Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I had Virgin fitted on the 27/11 after being with Sky for almost 10 years. I went with Virgin for the on demand and broadband service and although I am more than happy with the broadband, in my opinion the on demand and TV service in general leaves a lot to be desired.
The selection and range of on demand channels is poor and the programmes available are not what I was expecting. My in laws have recently signed up for BT Vision and the range and quality of the on demand available is fantastic compared to Virgin. The BBC channel actually has a decent selection of programmes available and the HBO channel is excellent. In addition to this the CBS and ABC channels are also very good and increase what is already a superior range of channels and programmes.
If I had known this before I signed up I would probably have still done it as I am enjoying the increase in broadband speed over my old AOL service but as on demand is such a selling point for Virgin then I think they should at least offer a decent range of programmes other than 50 episodes of Nothing to Declare.

Also don't get me started on the V+ HD box!! I have a Scientific Atlanta box and it is awful. You can make a cup of tea between selecting a channel and it actually changing. The Sky HD box was so much better and a lot more intuitive to use.

I'm not unhappy with Virgin as such, just a bit disappointed it isn't as good as it could and arguably should be.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Here's a website that lists all of the VOD available on Virgin Media

HBO programming was extensive on Virgin VOD but disappeared when Sky signed exclusivity deals with HBO for the new Sky Atlantic channel - it disappears from BT Vision this month too. Virgin have introduced some Universal box sets (Heroes, 30 Rock, House etc) to compensate to some degree.

Unlike BT Vision, VM has HD on demand too.

Shame you got an SA V+, the Samsung box is far superior in my experience.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Got to say I partly agree with corgi74 the choice is poor and hard to find (hopefully TIVO will sort this ) . I had BT Vision and the quality and layout of OD was far superior.

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BT Vision vastly inferior in other departments though.

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i have a sammy box which sometimes drives me up the wall waiting for on demand to show something. also i agree the on demand stuff is mainly rubbish i tried watchin 2 series of the sopranos and never saw the last episodes of either because it had been removed. the range of hd stuff is poor and it seems to be mostly populated with stuff thats been on the telly in the last couple of weeks, rather than whole series like the sopranos for example.

what really annoys though is for example only having the first 6 or so episodes of a series available at one time, and releasing hd versions of series a month after releasing it in normal def. can't figure out what benefit that gives a customer.

why can't they just stick up a whole of series of the sopranos / true blood etc in hd as well as normal d and leave them up for 6 months or so.

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You are correct like very little HD and broadband dependant but the content and layout is way better, and as BT customers speeds increase over the coming years so will the HD VOD.

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To be honest I'm not that fussed about on demand HD stuff. It would be nice to have more choice of SD. I'm not a fan but BT Vision had every episode of Only Fools & Horses on demand over xmas. We had Doctor Who series 2, Catherine Tate and Balamory and the rest of the same BBC programmes that was on it when I signed up.
Also BT have the free on demand movie channels for gold customers. Yes the films aren't the latest releases but as picturebox is included and that's £5 a month on Virgin it's a good deal. The Warner film channel in particular has some good ones on.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

The on demand stuff has kind of baffled me for example the sopranos i dont think it started from series 1(unless i missed it) but it started with series 2, curb your enthusiasm as on there at 1 point but again i dont think it was on in series order

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Going to be getting rid of the virgin broadband and phoneline and just keep the tv package as im gonna get broadband and phone from bt instead. Best of both worlds that way in tv respect.

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It just goes to show that every platform has it's pluses and minuses. In my opinion no one is better than the other, it's all down to what programmes interest you.

It's too late now but the OP should have threatened to cancel under the 28 day guarantee if the box is really that bad, are the SA boxes generally that bad? There does seem a lot of posts on this subject though.

As a BT Vision customer before joining VM I can honestly say without any bias that I felt their on demand offer overall was considerably better content wise than VM's (as long as you don't mind SD), let's be clear though the majority of VM's is SD too. Of course OD is what you are predominantly paying for with BT Vision so it should be better. A little bit of HD was available but you had to download it, and I think it was PPV.

However their linear content was vastly inferior to VM as of course it is mainly just freeview.

Take you pick I suppose, both are good in my opinion it just depends what you want.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I have had a SA for nearly 3 years with no issues with regards recording, changing channels and find the speed of reaction to be fine.

I also have used both the SA and the Samsung in work as we have a multitude of these machines set up for diagnostics and have found little to choose between the two, and our machines get a lot of use.

Also as I work for the company do you not think that I would be at the head of the queue if my machine was a turkey.

My wife's sister has two SA machines as well and they also have no issues.

Personally I think a lot of the fuss is because people want the latest machine regardless of what their present machine can do.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Personally I don't think it is unreasonable for a customer who only joined VM in November 2010 to expect the latest available kit.

Or maybe it is!

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Exactly, you work for the company, so your not going to start slagging off the equipment that loads of people know is outdated and poor performing.

Leave that to us.

It's a matter of expectations - I expect my channel to change in less than 3 -4 seconds. I expect to be able to press a button and not have to be told "just a minute". Maybe these expectations are unreasonable, but I don't think they are.

And I couldn't care less what the latest machine is - I still use a 8 year old iMac at home.

---------- Post added at 08:21 ---------- Previous post was at 08:19 ----------

But there lies another "advantage" of "renting" your equipment - they don't include that in their literature ;)

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

You are just making a fuss obviously!!

Seriously though I cannot personally comment on the SA's performance, I wouldn't have accepted one purely because you cannot record radio with it.

Out of interest I wonder when the SA V+ ceased production, if indeed it has?

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If my box was not performing I would be the first on the phone but obviously you only skimmed my post because why should I a member of staff suffer from poor equipment.

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I read your post very carefully thanks

Why should anyone paying for service suffer from poor equipment? Staff or no staff?

And if, as you put it, you thought your machine was a turkey, you certainly wouldn't be brandishing that opinion around a public forum as it doesn't exactly fit the corporate message, does it?

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I'm tolerating the SA box as I hope to upgrade to Tivo as soon as it's available. Would rather have had a Samsung though. Really not impressed by the SA.

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I know what to expect from my machine and where to check when at home and my machine after almost 3 years works a treat, which has nothing to do with corporate image as I have been a customer a lot longer than I have been a member of staff.

Do you really think that my wife would tolerate my V+ acting up especially as I work for the company, I would be told to get it sorted as soon as possible and I would ensure that if I had an engineer slot booked it would be for a time that I was here so no bullplop could be said about the machine.

If and when I have a fault with any of my services then I am on the phone because I am also a customer.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

The SA box is slightly underpowered for the job so if it gets asked to do too much it will take a fit and become unresponsive. Auto powersaving makes things even more unresponsive as it 'wakes up' - I really wish that feature was removed because it makes an fairly decent STB almost unusable at times.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Don't know what you lot are whinging about. I've still got a PACE 4000 box that even pre-dates NTL (says Cable & Wireless on it). Still works fine.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I don't think the non V+ boxes (even the older ones) suffer from the same problems as the SA V+.

I know someone who has the box you refer to and it does indeed work fine although BBC Red Button is supposedly quite slow compared to my V+.

My Samsung V Box was lightning fast, noticably faster than the Samsung V+ which is no slow coach either but I guess it does a lot less, it isn't always recording a buffer and dosen't have a 8 day EPG to contend with either.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I've found choice on demand good for documentaries and some sit coms that don't particularly follow an in depth storyline.

But for dramas I would not bother as if it doesn't start at s1 when I find it then it will probably ruin my viewing experience of the show should I get into it. Even if it did start at s1 I probably would avoid it anyway as I wouldn't want to get into a show and then not know when/if I can watch it again for s2 onwards

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Was/is a great box the 4000 - not like the 1000 series that got hot enough to fry an egg on top!

Parents have still got one going strong from their original install - must be getting for 10 years old now!

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Most Pace kit has been excellent and it's a shame they no longer seem to make STB's for most UK operators (they make BT Vision kit I think), it's amazing how a little British company has ballooned into the worldwide firm it is now.

We had an analogue Pace receiver for satellite years ago and it was light years ahead of others we had but it wasn't cheap though.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

If you ever need an engineer it will be replaced by default even if the fault is not with the box.;)

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Not sure what make my v+ box is but seems to work ok mostly. My only beef is when I want to watch a program on demand such as Eatenders last night in hd I`m often given the message ``there`s a high demand for this program in your area right now,please try later``. This is very anoying as I`m convinced what they really mean is there`s a fault please try later. I`m sure there`s not that many people in my area at that particular time wanting to watch Eastenders in hd!

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I don't think it's just that they want to watch that particular programme just high demand for the service. Having said that though the only time I have had that message recently was at a time I didn't think there was likely to be high demand and it was fine the next day so I did wonder if it was a fault.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I get this frequently on HD OD content.

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If it's error 9132, then it is contention. It's not a "fault" as such... Work is being done to address this issue.

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Yeah I`m sure your`e right about it not being one particular program being demanded in my area but the whole demand service. There is a phone number given that you can phone if the fault keeps happening but all they tell you to do is to re-boot your box. This sometimes works but not always.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

There is nothing the call-centre can do about 9132. It is just basically too many people trying to use the service at once.

As I say, work is being done to address this. It is one of VM's USP's and they are aware of the negativity this problem causes.

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When this happens does it get automatically logged though so VM know which areas have a problem?

Currently in the evening for me there's a 50% chance of being able to watch an HD on demand programme without this happening. Makes having a Picturebox sub a bit pointless...

When Tivo arrives it will do on demand via IP instead so it should be less of a problem, yes?

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Yes. We can see on our monitoring tools in VoD Surveillance and Outage Surviellance.

Some load balancing can be done at times, but if there are simply too many requests, then it gives that error.

You should be able to get the programme if you leave it a few mins and try again.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

It's 2 months since I posted this and Catherine Tate, Balamory and Doctor Who series 2 are STILL on the BBC TV Choice. I think I will miss them if and when they ever go.
Also BT Vision still have HBO on demand even after Sky Atlantic has started and they get Picturebox for free.
My SA box is still a piece of s*** and is causing me problems with my wife as she hates it more than I do. I'm getting moaned at for getting rid of sky as she finds it slow, counter intuitive and unresponsive compared to Sky HD.
I don't know how long the 'We'll have Tivo soon' response is going to appease her.
Please tell me the on demand is better on the Tivo.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Same content, different box

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

You also get BBC iPlayer app with radio programmes

---------- Post added at 12:34 ---------- Previous post was at 12:32 ----------

PictureBox is part of a package, like TV Choice on VM.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Would be nice if it was included with XL though. Personally I couldn't give a toss about ESPN so if I was given a choice of one or the other I would have had Picturbox.

---------- Post added at 12:51 ---------- Previous post was at 12:49 ----------

Bit of a waste really then. Dedicated 10meg line to stream the same stuff the current boxes do well enough.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

We haven't even scratched the surface yet, with what TiVo can do ;)

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

I hope not. I had a series 1 years ago and loved it. Only got rid because it was struck by lightning.
Anything over and above what my current box can do is a bonus as far as I'm concerned as I'm more interested in the recording capabilty and a box that actually works in a way that can measured in anything other than geological time.
I was hoping for better on demand but I doubt that's going to happen.
As much as I want one and I will get one I can't help thinking that the additional features will be the standard web tv guff of flikr, facebook and youtube apps you can get on a £99 blu ray player.
Personally I don't think they are selling points for me but they may be for others.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Absolutely not.... trust me!

plus, on demand is a growth area for VM and is something that will be improved further this year.

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No offence DF but it needs to be , I had BT Vision a while ago and the content on that was ten times better than VM , admittedly though the BT Vision product is mainly about On Demand and as of yet it doesn't do lots of HD.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

none taken :)

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I'd read this article

http://paidcontent.co.uk/article/419...-tv-explosion/#

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Some Catherine Tate series have been on TVC since at least December 2009 and I am reliably informed they have been there for a lot longer than that.

Same with Royle Family, I no longer have access to TVC but as of last week they were still there.

Still funny though!

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Same here mine ends in the morning and its one part of the TV service I won't miss , I believe there are still shows from Telewest days.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Are you leaving?

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Still got M TV from tomorrow , XL BB and M phone , I'm afraid the darkside are installing in the morning , its nothing VM have particularly done just a couple of HD channels I miss. In a lot of respects I can't believe I've gone back to a Murdoch company. You may see me back as a VMTV customer in a year who knows thanks for the help on here DF and other VM staff. I will still stay on here and promise not to be sky bias LOL :D

Cue the abuse from the masses LOL :D

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

No abuse from me muppetman. If that is the best combo for your needs then fair play, it's the beauty of choice :)

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Good luck mate and please stick around the forum :)

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Good luck on your choice and stick around on here.! Personally speaking i am none too worried about any HD channels as my v+ box upscales to alomost HD quality not far short anyway.

Its only the Red Button i am waiting for soon to arrive on sky sports.

Even if i could switch to sky i doubt i would now as its cheaper on my deal to keep my services under the one supplier good luck though.:)

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Please keep contributig to VM tivo discussions; it's good to have views from all aspects and I always appreciate yours.

Hope the sky services go well.

BTW, as it's not the 20th yet, if you've won a free tivo, can I have it please? :D :D

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Thanks to all , it was a hard choice to leave and my main reasons were ESPNA in HD , Sky sports 3 and 4 in HD , full red button service and wider range of HD channels, I hope VM keep up the good work and keep Sky on their toes. I hope TIVO proves a success and I'm wrong about the monthly sub , only time will tell.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

You haven't actually left; you still have 3 services from VM. You've just split your services in the way a lot of other people have done, and others have considered.

Sky rule in linear TV channels, whereas VM rule in other areas; you've picked the best of both. I think Tivo complicates that otherwise well defined split, but for some, tivo features outweigh extra channels; for some they don't.

Re: Catch Up - Disappointing
 

Your not allowed to gloat over the quality of the picture on ESPNA HD:D:D

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Ha ha I wont mate I promise , and I hope it comes to VM pretty soon.

---------- Post added at 14:44 ---------- Previous post was at 14:43 ----------

Very true mate there's pros and cons to everything , think of me when your using your three tuners and I'm making do with two LOL :D