Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Tonight's Sky News Election Debate will be rebroadcast on BBC TWO and BBC HD from 11.20pm.

So Virgin Media viewers will get to see tonights Debate in HD after all.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

nope its scotland only jsut like itv 1 hd is england and wales only blame itv/stv/utv corpation for this

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

You won't do, it will be Scotland only. In the same way us Scots don't get ITV HD.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I've just been reading through the last couple of days postings and am certainly upbeat about the possibility of the HD sky channels coming.
Could either Big Red or Andrewcrawford ask their various contacts to see whether any deal will be forthcoming regarding the Red Button services in this possible agreement?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Im not goign to answer for certain reasons, and sky hd channels are only goign to be basic plus sky psorts 1 and 2 hd as long as sky appeak to suspend the curent action isnt upheld nothing else about the rest is know just now as i belive either ocmpetiotn commission or europe comettion commisiosn is considering looking into sky as they beleive the ofcom rulling did not go far enough this might pop in some way in the next few weeks :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Sky really would have something to complain about then.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Any more news on any new SDef channels and more on demand content such as Five OD as this has been dragging on for ages

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

See post one for all the latest info.

---------- Post added at 16:12 ---------- Previous post was at 15:44 ----------

Information TV coming to Virgin TV???

Future plans

It is planned to extend Information TV’s distribution to the major cable networks (Virgin Media, formerly NTL and Telewest) in the near future.

Again, viewer access will be totally free.

http://www.information.tv/HowToReceiveInformationTV/

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

New Local TV Channel for viewers in Wales to launch on Virgin TV?

New Channel for Flintshire to launch on Virgin TV by the end of this month.

http://www.flintshirechronicle.co.uk...1352-26289753/

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Bizarre. There is no cable in Flintshire.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I thought that too! :confused:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I didn't even know there was a Flintshire to cable :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Well the info was on that link I posted.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Free box, free install, all channels except ESPN for £25/month for the first 12 months. And he gets 40 decent HD channels instead of a miserable 12 (of which only half are worth watching).

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

How much is it after 12 months?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

£58, at which point he plans to ditch all the crap packs like kids, music etc and just keep sport and movies.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

1 Sky Pack plus HD plus Sports and Movies is itself £53.50

Also depending which packs you drop will also drop the HD channels included in that pack

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Reading between the lines, I think this might be a new DirectGov or Looking Local interactive site rather than a channel.

Still, it's a massive coup for VM. Who needs HD when you can report dog fouling in Flintshire from the comfort of your own armchair? :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Hmmmm..... I smell slightly biased opinion. Of the HD channels Virgin has (so far...) I think they have been freugal in trying to make surer they haven't just added rubbish. I would like to know which of these channels you class as not being worth watching and then compare and contrast this to SKY's offering. BTW I think it would be unfair for you to discuss SKY owned channels as up untill recently, this has been out of Virgin's control althoguh I do think the addition of SKY sports Hd would be great but not so much SKY News HD but that is just my opinion. I note this is purely in the interst of coming soon, so that we know what greatness could be coming our way if/when SKY drop exclusivity to some of the channels

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Much as I hate Murdoch, Sky One HD has some of the best HD content around. Sky also have Sci-Fi HD, Discovery HD, History HD, MGM HD, and of course if you are prepared to pay through the nose - the Sky HD movie channels. I realise a few Virgin customers have a couple of these channels, but sadly many of us don't. It's also totally irrelevant to customers which companies own the channels or how difficult rights are to obtain.

Still, Virgin have Living HD, great for fans of quacks, hoaxers, scam artists, and many other forms of idiots.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

The point I was trying to make is VM are improving and the only half are worth watching comment really is a matter of opinion. (Marmite, please dont take me to court on this) For instance, you are either going to love or hate SKY News HD, personally don't see the point in it as there, to me doesn't seem to be much to be gained from it. As for Sky one HD, is it not a simulcast of Sky One? (I honestly don't know) The rumour mill seems to be suggesting that there could be movement with regards Sky HD channels on Virgin, so I guess we shall just have to wait and see.

At the end of the day, both platforms have their pros and cons, which have been discussed many a time on these forums, whether you prefer you HD movies via VOD or linear channels, that is a matter of choice. If you are determined you want to watch them faster than they appear on VOD then buy them on blu-ray. With regards sport in HD on Virgin, then you are caught between a rock and a hard place with the SKY channels but they are still available in SD and as much as I like HD, there is still not a lot wrong with SD (As long as I see the ball go in the hole/net I am happy)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

ha ha :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

MB Opinion: Virgin why cant you add BBC ALBA in Scotland?

With STV starting up an HD Channel in time for this years World Cup, why cant Virgin Media add BBC ALBA to their lineup in Scotland as well.

http://virgintvmediaboy.blogspot.com...u-add-bbc.html

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I have that and a mate had it last year and when he phoned up to cancel they offered him the same again so it's worth contacting sky about it ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

There's been some BBC Alba programming in the VM version of iPlayer each week

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I know about BBC ALBA being the BBC iPlayer but I was on about the TV Channel as BBC ALBA showed SPL football every Saturday night.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I take it all channels doesn`t include sport and movies

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Doesn't include ESPN. But when it's half price and free hd I wasn't too fussed loosing one channel ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Thats a total bargain,How the hell did you get that

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

They called me up and offered me it basically.

They had been doing it to a few people and then it became a special code offer which was then plastered across hotukdeals and a lot of people got the offer.

Other people posted about it on here too http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/92...sky-deals.html

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

If you really want BBC Alba, you can see it live via Zattoo or one of the other streaming players. However it should be on the VM lineup.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I think virgin should ditched current tv the porn channels and the naff selling channels like ideal world, gems 1 and 2 there pointless leave them for freeview just keep price drop, bidup and pvc i mean qvc

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

They are not going to drop channels that make them money now are they.;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

There are lots of Welsh in Patagonia but that's no reason to provide S4C in Argentina! :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

true but waste of space to say the least

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Why are they a waste of space if people watch them and they make money?

It just boils down to "I think they should get rid of (insert list of channels I don't watch)".

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

yeah true

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I think we should start a new thread, " please close this channel 2010" :D

I would start off with radio stations on TV :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Then FX, most of the discovery channels and uktv ones and sky one.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Wow if that happened apart from sport, we all might as well just have Freeview :erm:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Yeah but think of the savings in the subscriptions :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I personally don't see any reason why Virgin would want to add BBC Alba to their line-up. Depending on what report you read there are only 55,000 to 80,000 people in Scotland who speak Gaelic, none of the Gaelic speakers use it as their first language. It's mainly spoken in the North West of Scotland including Skye, Lewis etc. Do Virgin offer cable up there? Trust me if all you want it for is the re-run of one of the SPL games per week you'll get bored very, very quickly. The SPL is murder.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Phoned Sky today,Wont offer me the deal so i cancelled.That is saving me £19.00 subs and another £8.00 protection cover and as a bonus have got a nice new white door stopper(Sky+ box)lol

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Not quite a door stop. It's yours so you could flog it on ebay or such like. ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Why would you want VM to drop any of the channels they currently offer? The emphasis should be on maximising the amount of choice that is available. Now that the NGTV platform is being rolled out across the country, we will soon be in a position whereby space for new channels is no longer a problem.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

If things hadn't gone well in 1945 you'd be speaking German and practising your English in secret! :(

As a fellow former oppressed Celtic nation ;), Ireland has largely lost its native tongue and I am ashamed to say that my knowledge of French and other European languages far exceeds my abilities in Gaelic.

In Ireland, there has been an increase in efforts to keep the Irish language alive in recent years. We have always had daily radio and TV news bulletins in Gaelic and have had an Irish language radio station (http://www.rte.ie/rnag/) since 1972. More recently, a television station (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TG4), broadcasting a significant proportion of its programming in Irish as well as French, Polish and English, was launched in 1996 with transmissions in Northern Ireland beginning in 2005.

On a trip to the Czech Republic in about 1998, before the big influx of Eastern Europeans into the UK and Ireland, I was surprised to be told, by a red-headed Czech tour guide, that many Czechs were travelling to Ireland to study the Irish language. Apart from the Irish pubs etc., there was a lot of Irish business investment going on it Bohemia at that time.

I think it is important to keep the Irish Gaelic, Scots Gallic and Welsh Cymraeg languages alive and it is only right that there should be national language radio and TV channels, funded by the licence fee or other public funding in the relevant country and available to all.

---------- Post added at 08:41 ---------- Previous post was at 08:06 ----------

I'll have the box for a token fee and postage for my in-laws who are in a fringe area between the Oxford and Sandy Heath transmitters and have fuzzy Channel four, have never had Five and now have limited digital coverage. The previous owner of their house left a Sky mini-dish behind so they're ready to go, they just need a box.

Having said that, you might like to get a FreeSat-from-Sky card for £20 and continue to use it for the free-to-air and free-to-view channels either in another room or for recording while you watch something else on VM.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

You can add Cornish to your list of Celtic Languages to be encouraged!
I don't think we've got any TV shows in Cornish yet though...

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Looks like were getting a bit off topic again!

Media Boy - What's the news this week?...You think we'll ever see Sky 1 HD come to my belovid HD box?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

An update will be on post one later.

I only thing I have seen the Sky1 HD coming to Virgin TV is all the rumour that have been on the best Cable TV Forum in the world - Cable Forum over the last week or two.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

In summary, I think that BBC Alba should be 'Coming Soon to Virgin TV' as should the Kernewek language channel, when there is one. Petition the Prince of Wales as he owns Cornwall.

So not exactly off topic - just unnecessarily detailed.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

This weeks list update is now online - see post one (Next update is May 10th)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Hello, I understand Sky 1 HD is comming to virgin and anynews on sky sports HD on virgin comming start august football season 2010? :dozey:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

As far as I know the Virgin Media deal to carry the Sky HD Channels is just rumour I also hear that it may just be some Sky Basic Channels in HD.

Virgin may tell us more on Wednesday.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Sky's court appeal against the Ofcom decision started last Friday and might go on for several months. Then again, a change of government could accelerate things altogether.

Until this is sorted out, I doubt Sky's HD channels will be "coming soon" to VM.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Thanks Media Boy just need know what happening that all. ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

He could market the channel as a Duchy Original.:)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Bravo to launch an HD Channel???

Digital Spy Forums is reporting that Bravo are to launch an HD Channel in May.

http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s...7&postcount=76

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Hmm! Organic television. Fueled by the methane from decomposing manure. Smellyvision! :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

YAY TNA IN HD lol:D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Sounds like a error in the Sky mag

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I have given post one an extra update this week - now online.

---------- Post added at 14:14 ---------- Previous post was at 14:08 ----------

Update:

I have this on Digital Spy Forums:

O2 X1 was asked (About the Bravo HD Launch):
And O2 X1 Reply:
To follow this story here is the link: http://www.digitalspy.co.uk/forums/s....php?t=1251531

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Or if we DO get Cornish TV as suggested that should read

YAY TIN IN HD ;)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

MB do you have any info what has happeded at the competition appeals tribunialin regards to BSKYB in regards to OFCOM as it says on the website that the case has been archived ?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I have no news - sorry.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

According to Wall Street Journal, it has been adjourned until Wednesday afternoon:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Ok MB and Nialli thanks for the update as i thought that it was Monday that it was going to be done ? But what do i know:confused:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Haha wow Bravo HD, now we can watch all the crap that's on the channel but in hd :rolleyes:

Quantity over quality it seems

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Same as Sky then...

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

This is True.

I Just wish there was some worthwhile content to justify the fuss surrounding HD because at the moment there doesn't seem to be.

Im surprised Virgin are bothering putting out a HD version of Bravo so soon since it's been a dead duck for around 10 years now :rolleyes:

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

TNA? :confused: The New Avengers is back on? :D

---------- Post added at 00:46 ---------- Previous post was at 00:45 ----------

Pass the Duchy on the left hand side. :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/p...909&highlight=

Virgin qtr 1 2010 results here, no news on any channels launching, would have thought this was the perfect place to announce Sky1hd and Bravo Hd just says they hope to add more soon.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

its a bit early in the day yet especially here in the UK for any announcements. the last lot were not up till well after 9am. mind you that not to say we wont get none at all.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

They don't normally announce new channels at these meets, usually it is a vague promise of more coming soon.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

He did confirm 7 more hd channels in the "coming months" but no names.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

no actual number of channels given it only says "we plan to add even more in the coming months".

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I stand corrected, i read the EVEN as SEVEN! wishfull thinking i guess. :D

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Neil Berkett has just said on the VM conference call that the new V HD boxes will be able to take the TIVO downloads should he want it. Plus the new V+HD boxes released next year will all be TIVO compatitabile. Some will be in store by Christmas, with a major rollout of TIVO starting next year. A soft launch of TIVO to a few thousand customers will happen in the last quarter of this year.

BUT, he said with the new V HD boxes, there will be a couple of hundred thousand boxes seeded in the market that can take tivo by the end of the year, when the tivo rollout starts. He made NO mention of existing standard or V+ stbs.... Make of that what you will!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

As he specifically said a Tivo V+ would be launched, and that the V HD was capable (the exception that proves the rule) the implication was that the existing boxes (other than the V HD) would not be able to take the software. This is really unsurprising as the existing SD and V+ boxes are just not capable of running the new Tivo software, they simply don't have the capability to run flash lite.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I have to say I cannot foresee VM going back to a situation where they have different software on different boxes. They've spent all the time merging everything together, only to split it again. Seems absurd. If what you say is correct about the flash lite, I would suspect that a cut down version of the tivo software will be put on all the existing boxes. But Berkett was clearly inferring otherwise, wasn't he?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Bravo HD update:

I have been told the following from an Virgin insider about Bravo HD.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Hi MB there was this question asked over on Twitter yesterday!

@virginmedia are you ever planning to get a virgin1 hd channel made? I really wanna watch Chuck in HD!

and this was the answer!

We've not had news on this happening yet, however happy to pass on your feedback as I'd like to see that too =)

So maybe soon?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

You can't just cut down the new UI to remove the flash lite requirement, it's a vital part of it, the ui runs on it. It's not like certain features use flash, the entire interface is flash.

No matter what you're going to have two different software versions with entirely different underlying OS's running on two different boxes, one flash based, one not, so what difference does it make if both are Tivo provided or one is and one isn't? Other than the added cost of having Tivo develop two seperate versions of their software.

You have to remember the long term plan is V HD will be the standard box, and the Tivo V+ the PVR, spending money developing a new ui for what are going to become end of lifetime boxes isn't good business sense.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Until My Insiders or Virgin Media tell me that Bravo HD is coming I am putting it under rumour on my list on Post one - from the next update.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Is there any news on Comedy Central MB? HD or even a widescreen version, they get quite a lot of new shows now and they currently transmit them in 4.3 only.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I emailed them last year about HD and W/S and didn't get a reply.

Also a poster on DS has had a reply form ESPN regarding ESPNA HD and said that the channel was available for carriage but was up to individual platforms to carry in HD and the viewers contact their provider.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I shall e mail VM and see what they have to say.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Yes the general inpression from impartial observers of the media is ofcom let sky off lightly as after the announcement sky shares actually went UP,as the city breathed a sigh of relief.

Was that good enough for sky no they went about their work (as usual) with an army of solicitors/barristers and are now being heard in the competition appeals tribunal.

I hope the competition comission/ europe does get involved looking into sky honestly they must be the most litigeous company i have ever seen.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Sky News HD to launch on Sky on May 6th:

Sky News will be launching a HD channel to mark 2010's Election night broadcasts.

Sky News HD will be a simulcast broadcast of the content from the standard definition Sky News channel, and will launch on Thursday 6th May at 9pm. It will take the Sky channel number of 517.

John Ryley, Head of Sky News said: "We've made the news ourselves in 2010 by launching the first UK news service in HD with sharper pictures and enhanced services for HD viewers. It's an innovation which clearly defines Sky's strengths, our passion and our restless pursuit to be first and to be the best. The detail of Sky News HD is stunning - I hope our viewers will enjoy the new experience."

Wonder if Virgin will let us know when they will add it.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I'd expect it to be a Sky "Exclusive" for a good while TBH... not one of my fave news channels though.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Well that will **** me off if i don't get one as standard seeing as i have already paid £75 for my v+ box this year! They better replace it or i'll be asking for my money back. Everyone should get the Tivo update.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

I'd wait until nearer the time... nothing has been confirmed.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

i paid £75 2 years ago but according to VM you dont pay for the box just the set up and install. the box always remains property of VM. i paid £75 as well and really dont want to pay again just because VM decide to upgrade their Tv service. i know people who paid £150 and those will be even more annoyed if they have to pay again but i have a feeling that VM just want to keep splitting the service to force people to pay a premium to upgrade. i see no reason for splitting us all up again in to 2 tiers especially after all the carry on to get everone on to one system with the headend upgrade and NGTV updates.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

If a premium means that I can get a better service then I am all for forking out. What's £75 for a new better box with Tivo and hopefully 1TB drive, three tuners and MPEG4 compatible?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Not going to happen.

Berkett specifically stated that the roll out of new boxes won't be a drag on capex because they customer will be fronting up an up front free like they expect them to with any premium service (like with 50meg there was the install + activation fee).

V HD boxes are the only ones that MIGHT get the tivo upgrade for free, IF they decide to go down that route.

At the end of the day you paid a £75 install fee for your V+ box, you got a V+ box installed. If you want a Tivo box you'll have to pay an install fee for that.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

News regarding the Sky appeal http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/11...e-page-16.html

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Just noticed in this months Electric magazine, that they are stating July for Film4 HD. I've only seen "summer" mentioned previously.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Today's Sky deal means that Sky Sports HD channels are on their way to Virgin Media. Source: MediaGuardian

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

Agreed but I do think existing V+ hd customers should be offered a half price upgrade. I also feel Virgin wont be able to charge to much for the box when you consider a Sky HD box can be had cheap.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2010)
 

But why? The Tivo box will no doubt have loads more features than the Sky HD box, and there's no ongoing extra cost for HD on Virgin. Presumably punters not wanting to pay extra will be able to keep what they've got (and have paid for).