General : Virgin TV Service

[beaker17]

I have just had an engineers visit and a surprising explanation of what the network will be doing over the next few months.

Currently my set-top box is the size of a laptop. This is going to be replaced by a small box about 3x3x0.25 inches in the next few months.

It is all to do with advanced network fibre optic cabling.
I am told that all TV providers are doing the same.
In fact new Virgin customers are being supplied with the small box now.

Downside, the new small set-top box will NOT have a recording facility, all will be online viewing - no recording.

In my case, I then see no benefit whatsoever in paying Virgin for my TV service and will cancel my TV package with them and simply watch FreeView.

Progress ? Yes, in reverse !!

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by beaker17

I have just had an engineers visit and a surprising explanation of what the network will be doing over the next few months.

Currently my set-top box is the size of a laptop. This is going to be replaced by a small box about 3x3x0.25 inches in the next few months.

It is all to do with advanced network fibre optic cabling.
I am told that all TV providers are doing the same.
In fact new Virgin customers are being supplied with the small box now.

Downside, the new small set-top box will NOT have a recording facility, all will be online viewing - no recording.

In my case, I then see no benefit whatsoever in paying Virgin for my TV service and will cancel my TV package with them and simply watch FreeView.

Progress ? Yes, in reverse !!

Yes, sounds like Virgin Stream, but you will only pay a few quid per month for that. It’ll be worth it in my view for the watchlist facility, which I find very useful for keeping track of what I am watching.

If you are happy with the Freeview offering, I agree that there’s no point in having Virgin TV, unless you don’t have an aerial, in which case Freely is probably best for you.

[OLD BOY]

Just a little clarification - the 360 does still appear to be available, according to the Virgin site.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post the Virgin Stream was now Virgin Flex.

[beaker17]

Something that no customer knows and which Virgin should have told every customer in writing.

The problem I had was this -
I had about 30 recordings and a number of planned recordings.
I was watching a recording when the screen froze and a panel came uo saying "Service not available - try later ". I tried several hours later and it still said the same.

I switched off the power and back on again. When I checked my recordings, the whole screen said "No recordings" !!! They were all gone.
Apparently if you cut the power or there is a power cut when an alert message is showing the box resets itself and all recordings and planned recordings are lost.

As an engineer THAT is crap engineering in the extreme and certainly not fail safe practice.
So Virgin have placed their customers back in the Stone Age with no recording facility and a system design that deletes all their recordings when an alert message is showing and the power is cut.
Thank you Virgin for a shameful and disgraceful future system.

[mike @ home]

Originally Posted by beaker17

I have just had an engineers visit and a surprising explanation of what the network will be doing over the next few months.

Currently my set-top box is the size of a laptop. This is going to be replaced by a small box about 3x3x0.25 inches in the next few months.

It is all to do with advanced network fibre optic cabling.
I am told that all TV providers are doing the same.
In fact new Virgin customers are being supplied with the small box now.

Downside, the new small set-top box will NOT have a recording facility, all will be online viewing - no recording.

In my case, I then see no benefit whatsoever in paying Virgin for my TV service and will cancel my TV package with them and simply watch FreeView.

Progress ? Yes, in reverse !!

Well I have been with VM since it was NTL for over 20 years now, so if it does change to "No Recording" I WILL LEAVE VM for good.

[ozsat]

Sky Stream/Glass has no recording - non-live viewing all depends on content being available online.

[beaker17]

Originally Posted by mike @ home

Well I have been with VM since it was NTL for over 20 years now, so if it does change to "No Recording" I WILL LEAVE VM for good.

Same here, I will watch the very many channels of FreeView for nothing.
Costly Virgin TV package will be cancelled. Auf Wiedersehen Virgin, have a nice day.

[Inactive Digital]

Originally Posted by beaker17

I have just had an engineers visit and a surprising explanation of what the network will be doing over the next few months.

Currently my set-top box is the size of a laptop. This is going to be replaced by a small box about 3x3x0.25 inches in the next few months.

It is all to do with advanced network fibre optic cabling.
I am told that all TV providers are doing the same.
In fact new Virgin customers are being supplied with the small box now.

Downside, the new small set-top box will NOT have a recording facility, all will be online viewing - no recording.

In my case, I then see no benefit whatsoever in paying Virgin for my TV service and will cancel my TV package with them and simply watch FreeView.

Progress ? Yes, in reverse !!

As far as I know, VM hasn't announced any intention to force existing customers onto the Stream boxes.

At present, you'd only need the change your TV box to Stream if you move onto the new XGS-PON network which is currently being built because the Tivo, V6 and 360 boxes won't work on that.

I believe only customers requesting speed upgrades will be moved to the new network initially (not sure what the minimum speed required would be). It will require a new cable being laid to customer properties, new router and TV box etc, so it'd be a huge undertaking and cost a lot to move everyone across in one go without good reason.

---------- Post added at 17:43 ---------- Previous post was at 17:40 ----------

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Just a little clarification - the 360 does still appear to be available, according to the Virgin site.

I forgot to mention in my earlier post the Virgin Stream was now Virgin Flex.

Stream is still the name of the box. But VM offers two different services on it. One is the traditional TV packages that come as part of bundles (Bigger TV etc) and the other is Flex.

[nodrogd]

Originally Posted by beaker17

Something that no customer knows and which Virgin should have told every customer in writing.

The problem I had was this -
I had about 30 recordings and a number of planned recordings.
I was watching a recording when the screen froze and a panel came uo saying "Service not available - try later ". I tried several hours later and it still said the same.

I switched off the power and back on again. When I checked my recordings, the whole screen said "No recordings" !!! They were all gone.
Apparently if you cut the power or there is a power cut when an alert message is showing the box resets itself and all recordings and planned recordings are lost.

As an engineer THAT is crap engineering in the extreme and certainly not fail safe practice.
So Virgin have placed their customers back in the Stone Age with no recording facility and a system design that deletes all their recordings when an alert message is showing and the power is cut.
Thank you Virgin for a shameful and disgraceful future system.

V360 is server driven. If the box cannot contact the server, it cannot access the master recording list of what is on your boxes. Horizon was designed for cloud based recording, which has had to be modified in the UK to comply with broadcast agreements that don't yet allow it. Your hard disk is therefore seen as a "cloud" location by the server, which controls all the recordings. VM has had no choice in this. Horizon is Liberty Global's TV platform, & as VMs owners, they can impose on them what they choose. Luckily, we are not being forced off of TiVO V6 yet.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by mike @ home

Well I have been with VM since it was NTL for over 20 years now, so if it does change to "No Recording" I WILL LEAVE VM for good.

The recording facility is being withdrawn everywhere - not just on Virgin. The same is the case with Sky. Freeview will be withdrawn in a few years and we will have Freely replacing it. All content will be streamed, so there will be no recording at all in the future. Delayed viewing will be possible only through on demand services.

It’s not surprising, actually, and it’s what the industry wants. Fast forwarding capability to dodge the ads is affecting the bottom line.

So make the most of it while you can is my advice.

---------- Post added at 19:50 ---------- Previous post was at 19:48 ----------

Originally Posted by beaker17

Same here, I will watch the very many channels of FreeView for nothing.
Costly Virgin TV package will be cancelled. Auf Wiedersehen Virgin, have a nice day.

Well, you pays your money and you takes your choice. Freeview is only any good if you don’t watch much TV.

Sky Q can record (and/or download) and I see no plans to stop that, and Q will be going for years yet.

[RichardCoulter]

Generic satellite boxes are also available that can record FTA linear broadcasts and receive internet broadcasts (not sure if these can be recorded, I think they can).

[mike @ home]

My wife has a Freeview set top box in bedroom & she records all sorts, so If I ever leave VM I should be able to sort things out, but at the mo I'm happy wi VM.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Paul

Sky Q can record (and/or download) and I see no plans to stop that, and Q will be going for years yet.

I’m afraid that is very unlikely. Once the contracts for the satellite transponders run out in a few years, that will be it for Sky Q.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I’m afraid that is very unlikely.

In your head maybe, but not in reality.

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Once the contracts for the satellite transponders run out in a few years, that will be it for Sky Q.

First of all, "a few years" is what I just said ("years yet").
Sky has already confirmed it has a deal with SES until 2029.

Secondly, Sky Q boxes will/can function without satellite anyway.
You can download from all the major catch up sources, plus they can stream to them (which is exactly how sky sports + works).