F1 Channel
 

How do VM customers get the F1 Channel, is it bundled into XL?

Re: F1 Channel
 

Subscribe to Sky Sports

Re: F1 Channel
 

As said, those who subscribe to the SKY Sports package will get the SD version of F1 channel. On channel 516, launches on 9th March.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Either buy the sky sports package with VM, or defect to sky (as long as you buy the sky HD service, you don't need to buy the sports package - there is no additional charge for F1).

Re: F1 Channel
 

no it would never be as ESPN as this is Sky we are dealing with! :-)

Re: F1 Channel
 

For now. Give it a couple of years, you WILL have to have the Sky Sports package!

Gutting its not in HD!!

Re: F1 Channel
 

F1 is in HD on the BBC this year like it was last year only problem is we only get half the races live. The extended highlights are still going to be shown on either BBC one HD or BBC HD depending on the time the BBC decide to show it.

Sky are making a big song and dance about F1 being in HD but like I said before the BBC had all that sorted last year !!!
So don't worry just because we don't get all the races live we will still get a HD broadcast regardless of the race being live or highlights.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Sky's fault.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Yes 100 per cent.:td:

Re: F1 Channel
 

Why?:confused:

Re: F1 Channel
 

Because they are deliberately with-holding back the HD variants of their channels to give themselves a competitive advantage and this is where Ofcom should step in to force them to make available the HD variants of some of their channels.

Re: F1 Channel
 

It's not often I disagree with den, but as far as I'm concerned Sky have earnt their competitive advantage since it is they, and not Virgin, that have gone out and bought the rights to the sports that they show on their channels. Forcing a company to share some of what it considers to be it's most important assets in the interests of competition is really just giving Virgin a license to make money out of another company's adventure. Same with f1, Sky have every right to keep the hd version for themselves, I believe. And I really hate Sky!

Re: F1 Channel
 

Agree with this 100% .....after all sky is a business not a charity .... ;)

.

.

.

.

Re: F1 Channel
 

How do you know that it is all Sky's fault? I ask because there are non Sky HD channels that VM also don't carry.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I agree with you completely Sky are the ones who put "their money where their mouth is" and go out and do things.

Re: F1 Channel
 

One issue is that Sky own both the content and the distribution. Maybe they need to be split off so that no single company (replace with whatever definition you think makes most sense) can own both.

That way you'd have a content owner/provider who would sell to whatever distributors they want to at a reasonable price.

I am completely unbiased in my views :)

Re: F1 Channel
 

Shame on them Den for trying to give themselves a competitive advantage,I've never heard of anything so selfish......:rolleyes:


PS I also really hate Sky but I am a sports nut and IMO Virgin can not compete as yet,who knows though things may change.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Yes i can tell your completely impartial:D

Having said that splitting Sky up between content and platform has long been rumbling around in various postings.:)

Re: F1 Channel
 

The problem being , too many platform owners around the world also have their own channels and content it would be harsh to enforce this on Sky when other companies were allowed to continue on , I'm sure Comcast in the USA is a platform and channel owner. Sky use the wide range of HD channels as a USP just as VM use their fibre optic BB network in fact I'm sure if you asked random people what they thought of VM and Sky the majority would say BB for VM and TV , HD when it came to Sky.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Yes having read you post MM i have to agree it would seem a little harsh to impose this on Sky seeing as its the TV side that is the main business,and with VM its the broadband i have to agree with you on those points mate.

Guess its the consumer thinking in me coming out.:D

Re: F1 Channel
 

On Demand / TiVo / Fast Broadband for Virgin Media

Extra Channels / HD for Sky

:)

Re: F1 Channel
 

Even if this happened there is no guarantee that there would be any more HD on VM. VM's current pricing structure doesn't really lend itself to more and more HD as they don't really charge a seperate sub for HD.

It could just as easily be the case that VM don't really want to spend/charge anymore than they already do.

Re: F1 Channel
 

But it was OK for Virgin to own content and distribution when they had VMTV back in the day? Was that not unfair on Sky?

Only difference being, I'd take a wild guess that Sky's content is a hell of a lot more popular and made a hell of a lot more money in subs than VM's ever was (Sports/Movies/Atlantic etc etc)

Re: F1 Channel
 

This whole scenario with F1 was brought about by the BBC and its the BBC who is to blame for the viewing situation. The BBC couldn't afford to keep F1 going as it was within their budget but also the BBC refused to give up the rights to F1 even though they couldn't afford it.
Channel 4 were willing to step in and take over but this could only happen its BBC terminated their contract with the FOM (Bearnie Ecclestone).
The BBC refused to terminate their agreement so the FOM was stuck with a TV air agreement who couldn't afford to produce a show.
The BBC then offered SKY the rights to all live races providing the BBC kept a highlights package as long as the FOM aggreed To which they did, hence the situation we are in now.

If the BBC were not so worried about loosing the big viewer numbers F1 brought in and just cut their losses we would be looking forward to channel 4's all live coverage including HD.
This is not the case because the BBC loosing F1 completely will almost kill off its popularity and as such we have this half assed coverage from the BBC even though their production team are still going to every race.

Sky are the ones who are investing in F1 and as such can market it as they see fit to benefit them.

Although Sky keep banging on about HD the fact is the BBC's coverage is also in HD so of its F1 in HD you are after then dont worry as the BBC will still show F1 in HD it's just a matter of only half the races are live.

Re: F1 Channel
 

HD content has long been a USP for Sky. As such I really don't blame them for keeping SSF1 HD for themselves. That's like demanding that VM open up their network to allow Sky access to fiber-optic broadband (pre BT Infinity rollout of course).

The only reason we have the existing Sky content (both linear and on-demand) in HD was due to the sale of VMTV to Sky. After that, VM have run out of cards to play when playing poker with Sky.

Re: F1 Channel
 

THey should also force Virginmedia to open its cable Internet to sky as well . It seems virgin want the Tv channels from sky but don't want to give sky access to its broadband. Both company's were at 1 point billions in debt , but sky managed to get a model that allowed it to become debt free. Virginmedia has not managed this yet.But sky should not be constantly penalised for being a success.

Re: F1 Channel
 

It possibly would have been a bit more even aguably if sky had not blocked VMs bid for ITV by hoovering up shares in the company.:(

If the takeover had of happned it could well be that VM might have still been in the content and distribution game.

Sky bought a 17.9% stake in ITV in 2006 just as rival Virgin was finalising a takeover deal with ITV. The move was widely seen as a strategic move to prevent that merger.

---------- Post added at 04:53 ---------- Previous post was at 04:46 ----------

Well the deals also benefit sky also ,sure they have invested in F1 but by selling the SD version to VM gain access to a potential 3.8 million customers approx,thereby letting sky charge extra for ad space,also seeing as VM customers will have to pay £22.50 a month to get the sky sports package for F1,sky also rake in extra in subs they might not otherwise have got,not a bad deal for either VM or Sky.

Re: F1 Channel
 

end of the day sky sports f1 is free to sky subscribers but not to virgin media subscribers.. thats a joke.. on both networks should be the same prises on all channels and packages to the subscribers..its only fair..

Re: F1 Channel
 

Because Sky want to keep the HD version exclusive to them, so that they can win customers from VM...it's just business I'm afraid.

I should think in another year or two it will be in HD on VM also.

Re: F1 Channel
 

If you don't pay for hd and want Sky Sports f1 then you have to subscribe to the sports channels. That is the same on Sky and Virgin. If you want it in hd on Sky then you still have to pay for the hd pack. In other words it's available to their most valued subscribers, but if you didn't have sports or hd you wouldn't see the channel on Sky. They are very much using this to drive sports and hd subs.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Id Rather stick my head down the toilet, rather getting the sky sports collection package... Oh What will i do?

A) Boycott the whole F1 Season and wont buy it from sky.
and dont watch it

OR

b) find a F1 streaming website theres a few out there such as livestream.com does live streaming for F1

http://www.livestream.com/f1streaming

There is a HD one

http://www.ustream.tv/channel/formula-1-live-hd-stream

must be better than watching the highlights from the bbc?

Re: F1 Channel
 

Just do whatever suits you Sky rang me last night asking if he could come today not Monday as a guy on my street is also having sky installed .so he is here right now he has finished the main box an is installing the multi room .

I'm watching the F1HD channel loop right now an for me who is a massive F1 fan this is a dream come true. For you watching a stream on the Internet is what you want .... We're both happy

Re: F1 Channel
 

That still doesn't explain why VM don't carry all other non HD channels.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Yes it does. Sky charge for them, and they can restrict what they let VM have.

And many of the channels on VM are also available in HD.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Bear in mind that the interactive F1 feeds on SSF1 will be in SD regardless of platform and the Virgin SD will be higher quality and bitrate than the Sky equivalents going on past experience

Re: F1 Channel
 

That doesn't explain anything. Where is ITV 2, 3 & 4 in HD?

Does that have something to do with Sky too?

Instead of blaming Sky the more obvious explanation is that VM do not want to add these channels.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Sky are the rights holders and can do with the F1 rights as they see fit after paying for them and have done just that,making sure any VM customers wanting to view have to stump up.

I was just trying to say in my earlier posting VM may well still have been in a position to buy/comission rights themselves, had Sky not scuppered the impending deal for VM to merge with ITV,just imagine if sky had not have bought those shares and VM had of sealed the deal the missing ITV HD channels would have been owned by VM, Sky saw Virgin Medias aquisition of ITV as a real threat,so acted to keep market dominence.

The regulator as usual was useless.

If a big company such as ITV was owned by VM just imagine they might even have been able to afford the rights to F1.!!!

Re: F1 Channel
 

What about the missing free to air CBS channels? ITV2,3,4 HD And animal planet HD those chaanels are nothing to do with Sky same for the missing MTV stuff.

Wake up an smell the coffee virgin are free to get those channels anytime they want . But you just keep eating those price rises an blaming sky.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Lex is on about non Sky HD channels I'm pretty sure ESPNA HD agreements are between VM and ESPN nothing at all to do with Sky the same with MTV HD , Animal Planet HD etc.

Re: F1 Channel
 

It isn't in their best business interest to not add HD channels as and when they can. VM already have ITV1 in HD, so I'm sure the others will follow.

---------- Post added at 16:53 ---------- Previous post was at 16:50 ----------

And you really think it doesn't cost VM anything to add extra channels?? I would rather that they concentrate on channels that most people want to watch. Personally I never watched the CBS channels on Sky, so I wouldn't watch them on VM.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Every platform has ITV1HD though as its a free to air channel.

But that still doesn't explain what your implying re Sky. VM don't have alot of HD channels that have nothing to do with Sky. Not sure why its Sky that is the bad guy here. Sounds more like excuses.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I've been banging my head trying to subscribe to Sky Sports F1, with Virgin Media, so that it was all in place from 07 March 2012

I phoned them earlier this year (January 2012) to confirm that I could add this service when it was available
I was advised to wait until the service appeared in My Virgin Media and I could then subscribe
It briefly appeared in the middle of February, so as per the previous instructions waited until my current bill was issued
This bill then arrived, but Sky Sports F1 has disappeared again

So I submitted an order to subscribe
"Yes, we can install this for you from Monday 19 March"
"What is the point of that, I will miss the first race?"
"er, I see what you mean"

Yesterday I was advised the installation had now been arranged for Monday 09 April
"You are an existing customer?"
"Yes"

It is easy enough to change services online, so why is it so difficult for them to simply add this?
A few times each year I subscribe then unsubscribe to services, never had any issues

Re: F1 Channel
 

For anyone interested Senna is to be shown from this Friday on Sky Movies Premiere and HD.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Recording it while l am away on Holiday big man.:)

Re: F1 Channel
 

I've never been able to get things change online - but it works within 5 minutes when I call them.

Re: F1 Channel
 

We aren't talking about loads of other HD channels, we are talking about Sky F1 HD, not ITV.

You also need to read my earlier posts.

---------- Post added at 00:16 ---------- Previous post was at 00:12 ----------

I'm sure someone else will know far more than I do about this, but are you sure that a 'free to view channel' is actually 'free to air', or do VM have to pay for it?

Also I'm sure (as I have said previously), that adding a new channel isn't just a case of flicking a switch. There must be huge costs involved.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I did read your earlier post and it made no sense. ITV channels were mentioned because they are an example of HD channels for which Sky have nothing to do with and that VM decided not to carry.

Your implication that F1 HD is not on VM because of Sky has no backing. It is plausible, as in the example of ITV HD channels, that VM simply don't wish to carry the F1 HD channel.

It just seems like blaming Sky here is a convenient way to side step the issue that VM customers should take it up with VM why they don't get this channel.

Re: F1 Channel
 

What channel is F1 on VM other than 101?

Re: F1 Channel
 

Sky Sports F1 channel on channel 516.

Re: F1 Channel
 

sky would not let VM have skyF1 HD at all so sky to blame on this one and has been said before sky only letting VM have SD channels from now on

Re: F1 Channel
 

VM have SkyF1 :)

Re: F1 Channel
 

i know meant sky F1 HD didnt realise i missed HD out till now fixed it now :LOL::LOL:

Re: F1 Channel
 

I fidn't know Sky had said they would withhold all future HD channels. Do you have a link to where Sky said that?

Re: F1 Channel
 

It's far more commercially viable for VM to have F1 in HD, than it is to have ITV channels. They can earn money from F1 HD, but the ITV channels won't make much of a difference to most peoples decision to choose VM over Sky.

I'm not blaming anyone. I quite clearly explained that it is an understandable business decision made by Sky to keep the HD version exclusive to them until many people who insist on HD have signed up to them. I presume this is a similar situation to Sky Atlantic. This is absolutely nothing to do with the ITV channels. If you want them in HD so badly, then go on the VM forums, and ask.

Re: F1 Channel
 

And because of Skys refusal to offer Virgin the HD variants we should be grateful for small mercies.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Everytime I get asked by a $ky rep to go to $ky I say no because they didn't make F1 FTA.

No the main reason but a quick and polite way to say sod off. :D

Re: F1 Channel
 

Not all that bothered about F1 being in HD, but i would have liked to be given the option to have just the F1 channel as a standalone rather than having to take the full sky sports collection to get it.
The amount of time i would actually get to watch sky sports doesnt justify me spending £22.50 a month on it
Considering switching to sky even though i don't particularly want to, the £10.00 per month for HD is a rip off in my opinion but its cheaper than £22.50 for channels i will hardly watch !
I would happly pay for skyF1 if it wasnt too expensive, maybe they could offer a swap for ESPN or something

Re: F1 Channel
 

As someone who only who is only interested in F1 and rugby union, six nations and world cup matches having the sky sports package would be a waste of money that I can neither afford or want to spend. Why cant VM offer the F1 channel to XL customers on its own for a much smaller fee?

Re: F1 Channel
 

Its Skys channel to sell and they would have stipulated to VM how it should be re-sold,it would have had little to do with VM i am sure if they could have they would have.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Perhaps VM were lousy negotiators?

Re: F1 Channel
 

l would have to disagree with your assumption as you have to remember it takes two sides to come to a reasonable conclusion in negotiatians.

Re: F1 Channel
 

No. It's a business decision on Sky's part, to get one up on VM, and win customers over. It's as simple as that!!

Re: F1 Channel
 

Perhaps they didn't have a great deal of leverage. Sky's channel, Sky's investment, Sky's to do what it likes with. I'm amazed it came to cable at all-and don't forget, if you don't have the hd pack on Sky, something which doesn't exist on Virgin, you still have to subscribe to the sports package to watch it in sd-we get that channel on essentially the same terms.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I could not agree more VM sold their last bargaining chips away last year. From now on its going to be a case of going cap in hand when ever Sky launch a new channel and saying "Please sir can I have some more";)

Re: F1 Channel
 

Apparently due to OFCOM Sky have to let them have the channels. But they don't have to let them have the HD version, and I don't know what the limit is on what they can charge.

I'm sure there are other people who know far more about it on CF.

Re: F1 Channel
 

That's wrong , this only applies to Sky Sports 1/HD1 and Sky Sports 2/HD2

Re: F1 Channel
 

And even then after a mammoth 3 year pay TV review by OFCOM.:)

Re: F1 Channel
 

Thanks for that. I was only going fron snippets that I had read on CF.

Do you mean that Sky charge VM what they want, and choose exactly what they sell to them?

Re: F1 Channel
 

I suppose it's down to the pair to agree carriage terms of any new Sky channels.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Bernie Ecclestone suggests free-to-air Formula One could end on BBC.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012...a-one-free-bbc

Re: F1 Channel
 

"The Chinese Grand Prix in April was the first race broadcast live by the BBC this year and its viewing figures were down by 1m on 2011 to a peak of 4.21m. Sky's coverage of the race peaked at 887,000 and averaged at around 1m over the first four races of the year."

So I make that 80% of the population who can't/aren't watching the races on sky.

Bernie is a master at spin - all this 'it wouldn't make any difference here in the UK' is clearly bull.

Re: F1 Channel
 

And when you consider that with 6 winners in 6 races, the races are far more exciting now. So you would expect viewing figures to go up.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I keep re-reading that piece, and I just cannot understand what Bernie's talking about. There are obviously some lines to read between but I'm struggling to do so. He can't seriously think that having a potential audience of 10 million is the same as having an actual audience of 6, can he? Especially when there is very obviously a large cross over of people who are watching the BBC coverage on the Sky platform. The simple fact is that the wishes of the sponsors will always win out, which is precisely why the BBC are continuing to get good access to teams and drivers even at races they're not broadcasting live-more people see them. Until Sky are able to compete in terms of actual viewing figures I am sure that F1 will continue to remain free to air in some form or another and will just be for Sky what it always was-a way to drive subscriptions to theirsports package outside of tthe football season and to assist with migrating customers to their hd stb.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I think it's boring, it's not who is the best driver, who takes the risk late breaking, it's all "look after tyres" and luck. The season Hamilton won was my favourite

Re: F1 Channel
 

As an avid F1 fan for many years BE doesn't have to make sense to ordinary mortals the only thing that matters to him is the amount of money going to his bank account

Re: F1 Channel
 

Agreed-and the best way to achieve that is maximum exposure for sponsor's logos. I'm confident that f1 will remain available to the channels that give it it's biggest audience.

Re: F1 Channel
 

Wouldn't that mean that the BBC and ITV could no longer make their own programmes and broadcast them on their channels? Sorry, but I don't agree with that.

The answer lies with legislating in respect of exclusivity rights. As far as Sky are concerned, for example, they should be allowed EITHER:

- To buy rights to programmes or films exclusively to show on their channels, but they must make their channels available (at no more than wholesale price and in HD where available) to other platforms, OR:

- To provide channels exclusively to their platform but not to show programmes on those channels on an exclusive basis. The HBO deal would not be allowed under this provision.

Given that this country prizes competition as much as it does, it is really surprising that the likes of Sky continue to get away with these uncompetitive practices. OFCOM should be ON it. Why is it taking so long? The Government now has an opportunity to show that it is not Mr Murdoch pulling the strings.

Don't hold your breath, anybody. :rolleyes:

Re: F1 Channel
 

Heard that as of next season SKY are changing how they offer the channel to their customers. Anyone that currently pays for SKY HD gets SKY F1 as part of their package. That's not the case next year, they have to subscribe to SKY Sports. If this is true, I wonder how many viewers SKY's F1 channel will lose next year.

Re: F1 Channel
 

When you say "heard" does that mean you just made it up or do you have a link to a credible source?

Re: F1 Channel
 

That will come as no surprise to the many that know Sky's tactics.

Re: F1 Channel
 

I will wait to here that from a Sky source before i believe that

Re: F1 Channel
 

Source ? Link ?

Re: F1 Channel
 

I dont think he has one, i reckon he is just trying to scrae us Sky people which isnt working :D

Re: F1 Channel
 

You will though probably find this happening after 2013 once the BBC contract expires.. Currently for half the races there is an alternative in the BBC but as they are not showing F1 after 2013 Sky can then do what they want and make it Subscription only (i.e..part of the Sky Sports package)

Re: F1 Channel
 

Thats fine for me at momnet. Means i still have 1.5 seasons before this happens

Re: F1 Channel
 

According to this

http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/sportedit...red_betwe.html

it is a seven year agreement that the Beeb have (though it is a blog from last year)

Re: F1 Channel
 

Oh ya its till 2018, i forgot about that. In that case i dont see it going to a SS sub anytime soon, im not worried, also i have SS anyway :D

Re: F1 Channel
 

Cool, I thought that the BBC was just sharing till the end of their contract. I didn't realise it was a whole new contract with FOG..

Re: F1 Channel
 

I meant what I said. I'm sorry that you feel I just make stuff up.
Unfortunately I can't link you to the source as it was word of mouth. My friends’ brother works as a customer advisor for SKY in Dunfermline. He'd mentioned he'd heard rumors of this a couple of weeks back.

All we can do is wait and see how things develop in the next 12 months.

---------- Post added at 12:53 ---------- Previous post was at 12:51 ----------

:D No I'm way too busy to waste my time doing that.

Re: F1 Channel
 

It may if you were all called "Chicken Little":D

Re: F1 Channel
 

I dont get. Never seen the film

Re: F1 Channel
 

Did you actually type that as a serious comment? I'm askIng this as a serious question

Re: F1 Channel
 

Since when has the red button been on the F1 channel?

It's ace

Do we get it for the race too?

Re: F1 Channel
 

Its been there from the start and its for the full three days.

Re: F1 Channel
 

It has not been on mine from the start. I have watched every race and it definitely has not been there for me.

I'm on V+ not Tivo by the way

Re: F1 Channel
 

Martin Brundle aside, I'm really looking forward to this free weekend-anyone know if I'll have full red button access to race control, or is that reserved for paying customers-I saw it suggested elsewhere that it might be.

Re: F1 Channel
 

It launched just before the British GP on the non-TiVo boxes.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/35400875-post801.html

Re: F1 Channel
 

Odd comment.

He's the best thing about F1 coverage. Probably the most knowledgeable pundit in British sports coverage.

---------- Post added at 11:45 ---------- Previous post was at 11:41 ----------

thanks

Re: F1 Channel
 

Can't stand the man, probably irrational but haven't liked him from the moment he started on ITV. Not having listen to him has been the best bit about the BBC re negotiating their rights package for me.

---------- Post added at 12:58 ---------- Previous post was at 12:46 ----------

Red button working fine. Quad screen is a very good idea and it seems faster than the BBC sports app. One up to Sky.

Wasn't expecting much from Johnny Herbert anyway, but the guy with him (Simon Lazenby?) is dreadful.