General : Coming Soon to Virgin Media TV (2016) Vol 2

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

People also need to understand the economics. VM TV has what - about 3.7m customers. Whereas Sky and Freeview each has over 10m. Broadcast FTA on Sky and you may as well buy a Freesat EPG slot and pick up a couple of million more customers.
The TV channels were neglected for a while by VM but that is no longer the case.

What they do need to sort out are the essentials of:
- Network coverage: in hand
- New box: in hand
- 4G mobile: unknown
- wifi network via Superhub: status unknown, launched in some LGI countries

Then desirables would be:
- Remaining HD channels
- Amazon Prime
- Price freeze
- 4k carriage announcements

Looks like one of these is being sorted next month. 4G.
Thanks to Inactive Digital for posting this.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by foxnewsfan

Does anyone think with rising prices particularly with VM that one day we will only pay for what we watch for example I don't watch or have any interest in the music channels or foreign channels but I have to pay for them in the package.

Gradually I'm being priced out and there comes a point when enough is enough it's only the broadband speed that's holding me in right now.

The problem with choosing precisely which channels you will pay for (rather than buying packages of channels) is that this is your personal choice. In some households, there is a selfish breadwinner who may choose only those specific channels that he or she wants to watch and the tastes of the rest of the family are ignored.

I think we will ultimately dispense with all these individual channels and progress to fewer providers, each showing much more content. The present arrangements are inefficient, and expensive for the consumer.

---------- Post added at 09:55 ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 ----------

Originally Posted by denphone

l was hoping you was going to say rather the opposite MB.

I'm glad that some are looking forward to the launch of Fox News on Virgin Media, Den, but to me the suspense and anticipation for this channel to arrive rather shows just how desperate the VM community are getting for new channels to arrive!

I mean, Fox News?

---------- Post added at 10:08 ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 ----------

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

They were probably lying to put their competitors off the scent, but it does show how sly LG actually are.

Is this F1 deal the news that was said to be breaking in a day or two?

I agree, it's getting more and more pointless subscribing to pay TV channels in the traditional way.

If I use the price rise to rid myself of the awful TiVo, VM won't refund the advance line rental that I paid. Another sly trick that has done them no favours with me in the long term.

I'm going to downgrade, as I believe that the price increase allows me to do this without giving 30 days notice.

Well, Richard, if that's what you think about Liberty Global, good luck to you when you transfer to Sky.

I don't agree with you that the Tivo is awful, it is just slow (it wasn't always thus). The fact that only a proportion of people are having the sort of problems that you and certain other contributors describe indicates to me that this is more to do with network problems in their areas than the Tivo itself.

I am waiting for the new Tivo to arrive before making a decision about what to do. However, I am fortunate in being able to subscribe to Now TV, Netflix and Amazon and so I do have sufficient overall choice to keep me happy.

Having said this, I am disappointed to hear that the user interface on the new Tivos may be the same as on our updated old Tivos. I was hoping for better than this, so my expectations have declined. I may yet decide to move on, but I hope not to have to make that decision. Cable has so much to offer, but the possibilities just haven't been realised. I really do hope that changes so that VM becomes the TV platform of choice.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

The problem with choosing precisely which channels you will pay for (rather than buying packages of channels) is that this is your personal choice. In some households, there is a selfish breadwinner who may choose only those specific channels that he or she wants to watch and the tastes of the rest of the family are ignored.

I think we will ultimately dispense with all these individual channels and progress to fewer providers, each showing much more content. The present arrangements are inefficient, and expensive for the consumer.

---------- Post added at 09:55 ---------- Previous post was at 09:51 ----------


I'm glad that some are looking forward to the launch of Fox News on Virgin Media, Den, but to me the suspense and anticipation for this channel to arrive rather shows just how desperate the VM community are getting for new channels to arrive!

I mean, Fox News?

---------- Post added at 10:08 ---------- Previous post was at 09:55 ----------


Well, Richard, if that's what you think about Liberty Global, good luck to you when you transfer to Sky.

I don't agree with you that the Tivo is awful, it is just slow (it wasn't always thus). The fact that only a proportion of people are having the sort of problems that you and certain other contributors describe indicates to me that this is more to do with network problems in their areas than the Tivo itself.

I am waiting for the new Tivo to arrive before making a decision about what to do. However, I am fortunate in being able to subscribe to Now TV, Netflix and Amazon and so I do have sufficient overall choice to keep me happy.

Having said this, I am disappointed to hear that the user interface on the new Tivos may be the same as on our updated old Tivos. I was hoping for better than this, so my expectations have declined. I may yet decide to move on, but I hope not to have to make that decision. Cable has so much to offer, but the possibilities just haven't been realised. I really do hope that changes so that VM becomes the TV platform of choice.

VM are effectively forcing me to stay until next March.

I dislike Sky with a passion and would only use them for a one year contract if it worked out cheaper than paying someone to replace my satellite wiring.

In the end Freeview/Freesat would suffice, maybe topped up with some streaming content.

I agree, cable TV & TiVo haven't been utilised and could have been so much better.

I'm going to downgrade to M/Player instead as there's no point in recording material if attempts to watch it cause so much frustration.

[Adlam]

Have just come off the phone with Virgin Media's complaints department and the guy told me he'd just had info come down saying Virgin were looking to move to more of a Sky based TV package system of bundles of specific genre of channels rather than across the board packages (ie Kids pack, Entertain Pack etc).

He said he had 'not had chance to really look at it yet' so what he was telling me might have been a little off but strange they are looking at this so soon after launching these new bundles, unless the packs will be launched for the new box?

Take it with a pinch of salt but thought I'd mention it

[BenMcr]

It's always possible that new content and channels may be more aligned with the pack names than when they were called M - XL.

But personally I'm not currently aware of any information to say that Virgin Media are specifically doing that, or will be.

[Adlam]

Thanks for the response!

Just passing on what he told me really but as I say, he hadn't read the information yet so could have just been telling me what he believed the information drop to be about.

[passingbat]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I'm glad that some are looking forward to the launch of Fox News on Virgin Media, Den, but to me the suspense and anticipation for this channel to arrive rather shows just how desperate the VM community are getting for new channels to arrive!

I mean, Fox News?

.

I'm not sure that you right in that analysis OB. I would like it because hopefully it will give greater coverage of the US elections.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by passingbat

I'm not sure that you right in that analysis OB. I would like it because hopefully it will give greater coverage of the US elections.

Well, I'm all for that, and maybe I am being unfair. The reputation Fox News has acquired is that of a dumbed down comedy news channel.

I've never seen the live channel but I have seen excerpts - maybe they weren't representative.

If it was more like CNN, I would be more supportive!

[foxnewsfan]

Trouble with cnn it is totally bias to the left (dems) so fox would even it out plus fox morning shows have great guests and cooking sections esp near the holiday dates like Halloween,xmas,thanksgiving and Super Bowl etc.

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Well, I'm all for that, and maybe I am being unfair. The reputation Fox News has acquired is that of a dumbed down comedy news channel.

I've never seen the live channel but I have seen excerpts - maybe they weren't representative.

If it was more like CNN, I would be more supportive!

I generally like the comedy gold aspect of it thats why i watched it on holiday every day. It was just filled with very angry old white men ranting passionately.

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by foxnewsfan

Trouble with cnn it is totally bias to the left (dems) so fox would even it out plus fox morning shows have great guests and cooking sections esp near the holiday dates like Halloween,xmas,thanksgiving and Super Bowl etc.

Food network is good for cooking shows, it has the superb diners drive-ins and dives.

[Inactive Digital]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

VM are effectively forcing me to stay until next March.

I'm going to downgrade to M/Player instead as there's no point in recording material if attempts to watch it cause so much frustration.

Don't forget that changing your package usually starts a new minimum term, so you'd likely be locked in until at least next September.

Originally Posted by vincerooney

I generally like the comedy gold aspect of it thats why i watched it on holiday every day. It was just filled with very angry old white men ranting passionately.

Originally Posted by theone2k10

Food network is good for cooking shows, it has the superb diners drive-ins and dives.

Good to know that people are looking forward to Fox News for the comedy and cookery.

[theone2k10]

Originally Posted by jj20x

Good to know that people are looking forward to Fox News for the comedy and cookery.

I already have access to FOXNews via my USA login and vpn

[foxnewsfan]

Theone2k10

Is that easy to do buddy how can this happen for me?