General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Hugh

You may have missed the point*….


*streaming is the future, linear TV (including recording linear TV programmes) is dying….

Why is it that some of you guys can't tell the difference between what we have now and what will be in the future?

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Why is it that some of you guys can't tell the difference between what we have now and what will be in the future?

Why is it some of you guys can’t use streaming now when it’s an option when you say that linear is dying - why don’t you practice what you preach to others?

Or is possible that in the future, like now, it will be a mixture of streaming and linear, because that’s what’s convenient and what people want?

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Do you guys how pathetically this sounds?

I’m sorry, just play your games with others of same minds! I’m just conversation with normal people

A glass too many there, perhaps OB?

I think it's interesting to understand what the limitations of streaming TV are and it's good information that Hugh has provided us with. I was happy to accept that it took hours to upload live programmes to on-demand but it's interesting to see how long this takes.

Hopefully, this will encourage you and others to let go of linear and watch your news on-demand.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Why is it some of you guys can’t use streaming now when it’s an option when you say that linear is dying - why don’t you practice what you preach to others?

Or is possible that in the future, like now, it will be a mixture of streaming and linear, because that’s what’s convenient and what people want?

Well, I do stream live programmes from the i-Player quite frequently. I always watch Andrew Marr and Prime Minister’s Questions that way. As I have explained, there is a delay of a few hours in uploading programmes that have already ended on the i-Player, which is why I record it.

Anyhow, it is nothing to do with this debate how I or anyone else organises their viewing. It is already self-evident that channels have been closing recently - with more to come - and the content transferred to streamers.

It will be interesting to see how Virgin and Sky respond to this continuing trend as it takes hold, but I suspect we will be presented with bouquets of streamers and players price packaged as the TV channels currently are, with a much wider choice of streamers available.

An alternative view might be that Virgin will abandon the TV side of the business, recognising that modern connected TVs already offer more streamers than they do.

Losing channels such as Fox will diminish the TV offerings available and will make people less enthusiastic about subscribing to pay TV via linear channels. Apparently, National Geographic will disappear from the TV channel line-up within the year as well. What will replace these channels as they are taken off, one by one and batch by batch?

[Mr K]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Well, I do stream live programmes from the i-Player quite frequently. I always watch Andrew Marr and Prime Minister’s Questions that way. As I have explained, there is a delay of a few hours in uploading programmes that have already ended on the i-Player, which is why I record it.

Heady viewing! Steady on OB ....
I recommend Gardener's World, much more exciting, and it has well rotted manure instead of fresh

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Well, I do stream live programmes from the i-Player quite frequently. I always watch Andrew Marr and Prime Minister’s Questions that way. As I have explained, there is a delay of a few hours in uploading programmes that have already ended on the i-Player, which is why I record it.

Anyhow, it is nothing to do with this debate how I or anyone else organises their viewing. It is already self-evident that channels have been closing recently - with more to come - and the content transferred to streamers.

It will be interesting to see how Virgin and Sky respond to this continuing trend as it takes hold, but I suspect we will be presented with bouquets of streamers and players price packaged as the TV channels currently are, with a much wider choice of streamers available.

An alternative view might be that Virgin will abandon the TV side of the business, recognising that modern connected TVs already offer more streamers than they do.

Losing channels such as Fox will diminish the TV offerings available and will make people less enthusiastic about subscribing to pay TV via linear channels. Apparently, National Geographic will disappear from the TV channel line-up within the year as well. What will replace these channels as they are taken off, one by one and batch by batch?

Originally Posted by Hugh

You sure?

BBC2 Gardeners World (9pm - 10pm) and This Time With Alan Partridge (BBC1 9:30pm - 10pm) are both available now on BBC iPlayer, at 10:10pm.

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

From 10.00pm-10.30pm it's available on re-start.

So it's only unavailable for 23 minutes from 10.30pm to 10.53pm, not hours.

No, there isn’t…

[locutus1974]

will be interesting to see what happens after the Virginmedia and 02 (telefonica) merger. I spoke to someone that works for the telefonica side of 02 and apparently the first thing they want to invest in is the cable infrastructure for the broadband fibreoptic expansion.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Hugh

No, there isn’t…

Actually, I think you may be right, but it has not always been so. I have previously tried to access programmes via the i-player only to discover that it is ‘not available’ and it has not appeared for a few hours.

Clearly, if I can watch the news bulletin as soon as it has been broadcast, and also after the broadcast has stopped, that will be an advantage above making a recording.

Thank you for the heads up, although I think you only posted this to be spiteful.

No, I posted it to be informative - you shouldn't "project"...

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Clearly, if I can watch the news bulletin as soon as it has been broadcast, and also after the broadcast has stopped, that will be an advantage above making a recording.

Why would it be an advantage?

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Hugh

No, I posted it to be informative - you shouldn't "project"...

Pointing out how quickly a TV programme is uploaded by replying to a previous post containg outdated information is what forums are all about. Everyone benefits from the knowledge, not just the original poster.

I don't watch many programmes live these days (apart from live events) so I was surprised to see Old Boy mentioning a period of hours before they were available. As a strong advocate of streaming, Old Boy was the last person that I'd think of recording programmess, so this action felt out of character.

---------- Post added at 11:33 ---------- Previous post was at 11:31 ----------

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Why would it be an advantage?

There's a 20-minute gap from 10.31 to 10.51 when News at Ten can't be watched on-demand or via restart but can be watched if you record it.

---------- Post added at 11:38 ---------- Previous post was at 11:33 ----------

Originally Posted by locutus1974

will be interesting to see what happens after the Virginmedia and 02 (telefonica) merger. I spoke to someone that works for the telefonica side of 02 and apparently the first thing they want to invest in is the cable infrastructure for the broadband fibreoptic expansion.

There's nothing to stop that happening at the moment.
Interest rates are at record lows (borrowing will be the way expansion is paid for) so whilst it would be great to see more expansion, I don't think that the business case changes due to the merger.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by 1andrew1

There's a 20-minute gap from 10.31 to 10.51 when News at Ten can't be watched on-demand or via restart but can be watched if you record it.

Yes, but OB said "that will be an advantage above making a recording". I took that to mean he was hypothesising that if the stream was immediately available after transmission, that would give an advantage over recording it. I was wondering what that advantage would be.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Yes, but OB said "that will be an advantage above making a recording". I took that to mean he was hypothesising that if the stream was immediately available after transmission, that would give an advantage over recording it. I was wondering what that advantage would be.

Climate change from all those hard disks

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Why would it be an advantage?

Because there’s limited space on the hard drive.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Because there’s limited space on the hard drive.

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.