VOD : Missing Catchup programs

[japitts]

A bit of an open question really, what quality control do VM have on CatchUp content, and missing programs?

CatchUp OnDemand is a major reason for our keeping VM-TV, but over the past few months I have become increasingly frustrated with unreliability, i.e. programs missing and total lack of any meaningful status checker. Therefore you're forced into calling into CS and reporting each program individually - the community forum is great but under-resourced.

I've had cause to complain to VM twice, and only this morning found another 3 programs missing from the 7day listings - just now it took over 9 minutes for the CS agent to even ask me what the missing program was, despite multiple explanations of the issue.

[RobboEdin]

I appreciate this is not a direct response but, given you have a V+, why do you have such a reliance on catchup, rather than recording your own copy with unlimited retention?

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by RobboEdin

I appreciate this is not a direct response but, given you have a V+, why do you have such a reliance on catchup, rather than recording your own copy with unlimited retention?

Maybe there was something on he didn't know about within the last 7 days , a friend mentioned for example.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by japitts

A bit of an open question really, what quality control do VM have on CatchUp content, and missing programs?

CatchUp OnDemand is a major reason for our keeping VM-TV, but over the past few months I have become increasingly frustrated with unreliability, i.e. programs missing and total lack of any meaningful status checker. Therefore you're forced into calling into CS and reporting each program individually - the community forum is great but under-resourced.

I've had cause to complain to VM twice, and only this morning found another 3 programs missing from the 7day listings - just now it took over 9 minutes for the CS agent to even ask me what the missing program was, despite multiple explanations of the issue.

Yes, I've noticed that the management of Catch Up TV has been deteriorating recently. This is in addition to the search facility now becoming so bad it is virtually unusable.

http://www.cableforum.co.uk/board/11...d-queries.html

The above link shows how far I've got with this dealing with this problem.

These are some of the reasons why I may dump Pay TV instead of upgrading to TiVo.

[japitts]

Originally Posted by RobboEdin

I appreciate this is not a direct response but, given you have a V+, why do you have such a reliance on catchup, rather than recording your own copy with unlimited retention?

For most programs I will indeed record on V+

But sometimes there are clashes and I choose to rely on CatchUp instead... or perhaps I will record in SD but try to watch in OD-HD instead. There are also some daily shows like soaps/Newsnight that I just, out of habit, use CatchUp.

95% of the time, CatchUp OD is fine - the program is on there, and there are no issues with availability. But the 5% of the time it fails, is where VM's processes are failing miserably.

There's also the point that... if VM advertise this as a USP, and provide it... then it should be properly supported. It doesn't appear to be.

[RobboEdin]

...then you need to change to TiVo which can record on all three tuners.

This, in itself, will reduce the amount of clashes over the two tuner V+. In addition, TiVo does a good job at resolving any residual clashes.

OD for BBC is delivered on TiVo by an iPlayer app directly from the BBC servers and hence this would avoid any missing BBC catchup.

Changing to TiVo might even save you money by moving to one of the Collections.

[japitts]

Originally Posted by RobboEdin

...then you need to change to TiVo which can record on all three tuners.

This, in itself, will reduce the amount of clashes over the two tuner V+. In addition, TiVo does a good job at resolving any residual clashes.

OD for BBC is delivered on TiVo by an iPlayer app directly from the BBC servers and hence this would avoid any missing BBC catchup.

Changing to TiVo might even save you money by moving to one of the Collections.

I don't mean to sound rude, but...

I am *choosing* to not record certain programs, because Virgin advertise and supply a VOD service that works brilliantly 95% of the time. It is VM-process and support failings that are causing a problem the remaining 5%, not anything to with shortcomings in the VOD service itself.

Those shortcomings also affect anyone with a standard V-box, and to be honest, the V+ box does everything I want.

Maybe the TiVo would be an answer, maybe it wouldn't. Virgin properly supporting and resolving ongoing and *recurrent* faults with one of their advertised services, would be another.

The next logical argument is that people with standard V boxes should also look at TiVo if they have complaints with VOD.

[RobboEdin]

I, too, don't mean to sound rude but I simply gave you a possible solution that will mean you can ensure you can watch the programs you want to watch and possibly, even probably, could save you money.

It was a suggestion, not an order.

[japitts]

No Robbo, I took it as such - and appreciate the comments, however.

1: I'm already on a Collection since "negotiating" with VM after the most recent price-rise

2: The V+ is otherwise perfect for what we need, and changing to it would be treating the symptoms of one issue rather than the cause.. I'm sure the TiVO has other foibles or issues that would be "introduced" by a swap..

[RobboEdin]

You are not on a Collection as they all include TiVo.

You are on a Retentions deal with a heavy discount.

Speak to Retentions about what they can do about replacing V+ with TiVo at a price similar to where you are today.

Get TiVo and think differently. Record everything and ignore OD, except as a last resort.

Of course, these are only suggestions.

[Gunslinger]

This discussion illustrates how far VM are falling behind the other providers in the OD/Catch Up area.

What was once a 'USP' no longer is, and VM really need to up their game.

[Biffs]

not the answer I know, but I always record using TiVo, because not everything is going to be available on catch-up because of rights issues?