General : Coming Soon to Virgin TV (2018)

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by jfman

The quick explanation is that 256 QAM offers an extra 30% capacity over 64 QAM. Until recently Virgin only used 64.

Scaremongering on forums had no capacity for HD channels at all at one point in 2007. Closing analogue back in the day, moving to 256 QAM, MPEG 4 for HD all represent a constant evolution of the cable network. To the average user they will have been unaware for the most part.

There are under utilised frequencies in use, there are frequencies out of use that would be activated if required.

Beyond that in the far future there’s plenty of quick wins: reducing legacy boxes moves the on demand content into the “internet” bandwidth from TV, duplicate SD and HD channels (BT Sport and Sky Movies being obvious candidates), plus one channels (necessary in the 6 tuner and on demand world?).

I can’t imagine there’s much value in the porn channels or music channels as viewer behaviour changes (online).

Add into the fact there’s very few “new channels” on the horizon anyway.

Absolutely, nobody is "scareongering" at all, just presenting things as they currently are. There are things that VM can and probably will do to alleviate the situation, some of which we have already discussed.

I have already covered your point about there not being a 'magic new frequency tree' as it were and the QAM change was done a long time ago.

I agree that that there isn't that many new channels to actually add, so don't see what all the fuss is about.

---------- Post added at 22:16 ---------- Previous post was at 22:04 ----------

Originally Posted by Mick

I find this post fairly unreasonable Richard, you could have had a better tone. You'd take umbrage if someone else had referred to one of your posts as "Nonsense". Think about this in future please.

True, it's just frustrating to have someone continually challenging undisputable evidence of the situation as it stands today. Nobody has ever suggested that the situation couldn't or wouldn't change as VM seek to maximise use of their assetts.

We have now also lost a valuable source of information because of some of his posts and the way he sometimes expressed himself, which is a shame for everybody else. Two wrongs don't make a right though, which I fully accept and acknowledge.

[jfman]

There are unused frequencies and there are 64 QAM frequencies. Your own link proves those facts. Your own link proves two multiplexes carrying much less than the six HD channels you state is a maximum.

If we take your stance to the extreme Virgin would never add channels except on a one in one out basis ... the “current configuration” would never allow it. That’s why the current setup is useless in projecting the future. That applies today just as at any point in the history of cable tv.

Sky would still have 4 channels on the Astra 1 satellite if the “current configuration” was set in stone.

[spiderplant]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

change the remaining 64-QAM multiplexes to 256-QAM. VM didn't change certain ones over, I don't know why, maybe there's some technical reason?? If SP sees this maybe he could explain why these haven't yet been changed over

Some of the oldest Pace boxes have a restriction that their software has to be carried on 64-QAM. Those boxes will all be gone within a few weeks.

And a minor benefit of 64-QAM for software delivery is it is a bit more tolerant of network noise, so we may as well stick with it until the bandwidth is needed for something else.

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

if SP sees this, maybe he may be able to explain why VM has different transport streams for regional and national channels.

All transport streams are carried on a national network. The regional headends select the ones they need, and ignore the others. So they pick up all the national ones, plus whichever regional ones they need to serve their local users.

---------- Post added at 22:54 ---------- Previous post was at 22:42 ----------

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

VM do intend to make the remaining ITV HD channels MPEG4, but when and why they didn't do them at the same time as the rest of the HD channels is unknown.

It's because they are acquired through some non-standard equipment, which is a consequence of the way ITV's distribution network works. It'll get sorted one day.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by jfman

You “can’t get it to sink in” because it’s simply false. You say on one hand the limit is six HD channels per frequency yet link to data indicating two frequencies have just two HD channels. You fail to explain why these two frequencies could be used in the same manner as the rest and hold six each. You don’t explain why unused frequencies could not be activated.

If someone enters this thread they could reasonably believe no, or limited, channels are likely to launch based on your false claims. It is entirely responsible that someone corrects you.

You admit you don’t know why ITV HD is in MPEG 2 or why those frequencies have less channels than others, yet we have to take the rest of your claims as gospel that for reasons unknown they are unavailable for use.

- TSID 101 has a number of different frequencies in each region. I did say that I was hoping that SP would see the post as he might be able to explain better than I can.

- If you dispute the fact that it is currently the policy of VM to only have a max of six HD channels per mux, take a look at the TSIDS on digitalbitrate. Each TSID has six HD channels on them apart from one which has five. I'm assuming that this will be used to add GOLD HD. When it is, if the system isn't recalibrated, there will be no more room for any more HD channels.

Nobody has suggested that VM can't or won't recalibrate their system in order to be able to add more HD channels, in fact, it's almost inevitable that they will do. What they will do though is not known at this point in time. Because the information from the scanners will no longer be being posted, this forum probably won't get to know either.

I note that you once told me that you were able to scan the system, are you still able to do so?

- As to whether unused frequencies could indeed be activated or re-activated, who knows, but at this point in time this has not happened. The trend has actually been to take away frequencies from DVB-C and reallocate them for broadband. It's believed that this is in response to Ofcom complaining that some users were getting poor broadband speeds at peak times.

If there were unused frequencies available, i'm sure that they would have used them instead of taking capacity from the cable TV service, which itself is fast running out of capacity under the current configuration. What makes me think that VM have something in the pipeline with regards to TV capacity is that they have reallocated resources to broadband, whilst knowing that cable TV capacity is also under pressure. Presumably they have a future plan in place that will see the current service need less resources to the extent that there will again be spare capacity to add further channels, despite broadband taking away some of its space.

- I have made it clear (as have you) that there are various things that VM can do to get more out of their existing TV capacity. I have never, ever said that there will not be any further channels added, merely that, at this point in time capacity is almost full under the current configuration . This is something that you don't seem to be able to accept or understand. If the capacity is nearly full, it's nearly full. What VM will do to deal with this problem is another matter entirely.

- I said that I have no idea why some of the ITV regions are still in MPEG2, because I don't, but it is a fact that they are and changing them over to MPEG4 would help the situation. Only VM know why they weren't (or if there is some technical reason that they can't be made so yet), but, at this moment in time this is the situation. This is why I said that I hoped that SP would see the post.

- Verifiable proof has been provided with regards to the capacity issue, so it's not a case of people being expected to believe this based on trust. Me not knowing the reason why all the ITV regions were not changed over to MPEG4 is irrelevant to this.

---------- Post added at 23:14 ---------- Previous post was at 23:10 ----------

Originally Posted by jfman

There are unused frequencies and there are 64 QAM frequencies. Your own link proves those facts. Your own link proves two multiplexes carrying much less than the six HD channels you state is a maximum.

If we take your stance to the extreme Virgin would never add channels except on a one in one out basis ... the “current configuration” would never allow it. That’s why the current setup is useless in projecting the future. That applies today just as at any point in the history of cable tv.

Sky would still have 4 channels on the Astra 1 satellite if the “current configuration” was set in stone.

But at no point have I suggested that the current set up does project the future....

All I have done is provide information with regards to the configuration set up at this point in time and that is that the system is nearing full capacity.

What VM can or will do to deal with this issue is another matter entirely.

---------- Post added at 23:15 ---------- Previous post was at 23:14 ----------

Originally Posted by spiderplant

Some of the oldest Pace boxes have a restriction that their software has to be carried on 64-QAM. Those boxes will all be gone within a few weeks.

And a minor benefit of 64-QAM for software delivery is it is a bit more tolerant of network noise, so we may as well stick with it until the bandwidth is needed for something else.


All transport streams are carried on a national network. The regional headends select the ones they need, and ignore the others. So they pick up all the national ones, plus whichever regional ones they need to serve their local users.

---------- Post added at 22:54 ---------- Previous post was at 22:42 ----------


It's because they are acquired through some non-standard equipment, which is a consequence of the way ITV's distribution network works. It'll get sorted one day.

Many thanks for explaining SP, I had wondered why these apparent anomalies existed.

[OLD BOY]

I'm glad that I don't live in your reality, Richard. I just want to reassure you, that however great the difficulties that we are confronted with, VM will work it out over time.

You can 'second guess' all you want, but those in the know (in the true sense) will figure it out.

[RichardCoulter]

What are you talking about? What has been presented as fact is reality and what's wrong with examining the options that VM have to resolve the situation

[jfman]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

What are you talking about? What has been presented as fact is reality and what's wrong with examining the options that VM have to resolve the situation

How many times do you have to be told??.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by jfman

How many times do you have to be told??.

No, how many times do you have to be told.

I suggest that you leave it alone now. I have provided links for people to verify what I have posted if they wish to do so, so people can make their own mind up about the situation.

[jfman]

Originally Posted by RichardCoulter

No, how many times do you have to be told.

I suggest that you leave it alone now. I have provided links for people to verify what I have posted if they wish to do so, so people can make their own mind up about the situation.

Your links by your own admission show the opposite. Two multiplexes with two HD channels - not six.

This is going round in circles - please move on.

[RichardCoulter]

When channels are provided by third party operators, it seems to be the case that it is for a fixed number of channels e.g. when a new channel is launched, another (usually a +1) is removed. It must follow, therefore, that if Sky Sports News is withdrawn:

https://www.cableforum.uk/board/show...php?t=33706702

that Sky will have to serve up a replacement channel to make the numbers back up.

In theory they could serve up Sky Atlantic, but in the real world I think we're more likely to get Pick +1

[MatthewEastaugh]

I think the chances of Sky Sports News being completely closed any time soon - just after the start of a new football season - are somewhere below 0.01%.

Heck, even that article doesn't say it could 'be withdrawn', just that they're considering 'moving away from 24-7 broadcasting' - which could just mean being on air from 9am to 11pm (for example) rather than 24hrs a day. And that's they don't just do the other options mentioned (sponsored content / advertising in the ticker), or even just decide there's no problems anyway.

[RichardCoulter]

Originally Posted by MatthewEastaugh

I think the chances of Sky Sports News being completely closed any time soon - just after the start of a new football season - are somewhere below 0.01%.

Heck, even that article doesn't say it could 'be withdrawn', just that they're considering 'moving away from 24-7 broadcasting' - which could just mean being on air from 9am to 11pm (for example) rather than 24hrs a day. And that's they don't just do the other options mentioned (sponsored content / advertising in the ticker), or even just decide there's no problems anyway.

I've answered your point in the relevant thread

[Ddonald2016]

Hello I just have had a extensive chat with UKTV and here are the facts

1. All the on demand and catch up material is being uploaded to virgin servers and Willa take till no later than Wednesday to go live

2. UKTV gold HD will also launch by Wednesday also on channel 124 and he will get back to me if there is any SD channel

3. The content will match sky show for show with no sky exclusives, so what sky has we have.

4. Gold +1 shrinkage is due to customer complaints from over stretching and will be shown in the size filmed at the time

[vincerooney]

Originally Posted by Ddonald2016

Hello I just have had a extensive chat with UKTV and here are the facts

1. All the on demand and catch up material is being uploaded to virgin servers and Willa take till no later than Wednesday to go live

2. UKTV gold HD will also launch by Wednesday also on channel 124 and he will get back to me if there is any SD channel

3. The content will match sky show for show with no sky exclusives, so what sky has we have.

4. Gold +1 shrinkage is due to customer complaints from over stretching and will be shown in the size filmed at the time

All seems good news. I'm intrigued about how much on demand comes up and whether it'll match the uktv ondemand service?

As for the shrinkage.... does that mean black bars on either side of shows? Thats a tad annoying