V+ vs SKY+
 

Whats the difference between the V+ and Sky+ boxes?

What are the advantages and disadvantages of both the boxes?

Thanks

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Sky+ works well but is only SD.

V+ works but and is capable of HD if VM had any of any note. Reports indicate the V+ is operationally slow and quite buggy. Seems to require frequent reboots and reformats.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Slow!!! Slow is not the word, i could say the Chinese alphabet backwards quicker then my V+ changes channels sometimes.

I wish i never had V+ and kept Sky. i know when the 12m contact ends i will be going back to Sky.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

My V+ works fine, and is not particularly slow changing channels.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Sky+ only records 1 channel while watching another, V+ records 2 channels.
Sky+ changes channel faster (V+ does take a couple of seconds to change channel but it's not as slow as otheres make out).
On V+ +1 channels (eg, dave+1, watch+1) are listed after the orignal channel (eg, dave is channel 128, dave+1 is channel 129), this is not the case on sky.
V+ channel guide is easier to read and also keeps the feed from the channel you were watching on screen in a mini view in the top right corner, sky doesn't (which I find annoying).
Virgin doesn't have all the 100's of shopping/gaming/gambling/pointless channels that Sky has (can only be a good thing)
V+ has about twice the recording capacity of a sky+ box (unless recording HD programs)

These are my own personal opinions from what I have experienced of both platforms (I have V+, the in-laws have sky+)

Hope this helps

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Had Sky+ for about 3 years, before changing to V+ late last year.

Most of the 'features' have been mentioned. The V+ is slower, but as said, not that slow (although sometimes it can take 5 or 6 seconds to change channels, which at the times seem like ages).

My biggest reason for V+ is that Virgin own the box - if it fails, you get a replacement. If the Sky+ box fails (which mine was beginning to on a regular basis - failed recordings etc) you have to pay for a new one.

Also, although not '+' related, the cost for me is lower with Virgin (XL, L Broadband & telephone = £36) than the equivalent with Sky/BT. Setanta being free is a bonus.

Overall, much prefer V+ - just hope they sort out some more HD channels (plus Sky giving them the Red Button on Sky Sports would mean I would take that up as well).

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

The v+ is a much better product imho.

In the v+s favour
The upscaling on the v+ does not compare to the no upscaling on sky+
watch 1 record 2 v watch 2 and see the sky+ get all confused and schedule clashes all the time.
Vod v anytime which is a joke in SD. Vod is much better it's just a shame the vod menus are so slow.
Mini guide on cable far superior to sky's very poor one.
V+ more stable than sky+ box. Fewer failed recordings, fewer wiping of HD.

Channel change faster on sky+ is about the only thing in Sky+s favour.
EPG on sky is overall faster than on cable.
You can upgrade the HD to something more suitable.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

I have had V+ used constantly for about 18 months. Never needed a reformat. Rarely needed a reboot. Never noticed it being 'buggy'. Always recorded everything it has been asked to record. Upscaled SD picture superb and (at the risk of starting the debate again), some well transmitted SD programmes look better than other not so well transmitted BBC HD programmes. Great to be able to record two progammes while watching another.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Where the v+ is unstable is the updates after midnight. Other than that it rarely throws a wobbly other than going a bit unstable using vod menus but this rarely properly crashes it requiring a reboot, it normally recovers eventually. Compared to my old Pace box it is extremely stable. I think overall the SA box I had was more stable and handled vod menus better but it wasn't the lighting quick box that in comparison that others seem to make out. The other day I timed on a stopwatch how long it took to get into music on demand to play a particular track awkwardly placed in the middle and it took 3 minutes 40 seconds. This was very disappointing but was mostly down to some of the menus depressions taking 15 seconds to load a new page whereas most of the time it's 3-4 seconds. If you play a better placed programme or music videos it's less than a minute.

I've never needed to reformat my v+.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

It may be worth comparing V+ and SkyHD - comparing V+ and Sky+ is perhaps not comparing like for like.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

V+ is also better than SKY HD?

Whats the difference here?

Thanks

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

A similar comparison.

Sky+ HD is 320Gb hard drive, half of this is used for anytime. When it first launched it was a joke but anytime HD is kind of all right now if you subscribe to full board on sky.

Sky still only has those 2 tuners, so same clashes. Sky+ HD box is very good for both content (29 proper HD channels + anytime HD + 2 box office channels) and the codecs are much better than those used on BBC HD so on most channels recording HD doesn't take up an outrageous amount of space.

The EPG on Sky+ HD is only in SD so looks pants (so does virgin's) but people have been waiting a very long time for the HD EPG and it will be here soon.

The only downside of the Sky+ HD box is the SD picture is not especially pleasant. Virgin upscales very well SD, it just sucks to have only 1 HD channel that isn't even a full channel until March.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Thankyou 'demented', you gave me some good info their. I now need to decide whether to go for v+ or sky+ HD.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

I have had both and vplus is better by a mile .

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

I have had V+ for over a year with no signficant problems, the odd spontaneous reboot but nothing to worry about.:) I think keeping it cool is the key, dont keep it in a glass fronted cabinet it needs air circulation.

The functionality and ease of use is good, I dont have a problem with EPG or Channel change time, but then again I have never had Sky+.

VOD is quick and the now "integrated" BBC iPlayer is superb.

I beleive that the V+ is also better when copying recorded content to a DVD recorder, on V+ you can set it up to export, press the button and away you go with all normal viewing and recording facilites, Sky+, I beleive, forces you to watch the programme you are copying. Maybe someone with Sky+ can verify for me.....I may be wrong :dunce:

Also installation is simpler ! You dont need a phone line plugged into it or multiple cables from the dish.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Me too and I fully agree. V+ is far superior.;)

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

The V+ has some good points, such as three tv tuners, archive to DVD and watching another channel etc, but I have just switched to Sky+HD (and my mum has Sky+), and am impressed.

The box is slow to respond when coming out of standby, but not as slow as the V+. Sky+ seems to be the quickest. The Sky+HD, and Sky+, look much nicer than the V+ (has anyone ever tried to squeeze a V+ into a Sky+HD shell).

Channel changing is very quick on Sky+, slower on Sky+HD, and much slower on V+. Also, on a glass stand, the Sky+HD is silent, but the V+ isn't. On a wooden stand the Sky+ is silent.

I, personally, prefer the way that Sky+/Sky+HD go into standby with just a red light, rather that enough lighting to light up a dark room.

The V+ says it can rewind/fast forward at 32x, whereas Sky+ can only manage 30x. The Sky+ seems smoother at doing this, but this could be by design. Also the Sky+ stops quicker (sometimes my V+ just ignored me all together when I asked it to stop fast forwarding).

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

I've decided to go for the V+ STB. Engineer is coming tomorrow:)

Can you rewind a program even if you have not paused or recorded that program,channel?

Cheers all

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

It does buffer live TV, not sure of the limits (obviously not before you changed channel) but I think there is an hours buffer or so in it.

JJ

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Yes - think it is 2 hours. However, 2 thing that Sky+ does which V+ doesn't.

1) If the V+ box has not been used for a while (not sure how long - probably many hours) you cannot rewind. This may be cancelled out against Sky+ as it goes into stand-by at 1am each morning, so if V+ is over 24 hours then both the same.

2) You cannot rewind, and then record. eg if you are watching a film, you cannot rewind back to the start and record.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

When was the first TV drive released?

And when did the Black V+ come out? .... anyone know?

Thanks

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Had Sky+ for three years, loved it.
Now got V+, and personally prefer it for the following reasons :-

1: More space for recordings (80 hours in Std Def)
2: Record two programs at same time, while watching a third
3: TV Planner is better
4: Virgin don't sting me £10 extra for the priviledge of having V+, unlike Sky +
5: If V+ packs up, Virgin own it so they'll fix/replace it free of charge
Oh, and finally, I get V+, XL TV, Broadband L (10MB) and phone for £36 a month.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

1) Although Sky+ doesn't have the same amount of HDD space as a V+ box, Sky+HD does if you were to have got that instead (160GB, ~80 hours SD).

3) New Sky EPG due "imminently" (March apparently). Much improved over the old one.

4) You only have to pay £10 for Sky+ features if you do not subscribe to any Sky packages. If you have even just one mix, Sky+ features are free.

With the rise of Freesat & Freesat+, I would expect (hope) Sky to finally drop the Sky+ subscription completely - makes no sense when you can get a Freesat+ box & have PVR functions without having to pay any kind of subscription to anyone.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Agree Sky should drop the £10 charge for Sky+ features, why pay them £10 extra for the priviledge of having live pause/rewind/record when you've paid for the box anyway.
And I think you only avoid paying if you take Sports or Movies, I had Sports so didn't pay. Prefer the fact that I don't own the Virgin V+ box, even though I had no issues with my Sky+ (often commented on the fact that it was the best gadget I'd ever purchased), in the back of my mind I knew that if it failed it was down to me to pay for repairs.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Yup, back when they were the only real option, they could get away with it.

But now you can easily get a Freesat+ box (or a Freeview+ box), I don't see how Sky can continue to justify charging* to use PVR functions...

*[those with no subscription]


As for the Sky+ fee itself though... yeah, it used to be the case that it was only free if you had a Premium channel (Sport/Movies), but they actually dropped that nearly two years ago & changed it so that Sky+ functions were free if you had *any* Sky subscription... even just basic Mixes.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Assuming your talking about std Sky+ then the difference is astronomical

Sky+ via analogue scart will be barely watchable on H/Def TV

V+ via upscaled digital HDMI is best possible SD picture you're likely to see

.

---------- Post added at 20:30 ---------- Previous post was at 20:28 ----------

albeit you forgot to mention Sky+ can record also two channels at same time just like V+ :naughty:

.

---------- Post added at 20:39 ---------- Previous post was at 20:30 ----------

Actually you've dropped on V+ massive boo-boo/bug

Whilst you can rewind TV, unlike any other PVR you cant record the programme???????

V+ only record/save from when you actually press 'record'

Irony is it actually has the whole programme recorded in the buffer (so you can rewind) but it just "dumps" it

A chimpansee could fix it but VM can't be bothered :mad:

.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

How many minutes can you rewind when watching a channel/programme on V+, if you don't record it?

And how long can you pause a programme?

Thanks

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

You can rewind for 90 mins - but like i say - unlike other PVRs you can not save/record this portion - V+ just dumps it

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

And how long can you pause a programme then?

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

90 mins - the same

I rarely pause for more than few minutes - because of the bug you'd better to just press record

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Which 'bug' you on about m8?

...You mean because you can't record paused programmes?

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

The one i've just mentioned

V+ ditches the buffer so you cant record/keep anything that's in it - unlike *any* other PVR


e.g. let's say you walk in and a movie is 45 minutes in - with any other PVR you just press "record" and it will record the whoooooooole thing from the beginning - V+ wont, it can only record from teh moment you press 'record' = you miss the first 45 minutes even though it's recorded it in the buffer and you can even rewind to see it.
.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

But why would you want to record a paused programme, you might aswell just record it. If you don't like the programme, you can just delete it.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Have to agree that this is a missing feature (as opposed to a bug).

As for why you would want it, if you turn something on half way through, and like it (but haven't got the time/inclination to watch it in full) you can just press record, and the whole of the programme would be recorded to watch at a later time.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Any ideas if the new Samsung V+ will have these/new features, or will it be the same as the SA8300 version?

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Once you start to embrace the whole PVR experience you'll answer your own question - but it's down to the liberation of TV as you know it - the choice to do what you want, when you want -albeit V+ is not as liberating as other PVR's

On my Philips PVR i can sit down at tea time + rewind upto whoooopin 6 hours + just couple flicks directly to the begining of the programmes (instead of watching them backwards on V+ :banghead:) + then watch a film that was on at lunch time + *then* decide whether to record it (save it)

now *that* is truly liberating

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

In reality with the TV Catch up functionality, then there's no need to rewind programmes so far back on the V+

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Had V+ for a couple of years now and don't know how I managed without it! Have to reset it now and again but not excessively, and my dad has Sky and that's not exactly perfect. Being able to record two programs at once is a huge plus (nothing on at all for days then lots on at the same time). Channel changing isn't particularly slow and all the other features of hard drive storage work very well. Could do with more HD content of course, but I'm happy with what I've got and just wait for the rest

Tom

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

Not that I know of.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

I think you mean 'in theory' since 'in reality' probably less than 5% of broadcasts are available on catch-up

i've *never* seen a movie on catch up

for these reasons catch-up cant possibly replace recording what you want when you want.

.

Re: V+ vs SKY+
 

no, movies aren't in catch up,

also catch up is only selected channels, bbc, channel 4, and now ITV, and a few more.

ive only just got v+ so i dont have that much experince, but i've hav virgin, telewest etc. for many years