No More HD - Confirmed By VM

[Toto]

Originally Posted by mentalis

It makes me glad I didn't spend much on an HDTV. I would have been a lot more upset if I had.

To make people who have bought an expensive HDTV feel a little better: my cheap TV is having colour problems occasionally.

I get a lot out of my HD TV through my PS3, so whilst content isn't that much on VM, I do OK.

[sherer]

the thing is you can't buy a non HD TV anymore and it seem the only way you can get HD is to go with Sky.

If you went into Curry' or Dixons and bought a new TV and said how can you get HD i'm pretty sure they will say you will have to go to ky, they won't say get VM and there is loads of VOD content.

VOD is a really nice extra and I do enjoy the HD stuff on there but it won't drive people to VM over Sky

[Toto]

Originally Posted by sherer

the thing is you can't buy a non HD TV anymore and it seem the only way you can get HD is to go with Sky.

If you went into Curry' or Dixons and bought a new TV and said how can you get HD i'm pretty sure they will say you will have to go to ky, they won't say get VM and there is loads of VOD content.

VOD is a really nice extra and I do enjoy the HD stuff on there but it won't drive people to VM over Sky

True, time will tell.

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by mentalis

It makes me glad I didn't spend much on an HDTV. I would have been a lot more upset if I had.

To make people who have bought an expensive HDTV feel a little better: my cheap TV is having colour problems occasionally.

HD is the future, we have to face it. VM is in danger of missing a trick here and the majority of people are going to be thinking of Sky as the superior provider.

It is very frustrating. It doesn't have to be like this!

[webcrawler2050]

I didn't spend a fortune on my HD telly £800 - which wasn't too bad for 2 and a bit years ago.

I didnt buy it just for *Normally TV* I bought it for 360 / PS3 & Blueray films.

So I am not bothered about normal HD I have BBC HD which means I can watch heroes & Top Gear in HD & F1 if and when it comes! I am pleased otherwise!

[OLD BOY]

Whether or not you personally have an HD television, we should all be angry about the present state of affairs.

It must be true that if the number of subscribers to VM TV increased by millions, there would be more money available for improvements to the services we receive.

If VM do not embrace HD, and quickly, the prospect of taking full advantage of the digital switchover will be lost. Most people with the money for premium TV will opt for Sky because they will be viewed as technically the very best with great choice in all areas, those without much money will go to Freeview and VM will be one of a number of small providers like Tiscali who get the rump of the new customers.

Just think, VM could market themselves as having a huge selection of the most popular TV channels, free HD linear channels and VOD HD content (excluding ppv films) and a brilliant library of video on demand TV programmes and films that can be selected at any time of the day or night. The V+ could then be marketed as a superior version of the Sky + (which it is now of course) and much cheaper than Sky's HD box.

If properly advertised, many people would go for VM. I fear that whilst VM might get there eventually, it will be far too late to make the impact that they could have in the years running up to 2012.

So please don't rest on your laurels on this subject just because you don't have an HD TV! VM's tardiness in going for new technology for their TV service may well affect us all in time.

[Mick Fisher]

As regards to TV, historically Cable (now known as VM) has been a second rate service, when compared to Satellite, since it began in the UK. I can't see the habit of a lifetime changing now that it is VM. Indeed I see things probably getting worse.

Cable has the potential to be far superior to Satellite but never has been and probably never will be when all VM seem to invest in is Sales, Sales, Sales and short term fixes.

Lack of investment and managerial short sightedness is what has got VM into the corner they now find themselves in with there Network creaking and on it's knees.

Will they, yet again, find another 'get out of jail free' card only to lurch toward another crisis in a few months time?

The Saga continues, sure beats watching Soaps.

[moroboshi]

I emailed Virgin to tell them I wanted out of my contract because of this new 'no new HD' stance. A guy called me today and said that I could indeed leave early if I wished because of this.

I talked to him for a while and he confirmed that there would be no new HD channels at all this year, not even ITV HD or C4 HD. He said they might be getting more HD channels next year, but was non committal.

So now I just need to decide if the massive Sky HD install fee is worth it to actually get a service which supports high-def to a reasonable level.

[lostandconfused]

Originally Posted by moroboshi

I emailed Virgin to tell them I wanted out of my contract because of this new 'no new HD' stance. A guy called me today and said that I could indeed leave early if I wished because of this.

I talked to him for a while and he confirmed that there would be no new HD channels at all this year, not even ITV HD or C4 HD. He said they might be getting more HD channels next year, but was non committal.

So now I just need to decide if the massive Sky HD install fee is worth it to actually get a service which supports high-def to a reasonable level.

I think you got lucky there then. As unless you have it in writing that there would be more HD channels then i dont see it as a way out of contract. You agreed the package with the channels currently available, they havent removed any

[OLD BOY]

Originally Posted by moroboshi

I emailed Virgin to tell them I wanted out of my contract because of this new 'no new HD' stance. A guy called me today and said that I could indeed leave early if I wished because of this.

I talked to him for a while and he confirmed that there would be no new HD channels at all this year, not even ITV HD or C4 HD. He said they might be getting more HD channels next year, but was non committal.

So now I just need to decide if the massive Sky HD install fee is worth it to actually get a service which supports high-def to a reasonable level.

I have come to believe that VM will not provide us with any more HD channels until the New Year, when analogue is switched off and releases more bandwidth. In the meantime though, they really ought to increase markedly the number of programmes and films broadcast in HD on VOD. That would keep me quiet for a while.

[lostandconfused]

Originally Posted by OLD BOY

I have come to believe that VM will not provide us with any more HD channels until the New Year, when analogue is switched off and releases more bandwidth. In the meantime though, they really ought to increase markedly the number of programmes and films broadcast in HD on VOD. That would keep me quiet for a while.

I think your right there as this year, their 'hero' product is the broadband so there isnt any cash left over for investment in TV. I think that next years 'hero' prodcut will become the TV as soon as the 50mb has been launched

[LiamTG]

LOL 50MB!

That'll be the day!!

[JethroUK]

Originally Posted by mentalis

It makes me glad I didn't spend much on an HDTV. I would have been a lot more upset if I had..

although the thread is about HD content - i have to remind that upscaled SD on V+ is sparkling

So you will be glad when you upgrade

---------- Post added at 23:55 ---------- Previous post was at 23:47 ----------

Originally Posted by sherer

the thing is you can't buy a non HD TV anymore

and considering how much broadcast HD is available (5% 'if you're lucky') this is immoral & should be illegal

Originally Posted by sherer

If you went into Curry' or Dixons and bought a new TV and said how can you get HD i'm pretty sure they will say you will have to go to ky,....

I'm pretty sure that in keeping with their marketing strategy they will tell you *everything* is in H/Def as they did with widescreen TV's

but don't get me on that again

[Cobbydaler]

Originally Posted by JethroUK

although the thread is about HD content - i have to remind that upscaled SD on V+ is sparkling

So you will be glad when you upgrade

Not all upscaled SD on V+ is sparkling, Setanta, for example, is cack.

Mind you, it may be terrible on SD as well, but I didn't have those channels before I had an HD set...

[moroboshi]

Originally Posted by JethroUK

although the thread is about HD content - i have to remind that upscaled SD on V+ is sparkling

So you will be glad when you upgrade

---------- Post added at 23:55 ---------- Previous post was at 23:47 ----------

and considering how much broadcast HD is available (5% 'if you're lucky') this is immoral & should be illegal

I'm pretty sure that in keeping with their marketing strategy they will tell you *everything* is in H/Def as they did with widescreen TV's

but don't get me on that again

Sparkling? Hmm, it just looks blurry and upscalled to me. I have much better upscaling through my AV amp than the V+ box can do, and it still looks bad.

Sky HD does offer I believe several thousand hours of HD programming every month, including movies, documentaries, and sport. Fortunately though there are many other avenues for HD content too, such as Blu-Ray (which I personally now use exclusively over DVD), and HD games consoles such as the X360 and PS3.