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13-03-2008, 21:13

Sky's bundled TV package is so much better than Virgins though. Virgin seem to have almost given up with its TV services and are willing to play second fiddle. The only channels that Virgin encode themselves are VOD and BBC HD. Even BBC HD is a decode and re-code, all other channels are taken from satellite and rate shaped. Rate shaping can never mean picture quality is as good as sky's. They can't economically take any other sky HD channels due to their short sighted use of MPEG2 HD.
If the rumour that Virgin are selling its Flextech channels is true then Virgin really do seem to be content in being an ISP. TV is an after thought. I hope they don't sell flextech and at least offer some resistance/competition to Sky.
A Virgin 1 channel can only be a good thing if it lasts.

13-03-2008, 21:13	#27
Losttheplot Guest Location: Wheres my hat? Posts: n/a	Re: Wait, Wait, Wait... Sky's beating VM?! Sky's bundled TV package is so much better than Virgins though. Virgin seem to have almost given up with its TV services and are willing to play second fiddle. The only channels that Virgin encode themselves are VOD and BBC HD. Even BBC HD is a decode and re-code, all other channels are taken from satellite and rate shaped. Rate shaping can never mean picture quality is as good as sky's. They can't economically take any other sky HD channels due to their short sighted use of MPEG2 HD. If the rumour that Virgin are selling its Flextech channels is true then Virgin really do seem to be content in being an ISP. TV is an after thought. I hope they don't sell flextech and at least offer some resistance/competition to Sky. A Virgin 1 channel can only be a good thing if it lasts.