Coming soon to Virgin TV (2012) Vol. 1

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by alwaysabear

But there are many with VHD boxes that are also MPEG4 that pay the HD fee.

Originally Posted by muppetman11

As is the Samsung V+HD I believe.

Indeed, however to release it those customers means specifically excluding just those customers with a SA V+HD box.

And as no customer can be given the choice as to which version of the V+HD box, it would be excluding customers at random.

By making Premium HD On Demand exclusive to the TiVo boxes, Virgin can carry more content whilst making sure it's an understandable distinction in how you get it

[Lew]

Originally Posted by alwaysabear

But there are many with VHD boxes that are also MPEG4 that pay the HD fee.

And maybe once most of the SA V+ boxes are gone the situation will change. While I agree that it would be nice if the content was available on all compatible boxes I can understand them making it TiVo only at the moment.

[Chad]

Originally Posted by zantarous

Well seeing as they are going to stop giving V+ boxes out in teh next few months and the fact that HD content is being delivered in MPEG4 its not really a surprise that they are doing this. People can bitch and moan as much as they want but the V+ HD boxes are end of line.

The sooner they can get all their customers on Tivo the better for the platform.

So in future is it possible or very likely that new linear HD channels will only launch on TiVo?

Just remember only around 12% to 15% of Virgins TV customers have TiVo. There's still 85% of their customer base yet to embrace it. People will bitch and moan if they feel they are being forced to take a box they don't want or feel they don't need.

Just because Virgin feel TiVo is the future, doesn't mean their customers agree. We'll just have to wait and see if these tactics pay off for Virgin.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by Chad

So in future is it possible or very likely that new linear HD channels will only launch on TiVo?

No, not at all

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by Chad

So in future is it possible or very likely that new linear HD channels will only launch on TiVo?

Just remember only around 12% to 15% of Virgins TV customers have TiVo. There's still 85% of their customer base yet to embrace it. People will bitch and moan if they feel they are being forced to take a box they don't want or feel they don't need.

Just because Virgin feel TiVo is the future, doesn't mean their customers agree. We'll just have to wait and see if these tactics pay off for Virgin.

That would be commercial suicide, but then again you never know

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Indeed, however to release it those customers means specifically excluding just those customers with a SA V+HD box.

And as no customer can be given the choice as to which version of the V+HD box, it would be excluding customers at random.

By making Premium HD On Demand exclusive to the TiVo boxes, Virgin can carry more content whilst making sure it's an understandable distinction in how you get it

Seems a brave move still who am I to question Berkett

[howardmicks]

Originally Posted by Chad

So in future is it possible or very likely that new linear HD channels will only launch on TiVo?

Just remember only around 12% to 15% of Virgins TV customers have TiVo. There's still 85% of their customer base yet to embrace it. People will bitch and moan if they feel they are being forced to take a box they don't want or feel they don't need.

Just because Virgin feel TiVo is the future, doesn't mean their customers agree. We'll just have to wait and see if these tactics pay off for Virgin.

upping the price £5 per month there tactics wont,They really are forcing people back to sky for tv.When my 12 months is up certainly gonna have to reluctently think about it and believe me i hate flaming sky!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Chad]

Originally Posted by muppetman11

Seems a brave move still who am I to question Berkett

Personally I feel it's totally unfair, and I have TiVo! Why should the box that you have dictate what content you can watch? We've had the tech explanation, of HD being delivered in MPEG4 format, however do you think the majority of customers who have SKY Movies & Sports in HD, but no TiVo box will fully understand or care about this explanation?

I always thought Virgin prided themselves on HD being free on their platform. It was SKY who dictated that SKY Movies HD and SKY Sports HD had to be charged at £7.00 per month to Virgin customers. Now by making the SKY Movies and SKY Sports HD on demand content exclusive to TiVo customers Virgin are effectively putting another pay-wall between the HD content and their customer. This stinks to high heaven! Someone with VHD paying their £7.00 per month will need to in future pay a further £5.00 to get TiVo if they want SKY Premium on demand content in HD.

[alwaysabear]

Originally Posted by Chad

Personally I feel it's totally unfair, and I have TiVo! Why should the box that you have dictate what content you can watch? We've had the tech explanation, of HD being delivered in MPEG4 format, however do you think the majority of customers who have SKY Movies & Sports in HD, but no TiVo box will fully understand or care about this explanation?

I always thought Virgin prided themselves on HD being free on their platform. It was nasty SKY who dictated that SKY Movies and SKY Sports had to be charged at £7.00 per month to Virgin customers. Now by making the content exclusive to TiVo customers Virgin are effectively putting another pay-wall between the HD content and their customer. This stinks to high heaven!

I refuse to pay the £7 HD tax imposed by the darkside now VM are joining them on the darkside.

[spankysmagicpian]

Originally Posted by andy_m

I think Ben's getting an undue amount of stick here-

Correct and I can appreciate the reasons behind it MPEG4 v MPEG2 but it still doesn't stop me being peeved.

[muppetman11]

Originally Posted by Chad

Personally I feel it's totally unfair, and I have TiVo! Why should the box that you have dictate what content you can watch? We've had the tech explanation, of HD being delivered in MPEG4 format, however do you think the majority of customers who have SKY Movies & Sports in HD, but no TiVo box will fully understand or care about this explanation?

I always thought Virgin prided themselves on HD being free on their platform. It was SKY who dictated that SKY Movies HD and SKY Sports HD had to be charged at £7.00 per month to Virgin customers. Now by making the SKY Movies and SKY Sports HD on demand content exclusive to TiVo customers Virgin are effectively putting another pay-wall between the HD content and their customer. This stinks to high heaven! Someone with VHD paying their £7.00 per month will need to in future pay a further £5.00 to get TiVo if they want SKY Premium on demand content in HD.

Chad I agree with your points , it was a tongue in cheek comment from me.

[MaverickJesus]

Originally Posted by Chad

Personally I feel it's totally unfair, and I have TiVo! Why should the box that you have dictate what content you can watch? We've had the tech explanation, of HD being delivered in MPEG4 format, however do you think the majority of customers who have SKY Movies & Sports in HD, but no TiVo box will fully understand or care about this explanation?

My Ford Focus doesn't go as fast as a Ferrari 430, why not? Just because my Focus has a 1.6 it shouldn't dictate how fast I can go!

Honestly, this is a BUSINESS. This isn't a socialist republic. Everybody is not going to get everything, you'll get what you pay for.

Does my wick in how much crap is posted in these threads sometimes. No, VM aren't go to destroy their working budget by cramming Premier Sports onto XL so someone in Wigan can watch some Rugby League. They also can't force a different company to sell them their own bloody content at the same price to a direct competitor, they can't hold prices and ignore inflation, they can't do a whole raft of this stuff for perfectly acceptable reasons. They may have shortcomings in some areas, but not to the ungodly extent some people come up with.

(That wasn't a rant at you in particular btw, just happened to be latest in a tidal wave of completely unrealistic comments)

[howardmicks]

can see the sky adverts to come
Free to record on are boxes,sky anytime hd available free on all are hd boxes if you have premium subscription and the list could go on.
Bet sky are laughing all the way to the bank at this rate they will do another price freeze this year with all these new vm disgrunteld customers.

[BenMcr]

Originally Posted by howardmicks

sky anytime hd available free on all are hd boxes if you have premium subscription

Except it's not. You need a Sky+HD box. The non-PVR mutiroom HD box can't get any Anytime content - whereas the V HD box can get Sky Anytime+ content including basic HD according to earlier posts.

[howardmicks]

Originally Posted by BenMcr

Except it's not. You need a Sky+HD box. The non-PVR mutiroom HD box can't get any Anytime content - whereas the V HD box can get Sky Anytime+ content including basic HD according to earlier posts.

Got me there matey Just wish vm would annouce something matey,Really puzzeled at there thinking at the moment