V+ : Is there a charge to activate HD?

[passingbat]

I have some elderly friends who I introduced to VM a few years ago

I actually spoke to VM on their behalf to set up their services. They are on the M package (free at the time with a phone line) and have a V+ which they pay the extra £5 p/m for and a standard box in another room with the added multiroom fee.

They have a CRT TV, so HD doesn't apply. They are now going to buy a flatscreen TV which will obviously do HD.

Will their V+ box automatically do HD, or do they have to phone VM to activate HD and pay a fee?

Also, do VM still send out HDMI leads for HD connections?

They did speak to VM today, but an overseas call centre told them it would cost them an extra £6.50 per month and they would need another box! The person they spoke to obviously didn't understand!!


Thanks for any help.

[spiderplant]

Yes, HD will already be enabled if the V+ functions (recording etc) are.

VM will send HDMI leads if asked nicely. But if they are getting a new TV, they could also ask the TV shop to throw one in.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Yes, HD will already be enabled if the V+ functions (recording etc) are.

VM will send HDMI leads if asked nicely. But if they are getting a new TV, they could also ask the TV shop to throw one in.

Thanks or the reply Spiderplant.

Yes, the V+ is enabled for recording, which is what they pay the £5p/m for.

I've been doing research or them on the TV front and the shop they are planning to buy from want £25 for an HDMI lead; typical TV shop HDMI lead over price! It's probably easier for me to buy a good one from Amazon at a realistic price.

[Kabaal]

Originally Posted by passingbat

I've been doing research or them on the TV front and the shop they are planning to buy from want £25 for an HDMI lead; typical TV shop HDMI lead over price! It's probably easier for me to buy a good one from Amazon at a realistic price.

Just buy them a £2 or £3 cable from Amazon it will be just as good as that £25 one. They either work or they don't, there's no middle ground where one works better than another.

[martin201002]

Can get a hdmi lead from a pound shop, that's where all mine are from. they're right as rain use them for everything sky hd, TiVo, ps3 etc....

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by Kabaal

Just buy them a £2 or £3 cable from Amazon it will be just as good as that £25 one. They either work or they don't, there's no middle ground where one works better than another.

Originally Posted by martin201002

Can get a hdmi lead from a pound shop, that's where all mine are from. they're right as rain use them for everything sky hd, TiVo, ps3 etc....

I've bought a good few cables of all kinds in my time and I'd never pay £25 or a digital cable, but I also don't buy ultra cheap.


I usually spend around £8 to £10 on a 2mt HDMI lead. Quality of material and construction does make a difference.

[andy_m]

Not with hdmi cable under 3m it doesn't. It's a digital signal, it's either carried or it isn't.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by andy_m

it's either carried or it isn't.

Most people are well aware of that

But quality of materials and construction make a difference to how reliable the physical connection stays over time. If the physical connection breaks or deteriorates, nothing is going down the cable. Better quality cables will be more resistant to flexing the cable, particularly at the connector ends.

I find the £8 to £10 HDMI cables a good compromise, giving a good quality construction standard.

[andy_m]

Ok it's your money.

[kgollop]

On the subject of HD activation, I take it the charge is still there on the V-HD box? VM came out the other day and replaced my grandparents old V-Box with a nice new V-HD and connected it all up to their HD TV via HDMI. They have M+ but even the basic HD channels such as BBC1 HD say not subscribed.

[johnathome]

Isn't BBC HD free on all packs? I thought it was?

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by kgollop

On the subject of HD activation, I take it the charge is still there on the V-HD box? VM came out the other day and replaced my grandparents old V-Box with a nice new V-HD and connected it all up to their HD TV via HDMI. They have M+ but even the basic HD channels such as BBC1 HD say not subscribed.

The V-HD HD charge was dropped a couple of years ago. They just need to ring Customer Services to have HD added.

[kgollop]

Originally Posted by johnathome

Isn't BBC HD free on all packs? I thought it was?

Believe it is once you've paid the initial HD activation. Bit of a con I think really when the channels are available on Freeview

[jb66]

if your vbox gets replaced for a vhd, virgin will activate the hd channels for free

[kgollop]

Originally Posted by jb66

if your vbox gets replaced for a vhd, virgin will activate the hd channels for free

Thanks for the info!