Coming to Virgin TV

[Media Boy]

Originally Posted by grabbi

Is that the same for Broadband services also, or are they just doing TV?

I do not know anything about the Broadband or the telephone parts of Virgin I only look for things about Virgin Media TV side.

[OLD BOY]

Thanks for the info', TV Boy. Looks like we will be getting some HD channels this year after all, then!

[mlayzell]

Originally Posted by TV Boy

I was think today 'How many more Radio may we get when Virgin sign new deal with they owners?'

I can never get my head round why anybody would want to listern to radio on a TV, with a blank screen

Call me old fashioned but isn't a radio where you should listern to radio stations

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by mertle

TV Boy thanks for the all the work and info you bring.

I have some insight that it this maybe the upgrade to DVB-C2.

Its now been rubber stamped and finalised standards by the DVB.

With all european cable operators including VM are commited to upgrading to the form factor then this could be when upgrades start.

http://www.dvb.org/(RoxenUserID=bf85...vbc2/index.xml

http://www.dvb.org/(RoxenUserID=bf85...ies_DVB-C2.pdf


Very good reaf for those who want to see our future.

Yes, the future but not now....you obviously never read the information on the links you provided.

The specification for DVB-C2 will not be agreed until at least the end of this year, at a minimum. Then equipment needs to be made and tested and only then can this be implemented onto cable networks.

This technology, in my opinion, is at least two years away before making its way onto a cable network and who knows whether VM will implement it or not.

[beermeupscottie]

Originally Posted by mlayzell

I can never get my head round why anybody would want to listern to radio on a TV, with a blank screen

Call me old fashioned but isn't a radio where you should listern to radio stations

My V+ optical out goes in to my AV amp and my main sound system. I don't need to have the TV on to listen to radio in much better quality than your standard DAB broadcast.

[grabbi]

They serve their purpose well, IMHO.

I used to think "Whats the point in that" also, but when you look at the Radio Stations you simply cannot get with normal Radios, and instead of going out and paying massive amounts for a DAB Radio, having it in the Digital TV Subscription put my mind at ease.

Once Scuzz left the EPG, I was stuck to find a decent Rock Channel on Virgin. Luckily the Radio Stations were still there, and the recent news that Planet Rock is staying also, is welcome to me!

[mertle]

Originally Posted by Neptune

Yes, the future but not now....you obviously never read the information on the links you provided.

The specification for DVB-C2 will not be agreed until at least the end of this year, at a minimum. Then equipment needs to be made and tested and only then can this be implemented onto cable networks.

This technology, in my opinion, is at least two years away before making its way onto a cable network and who knows whether VM will implement it or not.

yes I did read it. Your slightly wrong the the specs have been agreed in geneva and they given a July deadline for the trials to commence and 31.12.2008 to be completed. Who knows who will be the test bed I do doubt it will be VM as its the biggest out of the euro cable companies.

Trials usually are conducted in small areas first but you never can say never.

Things can move quite quickly. VM will implement it as the group agreed it in geneva which berkett was present.

VM and the cable companies have payed for the DVB to come up with this neptune they hardly after aproving the system going to flush it down the plug hole. I would think the consultation and setting up DVB-c2 has cost the cable companies a fair whack.

just an example how quick things can go to testing.

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/?p=280

http://www.broadbandtvnews.com/?p=1537

in feb DVB-SH was approved by July french company Alcatel-Lucent has launched a technical test of the DVB-SH until september. Admittedly the road map may take longer depending how things go during the trials upto new year. I would say all cable companies are aiming to want the system in place by late 2009.

Also as stated the companies had already set the wheels in motion by optimising the HFS networks. This was possible what TV Boy is refering to when he said they were creating more bandwidth. So VM is going to implement the system.

Its absolute great news this announcement and things will accelerate from july.

[batchain]

http://www.brandrepublic.com/News/79...-sponsorships/

NBC Universal-backed kids' broadcaster KidsCo, which is gearing up for a UK launch, is initiating discussions with agencies to secure international sponsorship.

The broadcaster, which is competing with established kids' TV broadcasters Cartoon Network, Disney and Nickelodeon, has not generated advertising income in the past.

KidsCo plans to launch in the UK this year. Robinson said it was in talks with Virgin Media, BT Vision and Tiscali TV to launch a linear TV channel on their platforms and to launch VoD services providing pre-school programming and family movies.

[Horizon]

Originally Posted by mertle

yes I did read it. Your slightly wrong the the specs have been agreed in geneva and they given a July deadline for the trials to commence and 31.12.2008 to be completed. .

The June deadline refers to a "call" to interested parties (electronics manufacturers/cable cos etc) to submit, if they wish, technologies that will considered for the DVB-2C spec. As an example, would a return path be part of the new spec? These technologies will then be considered and a spec may be agreed by the end of the year. Then again, it may not if a agreement cannot be reached.

Here is the first paragraph from the pdf document (your 2nd link):

"Summary
The DVB-TM-C2 ad-hoc group is requesting the submission of proposals for technologies which could be considered as candidates for a second generation DVB cable transmission system (“DVB-C2”). This Call for Technologies (CfT) follows the work done by the earlier Technical Module Study Mission (see document TM3811) and is issued in response to DVB-C2 Commercial Requirements document CM903. Responses are requested by 16.06.2008."

As for implementation, there is no way any cableco will have this in 2009, or 2010 either.

[moroboshi]

For what it's worth I received a call from Virgin Media today in response to an email I sent them asking when they would be getting new HD channels.

The guy said Virgin 1 would go HD in August, and they were 'in talks' to get the HD channels Sky have, and once they got Sky One etc back the HD channels would come along too.

He could have been talking nonsense of course.

[frogstamper]

Originally Posted by moroboshi

For what it's worth I received a call from Virgin Media today in response to an email I sent them asking when they would be getting new HD channels.

The guy said Virgin 1 would go HD in August, and they were 'in talks' to get the HD channels Sky have, and once they got Sky One etc back the HD channels would come along too.

He could have been talking nonsense of course.

Lets hope he wasn't eh, because if that happens VM will once again be on a par with, or if not better than Sky. Fingers crossed.

[Arthurgray50@blu]

Call me Mr Doubtful, but l would not hold my breath over anything that what you might have been told by VM, we have been told, that VM were having talks, with Sky, but they must be having the longest talks on record, It would be nice if the rumours are true, however, but there again , WE the customers, are not being told anything. when l first became a VM customer, l was told that within 12 months, VM would have the same amount of channels that Sky has, but they haven't, When Sir Richard became a shareholder, we had this hype about what VM would be like, and sadly, since then, we have got the pending court case, coming up and also, l read on DS, that VM is being sued, by a major company, until the new CEO, gets VM back on its feet to take on Sky then we will be a long behind, before we have that ' punch'. to be a major force in the TV war.

[grabbi]

I do have the feeling that Virgin 1 could be HD in the future... and would be well worth it.

Course, they need to get the Widescreen sorted first!

I think on the DVB-C2 subject, Virgin may be waiting for this technology to be 100% tried and tested and implement it on the network, as then the "Catch Up" factor that Virgin always seems to be playing with other companies in this field, would be diminished.

[Andrewcrawford23]

Originally Posted by Arthurgray50@blu

Call me Mr Doubtful, but l would not hold my breath over anything that what you might have been told by VM, we have been told, that VM were having talks, with Sky, but they must be having the longest talks on record, It would be nice if the rumours are true, however, but there again , WE the customers, are not being told anything. when l first became a VM customer, l was told that within 12 months, VM would have the same amount of channels that Sky has, but they haven't, When Sir Richard became a shareholder, we had this hype about what VM would be like, and sadly, since then, we have got the pending court case, coming up and also, l read on DS, that VM is being sued, by a major company, until the new CEO, gets VM back on its feet to take on Sky then we will be a long behind, before we have that ' punch'. to be a major force in the TV war.

Do you really think they would be able to resolve the issue that easily?

I can assure they are in talk , but it is a very very high level in both companies.

But i agree dnt listen to anything they tell you on custoemr services they tell you a load of **** to make you stay and sign up they lie in your easr but sky do it as well.

As for virgin 1 hd ....... there is plans to make a hd channesl of the vmtv channel but that is some tiem of fi believe the date that getting talked about jsut nwo is late 09 but it might have been brought forward if a ofcom license is approved then august might be a correct date but for now i wouldnt believe it.

TVBOY: My source has said iplayer is still on course but it hasnt been decided yet if it will be ondemand only or be like virgin central.

[m.massey]

Any more news on the bbc i player , is it testing yet . and any news on more new ch.annels + hd coming soon. thanks