Re: Virgin 360 - how much of a downgrade is it from the V6?
 

Why downgrade to 360 till you have to, which may or may not happen ?

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

Thanks for everyone's help, at least there seem to be partial workarounds for some of the issues I'm anticipating.

One other quicky has just come to mind. I know you can't create Series Links for programmes that are not currently in the Guide, and you can only assign a Series Link for one specific channel not for any channel. But can you change that defined channel later?

For example, when I try to set everything up again, if I find a 2010 "Doctor Who" repeat on BBC4, can I create a Series Link using that broadcast and then adjust it so in future it only looks for New Episodes on BBC1? Or switch a "Midsomer Murders" Series Link created on ITV3 over to fetch only New Episodes that are broadcast on ITV1. That would make restoring some of our historical Series Links a bit less painful than Virgin want to make it.

At the moment, our V6 has almost no recordings on it, so if an enforced switchover is coming relatively soon due to expiring licences, it would make sense to bite the bullet and do it when it's convenient for us rather than for Virgin.

Andre

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

To be honest that was the reason I decided to change recently. Nothing to do with Apps or channels. It was simply just a convenient time for me to do it.

Do I regret it - no. I can still watch - live or on demand - and record. Took a bit of getting used to the remote - probably would have helped if I read all the info that came with it as it took a while before I noticed the go back 10 seconds / fast forward 30 seconds buttons :) :)

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

Who's said that it is?

How SL are prioritised when more than 6 programmes are scheduled to record at the same time, is something I've never seen an answer to.

One obvious point from your list is that one-touch-key-access between recordings & live TV, is not available on TV360. You can voice-control it, but if memory serves me correctly, it's about 6 or 7 keypresses.

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

Just be sure that you're happy to lose the extra functionality of tivo, as there's no way back.

I'm not so sure there will be an 'enforced switchover'. More likely they'll do what they have already, withdrawing certain channels. Currently Sky Atlantic and fast channels, neither of which bother me. The risk for VM is that they lose customers, thats why they are treading gently, and desperately to get the punters to 'opt in'. Anything 'enforced' might mean customers opt out of VM entirely.

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

I took my temporarily reprogrammed Universal Remote round to our friend's house for testing, and can confirm that the "Ziggo" codeset does work perfectly on the 360 - including some extra hidden/extended IR codes which provide one-press access to Recordings, Help/Settings, and a few other things that the Virgin-supplied RF remote does not. That'll work fine for me.

I also tested the Series Link editing, and it's even more basic than I was expecting. :( Once you've set up a Series Link for a programme from the current Guide you cannot even edit the channel that it is assigned to (e.g. change it from a BBC4 repeat to the main BBC1 broadcast). Nor (as far as I can tell) can you even see that a Series Link exists at all, or what channel it will record from, once that programme is no longer showing in the active upcoming list.

While I was at it, I tried to find the radio stations in the Guide (the ones normally in channels 900-960) and noticed they've completely screwed that up too. You can only see generic icons to listen live to any given radio station, with no programme information or schedule details, and no way to record, rewind, series link, etc. Another mess that I hadn't even considered would have been broken.

Our V6 currently has zero recorded shows (it's not been that way since it was first installed!) so it would be the perfect time to switch, but I think holding out to the bitter end would be a better option. I simply cannot see one single practical "feature" that is better on the 360 - unless you count a voice-command button or more convenient access to streaming services with non-skippable adverts (all of which I have on my TV anyway). Are there actually any pros to the thing at all, apart from it costing Virgin less in licencing fees?

Andre

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

Thank for doing this ,you have confirmed what I thought. I will also hold out as long as l can. Can not see one reason to change. Have voice control on other things , hate it. Sky Atlantic have via virgin TV go. Don't bother with it , have couple of part watched shows, so boring. I repeat show me the money :shocked:

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

So the review you thanked, which you admitted showed no real negatives with the 360 box, has convinced you to… hold out as long as possible, use workaround methods for exclusive 360 content, ignore the upgrade savings, and then call the tv box which only shows tv shows boring anyway? That’s quite the sales pitch against your own argument

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

I was referring to sky Atlantic,as boring tried it via TV go. Yes on my main TV not a phone or tablet. What upgrade saving ? Repeat have voice control on TV and tablet, I hate it on both. I assume you refer to the crazy way you have do what is a simple adjustment on TiVo as exclusive to it. some upgrade. :shocked: when force l will wait out end of contract and get a freely tv + now TV if that is still around. Or even if I am:D l am so glad you are happy, I repeat l can see no reason to change . If it ain't broke and it's not , don't fix it.

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

I recently renewed my VM contract, got a great deal in my eyes anyway.

I asked if the renewal meant I had to move to 360 software, I was told no but given the sales pitch of the benefits (Atlantic) and we'd rather you sign up to 360 but not forced to. I politely declined but said I'd keep an eye out for any updates that might persuade me to switch to 360.

To be fair, the CS representative was the best I'd spoken to in a long time. Not pushy, just took his time to find the best deal for me. So, on the off chance he reads this then a hat tip to Scott (with a Geordie accent) :)

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

I think most people use their TV programmes to watch programmes, not to obsess about functions you don’t really need.

However, those that prefer the TiVo don’t need to worry at this stage. While the TV channels continue to be broadcast as now, I believe the Virgin will allow people to keep their TiVos. However, when the channels move to IPTV (probably on demand), everyone will be migrated to Virgin Flex boxes.

At least that’s what I think, I haven’t seen anything from VM to confirm that.

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

Pretty sure Channels on a EPG will still exist

TV channels on Virgin Stream/Flex EPG are streamed over broadband.

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

A minor point in the grand scheme of things but Virgin appears to have shifted their language slightly when nudging to upgrade from V6. It is now alluding to it 'eventually stopping working altogether'.

Still no dates etc. but will be interesting to see what happens next but have accepted it is coming :) (for the second time as mine is a rare story of rolling back from TV360 - I wonder if that will break the upgrade)



"Your current Virgin TV box won’t be supported for much longer. This means it will lose functionality soon and eventually stop working altogether.

The good news is we can upgrade you to a new Virgin TV 360 box at no extra cost. But you'll need to take action to make this happen."

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

I'm still stuck in no mans land. My contract expired and they are giving me a recurring credit to keep it the same as the in contract price. They, as yet, are unable to confirm that, if I sign up for another two years, that I won't be forced onto the 360, so I am refusing to commit myself. If I do end up signing, I may have to 'move house' to terminate the contract early as i'm thinking of moving to Sky Q.

From what you say it looks like the end is coming, which is probably why they won't give me any reassurances. There again, as they are such a sky & manipulative company, it may just be designed to worry people and to get them to change over.

I think that they will remove premium channels first, which I don't subscribe to, but we will then know that the end for the V6 is coming some months later.

Re: TV360 - pro and cons
 

As you say, the end is coming. Are you aware that Sky Q, like VM's TV 360, is not available to new customers online? You may be able to get these boxes for a while by calling Sales, but they are being phased out.