an hour of UHD recording is between 8 and 10 GB.
Say a football match is two hours and assuming the higher figure, that makes 20 GB or 2% of a 1 TB V6.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

BT Sport 4K is broadcasting at fixed bitrate 27.1Mb/sec or 3.38 MB/sec. A two hour broadcast would be 24.34 gigabytes.

---------- Post added at 21:08 ---------- Previous post was at 21:04 ----------

Explain the benefits of Virgin deploying this for each of the following content providers:

BBC
ITV
Channel 4
Sky
BT

I’m personally at a loss. The first three are seeking to more control over their content, the final two are rival platforms that couldn’t easily replicate the service.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Thanks for confirming that.
My figures were from the new UHD channel on 999 as reported directly via the TiVo software on the V6.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

I said provider not terrestrial broadcaster , I meant Virgin , Sky , BT etc.

Couldn't replicate what please elaborate ?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

It depends how it's implemented. Fast-forward of a local disk recording works by reading the data faster, and possibly skipping some of it. VOD fast-foward is done by switching to a completely separate stream that is already encoded at the faster speed. Also VOD has a network delay, which can impact the response time.

You are doing, right now.

Every cloud has a silver lining.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

So there’s no incentive that you can quantify for the content providers I listed to allow Virgin to offer this service?

Sky and BT couldn’t easily replicate this kind of service on their platforms having significant impact on their non-fibre domestic internet speeds. They’d need to migrate everyone to fibre first.

---------- Post added at 21:36 ---------- Previous post was at 21:35 ----------

That channel appears to be a variable bitrate averaging slightly less than BT, in line with the figures you reported. :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Sky already delivers HD and UHD On Demand content now what's the difference , I'm pretty sure BT do as well granted their range is more limited than that of Sky.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Can you get UHD to stream on their non-fibre product? Or do you have to download it overnight? In my experience with Sky fibre even HD required a five minute lead in as if downloaded a buffer.


I see you ignore my other point.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Sky On Demand uses progressive download so yes works with ADSL connections however as expected on really slow connections UHD can take longer than the several seconds it takes to become available on fibre.

As for your other point I never mentioned broadcasters I said there was benefits for providers such as Virgin and Sky as well as consumers , if you read I did say there are rights issues that would have to be ironed out.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

You fail to elaborate how these rights issues are “ironed out” when you can’t even state what benefits there are to these broadcasters to engage with such a platform?

My experience of Sky Q it takes minutes to get HD to be playable.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Something wrong there then , just tried a UHD title and it was available in under 10 seconds.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Obviously it depends on speed, which Sky can’t guarantee the highest speeds for everyone. I’d be highly doubtful that your experience is representative. Especially for those on the non-fibre product.

https://helpforum.sky.com/t5/Sky-Q/S...w/td-p/2761511

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Wi-Fi issue , network issue , server overload issue at that time many possible answers without more info impossible to say.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Haha. It’s impossible to say, of course it is.

So we can safely say the content providers have no interest, because it affects their own ability to monetise their own content. The rival platforms, who are also content providers, couldn’t match it in their own IP infrastructure at this time.

Of course it could “easily be ironed out” - which is why Liberty have agreements (I think) in ten of twelve European markets but not the UK. I wonder what qualities the UK television market has that the ten don’t?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Time will tell , I'll happily admit I'm wrong (won't be the first time) if cloud recording doesn't appear in the UK at some point.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Given an infinite amount of time it’s inevitable- the non-cable IP infrastructure and compression technology will sufficiently evolve.

However we will be at the back of the queue for a number of structural reasons in the market.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Love John Wayne Movies?

Sky Cinema Select will be known as Sky Cinema Western from September 22nd to October 1st.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

http://www.digitalbitrate.com/dtv.ph...ng=fr&mux=C072

Given the variation in bitrate on this frequency I’d hazard a guess this is the hidden Gold HD testing in the background, on a frequency we’ve known for some time could support a sixth HD channel (indeed, others have seven).

I’m curious what “reconfiguration” could have caused this delay, on a frequency we have always known could have carried a sixth channel.

I’m happy to take this as evidence supporting that it was entirely contractual, and that there’s plenty of bandwidth out there for new channels as and when Virgin see fit.

Liberty Global are also committed to upgrading its European networks to 1Ghz, with the Superhub 3 supporting downstream in the 860Mhz to 1Ghz range.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Or you could look at it another way. Why not accept a VM deal to pay for their customers to access that content rather than allow them to record it for free?

Given that people will record programmes anyway, and provided you can only record (or should I say 'bookmark') the programmes from the EPG, I don't think that such an arrangement would affect audience figures for programmes repeated at a later date or uploaded to a streaming service. It's just a different way of recording, after all.

---------- Post added at 09:49 ---------- Previous post was at 09:38 ----------

There is. Instead of allowing people to record for free, charge Virgin to make the facility available. That is part of the monetisation you were referring to earlier.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)
 

Giving users the ability to record/bookmark to the cloud would, in the five year example, have huge negative implications for BBC/ITV etc. Right now I’d have to decide if something was in the top 500 hours (HD) of content I wish to retain. I’d also be committed to retaining that single STB, with it’s failure or if I choose to upgrade I would lose out.

If the cloud was set up with everyone sharing the same source recordings the amount a user could retain would be virtually infinite.

If a user could go back and say, rewatch the whole of Line of Duty or Broadchurch, in my view it’d impact on the resale rights by those production companies or the success of any future “Netflix style” operation they have planned.

If there was any reasonable chance of this launching here I believe we’d have it by now or be in very advanced development. Liberty already have nearly 2m STBs out there.