Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Info from The Guardian.



Virgin Media will renew its attack on BSkyB tonight with the launch of its video-on-demand service, Virgin Central.



With the launch of the service, the newly rebranded cable company is hoping to steal a march on Sky, whose similar service - Sky Anytime - is not accessible through TVs until next month.


http://business.guardian.co.uk/story/0,,2016063,00.html

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Ooooh

Sounds good looking forward to this!

The future for us is good!
The future is Virgin media :D

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

:clap: Well done Virgin Media

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

I am a bit sceptical as to the purpose of Virgin Central. It seems to me that the sole purpose is to provide a front for the VOD content, in the same way as the Filmflex Channel 400. If this is the case than OK... but it's hardly revolutionary. After all the content is already there anyway by pressing On Demand!

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

If this is new what have I been watching recently?

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Isn't it like a place where you can put all your fav on demand content in a playlist, like style?

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Coggy wonders how long it will be before we get the first complaint? ;)

Aha we already had the first one..Post #4.:D

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Well, that's correct. But virgin need to differentiate its vod offering between its free stuff and PPV stuff. Virgin Central is the brand, the route chosen for the free stuff. Now they need to work out how to brand, or more importantly sell their pay material.

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

So it's a bit like supermarkets putting a new wrapper on the same pack of sausages, slapping a big NEW! sticker on the front and sitting back to watch the upturn in sales?

Well if it works for Tesco.....

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

It does work. Why do you think big brands spend millions changing logos?

No logical reason why it should work, apart from the fact that people can be a little image obssessed.

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

I know it works...I find it insulting to my inteligence when it happens though.

I bet there would be a tirade of abuse for Sky if they renamed the Sky+ box and called it NEW SKY VOD!

Of course many might see the analogy between that and rebranding a whole and existing company and expeting customers to think that's NEW too!

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

not trying to be funny here but the virgin central options have been n my on demand since yesterday.
i didnt realise the red button feature on channel 119 will take me there

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

will it be a pay channel?

ik

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

it would be a good marketing step to rebrand it as 'Sky+VOD'.

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

I cant see that Sky can call their service VOD unless it is a live stream from the web/server. It should be insisted that they call it something else in the adverts, If Sky sell it as VOD then another complaint should be made to OFCOM.

If it has to download from a server to the box first it IS NOT VOD pure and simple what ever Sky may claim as you would have to wait until it downloads. Sky can olnly offer true VOD over the broadband network and this will require some kind of Satellite/IPTV hybrid box to be developed. Sky will probably need to buy one of the number of IPTV companies that starts up once BT have figured how it works or if it works properly accross their network. Which due to the state of some of the BT network it wont work everywhere.

Re: Virgin Media takes on Sky
 

that's debateable as it's classed as VOD here:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Near_Video_on_Demand

"...VOD systems either "stream" content, allowing viewing while the video is being downloaded, or "download" it in which the program is brought in its entirety to a set-top box before viewing starts..."

---------- Post added at 11:56 ---------- Previous post was at 11:53 ----------

for the customer the technical aspect of whether it's streamed or predownloaded is irrelevant. how it functions when they access the program guide/VOD library is the only concern.