General : Virgin TV (2026)

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by Paul

The most likely item to fail in them is the disk, which is not hard to replace.

Indeed, but when a Virgin HDD dies they replace it with a whole new box. Maybe it's to save time. I wonder if they are discarded now or repaired? If the latter then, in theory, it should be a very long time until Virgin or Sky completely run out.

If streaming could be recorded that would appease a lot of people reluctant to changing, but only BT/EE boxes allow this. I suspect it's because they want people to have to use VOD for the ad revenue.

[gunner45]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Indeed, but when a Virgin HDD dies they replace it with a whole new box. Maybe it's to save time. I wonder if they are discarded now or repaired? If the latter then, in theory, it should be a very long time until Virgin or Sky completely run out.

The usual practice is for boxes returned by customers to go to central warehousing hubs managed by logistics partners where any refurbishment is done at the box level, e.g. software corruption is corrected with a firmware reflash, but not at the component level like hard drives as repair costs will far exceed the purchase cost of the unit. Rejected boxes are palletised in bulk and sent to approved authorised treatment facilities (AATFs) for recycling under strict UK waste regulations.

[Media Boy UK]

Paramount SkyDance and Warner Bros Discovery has now merge into SkyDance Corporation

SkyDance now own the following in the UK and Northern Ireland.

Channel 5 Ltd:
*5
*5USA
*5STAR
*5ACTION
*5SELECT (Soon to be 5Drama)

Own by SkyDance:
*TLC
*QUEST
*MTV
*Quest Red
*Really
*I.D.
*Food Network
*Really
*I.D.
*Food Network
*DMAX
*Discovery Channel
*Animal Planet
*Discovery Science
*Discovery Turbo
*Discovery History
*CNN HD
*Cartoon Network
*Cartoonito
*Boomerang

Paramount UK Partnership:
*Comedy Central
*Comedy Central Extra

Part own:
*TRUE CRIME (50% own by AMC)
*LEGEND (50% own by AMC)
*LEGEND XTRA (50% own by AMC)
*TRUE CRIME XTRA (50% own by AMC)
*TNT Sports (50% own by BT)

Nickelodeon UK Ltd:
*Nick
*Nick Jr
*Nick Jr Too
*Nicktoons

Skydancing At Last: $110B Merger Of Paramount And Warner Bros Discovery Officially Closes

https://deadline.com/2026/10/skydanc...ry-1237147750/

[TimeLord2018]

The Skydance press release today says the "direct-to-consumer streaming products will unify into a single service over time"

First step may be a HBO Max & Paramount+ bundle available direct ?

[Itshim]

Originally Posted by TimeLord2018

The Skydance press release today says the "direct-to-consumer streaming products will unify into a single service over time"

First step may be a HBO Max & Paramount+ bundle available direct ?

Short time saving monies, overtime prices will make the whole thing will no doubt cost more. Talking of monies see virgin junk bonds are diving

[SonicMaster]

I know it's unlikely, but when 5Drama launches on Virgin TV, replacing 5Select, I'd really like to see Virgin Media upgrade 5USA and 5Star to HD, along with 5Drama.

We already have 5 HD and 5Action HD so it would be good to have the rest of the 5 channels in HD here.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by SonicMaster

I know it's unlikely, but when 5Drama launches on Virgin TV, replacing 5Select, I'd really like to see Virgin Media upgrade 5USA and 5Star to HD, along with 5Drama.

We already have 5 HD and 5Action HD so it would be good to have the rest of the 5 channels in HD here.

Indeed. I thought Virgin were aiming to get as many channels as possible onto HD, these channels do exist elsewhere and they own their own capacity, so I can't see why they aren't now in HD.

[gunner45]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Indeed. I thought Virgin were aiming to get as many channels as possible onto HD, these channels do exist elsewhere and they own their own capacity, so I can't see why they aren't now in HD.

Virgin Media and Paramount have a carriage agreement, and it needs to be changed for channels to be upgraded to HD. 5USA and 5Star are relatively old ad-supported channels whose audiences and programming were built around SD distribution. And here's the problem: advertisers rarely pay a higher rate for a commercial spot on 5USA or 5Star simply because it is broadcast in HD instead of SD. The viewer numbers remain roughly the same, meaning Paramount sees very little return on investment for the extra HD carriage fees. That carriage agreement is thus unlikely to change.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by gunner45

Virgin Media and Paramount have a carriage agreement, and it needs to be changed for channels to be upgraded to HD. 5USA and 5Star are relatively old ad-supported channels whose audiences and programming were built around SD distribution. And here's the problem: advertisers rarely pay a higher rate for a commercial spot on 5USA or 5Star simply because it is broadcast in HD instead of SD. The viewer numbers remain roughly the same, meaning Paramount sees very little return on investment for the extra HD carriage fees. That carriage agreement is thus unlikely to change.

But, as these channels exist anyway and are available at no extra cost elsewhere, I don't understand why there hasn't been/won't be an agreement to carry the HD variants. I get what your saying, but lesser channels have been converted. I can understand it on satellite//Freeview as it would involve the expense of extra capacity, but Virgin own their own and have spare capacity. As a channel FTA elsewhere, Virgin is unlikely to be paying any carriage costs, in fact Channel 5 will be paying Virgin to carry them as it's not a must carry channel.

Maybe Virgin want extra payment for the extra capacity needed and Channel 5 don't think it's worth paying it for no return, but it would improve the Virgin TV offering as a USP.

Perhaps it's also a way to try and get customers to convert to their streaming box??