General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by jfman

Just despair about what life will be like without one. Losing access to movies and series due to contractual disputes before getting the chance to watch them.

That can happen with a hard drive.

[RichardCoulter]

Do you mean that recordings can be set to only be kept for a limited time Ben? I assumed that the technology was in existence to do this, but i've not come across it myself.

I suppose it will be a similar process to how Sky recordings cannot be accessed on VM once an active subscription to the channels ends.

Various events like a faulty HDD or upgrading to TV360 can also mean losing everything that's been recorded onto the hard drive too.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by jfman

Just despair about what life will be like without one. Losing access to movies and series due to contractual disputes before getting the chance to watch them.

In the same way that we lost access to the UKTV channels on VM not so long ago?

I'd simply find another way to access them as I had to do when I changed my box - such as subscribing to the Sky Cinema package on Now TV.

This sort of thing is much less likely to happen with the streamers, of course, particularly with their original content, which is what I tend to watch most of the time.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

In the same way that we lost access to the UKTV channels on VM not so long ago?

I'd simply find another way to access them as I had to do when I changed my box - such as subscribing to the Sky Cinema package on Now TV.

This sort of thing is much less likely to happen with the streamers, of course, particularly with their original content, which is what I tend to watch most of the time.

I'd say it's more likely to happen with third party content in the near future (e.g. Friends being removed from Netflix at extremely short notice).

I'm sure for the vast majority of rational consumers in the marketplace subscribing to an additional service to get the same content they had previously is sub-optimal outcome - they aren't as dogmatic as you are about streaming.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Because there’s limited space on the hard drive.

Why would you care? Are you planning to do lots of recording?

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Do you mean that recordings can be set to only be kept for a limited time Ben? I assumed that the technology was in existence to do this, but i've not come across it myself

There isn't an ability to keep them for a fixed time, but they become inaccessible after a time if the channel is dropped by VM.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

There isn't an ability to keep them for a fixed time, but they become inaccessible after a time if the channel is dropped by VM.

Also worth pointing out that broadcasters can also have in their content agreement that recordings become inaccessible if you no longer subscribe to the channel - even when it's still on the platform.

Although it's only Sky that currently do this - as they do for their own customers on their platform too still I believe.

[Legendkiller2k]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

In the same way that we lost access to the UKTV channels on VM not so long ago?

I'd simply find another way to access them as I had to do when I changed my box - such as subscribing to the Sky Cinema package on Now TV.

This sort of thing is much less likely to happen with the streamers, of course, particularly with their original content, which is what I tend to watch most of the time.

It's more likely to happen for example Ratuken items only have a 3 year limit, i know as fallen fowl of this myself.

[1701-e]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Why would you care? Are you planning to do lots of recording?


There isn't an ability to keep them for a fixed time, but they become inaccessible after a time if the channel is dropped by VM.

Or moved. I went to watch a old recording from C4hd but it was coming up channel no longer available.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by 1701-e

Or moved. I went to watch a old recording from C4hd but it was coming up channel no longer available.

Where the channel is directly replaced by a similar version e.g. going from SD / HD to HD only, then recordings are maintained where possible. Unfortunately content rights get complicated.

Technically the version of Channel 4 HD you recorded it from stopped broadcasting, and a different version was launched in it's place.

Same happened with some of the BBC channels.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Why would you care? Are you planning to do lots of recording?


There isn't an ability to keep them for a fixed time, but they become inaccessible after a time if the channel is dropped by VM.

Yes, I do record a lot because on demand bookmarks are unreliable, with programmes being pulled after a week, 4 weeks or a few months.

I grant you, there has been a lot less worth recording lately - most of the good stuff can now be found on the streamers - but until all content can be seen later in this way, I still need to record stuff.

As far as the latter paragraph is concerned, that has happened only rarely until recently. When Universal closed down last year, I made a point of watching all recordings from that channel before they were pulled. I will be doing the same for Fox content that has been recorded.

---------- Post added at 16:47 ---------- Previous post was at 16:45 ----------

Originally Posted by jfman

I'd say it's more likely to happen with third party content in the near future (e.g. Friends being removed from Netflix at extremely short notice).

I'm sure for the vast majority of rational consumers in the marketplace subscribing to an additional service to get the same content they had previously is sub-optimal outcome - they aren't as dogmatic as you are about streaming.

As I said, the vast majority of what I watch on the streamers is the original content, so that disadvantage does not apply. Now (TV) of course, is an exception.

I'm not dogmatic about streaming. I record, bookmark or otherwise access content where it is to be found. Increasingly over time, this tends to be by way of the streamers.

---------- Post added at 16:52 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Also worth pointing out that broadcasters can also have in their content agreement that recordings become inaccessible if you no longer subscribe to the channel - even when it's still on the platform.

Although it's only Sky that currently do this - as they do for their own customers on their platform too still I believe.

Well, that is within your own control. If you want to retain recordings from a particular channel, then keep subscribing to it.

---------- Post added at 16:53 ---------- Previous post was at 16:52 ----------

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

It's more likely to happen for example Ratuken items only have a 3 year limit, i know as fallen fowl of this myself.

3 years is reasonable, IMHO.

[Legendkiller2k]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Yes, I do record a lot because on demand bookmarks are unreliable, with programmes being pulled after a week, 4 weeks or a few months.

I grant you, there has been a lot less worth recording lately - most of the good stuff can now be found on the streamers - but until all content can be seen later in this way, I still need to record stuff.

As far as the latter paragraph is concerned, that has happened only rarely until recently. When Universal closed down last year, I made a point of watching all recordings from that channel before they were pulled. I will be doing the same for Fox content that has been recorded.

---------- Post added at 16:47 ---------- Previous post was at 16:45 ----------



As I said, the vast majority of what I watch on the streamers is the original content, so that disadvantage does not apply. Now (TV) of course, is an exception.

I'm not dogmatic about streaming. I record, bookmark or otherwise access content where it is to be found. Increasingly over time, this tends to be by way of the streamers.

---------- Post added at 16:52 ---------- Previous post was at 16:47 ----------



Well, that is within your own control. If you want to retain recordings from a particular channel, then keep subscribing to it.

---------- Post added at 16:53 ---------- Previous post was at 16:52 ----------



3 years is reasonable, IMHO.

No it's not i pay £9.99 on a buy and keep option, i might aswell pay the same on a blu ray disk.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

No it's not i pay £9.99 on a buy and keep option, i might aswell pay the same on a blu ray disk.

I don't disagree with you, Legendkiller. It's hardly buy and keep - I think we should involve Trading Standards!

What I meant was that being able to keep your bookmarks for three years was reasonable - but clearly if you bought the stream, you should not then have it taken away.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

No it's not i pay £9.99 on a buy and keep option, i might aswell pay the same on a blu ray disk.

That's just a 36-month rental!

[1701-e]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Where the channel is directly replaced by a similar version e.g. going from SD / HD to HD only, then recordings are maintained where possible. Unfortunately content rights get complicated.

Technically the version of Channel 4 HD you recorded it from stopped broadcasting, and a different version was launched in it's place.

Same happened with some of the BBC channels.

Yes I understand that though this area hasn't had the C4hd/SD switch.
Luckily enough the programme I was looking for was shown again recently.

[Legendkiller2k]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

That's just a 36-month rental!

I just buy on dvd or blu ray now, rip them to my pc then put the dvd/blu ray in storage, i use plex then to watch my content on my tv.
As i'm not sharing it it's perfectly legal. Need decent sized harddrives though lol, i have 3 8tb ones in my pc.