Originally Posted by LEE1 (Post 34842756)

great news we are getting espn classics as well hope these are launched next week.
well done virgin things are looking good

Originally Posted by matt_home1 (Post 34842759)

are you sure we're getting ESPN classics?

( Long time reader first time poster)

Originally Posted by BenMcr (Post 34842757)

I'm not having at go at you - but maybe that's exactly why VM bothered with 'all that stupid negotiating'

Originally Posted by Jabbs (Post 34842788)

Does this mean we get English Prem League matches for free on XL, i have scanned it but can't see a price for XL customers, and if this is true i guess it will be in HD as well.

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34842794)

I think Virgin are do the following with ESPN on their ESPN

531. For ESPN US to be relaunch maybe that an later date.
532. ESPN - Was Channel 533.
533. ESPN HD
553. ESPN Classic

OR.
551. ESPN
552. ESPN HD
553. ESPN Classic.

Originally Posted by akki007 (Post 34842809)

What games have ESPN got? Can't find a list anywhere!

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34842834)

An Virgin Media worker thinks Virgin may move FX, Nat Geo and MTV HD launch date back to Monday so they can launch them with the ESPN Channels.

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34842834)

An Virgin Media worker thinks Virgin may move FX, Nat Geo and MTV HD launch date back to Monday so they can launch them with the ESPN Channels.

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34842834)

An Virgin Media worker thinks Virgin may move FX, Nat Geo and MTV HD launch date back to Monday so they can launch them with the ESPN Channels.

Originally Posted by joglynne (Post 34842852)

VM could certainly make far more impact in the press/and as a service announcement if they launched these new channels and HD content all on the same day.

Although we at CF are aware of what is on the cards I suspect the average customer is totally in the dark about what is about to be launched and I would assume VM will want to use this as a marketing opportunity.

Originally Posted by MIB4 (Post 34842871)

That is my concern too as personally I am a big fan of baseball and seeing it shunted off to the side for football around the globe does not appeal. Would rather pay the £10 for the baseball in those circumstances :-)

Originally Posted by Hiroki (Post 34842873)

Does anyone know if their is any other channels launching soon (other than the sport and hd channels).

Originally Posted by Nook29 (Post 34842885)

FX HD, National Geographic HD and MTVNHD are scheduled to launch this week, although rumoured to be moved back to Monday to coincide with the launch of ESPN.

Channel 4 HD may launch with them, but if not it'll be shortly after. Living HD is set to launch in September.

Originally Posted by Fred Fish (Post 34842889)

Sorry if I sound picky but I thought that Hiroki was asking about channels OTHER than the HD cannnels........

Originally Posted by moroboshi (Post 34842111)

Speak for yourself. I now find I am so used to watching HD via Blu-Ray, PS3, Xbox 360, Apple TV, and BBC HD, that it's near impossible to watch anything in SD.

It's just a blurry mess and it simply isn't good enough.

Originally Posted by dsmuk (Post 34842801)

Unless there is an agreement between Virgin and Sky for Sky Sports to be at the top of the sports section then I would move it up to

501 ESPN
502 Kept free for poss future ESPN2
503 ESPN HD
504 Kept free for poss future ESPN2HD
505 ESPN Classics

I would do this as they are going to be Virgins major focus for sport and so should take the dominant channel numbers.

and possibly move Eurosport up

506 Eurosport 1
507 Eurosport 2
508 Kept free for future expansion
509 Kept free for future expansion

511 Sky Sports 1
etc

Move the club channels so they are grouped together

Originally Posted by toady (Post 34842898)

Well done VM and if you are not on the XL package isn't ESPN cheaper on VM than Sky if you don't subscribe to the Sky Sports package?

Originally Posted by MIB4 (Post 34842910)

Have now spoken with both VM and ESPN and both have confirmed that ESPN America WILL be carrying on as a separate channel in the UK on VM in addition to and not replaced by ESPN (the new channel).

The confusion appears to be because ESPN are not certain that ESPN America will be live on VM immediately when ESPN is launched next monday due to launch issues (as they put it). They are certain that longterm that ESPN America will be on VM although if it has to go off the air it may be up to 4 months before it returns (although they hope to avoid this).

VM have confirmed that from monday (or if the channel disappears for a few days, weeks or months) that ESPN America will in future be free as part of the XL Tv package so all VM subscribers who currently pay £10 for ESPN America will have a £10 saving in their bill from monday whilst ultimately still getting ESPN America as well as the new ESPN, ESPN HD and ESPN Classics.

Good job all around it has to be said.

Just hoping that any issues ESPN have can be resolved without having to cease broadcasting for any period at all..but I suppose that will be clearer on the day so to speak.

Originally Posted by MIB4 (Post 34842910)

Have now spoken with both VM and ESPN and both have confirmed that ESPN America WILL be carrying on as a separate channel in the UK on VM in addition to and not replaced by ESPN (the new channel).

The confusion appears to be because ESPN are not certain that ESPN America will be live on VM immediately when ESPN is launched next monday due to launch issues (as they put it). They are certain that longterm that ESPN America will be on VM although if it has to go off the air it may be up to 4 months before it returns (although they hope to avoid this).

VM have confirmed that from monday (or if the channel disappears for a few days, weeks or months) that ESPN America will in future be free as part of the XL Tv package so all VM subscribers who currently pay £10 for ESPN America will have a £10 saving in their bill from monday whilst ultimately still getting ESPN America as well as the new ESPN, ESPN HD and ESPN Classics.

Good job all around it has to be said.

Just hoping that any issues ESPN have can be resolved without having to cease broadcasting for any period at all..but I suppose that will be clearer on the day so to speak.

Originally Posted by Stephen (Post 34842937)

I am know positive that the 3 HD channels will still be launching tomorrow!

Originally Posted by call08 (Post 34842942)

how do you know that?

Originally Posted by Maggy J (Post 34842184)

Originally Posted by Felim_Doyle (Post 34842946)

Yes, it is really becoming tiresome. A lot of it is wishful / resentful interpretations of announcements / speculations.

We may be getting some HD channels: we'll have them yesterday; we'll never get them.
We'll put a man on the moon by the end of the decade: so that's 31st Dec. 1969; no it's 31st Dec. 1970.
Have a drink on me: my glass is half empty; no your glass is half full.

The really annoying thing is the lack if indication that a posting is an opinion and not a subtanciated fact. Please prefix opinions with "IMHO ..." (look it up if you don't know) or, as the late Emlyn Hughes would say on QoS, "we think ...". Please support alleged facts with evidence, preferably a link to a statement from an authoritative source.

Well that's my opinion anyway!

Originally Posted by MIB4 (Post 34842910)

Have now spoken with both VM and ESPN and both have confirmed that ESPN America WILL be carrying on as a separate channel in the UK on VM in addition to and not replaced by ESPN (the new channel).

The confusion appears to be because ESPN are not certain that ESPN America will be live on VM immediately when ESPN is launched next monday due to launch issues (as they put it). They are certain that longterm that ESPN America will be on VM although if it has to go off the air it may be up to 4 months before it returns (although they hope to avoid this).

VM have confirmed that from monday (or if the channel disappears for a few days, weeks or months) that ESPN America will in future be free as part of the XL Tv package so all VM subscribers who currently pay £10 for ESPN America will have a £10 saving in their bill from monday whilst ultimately still getting ESPN America as well as the new ESPN, ESPN HD and ESPN Classics.

Good job all around it has to be said.

Just hoping that any issues ESPN have can be resolved without having to cease broadcasting for any period at all..but I suppose that will be clearer on the day so to speak.

Originally Posted by harmitage (Post 34842123)

You should have gone to Specsavers :D

Originally Posted by cupcakes aka dd (Post 34842956)

I'd prefer them to launch Thurs / Fri this week so we have the weekend to oogle. Early next week is a bit pants cos most of us are at work..........aren't we?

Originally Posted by Felim_Doyle (Post 34842962)

I have been a firm believer for many years that you should never name your business or product so specifically at the outset that it becomes restrictive to you later.

SpecSavers are now flogging digital hearing aids. Bovril now do chicken (it's very nice) and Oxo have a whole range of products that have never heard a 'moo'! In order to operate in the private sector and internationally, the former nationalised industries that had British in their names have dropped it (e.g. BA, BT) as well as bmi and others that were not previously state owned.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone's vegetarian or nationalist sensibilities.

Originally Posted by harmitage (Post 34842965)

Have you been abusing some substances this afternoon? ;):D

Originally Posted by cupcakes aka dd (Post 34842956)

I'd prefer them to launch Thurs / Fri this week so we have the weekend to oogle. Early next week is a bit pants cos most of us are at work..........aren't we?

Originally Posted by Horizon (Post 34842958)

I find it bizarre that VM say that ESPN America will continue, even if it does go off air for a few months, when ESPN have already decided to shut the channel. Even more bizarre that ESPN say the channel will continue when they've already announced its closure...

ESPN America was the vehicle for ESPN to launch in the UK by buying what was NASN. There's not exactly that much demand for American football, baseball, basketball, hockey et all here, is there? Some American sports will still be shown on the new ESPN channel, but from next Monday ESPN America is gone for good.

Originally Posted by akki007 (Post 34842950)

When did Emlyn Hughes die?!?!?! Shocking! (Remainder of the post ignored due to inane waffle)

Originally Posted by broadbandking (Post 34842971)

Virgin have just annouced they will be lauching channel 4 HD soon aswell

The first HD channel lauch tomorrow

Originally Posted by broadbandking (Post 34842971)

Virgin have just annouced they will be lauching channel 4 HD soon aswell

The first HD channel lauch tomorrow

Originally Posted by broadbandking (Post 34842971)

The first HD channel lauch tomorrow

Originally Posted by BenMcr (Post 34842991)

First 3 launch tomorrow :D

Originally Posted by Fred Fish (Post 34842889)

Sorry if I sound picky but I thought that Hiroki was asking about channels OTHER than the HD cannnels........

Originally Posted by Nook29 (Post 34842890)

Correct, I misread his post and for some reason I thought he was just asking about the sport channels.

Not sure of any SD channels launching, don't think there are any.

Originally Posted by Fred Fish (Post 34842987)

In case this is a serious question - 9 November 2004, brain tumour.

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34842421)

the following HD Channels testing info is from Wikipedia.

VMTest1 - HD test using Channel 4 HD
VMTest2 - HD test using National Geographic Channel HD
VMTest3 - HD test using FX HD
VMTest4 - HD test using MTVNHD
VMTest5 - HD test using History HD
VMTest6 - HD test using National Geographic Channel HD (Maybe turn into Nat Geo Wild HD?)

Originally Posted by Felim_Doyle (Post 34843011)

MB, welcome back from the smokeless wedding.

Where did you find this testing info. on Wiki.? I couldn't find it with Google.

Originally Posted by BenMcr (Post 34842991)

First 3 (HD Channels to) launch tomorrow :D

Originally Posted by Felim_Doyle (Post 34842962)

In order to operate in the private sector and internationally, the former nationalised industries that had British in their names have dropped it (e.g. BA, BT) as well as bmi and others that were not previously state owned.

I hope this doesn't offend anyone's vegetarian or nationalist sensibilities.

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34843015)

I think I know the three HD Channels numbers.

FX HD may launch on Virgin Channel 158.
National Geographic HD may launch on Virgin Channnel 232.
MTVN HD may launch on Virgin Channel 314.

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34843015)

Here is that link for you:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...s_on_Virgin_TV

Originally Posted by Media Boy (Post 34843015)

I think I know the three HD Channels numbers.

FX HD may launch on Virgin Channel 158.
National Geographic HD may launch on Virgin Channnel 232.
MTVN HD may launch on Virgin Channel 314.

Originally Posted by zantarous (Post 34843042)

Virgin do seem to have come out all guns blazing. And the speed at which they managed to sign the ESPN deal, to not only include HD but free on the XL package is truly astounding.

I really ho Sci Fi HD will be in the cards sometime soon in the future.

Originally Posted by Stephen (Post 34843019)

Tomorrow will see the launch of

MTV HD
NAT Geo HD
FX HD

ESPN and ESPN HD launching on the 3rd August

With Living HD and Channel 4 HD in the next couple of months :)

Go VM!!!!

Originally Posted by SB_07 (Post 34843057)

One last thing! Is ESPNHD going to be showing all the baseball and stuff in HD too?

Originally Posted by SB_07 (Post 34843070)

Cheers. Obviously the main draw is watching Prem footy in HD but American sports would be a nice bonus.

Are the 3 tomorrow going to be a midnight launch?

Originally Posted by dsmuk (Post 34843076)

Think is may be around 6am ish