Sky Atlantic for one but the main point of my post which isn't silly by the way is all we seem to get are time shift and HD channels of channels already in place.
There is now a mystery Channel D testing however they've not been kind enough to send EPG data.
London Live, Estuary TV and STV Glasgow are showing up in the NAT, but I don't live in these areas so can't confirm if they've launched or are testing I've just not noticed them before.
I know on another forum that enjoys speculating there is talk of a channel reshuffle so I'll throw them a bone that is Virgin broadcasting 2 "channel moved" EPG positions.
Mythical Channel D appears to now be a placeholder for Notts TV.
Mythical Channel D appears to now be a placeholder for Notts TV.
Can't edit the above but I expect Sky Sports 3, 4 and F1 HD to launch imminently on Virgin Media. I expect this to be in the measure of hours and days not weeks and months.
Sky Atlantic for one but the main point of my post which isn't silly by the way is all we seem to get are time shift and HD channels of channels already in place.
So the channel you want is clearly not going to be on the VM platform anytime soon because the owner will not allow it.
The reason that most of what is added now are mainly time shift and HD variants is due to the fact that VM now have pretty much all the main channels going.
I don't know how long you've been with Virgin but the last 18 months or so have been very fruitful as far as new channels and the HD channels (which we're lacking previously).
Is there a channel you want that Virgin could actually gain a carriage agreement on if they could?? Atlantic is pie in the sky (no pun intended) so to me that suggestion is even sillier than your earlier post ;-)
Those who want Sky Atlantic are with the wrong company - it really is that clear cut.
Ps. To clarify... I appreciate that it's been mentioned that Sky will allow VM to have Atlantic if they pay enough for it but Sky value the exclusivity much more highly than the viewing figs. so therefore it's as good as not letting VM have it as I'm sure Sky will be making it unaffordable when VM can only justify the cost in the value to their customers'.
Considering how many subscribers Sky have and how many viewers Atlantic gets (at a very prominent slot on the EPG) and how few people leave VM over the channel (not many by the looks of it on this forum as people moan but tend not to change platform from what I can see), why would VM pay over the odds for it.
Just wouldn't make sense.
Plus Sky would just dilute it overtime as they did with Sky1 and launch something like Sky Stateside.
When the WWE Network eventually launches in the UK I would hope Virgin pick it up.
If there's a Tivo app for the US market then perhaps VM will do as they have done with Netflix. Otherwise I can't see it being of much interest to them.
If there's a Tivo app for the US market then perhaps VM will do as they have done with Netflix. Otherwise I can't see it being of much interest to them.
Why wouldn't it be? The UK is the biggest market in the world behind the States for WWE and surely those who don't have Sky would want in, making Virgin money in the process which is the main priority.
Why wouldn't it be? The UK is the biggest market in the world behind the States for WWE and surely those who don't have Sky would want in, making Virgin money in the process which is the main priority.
If the app is available to adapt for the UK at little cost then VM may deploy it. However, I doubt the risks and rewards stack up at the moment for VM to develop its own app. One factor is that VM is not a big platform for sports fans. Only about 0.7m VM subscribers take Sky Sports on VM whereas over 6m subscribers take Sky Sports on the Sky platform. Secondly, the WWE Network is not a proven service in the UK. VM could invest only for the service to be withdrawn after a year.
By contrast, most Netlix subscribers were VM customers and the service was a proven success when VM launched the app on Tivo.
I wonder if this alphabetical labelling is a new system by VM, prior to channel launches on the EPG?
We initially thought that it was to prevent the news about the sports HD channels from getting out, but Notts TV is hardly going to be embargoed
It was in the background as "Notts TV" when I posted that.
Everything is in place in the background pointing towards two channels moving (SS1 and SS2 in HD) and joining 3, 4 and F1 HD in new EPG slots.
The delay appears to be due to Virgin testing reduced bit rates on HD channels to make some space. 4 HD channels are now being squeezed into 256 QAM multiplexes.
It was in the background as "Notts TV" when I posted that.
Everything is in place in the background pointing towards two channels moving (SS1 and SS2 in HD) and joining 3, 4 and F1 HD in new EPG slots.
The delay appears to be due to Virgin reducing the bit rates on HD channels to make some space. 4 HD channels are now being squeezed into 256 QAM multiplexes.
Sounds like they will be all moving to channels 500 upwards!
Sounds like they will be all moving to channels 500 upwards!
A good thing would be to put Sky Sports HD channels on 501-506 and leave the SD ones where they are.
If WWE Network did become successful and sky lost some Sky Sports subscribers they could always create a channel Sky Sports WWE and have it free with the sports pack and a standalone channel at £10 per month.
There seems to be a bit of cynicism in another place as to the accuracy of my post regarding Virgin squeezing 4 HD channels into a multiplex, as opposed to 3 previously. Someone has suggested Virgin have been doing this since "2011" and cited a poll indicating that channels are scoring highly in quality as perceived by the viewer.
Well... I got bored and decided to check it out in closer detail. Now, a poll that predates BBC3/4, BT Sport 1 and 2 HD among other channels that have launched since shouldn't really be the benchmark in my view. It is questionable if the channels cited as being squeezed in actually shared with another 3 back then.
Of the multiplexes carrying HD channels in my area 50 per cent have 3 HD channels, and 2 only have 2 HD channels (one of which is mixed with SD local variant of BBC/ITV). I would contest that 4 channels per multiplex is not the norm, and would not have been when the poll was conducted.
Edit: I should point out I'm not hinting that Virgin have capacity issues in the medium/longer term. I have posted endlessly in the past about this that Virgin (well, actually it predates that name) would use analogue shutdown, 256 QAM and then could switch to MPEG4. It'd be easy to convert say, HD premiums and swap out old SA V+ boxes for affected customers in favour of Samsung V+ (if they still have any) or Tivos. Then move onto all HD channels and effectively double the amount of HD capacity on the platform.
It was in the background as "Notts TV" when I posted that.
Everything is in place in the background pointing towards two channels moving (SS1 and SS2 in HD) and joining 3, 4 and F1 HD in new EPG slots.
The delay appears to be due to Virgin testing reduced bit rates on HD channels to make some space. 4 HD channels are now being squeezed into 256 QAM multiplexes.
If this is the reason for any delay, it seems ridiculous that these channels are being delayed for tests that could have been carried out before any carriage deal was reached.
If this is the reason for any delay, it seems ridiculous that these channels are being delayed for tests that could have been carried out before any carriage deal was reached.
I see where you're coming from but it does reduce your negotiating hand. It makes you look desperate to have them and there would be hoards of customers enquiring as to when they are launching having read on DS that they are testing. If you try a more casual approach as VM have done, you would probably be in a stronger position to negotiate a better deal with Sky.
Comments
^^^ such a silly post!
What channel are you hoping for?
I think Universal HD may show up on VM before the end of this year.
Mythical Channel D appears to now be a placeholder for Notts TV.
Can't edit the above but I expect Sky Sports 3, 4 and F1 HD to launch imminently on Virgin Media. I expect this to be in the measure of hours and days not weeks and months.
So the channel you want is clearly not going to be on the VM platform anytime soon because the owner will not allow it.
The reason that most of what is added now are mainly time shift and HD variants is due to the fact that VM now have pretty much all the main channels going.
I don't know how long you've been with Virgin but the last 18 months or so have been very fruitful as far as new channels and the HD channels (which we're lacking previously).
Is there a channel you want that Virgin could actually gain a carriage agreement on if they could?? Atlantic is pie in the sky (no pun intended) so to me that suggestion is even sillier than your earlier post ;-)
Those who want Sky Atlantic are with the wrong company - it really is that clear cut.
Ps. To clarify... I appreciate that it's been mentioned that Sky will allow VM to have Atlantic if they pay enough for it but Sky value the exclusivity much more highly than the viewing figs. so therefore it's as good as not letting VM have it as I'm sure Sky will be making it unaffordable when VM can only justify the cost in the value to their customers'.
Considering how many subscribers Sky have and how many viewers Atlantic gets (at a very prominent slot on the EPG) and how few people leave VM over the channel (not many by the looks of it on this forum as people moan but tend not to change platform from what I can see), why would VM pay over the odds for it.
Just wouldn't make sense.
Plus Sky would just dilute it overtime as they did with Sky1 and launch something like Sky Stateside.
Isn't that just a streaming web service? There's no actual channel, is there?
They could do it as an on demand for a monthly fee.
Why wouldn't it be? The UK is the biggest market in the world behind the States for WWE and surely those who don't have Sky would want in, making Virgin money in the process which is the main priority.
I wonder if this alphabetical labelling is a new system by VM, prior to channel launches on the EPG?
We initially thought that it was to prevent the news about the sports HD channels from getting out, but Notts TV is hardly going to be embargoed
By contrast, most Netlix subscribers were VM customers and the service was a proven success when VM launched the app on Tivo.
It was in the background as "Notts TV" when I posted that.
Everything is in place in the background pointing towards two channels moving (SS1 and SS2 in HD) and joining 3, 4 and F1 HD in new EPG slots.
The delay appears to be due to Virgin testing reduced bit rates on HD channels to make some space. 4 HD channels are now being squeezed into 256 QAM multiplexes.
A good thing would be to put Sky Sports HD channels on 501-506 and leave the SD ones where they are.
If WWE Network did become successful and sky lost some Sky Sports subscribers they could always create a channel Sky Sports WWE and have it free with the sports pack and a standalone channel at £10 per month.
Well... I got bored and decided to check it out in closer detail. Now, a poll that predates BBC3/4, BT Sport 1 and 2 HD among other channels that have launched since shouldn't really be the benchmark in my view. It is questionable if the channels cited as being squeezed in actually shared with another 3 back then.
Of the multiplexes carrying HD channels in my area 50 per cent have 3 HD channels, and 2 only have 2 HD channels (one of which is mixed with SD local variant of BBC/ITV). I would contest that 4 channels per multiplex is not the norm, and would not have been when the poll was conducted.
Edit: I should point out I'm not hinting that Virgin have capacity issues in the medium/longer term. I have posted endlessly in the past about this that Virgin (well, actually it predates that name) would use analogue shutdown, 256 QAM and then could switch to MPEG4. It'd be easy to convert say, HD premiums and swap out old SA V+ boxes for affected customers in favour of Samsung V+ (if they still have any) or Tivos. Then move onto all HD channels and effectively double the amount of HD capacity on the platform.
The V+HD, Samsung V+ and TiVo all support MPEG4.
If this is the reason for any delay, it seems ridiculous that these channels are being delayed for tests that could have been carried out before any carriage deal was reached.
http://www.forces.tv/about-forcestv
Dont want this kind of propaganda in my house. Wonder if I can get VM to block it.
You can simply choose not to tune in.