No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Has anybody else noticed that the EPG listings for both Radio 4 and On Demand have been missing for over a week? A reboot does nothing to resolve this.

Does anybody know why this is the case and if it is to be permanent, like the removal of the synopsis for most radio channels?

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

On V+

My TiVo has the listings and synopsis for 4FM and 4LW

I don't have a V box here to check - but I guess a fault somewhere

If they were going to ditch guides I would expect all radio channels at once.

Unless they have dropped all radio listings - not just Radio 4 ???

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

On V+ and V-HD, all radio channels and barkers should now have "Now & Next" data only. It's been cut down due to the number of channels that have been added for the Commonwealth Games.

But if you've got no data at all on those channels, let me know and I'll investigate.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

If you look at the virgin community website forum you will numerous complaints re this problem. It basically says that this is due to lack of capacity on their epg and it will get worse, so coff up another five a month and you will get Tivo box, which has none of these problems.
As this forum is owned by virgin, you would have thought they could have advised us of this.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Thanks, it's as you say. I hadn't noticed the other radio channels as it is seldom that I select them.

Will this data be restored after the Commonwealth Games?

For a communications company, VM are really bad at keeping their customers informed.

If it wasn't for some members of their staff kindly giving up their spare time to help, things would be even worse.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I hope so, but no decision has been made. We're still looking at the options.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Virgin don't own this forum.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I know Hugh I really shouldn't have used the question mark, I was pointing it out to the person I quoted.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Thanks.

I took it to mean that Virgin Media own the Virgin Community Forums that he referred to at the beginning of his post (as they do) :confused:

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

It here to stay (As of July 31st)

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/11...ule-v-box.html

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

This was posted on the Virgin Forum (although was posted the day after you raised the question).

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

sad to see the radio listings clobbered.

Am lucky to have Tivo....

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I can't see anything to say this has become permanent :confused:

Despite the cessation of the Commonwealth Games, the listings haven't returned.

One of my main uses for the V+ during the day is to set reminders for radio programmes to automatically come on whilst I'm busy working.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

As part of new channel launches for the Commonwealth Games and additional channel releases planned, we have made some changes to the information available in the channel guides for some of our existing channels.

This change does not affect TiVo customers.

It means our channels below will have a reduced channel listing and schedule information.

We will keep you updated as we review the information we can provide in the channel guides.

http://community.virginmedia.com/t5/...-p/2410587#M33

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

During the Commonwealth Games, Spiderplant said that a decision had yet to be made as to whether this reduction in EPG data would be permanent or not.

I'm still none the wiser :confused:

I don't think that the Sky EPG has ever shown the individual radio programmes on each channel, so I am now thinking about Freeview.

Do any of the Freeview boxes have a reminder facility?

Are there any actual radios out there that can provide me with what I want?

Cheers.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I've discovered a workaround for the BBC radio channels; schedule listings are provided by the red button.

Unfortunately, one has to be tuned to the actual radio channel to obtain the listings for the said channel. Also (on my box anyway) a reboot is sometimes needed to get the red button facility to load.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Or start buying Radio Times.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

... or try radiotimes.com

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

You could get this information from the "schedules" tab on the BBC Radio website.... http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio/

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

It's not just the Radio 4 radio station that is affected, but every radio station and is just Virginmedia trying to force Virgin+ users to pay the extra for a Tivo box.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

No, it's Virgin Media trying to keep your old boxes running reliably with all the new channels that have launched. Reducing the radio guide data was the least worst option that could be implemented in time for the Commonwealth Games. We're now looking at other options that MAY allow the radio data to return.

If we wanted to force you to switch to TiVo, there are far more effective ways :D

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

If we wanted to force you???
What are you..the Gestapo?

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Thanks for the suggestions as to where I can view the Radio 4 schedule, but the main problem is that I can no longet set reminders.

What I used to do was decide which programmes I wanted to listen to first thing and then set reminders for them; the programmes would then appear whatever else was on the TV at the time.

This was very useful whilst working from home as I can't have too much distraction when my mind is on other more important things.

As I said earlier, Sky have never had radio listings, so it would be no use digging my old Sky box out.

How does TiVo deal with radio reminders and does it record radio?

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

You set a "record and remind" from the guide. You can cancel the recording when the reminder pops up if you wish. TiVo doesn't have the ability to ONLY remind. (The benefit is that you don't miss the programme even if you miss the reminder)

Yes, it can record radio.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Thanks. I'm using the workaround of using the output of a shopping channel to flag up when my programmes are on, so if some shopping programme is heard, I know to tune to Radio 4 :D

Is there anything that I can do/not do myself to reduce the strain on it's memory?

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Using interactive apps eats up memory, but apart from that there isn't much you can do.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Do you mean things like TV email, searching, reading the news via the red button etc?

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Virgin says:

http://mediaboyblog.blogspot.co.uk/2...-listings.html

Yet Virgin Media do not even have TruTV and an well known channel from Sky.

I can only see one UK Wide channel and three Local TV Channels set to launch on Virgin Media in 2014 they are:

-Latest TV (August 28th 2014) - Brighton & Hove only.
-Sheffield Live TV (September 23rd 2014) - Sheffield only.
-Bay TV Liverpool (October 2014) - Liverpool only.
-ITV Be (October 8th 2014) - UK Wide.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

It would appear as I have previously written that this is Virgin+ taking away bits and pieces gradually leaving the users no alternative but to get Tivo and that is just for the
the basic service us Virgin+ users used to take for granted.
If they wanted extra capabilty why not take away the +1 channels. There is no real point to them as all the programmes are constantly repeated. If not record them.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

You can't get rid of channels from one box but not the other. You'd have to lose them for everyone, and not all boxes are recordable i.e. the V HD box that is still sold isn't recordable.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

So basically the Virgin+ box is now deteriorated into a second class service, not what most people originally signed up for, and if you want a return to a first class service with all the benefits you used to take for granted you have to pay the extra for a Tivo box.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

The V box platform that runs all the V, V HD and V+ HD boxes is based on technology that is anywhere up to 14 years old (if not more). As with all technology, there was always going to come to point where it's limitations were reached.

The same happened with analogue cable (and satellite). There was a point where nan upgrade to digital services was required.

TiVo has been available since December 2010 and over half of Virgin Media's TV customers now have it.

To swap from a V+ HD box to a 500GB TiVo costs a one off £20 for self install delivery, and possibly up to an extra £5 a month depending on your current bundle.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I think fred means to take away the guide data for the +1 channels. But that would affect more users that reducing the radio channel data. Far more people record +1 channels than record radio channels.

Ideally the +1 channels would re-use the same guide data as the main version, but this would require significant broadcast and STB software changes.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Many of us find the +1 channels useful, Fred. Why not just take the plunge and get a TiVo? Maybe Retentions can do you a deal so you don't end up paying more.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

What is up with Magic Radio the sound is breaking up.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Why should I have to pay an extra fiver per month plus installation for full epg, which I used to have included in my virgin+ subscription?
People on this forum complain enough when prices go up a couple of quid per month.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Have you actually checked whether it would go up by £5? If you've only got a V+ HD box, you're likely on quite an old bundle, so it's very possible that moving up to TiVo won't cost you any more than you currently pay.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I agree. I tacked on to my original message that he may not have to pay more, but it crossed with yours!

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Many thanks for your suggestions. We are thinking of moving, so I will try that tack when transferring services.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

The V+ technology was years old when VM started using it.

Across all industries, migrating customers from old to new technology usually takes this form in my experience:

- Exclusively introduce extra services on the new technology at no extra cost over and above what it costs to obtain the new service.

- Start running down the old service by taking away bits of it's functionality (by necessity or otherwise).

- Introduce offers to incentivise customers to change over.

- Start to remove large chunks of what is available on the old technology.

- If all the above hasn't worked, send them a letter stating that their service will cease on a given date and emphasise the offers available to change over.

- Repeat the last action a few times in the run up to the closure of the service.

- Close the service to the few remaining customers on the due date.

It looks to me that the next stage for VM will be stage four.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Buy a radio, problem solved........:D

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

I think you will be pleasantly surprised, Fred.

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Lol, I've got radios, it's the reminder function that I found useful. It meant that I could watch live TV, watch recordings or listen to other radio stations and have selected Radio 4 programmes interrupt this (my V+ won't record radio programmes).

---------- Post added at 17:01 ---------- Previous post was at 16:58 ----------

Looks like stage 4 could be here already:

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/11...removed-v.html

Re: No EPG info for Radio 4 & On Demand for over a week.
 

Stage 5 next week?