Tivo V6 : Channel 4HD

[Raider999]

I recorded a series last year when Channel 4HD was on channel 141.

Tried to watch the first one this evening, box asked for pin which I supplied then told me 4HD is no longer available on Virgin.

This isn't correct - I am able to watch 4HD (now on 104).

This appears to be a problem Virgin has created by changing the channel number - is this a known problem?

[RobboEdin]

It’s not a problem. It’s working as designed. You’ve had a year to watch these programs.

[Raider999]

Originally Posted by RobboEdin

It’s not a problem. It’s working as designed. You’ve had a year to watch these programs.

What a ridiculous answer.

I have older recordings on my boxes that I am able to watch. It has to be to do with the channel number changing.

[spiderplant]

The channel number changing shouldn't matter. This kind of problem is usually to do with regional variations changing. Which region are you in Raider? Also, when were they recorded?

[ScottishSteve]

I had the same problem with a concert I recorded a few years back.
It was also on 4HD
Must have been a technical change at some point rather than removal

[nomadking]

Change of recording format? MPEG2 vs MPEG4?

[BenMcr]

There was change in March last year to how Channel 4 is carried on Virgin Media, this included the change in London so that they only get Channel 4 HD on 104 (141 for Channel 4 SD isn't in London).

My understanding is that due to that change, Channel 4 channels are identified differently on the network by the boxes. Recordings before the change are tied to a channel ID that now doesn't exist so they can't be played.

Same is true for some BBC recordings due the changes that happened for SD and HD BBC One and Two.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by nomadking

Change of recording format? MPEG2 vs MPEG4?

Nope.

It happens because the regional version of 4 HD that Raider has now isn't the one that he had when it was recorded. Originally there was only one version of that channel, but now there are five. Sometimes we can ensure that old recordings continue to work, but it's not always possible.

You can get the same problem if you actually move house from one TV region to another and take the box with you.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Nope.

It happens because the regional version of 4 HD that Raider has now isn't the one that he had when it was recorded. Originally there was only one version of that channel, but now there are five. Sometimes we can ensure that old recordings continue to work, but it's not always possible.

You can get the same problem if you actually move house from one TV region to another and take the box with you.

If there are now five regional versions of 4HD on the network can all the remaining 104 SD versions get swapped out potentially?

[Raider999]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Nope.

It happens because the regional version of 4 HD that Raider has now isn't the one that he had when it was recorded. Originally there was only one version of that channel, but now there are five. Sometimes we can ensure that old recordings continue to work, but it's not always possible.

You can get the same problem if you actually move house from one TV region to another and take the box with you.

So I was correct, it is to do with the change of channel number.

Virgin should have ensured this didn't happen when they made the change.

[BenMcr]

As Spiderplant says Virgin Media do where they can, and have done so for quite of few of the SD / HD swaps recently.

All recording access follows content agreements - for instance Sky recordings are only accessible while you have that channel in your TV pack. Where channels fully close the recordings normally become unavailable after 3 months or so as Virgin Media don't have the rights to allow access anymore.

In this case (and in the one for the BBC changes) recording access was maintained for 12 months after the change to give customers time to watch them as it wasn't possible to permanently tie the recordings to the new channel IDs.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by Raider999

So I was correct, it is to do with the change of channel number.

No, it's to do with the change of region. You've gone from a national version of 4HD to a regional one. (I asked which region you are in so I could work out exactly which change had caused the problem).

Channel numbers often change, but it doesn't stop you accessing recordings.

---------- Post added at 17:42 ---------- Previous post was at 17:41 ----------

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

If there are now five regional versions of 4HD on the network can all the remaining 104 SD versions get swapped out potentially?

No, they don't map directly. I think all the ones that can be done have been.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

No, they don't map directly. I think all the ones that can be done have been.

Interesting, thanks. I'd only heard of London region C4HD being swapped.