General : Changes to Virgin TV (2022)

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

To my recollection current Ofcom EPG rules say Channel 4 has to be in the Top 8 Guide positions. So VM can't move it to 113 Wales. Sky moved one of their own channels in Wales on their Satellite platform because of this rule.

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BBC1 HD English Regions are going to Ch 101 like the other BBC1 HDs on VM have been for years.

Will there still be a BBC1 SD channel available for the English reasons? Do we know where it will go?

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by vincerooney

Do we know the date this is happening? i thought this was going to happen after BBC 3 launches

Nope (unless something changed I didn't read), we know little for sure, the BBC have been giving rough ideas, no specifics. Different platforms will likely manage it at different times

The BBC said (somewhere, don't ask for a link I can't remember where) that the channel numbers for BBC3 might be less prominent on various platforms at launch. OFCOM said the platforms need to give BBC3 a certain level of prominence, but have something like a year to implement it.

[RegularCapital]

No sign of National Geographic or Nat Geo Wild closing on 1st February, as they have a full schedule, however not sure if this could be a shared feed as it was suggested that it was one of the proposals over at DigitalSpy.

Some screenshots from DigiGuide (set to their version of Virgin Media's EPG):

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

Will there still be a BBC1 SD channel available for the English reasons? Do we know where it will go?

Dual illumination (broadcasting both HD and SD versions) costs. I can't see it continuing on Cable, there's no need once the programming is the same and everyone on VM has HD-capable receivers.

I wouldn't be surprised to see changes to the Audio Description versions on 851/852, and 861-865 go HD too eventually. VM already use the same stream for BBC Scotland and Alba nationally, but use a different ID to point to that stream depending on your region, to implement the different channel numbers (my understanding of how it's done, feel free to correct those who know better).

Media Boy can probably remember, VM may have moved the SD regions to 860s range when Scotland/Wales/N Ireland regions went HD on 101 several years ago, rather than remove them immediately.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

Dual illumination (broadcasting both HD and SD versions) costs. I can't see it continuing on Cable, there's no need once the programming is the same and everyone on VM has HD-capable receivers.

I wouldn't be surprised to see changes to the Audio Description versions on 851/852, and 861-865 go HD too eventually. VM already use the same stream for BBC Scotland and Alba nationally, but use a different ID to point to that stream depending on your region, to implement the different channel numbers (my understanding of how it's done, feel free to correct those who know better).

Media Boy can probably remember, VM may have moved the SD regions to 860s range when Scotland/Wales/N Ireland regions went HD on 101 several years ago, rather than remove them immediately.

Scotland/Wales/N Ireland regions was always on Channels 861 to 864 before Virgin offers HD on Channel 101 in a Scotland/Wales/N Ireland regions on December 4th 2018.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Scotland/Wales/N Ireland regions was always on Channels 861 to 864 before Virgin offers HD on Channel 101 in a Scotland/Wales/N Ireland regions on December 4th 2018.

Yeah, but did VM move 101 SD versions to 860s or were those always separate streams? I can't remember this bit for certain. If they moved the 101 version the Series Links would continue to work, so I'm thinking they didn't move it that time as there were screens, to my recollection, that said "update your Series Links" on 108 after the change.

[1701-e]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

Yeah, but did VM move 101 SD versions to 860s or were those always separate streams? I can't remember this bit for certain. If they moved the 101 version the Series Links would continue to work, so I'm thinking they didn't move it that time as there were screens, to my recollection, that said "update your Series Links" on 108 after the change.

In NI BBC 1 hd was 108 and SD 101. When 101 became HD they closed the SD version so if you were an SD only series link person you had to shift over.. 861-864 were always there.

[Media Boy UK]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

Yeah, but did VM move 101 SD versions to 860s or were those always separate streams? I can't remember this bit for certain. If they moved the 101 version the Series Links would continue to work, so I'm thinking they didn't move it that time as there were screens, to my recollection, that said "update your Series Links" on 108 after the change.

I think Virgin that time my series links moved from channel 101 to 862.

I forget as my dog was put down that day. His wee sister was also put down this morning.

[epsilon]

4 new services have been added for BBC THREE HD (versions for England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland). Similarly 4 new services have been added for BBC FOUR HD - one service for each nation. Presumably to allow different channel numbers for each nation. Channel numbers are added but don't appear to be the final versions. More info to follow.

[epsilon]

All BBC FOUR HD currently listed as channel 107, which makes sense initially if the existing service is temporarily transferred to the new services on the existing channel number. However, BBC THREE HD is also listed as 107 for England & Northern Ireland and channel 157 for Scotland & Wales. In which case, BBC FOUR HD will have to move from 107. Maybe to 108 if the BBC ONE HD regions arrive in time to move them to channel 101. Nothing conclusive yet.

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by epsilon

All BBC FOUR HD currently listed as channel 107, which makes sense initially if the existing service is temporarily transferred to the new services on the existing channel number. However, BBC THREE HD is also listed as 107 for England & Northern Ireland and channel 157 for Scotland & Wales. In which case, BBC FOUR HD will have to move from 107. Maybe to 108 if the BBC ONE HD regions arrive in time to move them to channel 101. Nothing conclusive yet.

Ch157 can only be temporary, platforms have been given a year to get BBC3 into Top20 EPG position.

BBC Scotland and Alba have Top20 requirements for Scotland, so if BBC4 gets shunted to 108, the only obvious place is 113 in Scotland. However Channel4 has a Top8 requirement so 108 can't be used for BBC4 in Wales unless it's fitted in instead of E4 on 106. I'm not sure on status of 113 in Wales. Maybe the "solution" will be BBC4 on 113 in Scotland and Wales if that position is viable vacant option in Wales.

[epsilon]

113 isn't really an option outside Scotland unless ITV decides to remove the SD versions of ITV/UTV.

[1701-e]

Originally Posted by epsilon

113 isn't really an option outside Scotland unless ITV decides to remove the SD versions of ITV/UTV.

Would that not just be Virgin media to decide as all TV customers have HD enabled boxes meaning that SD utv is no longer needed. Utv HD is on all packs.

[epsilon]

Originally Posted by 1701-e

Would that not just be Virgin media to decide as all TV customers have HD enabled boxes meaning that SD utv is no longer needed. Utv HD is on all packs.

It probably depends on the terms of the carriage agreement for ITV. Perhaps the 113 to 120 range is allocated to ITV. They could possibly reach an agreement similar to the one for BBC Alba. It could end up with all channels shuffling down a slot or 2 to fit the extra PSB services in (Freeview style).

[Media Boy UK]

My TiVo boxes have got listings for both National Geographic and National Geographic Wild on 1st February 2022.

---------- Post added at 13:19 ---------- Previous post was at 12:50 ----------

Originally Posted by epsilon

4 new services have been added for BBC THREE HD (versions for England, Wales, Scotland & Northern Ireland). Similarly 4 new services have been added for BBC FOUR HD - one service for each nation. Presumably to allow different channel numbers for each nation. Channel numbers are added but don't appear to be the final versions. More info to follow.

Originally Posted by epsilon

All BBC FOUR HD currently listed as channel 107, which makes sense initially if the existing service is temporarily transferred to the new services on the existing channel number. However, BBC THREE HD is also listed as 107 for England & Northern Ireland and channel 157 for Scotland & Wales. In which case, BBC FOUR HD will have to move from 107. Maybe to 108 if the BBC ONE HD regions arrive in time to move them to channel 101. Nothing conclusive yet.

Still not appeared on Digital Spy Forum.

Do you know if Zee TV HD is also testing.

---------- Post added at 14:11 ---------- Previous post was at 13:19 ----------

Originally Posted by epsilon

It probably depends on the terms of the carriage agreement for ITV. Perhaps the 113 to 120 range is allocated to ITV. They could possibly reach an agreement similar to the one for BBC Alba. It could end up with all channels shuffling down a slot or 2 to fit the extra PSB services in (Freeview style).

The BBC proposed that the new BBC Three channel should appear within the top 24 slots of EPGs and that Ofcom should expedite this process and require EPG providers to implement this as soon as reasonably possible. The BBC also stated that, to help minimise disruption, it would rationalise its existing slots to release slots for the new channel in the EPG where possible. It explained that this could be achieved if the BBC successfully launched HD versions of all BBC One and BBC Two SD regional variants. This would mean
that the BBC would no longer require prominent HD and SD listings for both BBC One and BBC Two in England and Northern Ireland on Sky and Virgin Media O2, or across the UK on Freesat.The table below sets out the BBC’s expected EPG slots when the BBC has rationalised its slots.

Maybe BBC THREE HD will launch on Channel 157 until Channel 4 HD launches later this year.

We may end up with. (If channel not listed I think they will not move)

104. Channel 4 HD*
106. E4 HD
107. BBC Scotland HD**
107. S4C HD**
108. BBC THREE HD
109. BBC FOUR HD
110. Sky Showcase HD
111. Sky Showcase
112. Sky Witness HD
112. Sky Witness
113. BBC ALBA**
120. ITVBe +1 (back to all areas)
121. Sky Witness
122. Sky Max HD
135. Sky Max
136. Sky Comedy
137. Sky Crime HD
138. Sky Crime
139. SYFY HD
140. SYFY
141. Sky Arts HD
142. Channel 4 SD
143. Channel 4 +1
144. 4Seven
145. E4 SD
146. E4 +1
147. More 4 HD
148. More 4 SD
149. More 4 +1
156. CBS Reality
157. horror channel
158. Local Channels
159. Pick
195. 4Seven HD
196. 4Seven
203. 4Music


*Not in Wales
**Only in Scotland
***Only in Scotland