HD : Virgin v Sky TV

[denphone]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Just corrected that for you

Your grammar serves you well master.

[Qtx]

Originally Posted by nstokes

I had VM Tivo and the VOD layout was alot better than V+HD. I think the On Demand content is alot better layed out and quicker to access than Tivo. Its also good that you cna download the content to the STB and watch at a later time even if the content is removed from On Demand not long after

Figured the tivo would be better than the V+ box, wish I had got to try it at least once.

I think the downloaded file makes the fast forward/rewind and everything work a bit more responsive/smoother over the streaming too. Just had a thought...could you unplug the Sky box and take it somewhere else without a satellite and watch the downloaded stuff still? As its downloaded I would have thought it was possible in theory unless its blocked with no sat attached?

---------- Post added at 15:50 ---------- Previous post was at 15:45 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

While Sky does have quite a big VOD service VM have a bigger VOD Libriary that is best of all the providers in its scope.

Is that based on the fact that VM have been providing VOD longer so have had longer to build up a library, or based on how much is available at any one time?

As I didn't use it often I can't be sure but having a quick look today, it seems Sky have a lot more HD VOD than I remember seeing on VM. I was on M+ with virgin so maybe that made a difference too.

[andy_m]

I can't say for sure, but I'm pretty sure there is still more content on demand with Virgin TV xl, but a. Sky have certainly put the effort in to try and make a dent in that and b. as with the channels what's important is quality, not quantity.

[Pubmaster]

Originally Posted by Chad

In total that's 174 channels. I'm not suggesting they are all quality channels, far from it, however if Virgin announced they would add all of these channels what do you think the general reply would be from Virgin customers? A massive yes please or no thanks as their mostly niche channels? I'm guessing the Coming Soon thread would go into melt down.

How much bloody more is my bill going up by.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by Pubmaster

How much bloody more is my bill going up by.

Yeah got to agree, Virgins recent price hike to channel launch ratio hasn't been great.

[denphone]

Originally Posted by Chad

Yeah got to agree, Virgins recent price hike to channel launch ratio hasn't been great.

True in one way with not many channels arriving but remember Sky have put their prices up several times as well.

[speedski]

I have both.

Had Sky a week - the box is like night and day to the 1TB TiVO upstairs - that thing is SO SLOW. The Sky I find is laid out more logically and the remote was clearly designed by someone who understands the bottom of a remote should be frikkin flat!

The channels on Virgin are more logically laid out, Sky well frankly they are all over the place. The first supplier who can make all SD channels retune to the HD automatically would be well in the lead in my book as the other half keeps watching stuff in SD not realising there is a HD channel out there.

I miss the third tuner on my lounge box, we have it on the TiVo upstairs recording all chick related programming (there will be no kardashians on my Sky box lol).

The channel ranges was all about the HD, I was getting really fed up of virgin dropping channels instead of adding them, the price increase was the final straw.

It doesn't help when you pay the same for Sky Sports on virgin as you do on sky with a whole heap less in HD.

Now it comes to apps, sorry but Sky have Virgin licked in this category, the TV guide and the relate app wipe the floor with the Virgin TV guide. They really need to sort that out, its so painful to use the TV guide.

The TV anywhere app I have tried to use, but given the TiVO isn't wired up tot he router I cant get the full benefit of it.

On the subject of apps, only one other app worth mentioning. Sky. Go.

I cant fault the Internet service from Virgin, really can't, but virgin really are on a slippery slope with TV - TiVO is ok, but slow, on demand is ok, but too little in HD for my liking.

At the end of the day if you're paying premium service prices HD should be pretty much standard...

I won't deny, the next big worry I have is BT Sports, as a rugby fan they have the full Aviva season next year, this is a really big problem - I'm hoping Sky get the deal instead of Virgin if I am brutally honest...

[Doug P]

BT Sports will be on both unless BT are even worse at running a sports channel than they are at treating their telephone customers!

[Dave42]

Originally Posted by speedski

I have both.

Had Sky a week - the box is like night and day to the 1TB TiVO upstairs - that thing is SO SLOW. The Sky I find is laid out more logically and the remote was clearly designed by someone who understands the bottom of a remote should be frikkin flat!

The channels on Virgin are more logically laid out, Sky well frankly they are all over the place. The first supplier who can make all SD channels retune to the HD automatically would be well in the lead in my book as the other half keeps watching stuff in SD not realising there is a HD channel out there.

I miss the third tuner on my lounge box, we have it on the TiVo upstairs recording all chick related programming (there will be no kardashians on my Sky box lol).

The channel ranges was all about the HD, I was getting really fed up of virgin dropping channels instead of adding them, the price increase was the final straw.

It doesn't help when you pay the same for Sky Sports on virgin as you do on sky with a whole heap less in HD.

Now it comes to apps, sorry but Sky have Virgin licked in this category, the TV guide and the relate app wipe the floor with the Virgin TV guide. They really need to sort that out, its so painful to use the TV guide.

The TV anywhere app I have tried to use, but given the TiVO isn't wired up tot he router I cant get the full benefit of it.

On the subject of apps, only one other app worth mentioning. Sky. Go.

I cant fault the Internet service from Virgin, really can't, but virgin really are on a slippery slope with TV - TiVO is ok, but slow, on demand is ok, but too little in HD for my liking.

At the end of the day if you're paying premium service prices HD should be pretty much standard...

I won't deny, the next big worry I have is BT Sports, as a rugby fan they have the full Aviva season next year, this is a really big problem - I'm hoping Sky get the deal instead of Virgin if I am brutally honest...

that's down to sky not VM as sky is with holding the channels even though VM customers are paying for them grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr @sky

[speedski]

Originally Posted by Doug P

BT Sports will be on both unless BT are even worse at running a sports channel than they are at treating their telephone customers!

Yep, well aware

Originally Posted by Dave42

that's down to sky not VM as sky is with holding the channels even though VM customers are paying for them grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr @sky

Of course its down to Sky, but it ALSO down to Virgin.

They did the sums, they offered up the money and they paid what they were willing to pay.

Virgin are too tight, they don't pay enough and they think that the customers will respect them and still buy into them.

Sky have their limits, clearly after being outbidded by BT.

Virgin have too much debt which they are trying to repay, but the problem is they are doing that at the expense off the product freshness, and thats the true problem for Virgin. Its all going quite moldy.

[Pubmaster]

Last time I had Sky, was a few years ago, hated the loss of signal every time the wind changed direction, been with virgin for a few years now, the TiVo I was all for getting my hands on one when they first came out {think I paid £149 but not 100% sure} after a few months the novelty had worn off with me, and now I DON'T use it to its full potential {my fault, not Virgins} but if i'm honest, I expected a lot more from it, after all at the time it was bigged up as the box to end all boxes.

At the moment I am seriously considering switching back to Sky, not because of the tv content as in HD v's SD, or this BB is faster than that BB, but because {in my eyes} Virgin would not know customer loyalty if it walked up and bit them on the a**e.

Every little thing you get from virgin, only ever seems to come about AFTER you threaten to leave, probably the same with every other company mind, Wouldn't it be nice if, just once, Virgin phoned you up and said "Hey Mr loyal customer, have you heard about this great deal that we are offering all NEW CUSTOMERS, how would you like a bit of that" instead we are forced to try and negotiate every year.

To be honest, with using the mobile more and more {better contracts that I DIDNT have to haggle for} the landline is becoming extinct, better online choice for tv and movies and my tv is being used less and less, soon with mobile phone companies offering 4g internet speeds, my home BB will probably become extinct.

Should imagine in a few years BOTH Virgin and Sky are going to have to come up with another carrot for the masses

{small rant over}

[Qtx]

Originally Posted by speedski

The channels on Virgin are more logically laid out, Sky well frankly they are all over the place. The first supplier who can make all SD channels retune to the HD automatically would be well in the lead in my book as the other half keeps watching stuff in SD not realising there is a HD channel out there.

Was thinking this just today. I know some HD channels don't have the same content as the SD counterpart but it can't be that hard to do a quick check if it does, then use the HD version instead. Also an option to hide the SD channels from the guide if it has a HD alternative.

Its a shame the channel numbers can't be changed as I wouldn't mind the option to show the HD channel under the normal channel in the guide. Was browsing through the SD channel list and saw something good and knew it the channel was in HD, but I had to go back to another menu to choose it. Not sure i'll ever remember all the channel numbers :P

There has to be another way beside heavily customising your favourites.

[speedski]

I customised my favorites on Sky already - nothing but HD channels

[howardmicks]

Sky is years ahead as a tv provider and will allways be as there prioty is tv content,VM have given up and now gonna squeeze as much money out of people who want more content before they leave