Virgin Media lack of tv investment

[denphone]

Originally Posted by carlwaring

Should hope you are as that is something I never actually do

l can see the smirk on your face when you saying that.

Let's focus on the topic, please.....

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Let's focus on the topic, please.....

Yes l am sorry and will take complete blame for not sticking to the topic.

[Stuart]

Originally Posted by denphone

Virgin have come a long way from the NTL-TELEWEST days but cannot stand still and put all its eggs in one basket with tivo, it needs to strengthen its VOD offering as it has become very stale in the last year and it also needs to add more HD and SD channels in the near future.

They do need to update VOD. While I like Series 2 of Doctor Who, we have had Series 3, 4 and 5 since then.. Wouldn't mind seeing some of them on VOD again, and it would be nice to see some of the other stuff change from time to time rather than just expire.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Stuart

They do need to update VOD. While I like Series 2 of Doctor Who, we have had Series 3, 4 and 5 since then.. Wouldn't mind seeing some of them on VOD again, and it would be nice to see some of the other stuff change from time to time rather than just expire.

Yes l agree with you totally.

[carlwaring]

Me too. That said, NewWho does seem to be on permanent loop on Watch, so you could always record them of there

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Stuart

They do need to update VOD. While I like Series 2 of Doctor Who, we have had Series 3, 4 and 5 since then.. Wouldn't mind seeing some of them on VOD again, and it would be nice to see some of the other stuff change from time to time rather than just expire.

Brilliant point , while catchup is a nice facility , I never really used TV Choice much as the content was constantly the same.

[Rillington]

The lack of new TV channels is not good. TV customers have lost a lot of channels recently, granted mainly due to BSkyB rationalising the channels they bought from VM, but not all (MTV Classic being removed comes to mind) and there's no sign of any new channels appearing to replace them.

Yes HD channels have launched but we are paying more and more each month (my bill went up by more than 5% last month) for fewer and fewer channels.

I know people have made the point about Tivo but I've personally zero interest in Tivo and would never pay for it, either for the box or the monthly subscription charge and would only have it if I was basically forced to have it which may be the case down the line. What's far more important to me is a PDC*-type function for V+ recordings so that if there are late changes or programmes overrun then the V+ box will record all of the programme at the times the programme actually broadcast rather than the times originally stated on the EPG.

I have always seen VM as far better value than Sky due to ESPN and the HD channels both being available at no extra cost but it is now less good value than before due to the 5%+ increase with nothing extra for this £2 more per month.

* For those not in the know, PDC stands for Programme Delivery Control which was a function in the days of analogue broadcasting whereby a signal was sent to video recorders meaning that a PDC-enabled VCR recorded between the times that a programme was actually broadcast rather than the times advertised in listings magazines.

[Stephen]

What channels have we lost recently? MTV classic was closed by MTV themselves. Sky don't ave it either. So there doesn't need to be any replacements.

Bills go up, it doesn't mean you should be getting more though. i.e. your gas and electricity prices go up, do you call them and demand more because you have to pay more? thought not.

[carlwaring]

Originally Posted by Rillington

...we are paying more and more each month (my bill went up by more than 5% last month) for fewer and fewer channels.

And did bills rise (other than any standard price rises, I mean) when these channels were launched? No. Yet you want a reduction now they have gone? Is that fair?

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Stephen

What channels have we lost recently? MTV classic was closed by MTV themselves. Sky don't ave it either. So there doesn't need to be any replacements.

Bills go up, it doesn't mean you should be getting more though. i.e. your gas and electricity prices go up, do you call them and demand more because you have to pay more? thought not.

I must be seeing things then as MTV Classic is on channel 355 on my Sky box now as I type.

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by denphone

In the last year we have seen a total lack of investment on Virgins tv platform, first of all they sold their channels to Sky this deal just gets worse and worse with each passing day and we are still waiting for further Sky hd channels and the Sky red button, to be still waiting 7 months on is nothing short of staggering incompetence and shambolicness, this and a total reluctance to add other new channels suggest to me that Virgin does not give a damn about its tv customers.

so you rather they never sold channels to sky and never ever got sky HD channels thats only way VM were ever going to get them not to mention red button too you complaining about lack of channel would had less if didnt sell VM channels

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by Rillington

I know people have made the point about Tivo but I've personally zero interest in Tivo and would never pay for it, either for the box or the monthly subscription charge and would only have it if I was basically forced to have it which may be the case down the line. What's far more important to me is a PDC*-type function for V+ recordings so that if there are late changes or programmes overrun then the V+ box will record all of the programme at the times the programme actually broadcast rather than the times originally stated on the EPG.
For those not in the know, PDC stands for Programme Delivery Control which was a function in the days of analogue broadcasting whereby a signal was sent to video recorders meaning that a PDC-enabled VCR recorded between the times that a programme was actually broadcast rather than the times advertised in listings magazines.

AS far as I am aware TiVo does not have or is likely to have a dynamic EPG, I think this a great shame as freeview PVR's have been offering this for a number of years.

Apart from SKY Alantic HD and HD variant channels History etc, what worthwhile channels are we missing on the VM platform?

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by mlayzell

Apart from SKY Alantic HD and HD variant channels History etc, what worthwhile channels are we missing on the VM platform?

I guess it all depends what is worthwhile to the individual.