Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

But Create & Craft will reappear tomorrow on The Craft Channel EPG Channel number on both Sky HD (683) and Freesat (813).

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I don't doubt it, I was simply making an observation.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

This Create & Craft relaunch or merger is a funny one.

RE Doing it on a Friday.*

Why did C&C not wait until March 1st do to this.

Until C&C broadcasting slot is up on Saturday as rumoured early this month by RXTV.

*I think a last time something happen on an Friday was when Sky Sports F1 launch.

Telewest did launch a following on a Friday once:

-A asia news channel (I forgot it name - but it no longer broadcasting in UK).
-attherates
-Sky Movies Premier 2
-Sky Movies Premier 3
-Sky Movies Premier 4
-Sky Movies WideScreen
-Sky Movies Max 2
-Sky Movies Max 3
-Sky Movies Max 4
-Sky Movies Max 5
-Sky Movies Cinema 2

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I suspect it's simply because the Freeview slot contract ends at midnight Thursday (tonight). Freeview changes normally happen Tues/Wed/Thursday before 1pm, though I'm not sure what's the normal for contract ending changes that result in service closure, as they are so infrequent on DTT.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Hochanda Global Limited did reveal LIVE on air at around 9pm tonight that Virgin Media UK viewers can carry on watching Create & Craft when it relaunch tomorrow on Virgin UK Channel 748.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Currently Ch 748 is showing an Ideal World Freeview slate on VM, the same slate that's on Ch95 on Freeview, the contract (for Freeeview transmission) must not have ended at midnight as you don't normally get a "fancy" photographic slate. Ideal World new owners are clearly using the remaining hours of transmission to advertise themselves now they've cut off the sold off (before they purchased IW) business. Someone hasn't switched the feed to VM for the new C&C.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The same slate is on Sky on Create & Craft labelled channels.

They just said live on-air that the Sky and Virgin switch on will take place later today.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Not very creative...

---------- Post added at 09:43 ---------- Previous post was at 09:42 ----------

Ah! crafty...

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

zip it! :)

Sky has now gone HD on one channel - still the Freevierw caption on VM.

And now on VM too.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

You couldn't make it up....

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

A lot of fabrication involved

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Is Al Jazeera Arabic (Virgin Channel 831) set to close next week?

https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/al-jazeera...es-astra-19-2e

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I would think not. It's only the Astra 1L feed that is being closed. All cable operators (including VM) plus the majority of DBS reception is now by Hotbird 13 which has a more generous footprint than Astra 1L.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

So there is already an alternative version in Arabic?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Good news. They are both excellent channels.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Astra 1 and Hotbird footprints cover large chunks of Europe and it would be relatively easy for anyone to receive both using a single satellite dish with an offset bracket. It probably isn't cost effective for broadcasters to cover a single area from multiple satellites. Having said that, Qatar isn't short of money, so cost cutting doesn't really seem like something they would do.

If you look at the availability, Al Jazeera Arabic is available from multiple satellites across Europe. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Al_Jazeera is probably the best source if you don't want to try to read Arabic. ;)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Everything will be on the streamers eventually. This is only a temporary reprieve.

Just sayin’.

---------- Post added at 00:40 ---------- Previous post was at 00:30 ----------

Seriously, though - does anyone care?

MB, do you ever watch these channels? Am I only one to say I don’t give a s** t?

These low quality channels on a precarious budget produce material that most of us consider to be unprofessional and, frankly, boring. I cannot believe that you spend watch these low budget channels very much at all.

But hey-ho - each has their own…

The streamers will put paid to this nonsense.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Why does your vision of the streamers putting paid to linear services sound similar to Russia's treatment of Ukraine?

I guess Media Boy mentioned the channel as it was a potential change to Virgin TV, which is what the thread is about. The thread title isn't Thrilling and Exciting Changes to Virgin TV, some changes will be mundane.

Your analysis of the channel being a low budget entertainment channel is off the mark. It's a shopping channel, selling packs of tat to viewers so that they can create even more tat. And don't tell me you haven't bought into their Tattered Lace Subscription. ;)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I only started to watch to see what would happen to a channels when Hochanda Global Limited took over in January.

If I was starting a TV Channel I would launch a non PC Channel. with shows broadcasters say they cant show anymore.

---------- Post added at 11:33 ---------- Previous post was at 11:26 ----------

If I know a channel is closing on a date - like "Cable Forum TV" is closing on Feb. 30th on Virgin channel 8888. I would go to Channel 8888 on Feb. 16th to see if a listing is saying "Channel no longer broadcasting" on Feb. 30th.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I suspect that you'd soon be fined or shut down for breaching the broadcast code.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Yeah about that. https://www.qvcuk.com/content/shop-live-tv.html

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Yup. And some people clearly use shopping channels as company, there's two-way banter between the studio and the viewers. They were reading out several viewer's emails the other day when I flicked it on out of curiousity, they also talked about viewers contacting individual presenters on social media, and the comments on social media reflect that, some people view them as friends who share an interest. I've never bought anything from shopping channels, or watch them, but I can see why others do. I also see why others view them so badly. But as with standard channels, not all shopping channels are the same, some have no banter, no human interaction, some are basically infomercials back-to-back.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Indeed and those programmes are often available online (youtube etc) for anyone still interested in viewing the un-edited versions.

---------- Post added at 13:47 ---------- Previous post was at 13:44 ----------

Well, yes, exactly. Although in the case of Create & Craft it was a bit of a storm in a teacup as the only real change was re-routing the feed from the old to the new owner.

---------- Post added at 13:51 ---------- Previous post was at 13:47 ----------

I've sometimes "watched" IW in the background if the ITV overnight programme started. Only because I couldn't be bothered to turn it off and was preoccupied with something else. Hmm, they tend to get a little over excited about what they are selling sometimes. It's more panto than telesales. :p

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I suspect some people prefer it like that.

I saw Peter Simon, formerly of Double Dare (Saturday mornings BBC kids TV many a moon ago), is an Ideal World presenter the other day when I was flicking through the channels. He was totally going for the silly panto banter approach. :)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It's been going on for years. Careful though, it almost makes Old Boy's point about low budget entertainment. Not all shopping channels are like this. ;)


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=61E0PhuF7TQ

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

BREAKING NEWS: (If you got Freeview or Freesat anywhere in your house)

Nadine Dorries MP has just post a following on Twitter:

https://twitter.com/NadineDorries/st...57648774320132

https://www.theguardian.com/media/20...ithin-24-hours

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

So I take if that RT uplinks from Moscow to Eutelsat - and the UK re-transmissions are from Eutelsat. So the Sky/Freesat siginal is re-uplinked after reception from Eutelsat.
Screens will all go blank when that source feed is blocked.
Will be interesting to see if the pan-European transmissions of BBC etc are than targetted with jamming signals from the East.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Depends what RT are using for distribution. It would be difficult though not impossible for them to obtain a feed. The signal is still available in London via the C-Band ABS 2 Global beam. This is unlikely to be shut down as the owners are Hong Kong based, which is now under Chinese control.
Then of course there is the good old reliable internet to fall back on.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

https://www.euronews.com/next/2022/0...tnik-in-europe

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

At time of posting RT SD channel has been removed from Sky.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The channel number which was carrying RT in SD is now carrying RT in HD. It seems just to have been moved further down the list.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

RT HD also now removed from Sky EPG aswell.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

And Freeview - which was nearly an hour after Sky. Freesat gone too.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

All indications are that Arqiva has pulled the plug on everything in the UK.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The plan was the main feed into the UK was being removed by EU ruling - this means that no-one in the UK actually had to pull the plug.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

RT UK is no longer on YouTube

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

From yesterday, in this thread, @ 12:40.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

YouTube, Meta etc pulled the plug quite early, even before RT satellite coverage disappeared.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

If is still on YouTube as before - but Google are blocking access by Europe based IPs.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Arqiva did pull the plug yesterday, mainly because RT ceased paying the bills for the studio output, if indeed they are paying anyone for anything now.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Why all this off-topic talk about RT? It was never available on VM anyway, so why discuss in Changes to Virgin TV?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Interesting. Do you have an official source for that? it could be quite useful.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I have an insider at Arqiva. However anything I push out is officially unofficial, if you get what I mean.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

That's fine, I'm not doubting you. I just wanted to use the information elsewhere but without an official source it would be pointless.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I've heard the plug was pulled from the London UK studios - but this was not related the RT being removed.
RT source was Moscow and the feeds to UK were cut by EU.
So RT would still be off-air if no action was taken in UK.
They are still on air but now seem to be repeating the same 30 minute anti-Ukraine programme nearly every hour.
I've got my suspicions that even some of the hourly news slots are repeats.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The EU certainly pulled the plug on Hotbird 13, which I’ve been told was the incoming London feed. RT were capable of using a private downlink, which would have come with considerable cost & also London is just in the footprint of ABS2 whose operators are Hong Kong based.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Do you know if Freeview are set to launch new channels in the coming months?

Any info on month and Channel name?

---------- Post added at 12:32 ---------- Previous post was at 12:27 ----------

I have not seen any new news about Virgin Media in a past 10 days.

Some Virgin Media Viewers (Count me as one) who can watch or pick up Freeview using their TV Set that why I want "off topic" on Monday when news was breaking about the EU Banning RT from broadcasting.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The biggest threat to the existence of the world and it's inhabitants in our lifetimes results in the removal of the main Putin propaganda machine to the UK, and your concerned about a thread going off topic. Really?

Besides, RT was previously available on Virgin to their Irish customers.

---------- Post added at 13:09 ---------- Previous post was at 13:05 ----------

Where are they on air (or do you mean online)? RT America has now been taken off air.

https://www.cnn.com/2022/03/03/media...fs/index.html9

Staff were 'shocked' really?? Staff were 'in tears' and only wanted to work to provide for their families.

Tough.

Up until just over a week ago ordinary people in the Ukraine were doing the same and many have lost more than their jobs (and didn't get two months pay) and will have shed many more tears. In the meantime, all these selfish *******s did was carry on doing Putins dirty work of propaganda.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

RT UK and RT America streams are still active on RTs main website.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Reports are coming in at MTV Base and MTV Classic will close at the end of this month.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Interesting. Perhaps we should prevent access from the UK following today's news that Russia has restricted access to the BBC news website.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

That is not possible as long as they are active.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Reports are now coming in saying that MTV Base and MTV Classic are just being rebrand as MTV 80s and MTV 90s from April 1st.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

That I can't help with. The info I get is mostly tech related & not on the sales side of the business. So if a new channel was requiring a feed to Sky's uplink at Chilworth or the Virgin MHE I might find out about it. However, even then it's an open market & channels have a lot of alternatives to get their feeds out to the TV platforms.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Discovery Science Italia has close on Sky Italy and Italy base Cable Networks as of March 1st 2022.

Will the UK Channel be next?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

MB, the way you quoted there makes it unintentionally look like Legendkiller2k said those things when it was mostly you. Just a heads-up up, as many reading it won't remember your original post, or context, as it's a few pages back.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I'm innocent lol,
but honestly i do miss working in that industry but gaming has always been my passion and i had to grab the opputunity that came.
I do keep in touch with a few from old work place nothing that hasn't already been mentioned tbh aka ad tier of Disney+, W going fta and on freeview too but if i do get anything i will be sure to let you guys know.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Greatly appreciated. :)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I was looking for the first post with "Discovery Science" in it.

I was not meaning LK 2K.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Finally, tonight's South Today is full HD. Probably the same for South East Today

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

If it's anything like the London regional programme(s) then it's a mishmash of full HD and upscaled SD. Not having to switch channels is a huge improvement on what went before, though.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Visiting family at the moment and saw that South and South East were merged together on Sunday. Couldn't see any reason for it but that could explain it.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

To be honest, 90% was HD. Two of the outside items were (upscaled) SD, but all studio segments were HD, including newsreading, week-end football action (goals from about a dozen matches from Sky and Quest sources) and weather pictures and forecast. I don't know if it's only the South that went this way, what happened in the other regions?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

First seen on January 8th (Digital Spy)

https://forums.digitalspy.com/discus...ment/100257721

---------- Post added at 12:56 ---------- Previous post was at 12:48 ----------

What merge just a local News or is a merge channel called BBC SSE?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It was specifically titled 'BBC South and South East Today' for the local news, but isn't showing in any of the listings as that.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Maybe it just a weekend thing - January 8th was on a Weekend.

I know STV merge STV News at weekends (And Bank Holidays).

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It was 'BBC South Today and BBC South East Today' in the opening titles and the presenter says "Welcome to BBC South viewers who join us this weekend".

It must have been planned as captions were ready -so maybe scheduled only for the one weekend. The Sunday before was 'BBC South'. I have the recordings for a couple of weeks.

Was back to BBC South on Monday.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Thanks, my memory obviously needs work :D

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

NBC News now launching on Virgin later this month
https://variety.com/2022/tv/global/n...ia-1235198633/

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

This combined news has happened several times recently, always at week-ends. BBC South was never the host, either the South East, or I can remember when on one occasion BBC London hosted the joint news bulletins. Surely the reason can only be that work was ongoing at the studio in Southampton getting ready for HD. That's why I wondered if South-East had gone HD?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Virgin may also launch CNBC HD when NBC News Now HD - if they do launch.

PS Good find.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Happy days :D

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Hope so, the SD channel has been glitchy for years (nothing else from multiplex is, so it's that channel's feed) and the golf highlights at the weekend would benefit from any improvement in picture quality.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

DS Forum is now reporting that.

MTV Base will become MTV 90s
MTV Classic will become MTV 80s

From March 31st.

https://twitter.com/MediaBoyUK/statu...06327890796546

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Discovery Shareholders Approve $43 Billion WarnerMedia Merger

Discovery and Warner Media hope to close deal by May 2022.

https://variety.com/2022/tv/news/dis...te-1235201881/

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Now Confirmed by MTV:

https://mediaboyblog.blogspot.com/20...-changing.html

---------- Post added at 22:23 ---------- Previous post was at 22:21 ----------

Discovery And AT&T Determine Board Of Directors For Merging Media Company

https://deadline.com/2022/03/discove...er-1234979430/

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I received information overnight that NBC News Now has been added to the SDT. TSID 24 SID 2406 for those who like to watch progress on sites such as digitalbitrate, although video / audio streams etc have still to be added.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I feel NBC News Now HD may launch on Channel 614 or Channel 627.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Britbox has launched on Virgin, and ITVX is also arriving later this year.

https://advanced-television.com/2022...-on-virgin-tv/

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I haven't found official confirmation of this, but RXTV specifically mentions both TV 360 and V6.
https://rxtvinfo.com/2022/britbox-ar...n-virgin-media

The Advanced Television article just said "through their latest set-top boxes".

I've not had a chance to check my V6 yet.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It is on V6 and 360 - but not the old standard TiVo boxes.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Thanks. :)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

There's a surprise - It would be nice if once in a while that TV only customers are offered all of these apps which launch on VM, such as Amazon, Britbox and presumably many others.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The TiVo boxes wouldn't run the new apps at an acceptable performance level unfortunately.

Even the ones it does have are slower than on either V6 or TiVo.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It's only a 10mb Internet connection on the old boxes - so the streaming of a lot of the stuff would be poor too.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Reports that Channel 4 are set to go HD (UK Wide) soon as rumour 'test' starting on Sky in the past 48 hours.

If rumours are true the following Channel 4 channels may close:

104. Channel 4 (South & East England).
104. Channel 4 (North - not in London).
104. Channel 4 (Midlands).
104. Channel 4 (Scotland).
104. Channel 4 (Northern Ireland).
108. Channel 4 (Wales).
141. Channel 4 HD (Outside London)

If rumours are true the following Channel 4 HD channels may launch:

104. Channel 4 HD (South & East England).
104. Channel 4 HD (North).
104. Channel 4 HD (Midlands).
104. Channel 4 HD (Scotland).
104. Channel 4 HD (Northern Ireland).
108. Channel 4 HD (Wales).

Rumour started by 'omnidirectional' over on DS Forum.

https://forums.digitalspy.com/discus...ment_100642408

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

"Rumour started" . Quite a way of phrasing someone recollecting what was observed before the Red Bee incident. :)

Very likely what's happening though, given what's happening with the HD mux on DTT this year though re: regionalisation.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

didnt even know channel 4 had regional variants?! whats the difference?? ive only thought bbc 1 had different variants really in wales, scotland, NI and the only other difference was the bbc regional news at 6.30pm for places in england.

what the heck does channel 4 regionalise other than s4c?

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Adverts, that's all.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

The official VMO2 press release for BritBox UK app. Doesn't say anything not seen elsewhere. https://news.virginmediao2.co.uk/bri...-on-virgin-tv/

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

614 according to the latest information.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Thanks for update - I think I know Virgin Media's may of given out EPG Slots a wee bit too well.:D (Is that a good or bad thing?);)

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

614 suggests they are using an "associated channels" rule, as the last "news" channel to launch on VM went right at the bottom of the list.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

W will leave the SKY pay pack next week and go free to air.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

It will happen on Monday.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

A 10mb connection works just fine for viewing online so i don't see why this is an issue on Tivo boxes.

Also, VM has made Netflix and BBC iPlayer available to TV only customers so i fail to see why Amazon isn't available.

It's starting to feel as though TV only customers are receiving an inferior service compared to those who also have VM's internet service and the 360 or V6 boxes.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Because a lot of the material streaming to apps needs more than 10Mb - and the 10Mb TiVo has nas to be shared with other network traffic.

The apps are painfully slow on the old boxes when compared to the V6.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

Ye olde TiVo processor isn't up to the task. 11+ years old technology.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

I have to say that I agree re the iPlayer although YouTube generally works perfectly well.

I do though fail to understand why they allow TV-only customers access to Netflix but not to Amazon Prime. I feel that this is maybe a business decision to run down the offer for TV-only customers. I believe that ever more streaming services are being launched, none of which are available to TV-only customers, and some of them are part of the VM offer and offered at no extra change which means that it is possible that TV-only customers may well be paying for services that VM is not allowing them to access.

Re: Changes to Virgin TV (2022)
 

All Channel 4 HD tests has been removed as of March 18th on Sky.