General : Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)

[Chloé Palmas]

Originally Posted by denphone

Well we are pretty happy with it but its all in the eye of the beholder as they say..

This is so true as of late with so much - "if it ain't broke..."

This is not just in regards to Sky but before they introduced their God awful automated system it was at least possible to call them up from time to time without it taking 4 minutes to get through their automated garbage but software in general is an example.

Instead of a simple upgrade to 4K Sky had to come up with this Fluid idea stuff, a whole new dish etc etc.

They couldn't just implement the KISS rule...no they had to over complicate it all and mess everything up.

---------- Post added at 17:48 ---------- Previous post was at 17:43 ----------

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/business...-bbc-buy-uktv/

This is another example of where UKTV used to serve a good purpose, then they toyed about with it all, messed up what worked and is now a mess.

If ITV and the BBC did buy out, it might well work as so many of what is on GOLD etc these days are old run offs from Beeb days...what they are doing now does not work and something different may revive it.

Otherwise competing with Netflix will be pointless long term, Netflix will have blown them out of the water by then.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Chloé Palmas

I got a few 4K tvs about 4 years ago now (well 2 of them like 3 years ago, hubby got one) and the idea was that Sky would add in a 4K box but Q sounds like a disaster and the few updates that they have done on the old HD boxes suck...(there is now such a slow clunky interface, search has issues etc).

The amount of 4K content is abysmal, too. UK TV (not that specific set of networks but in general) really is in a bad place these days and patience is going to have to be the key right now. The wait may be long though - for now the likes of streaming services seem to be the only way to go.

I've said it before - UHD takes up far too much recording space. HD is bad enough - I have to spread these recordings over three boxes now as opposed to the 1TB Tivo we had before, on which I recorded most programmes in SD. I wouldn't even think of recording UHD. For this reason, I think that most UHD is likely to be streamed or on demand, unless of course we can 'record' to the cloud. If it were to be otherwise, I am sure our UHD-ready V6 boxes would have been manufactured with a bigger hard drive.

As far as the Sky Q is concerned, both my daughters have this, and to be honest, it is an improvement on the Sky HD boxes. I just prefer the V6 and the way it works, and I like the fact that I can double the number of recordings with the link to my upstairs box, which I can view also from the lounge.

I must say that I don't like how you have to download on demand programmes onto your hard drive with Sky's system. With Virgin you can either go straight into your selected programme or you can bookmark it so that it appears in 'My Shows' but without taking up valuable recording space.

As for the lack of UHD, tell me about it. However, I think that 2018 is set to be the year when this starts to change, at least on VM.

---------- Post added at 17:56 ---------- Previous post was at 17:49 ----------

Originally Posted by ozsat

Yep - any content from CatchUp or OnDemand (including BBC iPlayer) has to be downloaded to view.

Youtube streams so it can be done.

BBC i-Player streams too on Virgin Media.

[Chloé Palmas]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I've said it before - UHD takes up far too much recording space. HD is bad enough - I have to spread these recordings over three boxes now as opposed to the 1TB Tivo we had before, on which I recorded most programmes in SD. I wouldn't even think of recording UHD. For this reason, I think that most UHD is likely to be streamed or on demand, unless of course we can 'record' to the cloud. If it were to be otherwise, I am sure our UHD-ready V6 boxes would have been manufactured with a bigger hard drive.

Yeah they do take up more space but the problem that I have is that the storage size for boxes doesn't increase with UHD / 4K boxes. So, for Sky I have a 2TB and 1.5 TB box - both HD and from what I understand it is the same for Q - 2 and 1.5 for the mini. It would be nice to have had Q offer more space if size of programming was an issue.

As far as the Sky Q is concerned, both my daughters have this, and to be honest, it is an improvement on the Sky HD boxes. I just prefer the V6 and the way it works, and I like the fact that I can double the number of recordings with the link to my upstairs box, which I can view also from the lounge.

The old Sky HD boxes are slightly more outdated, in that sense but the functionality cannot be questioned - it is maybe not as efficient as newer models but it doesn't break down and the old planner / search and cinema system was nowhere near as clunky as a 4K system UI / internal settings superimposed onto an HD box.

Even though I don't have as much experience with Virgin they do seem to both have some gimmicks as of late which is frustrating for their insistence of fluidity / ownership of boxes etc. What worked was something both companies have messed with some, and there is only so much you can do for now. It does not mean that you are sitting on your laurels if you don't come up with new idea every single year and some of these overhauls are useless.

I must say that I don't like how you have to download on demand programmes onto your hard drive with Sky's system. With Virgin you can either go straight into your selected programme or you can bookmark it so that it appears in 'My Shows' but without taking up valuable recording space.

Virgin have a far better system on that one in general due to the fact that you can record anything from like the previous week off the planner, too. I have to admit that I am irked by Sky's system of on demand, too - not just that it downloads and space becomes an issue too but you have to watch it out in a certain time before it goes so you are constantly micro managing your box altogether.

As for the lack of UHD, tell me about it. However, I think that 2018 is set to be the year when this starts to change, at least on VM.

Yeah now that both companies have started selling boxes they better produce the content or customers will be left irate...especially those who had to pay for installations.

Not sure if Sky even has any native content of 4K - wouldn't effect us anyway as we still have the HD boxes.

[Ddonald2016]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Broadcastnow is reporting that Virgin media UK are looking into having an EPG relaunch with one idea being having all the +1 (like ITV +1 and Quest +1) having their own dedicated section. (cant post link do to broadcastnow paywall)

I think it’s badly needed like if you want to only have HD. if available it hides SD as not needed and defo +1 in there own section or hidden if not wanted is a great idea

[Raider999]

Originally Posted by Chloé Palmas

Yeah they do take up more space but the problem that I have is that the storage size for boxes doesn't increase with UHD / 4K boxes. So, for Sky I have a 2TB and 1.5 TB box - both HD and from what I understand it is the same for Q - 2 and 1.5 for the mini. It would be nice to have had Q offer more space if size of programming was an issue.



The old Sky HD boxes are slightly more outdated, in that sense but the functionality cannot be questioned - it is maybe not as efficient as newer models but it doesn't break down and the old planner / search and cinema system was nowhere near as clunky as a 4K system UI / internal settings superimposed onto an HD box.

Even though I don't have as much experience with Virgin they do seem to both have some gimmicks as of late which is frustrating for their insistence of fluidity / ownership of boxes etc. What worked was something both companies have messed with some, and there is only so much you can do for now. It does not mean that you are sitting on your laurels if you don't come up with new idea every single year and some of these overhauls are useless.



Virgin have a far better system on that one in general due to the fact that you can record anything from like the previous week off the planner, too. I have to admit that I am irked by Sky's system of on demand, too - not just that it downloads and space becomes an issue too but you have to watch it out in a certain time before it goes so you are constantly micro managing your box altogether.



Yeah now that both companies have started selling boxes they better produce the content or customers will be left irate...especially those who had to pay for installations.

Not sure if Sky even has any native content of 4K - wouldn't effect us anyway as we still have the HD boxes.

The skyq boxes are 2Tb (required for UHD) or 1Tb - unless the latter has changed. The mini (is secondary boxes) has no recording capability - all recordings are held on the 1 main box.

[Chloé Palmas]

So what are the secondary boxes even for then...just to use on a separate TV? This is ridiculous, they want you to get a new box, pay for install (and not get to keep the box / lose all your other recordings on your old set up) and all for the sake of no 4K content to begin with and boxes that can't record but cost you an extra 10 bucks a month to use? Hope somebody has a spare handful of TVs, too.

What a useless waste.

[devilincarnate]

World Cup 2018: BBC iPlayer to stream matches in 4K HDR - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44308154

[ozsat]

It could be a lottery for viewers- it says: It will limit the number of screens with access, and will do so on a first-come first-served basis.

Each will be limited to "tens of thousands of people" - the exact number of iPlayer-equipped devices has not been specified in advance.

Originally Posted by devilincarnate

World Cup 2018: BBC iPlayer to stream matches in 4K HDR - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-44308154

[denphone]

That certainly does sound like a lottery with all likelihood your chances of winning are not that good...

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

UHD takes up far too much recording space.... I wouldn't even think of recording UHD

The UHD broadcasts now are about the same bandwidth as BBC HD was when it first launched. Yet you recorded that on your 160GB V+. You could record six times as much UHD on your V6.

And they are less than half the bandwidth of each analogue channel. I bet you used to record those too.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

The UHD broadcasts now are about the same bandwidth as BBC HD was when it first launched. Yet you recorded that on your 160GB V+. You could record six times as much UHD on your V6.

And they are less than half the bandwidth of each analogue channel. I bet you used to record those too.

Thank you, spiderplant, that's news to me. If UHD takes up about the same space as HD, I shall be very happy!

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Thank you, spiderplant, that's news to me. If UHD takes up about the same space as HD, I shall be very happy!

It takes more than HD does now, but not more than HD did 10 years ago. Such is the progress in compression technology.

[SonicMaster]

Originally Posted by Media Boy

Broadcastnow is reporting that Virgin media UK are looking into having an EPG relaunch with one idea being having all the +1 (like ITV +1 and Quest +1) having their own dedicated section. (cant post link do to broadcastnow paywall)

Anyone with a subscription able to share any more detail?

Link is: https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broad...129711.article

[Ultimate.Conj]

Originally Posted by SonicMaster

Anyone with a subscription able to share any more detail?

Link is: https://www.broadcastnow.co.uk/broad...129711.article

I found these articles regarding the shake-up

http://www.cityam.com/265107/virgin-...ng-its-next-tv

https://advanced-television.com/2017...top-epg-slots/

[Raider999]

Originally Posted by Chloé Palmas

So what are the secondary boxes even for then...just to use on a separate TV? This is ridiculous, they want you to get a new box, pay for install (and not get to keep the box / lose all your other recordings on your old set up) and all for the sake of no 4K content to begin with and boxes that can't record but cost you an extra 10 bucks a month to use? Hope somebody has a spare handful of TVs, too.

What a useless waste.

My post clearly states it is referring to SkyQ not virgin V6