Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

The MB announcement will not be about the BBC HD channels as they are for launching early next year......

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

No l doubt even in 2017 it will be allowed to go up that much.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

Nope.

---------- Post added at 12:40 ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 ----------

The BBC has indicated it also wants to launch English regional variants of its existing BBC One HD service as well as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland editions of BBC Two HD. This would not need any of the new capacity. It would, however, need to be approved by the BBC Trust.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-23326709

BBC Two Scotland HD set to launch?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

Or indeed both!!

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

Great news, but I am surprised that the BBC can afford this at this moment in time. I read in another thread that, particularly for the English regions, the extra equipment needed would be costly.

I believe that this news makes it inevitable that Sky News HD will now come to VM as Sky try to stop viewers defecting to the HD news services.

A little knowledge can be more dangerous than none at all and all that... I always run any legal advice that I give by the legal firm that we use, even if I think I know the correct position.

Would you be able to ask the experts that you work for (if it's their speciality) about the possibilities of a breach of competition law by Sky & VM and let us know what they say?

I agree.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

Is there any indication that RT will be launching on VM anytime?

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

DK

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

I didn't think so :)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

July List update - July 16th update.

Keep up-to-date on the latest news on upcoming channel launches and other important events across all platforms of Virgin TV network.

NOTE: I do not work for Virgin Media so all the information on this list is subject to change.

Colours on my list are as followed:

Media Boy = New Info just added.
Media Boy = Been added in the last month.
Media Boy = Virgin Media News and links.
Media Boy = Other Media news/Things.

=== Coming up on Virgin's Digital TV ===
=== Rumour to be Launching very soon ===
The following channels may launch soon on Virgin Media:
-The Active Channel (Confirmed by Virgin on Facebook).
-BT Sports 1 (Rumour started 06/07/13).
-BT Sports 1 HD (Rumour started 06/07/13).
-BT Sports 2 (Rumour started 06/07/13).
-BT Sports 2 HD (Rumour started 06/07/13).
-E! HD (Rumour started 21/02/13).
-Sky Atlantic (Rumour started 06/07/13).
-Universal Channel HD (Rumour started 21/02/13).

=== July ===
31st. ESPN will close on Virgin Channel 529 today.
31st. ESPN HD will close on Virgin Channel 530 today.
31st. ESPN America will close on Virgin Channel 531 today.
31st. ESPN to close ESPN Classic on Virgin Channel 533 Today.

=== August ===
17th. Sky Sports 1 is to rebroadcast on Sky2 and Pick TV today on Virgin Channels 123 and 180.
17th. Sky Movies 007 will be rebranded as Sky Movies Superhero on Virgin Channel 410.
17th. Sky Movies 007 HD will be rebranded as Sky Movies Superhero HD on Virgin Channel 440.
18th. Sky Movies Superhero will be rebranded as Sky Movies Greats on Virgin Channel 410.
18th. Sky Movies Superhero HD will be rebranded as Sky Movies Greats HD on Virgin Channel 440.

The following BT Sports channels launches has still to be confirmed by Virgin Media - Talks still ongoing:

1st. BT Sports 1 may launch on Virgin Media today.
1st. BT Sports 1 HD may launch on Virgin Media today.
1st. BT Sports 2 may launch on Virgin Media today.
1st. BT Sports 2 HD may launch on Virgin Media today.
1st. ESPN may launch on Virgin Media today.
1st. ESPN HD may launch on Virgin Media today.

=== Autumn ===
Lifetime to replace Bio on Virgin Channel 242.
'Seven' will be rebranded as Lincolnshire Living on Virgin Channel 879 (Grimsby & Scunthorpe only) in late Autumn.

=== September ===
1st. Sky Sports are to rebrand Sky Sports Ashes as Sky Sports 2 on Virgin Channel 512.
1st. Sky Sports are to rebrand Sky Sports Ashes HD as Sky Sports 2 HD on Virgin Channel 518.

=== October ===
1st. Virgin Media to put the cost of Sky Sports up.

=== November ===
-Made in Leeds will launch on Virgin Media sometime this month on Virgin Channel 159.

=== December ===
No News...

=== By Early 2014 ===
The BBC to launch BBC News HD, BBC Three HD, BBC Four HD, CBeebies HD and CBBC HD on Virgin Media.

=== January 2014 ===
No News...

=== February 2014 ===
No News...

=== March 2014 ===
6th. Local TV broadcaster London Live hope to launch on Virgin Channel 159 today.

=== April 2014 ===
No News...

=== May 2014 ===
No News...

=== June 2014 ===
No News...

=== July 2014 ===
No News...

=== August 2014 ===
No News...

=== September 2014 ===
No News...

=== October 2014 ===
No News...

=== November 2014 ===
No News...

=== December 2014 ===
No News...

=== By 2015 ===
-RTE Radio and WRN Radio will be axe in old Telewest areas or added to all areas of Virgin Media.

=== Not Confirmed as coming ===
-(UPDATED July 9th) Broadcastnow is reporting that Virgin Media are in new talks with Sky to carry 'Sky Atlantic SD' (Rumoured as set to launch on August 1st), 'Sky News HD' and 'Sky Sports News HD'.
-Drama, MTV CLASSIC, HISTORY HD, CI +1 and CI HD all may launch soon on Virgin Media.
-Fashion One 'In talks with Virgin Media' - no updates in months.
-Sony Movies may launch soon on Virgin Media - no updates since August 2012.

=== Unknown dates ===
-Local TV may launch on Virgin TV in some areas on Virgin Channel 159 (Starting in Late 2013).
-The BBC to axe BBC Radio 4 LW on Virgin Channel 911 ''in the long term''.
-The BBC hope to launch English regional variants of its existing BBC One HD service as well as Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland editions of BBC Two HD - but still need to be approved by the BBC Trust.
-Smooth fm (Smooth Radio) may get close or rebranded on Virgin Channel 916.

=== Channels THAT still to appear in all areas ===
List was last updated on July 12th 2013.

NO. Channel Name
917. Radio: RTE Radio
920. Radio: WRN Europe (Also in UPC Ireland areas)

NOTE: Channels are only broadcasting in Ex-Telewest areas right now.

=== Media Boy Extra info: ===
Liberty Global - http://www.lgi.com/
Media Boy Blog - For all things Virgin TV - http://mediaboyblog.blogspot.com/
See Virgin Media on ''twitter'' here - http://twitter.com/virginmedia
See Nialli's blog on Virgin Media High Definition & TiVo Services here - http://vmhd.blogspot.com/

==== Virgin Media's Deals with broadcasters ===
This part has now move to link called 'Own by'.

==== See you later ===
List last updated on July 16th 2013.

Next update: Later in July - unless:

A) If Virgin are set to launch more than TWO channels (TV or Radio) on Virgin TV.
B) If Virgin are set to move more than TWO channels (TV or Radio) about on Virgin TV.
C) If Virgin are set to close or repackage more then TWO channels (TV or Radio ) on Virgin TV.

Did I miss anything??? If I did tell me and it will appear on the next update.

©copyright 2013 Media Boy 2006 - 2013. An ''Keep it real and free'' Production.

ALL OF MY LINKS ARE UNDER THE LINE.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

Whew!:cool: I was hoping for some of those niche channels from Sky to be on VM cable, too. Such as H&C (Sky 280), and more>movies and movies4men, as well. They are all great channels.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

At least this means that HD channels are becoming the norm and more widespread. It should give Sky less reason to consider itself the home of HD and cling onto exclusive contracts for the HD channels.

Although, I wouldn't be surprised if Sky use this as an opportunity to lock ITV Digital Channels and Channel 5 into longer term pay-tv deals and try to block them going onto the new freeview multiplexes.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

Agree about the norm bud,can't wait for the day when sd is no more:)

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

I haven't heard anything, but it wouldn't surprise me. I doubt this channel makes any money, but it's whole purpose is to broadcast propaganda/the news from a Russian perspective (delete as appropriate according to your point of view), in the same way that Al Jazeera exists.

Yes, some of the better FTA/basic package channels would be a good addition. Now that VM appears to have developed a more realistic business model for the smaller/niche/poorer channels, it wouldn't surprise me if these appeared.

With all the recent channel additions and the expected arrival of Sky Atlantic and BT Sports, we could be in a position where VM have nothing worthwhile to add :D

Ohhhh, I'm sure they'll try, especially as they know that Channel 5 and, to some extent, Channel 4 are not exactly awash with cash.

I wonder if, despite their "no plans to introduce any of their HD channels to Freeview" statement, they will eventually bring Sky News HD to Freeview to prevent a loss of viewers to BBC News HD when that starts?

They certainly won't let anyone know about it until it actually happens as FTA is their enemy, but they know that they have to embrace it to some extent (ie Challenge and Pick TV going FTA on satellite).

I can believe that the capacity will be cheap too, how many FTA HD channels can you think of to fill up the remaining slots up for grabs (apart from the BBC, Sky and Channel 5)? The latter may now be in a position to get onto Freeview if my assumption of cheaper carriage costs is correct.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

I agree in my opinion this will ramp the pressure up on Sky and will mean many people wont look too favourably on the HD charge , the traditional pay TV operators are going to start to lose customers just like their counterparts in the USA did with mounting pressure coming from OTT providers and better sub free alternatives.

Re: Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2013) Vol. 3.
 

What I want to know is when Drama will start on Virgin. Am missing not being able to record old episodes of the Bill on TiVo. I know Watch show some, but they are fairly recent, not going back to the late 90's like Drama are doing.