Does Virgin media have spare capacity?

[muppetman11]

I wasn't saying you were wrong in fact I agree with all your points , I was just merely stating thats what would have to happen.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

I wasn't saying you were wrong in fact I agree with all your points , I was just merely stating thats what would have to happen.

I know mate, we seem of like mind on this.

It's just bullish nonsense to me from Mr Berkett (who I like a lot actually).

Like I said earlier (and very happy to be corrected on it) I have not personally even read Sky make such a prediction.

I personally think there will be somewhat of a plateau of brand new HD channel launches now even on Sky given the networks and so many of Sky's HD channels have already launched.

[muppetman11]

Sky will add a lot more this year , VM just frustrate you from time to time. Look at TIVO , it seems a great product , however its only as good as the content you have to watch on it.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Sky will add a lot more this year , VM just frustrate you from time to time. Look at TIVO , it seems a great product , however its only as good as the content you have to watch on it.

I agree about Tivo if that's what appeals to you but you are dead right, you can only watch what's available which in VM's defence is a good offer anyway it was just the very, very bold 80 HD channel prediction I was picking up on.

Let's see what happens 1 April, if nothing launches the prediction will seem even more fanciful than it does now (to me anyway).

Like I said Sky Arts HD will do for me personally now but if it dosen't appear by April I would have to assume it's been shelved.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by mersey70

I agree about Tivo if that's what appeals to you but you are dead right, you can only watch what's available which in VM's defence is a good offer anyway it was just the very, very bold 80 HD channel prediction I was picking up on.

Let's see what happens 1 April, if nothing launches the prediction will seem even more fanciful than it does now (to me anyway).

Like I said Sky Arts HD will do for me personally now but if it dosen't appear by April I would have to assume it's been shelved.

Not interested in Sky Arts but for your sake I hope it turns up, im all for choice.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Not interested in Sky Arts but for your sake I hope it turns up, im all for choice.

That's what it's all about, choice.

But VM announced it was launching way back last July it's not as if it's just on my wishlist.

I have high hopes it will launch before April though.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Would VM benefit from switching to Mpeg 4 and would it be easy to implement.

Yes and no respectively, most of the STBs don't support it.

[alwaysabear]

Thanks for all the interesting replies, looks like this year will tell us one way or the other. Hopefully, there is spare capacity and VM will be able to full fill our wishes for more HD channels.

[HDFootyMan]

10Mb broadband for every TiVo (soon to be 20mb)
20Mb broadband upgraded to 30Mb
100Mb broadband rolling out
200Mb coming soon

That doesn't strike me as a company short of bandwidth.

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by HDFootyMan

10Mb broadband for every TiVo (soon to be 20mb)
20Mb broadband upgraded to 30Mb
100Mb broadband rolling out
200Mb coming soon

That doesn't strike me as a company short of bandwidth.

Certainly dosen't, it could be a company using such bandwidth primarily for more lucrative broadband services though.

With my business head on I don't blame them either.

[Nedkelly]

The 550mhz networks are being changed VM are spending huge amounts of money on the network side .It is a big job amplifiers passives tap plates need changing .Qam 256 on the tv side is also being rolled out so is a bigger upstream (thank god ).The problem is VM is made up from different cable companies all had there own way of doing things The network here can go up to 850mhz but we only use up to 747 mhz .

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Nedkelly

The 550mhz networks are being changed VM are spending huge amounts of money on the network side .It is a big job amplifiers passives tap plates need changing .Qam 256 on the tv side is also being rolled out so is a bigger upstream (thank god ).The problem is VM is made up from different cable companies all had there own way of doing things The network here can go up to 850mhz but we only use up to 747 mhz .

So basically now there are capacity issues.

[Nedkelly]

It depends where you live a 550mhz network is going to be more busy than a 750mhz network .The big plan is to make all the networks the same hence the 550mhz are being upgraded .VM dont have areas where you can not get certain channels because of this they have manged to squeeze them in

[mersey70]

Originally Posted by Nedkelly

It depends where you live a 550mhz network is going to be more busy than a 750mhz network .The big plan is to make all the networks the same hence the 550mhz are being upgraded .VM dont have areas where you can not get certain channels because of this they have manged to squeeze them in

Very interesting, thanks for that.

It explains a lot really, I agree it would be better to get the whole network upgraded so everyone enjoys the same channel line up but I guess it looks like we are going to be waiting a while for a deluge of HD channels.

Never mind, for one reason or another I thought as much anyway.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Nedkelly

It depends where you live a 550mhz network is going to be more busy than a 750mhz network .The big plan is to make all the networks the same hence the 550mhz are being upgraded .VM dont have areas where you can not get certain channels because of this they have manged to squeeze them in

I'm in Wigan Ex Telwest which is that on ?