General : Changes to Virgin TV (2021)

[cheekyangus]

Originally Posted by ScottishSteve

Sky Documentaries SD - now on 278
Sky Nature SD - now on 280

Thanks. They took their time, they've been lurking for a wee while now apparently.

[SonicMaster]

Originally Posted by cheekyangus

The following channels have been made available to lower VM TV tiers on a temporary basis according to JJ20X on Forum Box.

Discovery History (and +1), Discovery Science (and +1), Discovery Turbo, Sky HISTORY (and +1) Animal Planet (and +1), Crime+Inv (and +1), Eurosport 1HD, Eurosport 2HD, Sky HISTORY 2.

Interesting timing. Maybe related to the latest national lockdown. Strange that the main Discovery Channel is not included.

---------- Post added at 11:05 ---------- Previous post was at 09:49 ----------

Discovery History (and +1), Discovery Science (and +1), Discovery Turbo, Sky HISTORY (and +1) Animal Planet (and +1), Crime+Inv (and +1), Eurosport 1HD, Eurosport 2HD and Sky HISTORY 2 are free until 9 February.

Sky Nature SD and Sky Documentaries SD are both now included with the Documentaries Personal Pick and the Mix bundle.

Press release:

https://www.virginmedia.com/corporat...uring-lockdown

[Legendkiller2k]

Space x is finally rolling out in uk but it ain't cheap £500+ for equipment and £85p/m speeds are between 80mb - 110mb.
And people thought VM were expensive speaking of which talks have begun with VM and Disney+ Also ROKU channel should arrive on VMs platform this year too.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

Space x is finally rolling out in uk but it ain't cheap £500+ for equipment and £85p/m speeds are between 80mb - 110mb.
And people thought VM were expensive speaking of which talks have begun with VM and Disney+ Also ROKU channel should arrive on VMs platform this year too.

I shudder to think what Max will say about the Roku channel! Not for those of weak disposition

[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Is this a conversion? I would never argue with that!

Everything on one box is my mantra. Feel free to join the franchise at absolutely no cost!

Seriously, jfman, this is what people using streaming services are demanding. We just want one search list covering all the TV channels, players and streaming services. This makes everything so much easier.

I am concerned that VM may miss the boat, despite the inroads they have made to date. Ultimately, this could be their USP, if they really tried. Sky is in danger of taking the lead as things stand.

Easier for who?

None of the streaming sticks I use (Chromecast, Fire Stick, Now TV stick) operate in the manner you describe and neither does my Smart TV.

Sky have always pushed their content primarily with third parties getting pennies in wholesale revenue and lower prominence in the EPG.

While your wet dream of an all streaming future clearly needs a leg up from the incumbent providers my question is why would they bother? What’s the big alternative product that everyone will leave for?

They’ll naturally add streaming services where there’s value add for them. They’re not going to do it out of some altruistic virtue.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by Legendkiller2k

Space x is finally rolling out in uk but it ain't cheap £500+ for equipment and £85p/m speeds are between 80mb - 110mb.
And people thought VM were expensive speaking of which talks have begun with VM and Disney+ Also ROKU channel should arrive on VMs platform this year too.

Now we're talking! Thanks for this, LK! So maybe Sky did have a 12 month exclusivity agreement with Disney + after all.

The Roku Channel was unexpected!

---------- Post added at 09:06 ---------- Previous post was at 08:56 ----------

Originally Posted by jfman

Easier for who?

None of the streaming sticks I use (Chromecast, Fire Stick, Now TV stick) operate in the manner you describe and neither does my Smart TV.

Sky have always pushed their content primarily with third parties getting pennies in wholesale revenue and lower prominence in the EPG.

While your wet dream of an all streaming future clearly needs a leg up from the incumbent providers my question is why would they bother? What’s the big alternative product that everyone will leave for?

They’ll naturally add streaming services where there’s value add for them. They’re not going to do it out of some altruistic virtue.

I am not sure why you are arguing and what your argument actually is. Perhaps you are thinking that I am saying something different from what I clearly have said. This won't be the first time you have deliberately tried to twist an argument out of all recognition.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt, I will explain it to you. VM already permits you to bookmark all the programmes on your wishlist from the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Those bookmarked shows then appear under the 'My Shows' list with all your recordings. That's why it is easier to have all the streamers on one box.

Argue the toss as much as you like, but many of us find that very convenient indeed.

The streamers themselves recognise that the key to keeping customers lies in helping them to find their content more easily, and they also recognise that they will have more success if their content is available on multiple platforms.

[1andrew1]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

Now we're talking! Thanks for this, LK! So maybe Sky did have a 12 month exclusivity agreement with Disney + after all.

Almost - I think Sky and O2 had it exclusively but it was as clear as mud at the time. Of the streaming services, it is the main app not on VM yet.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I am not sure why you are arguing and what your argument actually is. Perhaps you are thinking that I am saying something different from what I clearly have said. This won't be the first time you have deliberately tried to twist an argument out of all recognition.

Giving you the benefit of the doubt, I will explain it to you. VM already permits you to bookmark all the programmes on your wishlist from the likes of Netflix and Amazon. Those bookmarked shows then appear under the 'My Shows' list with all your recordings. That's why it is easier to have all the streamers on one box.

Argue the toss as much as you like, but many of us find that very convenient indeed.

The streamers themselves recognise that the key to keeping customers lies in helping them to find their content more easily, and they also recognise that they will have more success if their content is available on multiple platforms.

No need to give me the benefit of the doubt I’d rather you just answered the questions as presented however as usual it’s evasion, avoidance and pushing your pipe dream on the forum.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by jfman

No need to give me the benefit of the doubt I’d rather you just answered the questions as presented however as usual it’s evasion, avoidance and pushing your pipe dream on the forum.

What is evasive about my post? Where did I not attempt to help you understand?

Help me here, jfman, because you are doing my head in.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

What is evasive about my post? Where did I not attempt to help you understand?

Help me here, jfman, because you are doing my head in.

Questions you didn't answer:

What's in it for them (to assist you here this is meaning Virgin and Sky)?
What's the big alternative product that everyone will leave for? (You will note my previous reference to streaming sticks and Smart TVs not offering the experience you describe).

While Sky are regulated to provide EPG slots resulting in hundreds of third party channels Virgin are not. Virgin haven't, to date, decided to carry these channels on the basis that they exist.

You want Sky/Virgin to provide YOU exactly with YOUR vision of that YOU think television should look like. They are commercial entities who have built their platforms into millions of homes - they're not going to hand that on a plate to any two bob streamer like Eleven Sports (RIP) if there's no commercial value to them as platforms.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by jfman

Questions you didn't answer:

What's in it for them (to assist you here this is meaning Virgin and Sky)?
What's the big alternative product that everyone will leave for? (You will note my previous reference to streaming sticks and Smart TVs not offering the experience you describe).

While Sky are regulated to provide EPG slots resulting in hundreds of third party channels Virgin are not. Virgin haven't, to date, decided to carry these channels on the basis that they exist.

You want Sky/Virgin to provide YOU exactly with YOUR vision of that YOU think television should look like. They are commercial entities who have built their platforms into millions of homes - they're not going to hand that on a plate to any two bob streamer like Eleven Sports (RIP) if there's no commercial value to them as platforms.

What's in it for them (to assist you here this is meaning Virgin and Sky)? Well, as they are already doing it, that is a pointless question. You can already search for shows on the main streamers and bookmark them on Sky and VM. As far as getting more streamers on Sky and Virgin Media, clearly that would be in their interests because such a choice would attract new customers to their platforms. Liberty Global is committed to becoming a super-aggregator, and I think the same can be said of Sky. Why would they have said that if it didn’t benefit them? I am puzzled as to why you cannot see this.

What's the big alternative product that everyone will leave for? (You will note my previous reference to streaming sticks and Smart TVs not offering the experience you describe).

The easier it is to stream and find what you want, the more attractive the product will be. That means more business for platforms offering it.

While Sky are regulated to provide EPG slots resulting in hundreds of third party channels Virgin are not. Virgin haven't, to date, decided to carry these channels on the basis that they exist.

What’s that got to do with the price of eggs? It’s not a point that I made. I said I wanted the recordings listed with content from the streamers. I didn’t even mention EPG slots.

What evidence do you have that a lot of other people would not also appreciate the enhancements I have advocated? You cannot see very far beyond what is already on offer and how things work at the moment. Clearly, it is unlikely that VM or Sky will ever offer all the streamers available on Roku, and they probably wouldn’t want to, but they should offer at least the popular ones, and those with promise such as Apple+, Acorn and Britbox. Otherwise, why talk about being a super-aggregator of content?.

I trust that this clears that up for you. However, you don’t have to agree with me. Clearly, that would be too much to ask.

[jfman]

You're pushing for them to carry every streaming service, not some, or most, but all. Fully integrated into their search facilities.

"Everything on one box"

I'm glad you have conceded that no such product exists offering this in competition to Sky or Virgin Media.

[SonicMaster]

Article on Virgin TV Edit about the addition of Sky Documentaries SD and Sky Nature SD to VM:

https://www.virginmedia.com/virgin-t...hannels-launch

It's actually great timing, as these 2 channels are much better than the closed Discovery Home & Health and Discovery Shed.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by jfman

You're pushing for them to carry every streaming service, not some, or most, but all. Fully integrated into their search facilities.

"Everything on one box"

I'm glad you have conceded that no such product exists offering this in competition to Sky or Virgin Media.

I said that they should carry at least the popular ones and those with promise. I said that very clearly.

I also said that integration of searches from the likes of Netflix and Amazon on VM and Sky is already happening.

I have never said that no such product exists offering this in competition to Sky or Virgin Media.

Either you are not reading posts properly or you aware deliberately trying to skew the argument into one you would prefer to have.

Or maybe you are just being argumentative.

---------- Post added at 17:14 ---------- Previous post was at 17:12 ----------

Originally Posted by SonicMaster

Article on Virgin TV Edit about the addition of Sky Documentaries SD and Sky Nature SD to VM:

https://www.virginmedia.com/virgin-t...hannels-launch

It's actually great timing, as these 2 channels are much better than the closed Discovery Home & Health and Discovery Shed.

It’s a pity that Virgin don’t offer HD as standard. UHD should be the premium service now.

[jfman]

Old Boy I fail to see why you call me argumentative when you move on to claim you made a point that is substantively different from the one made at first almost every time you are challenged.

What is this alternative product that has all the apps all integrated into one search function, and if such a product exists why didn't you answer the question directly the first time?