Thanks.


To answer my own query, just been told that it was VM Shorts that was removed along with the BBC HD Red Button stream.

And,just as we lose two channels, we gain another!

VM Playlist, that has been broadcasting off the EPG for a short time, has now been added to channel 309

Placeholders are in place for BBC 3, 4, News, CBBC and Cbeebies HD variants in my area.

There is testing in place that indicate two frequencies are moving to 256 QAM imminently.

How do you mean Placeholders? As in test streams? Or EPG Placeholders?

An EPG placeholder and a Virgin Media message saying coming soon with the EPG numbers. There's a solid image (similar to the goodbye espn one).

wot area are you? wot numbers?

Placeholders now on Virgin (Cambridge area)
BBC Three HD 163
BBC Four HD 164
BBC News HD 604
CBBC HD 710
Cbeebies HD 711

seen on other thread

I'm from the Lincolnshire region and I'm now getting those placeholders on my V+ box EPG!

Five BBC HD channel placeholders are now on the EPG, but my total number of channels has increased by six.

I was recently told by a VM source that Al Jazeera HD was coming to VM, can someone check if this is testing off the EPG already?

Alternatively, can someone more technically minded than myself, let us know if this is a result of the 256 QAM tests that Sirius has found?

When I get a chance I will have another scan to see if there's any other new channels.

The 256 QAM tests are frequencies carrying free to air simulcasts of a number of channels that are duplicates of channels encrypted elsewhere on the network on a 64 QAM frequency. Once they have concluded their test they will simply switch the EPG over to the 256 QAM versions and close the 64 QAM frequency.

As they phase this in across each one switched to 256 QAM offers around 30% more bandwidth.

Coming Soon this apparently means next Tuesday December 10th up until Monday guide says Coming Soon then on Tuesday regular programme listings start.

Cheers. Do you know if all the different VM boxes will be able to cope with the change to 256 QAM?

Does this mean that cable FTA users will be able to temporarily access encrypted channels for a short time?

which can mean either:

A) more channels
-OR-
B) higher quality for existing channels

As they are testing "off EPG" only users with hardware that can manually tune in would get access and it is a very short time, often a few days.

All VM boxes should cope - many of the channels on the EPG are 256qam already as this is being phased in and has been going for a while.

Thanks for the info. Have you had chance to check if Al Jazeera HD is testing off the EPG?

It wasn't when I last checked.

Ok, thanks. I wonder what the sixth service is then?

We've lost another channel from the EPG. VM Playlist was on channel 309, but has since been removed. What was on it? I assumed that this was a portal for the music OD service, so never bothered looking.

BBC new HD channels look like they are going live on this Tuesday 10th as EPG data give show timings and details.
Also on my Freeview HD TV's the EPG data is there and on BT youview box is also showing same data....

BBC New HD goes live with Breakfast at 6am on Tuesday.

Just shame that BBC could not put the data about the channels in the Christmas Radio times listings.

But on Digiguide TV Guide it has 21st as the start date ?

I think that the new BBC HD channels couldn't have come at a worse time - during a time of major flooding disaster!

Eh? What a strange post.

Hi all

We’ve made a few exciting changes to our TV line up that we’d like to share with you.

We are ready to launch 5 new HD channels on December 10th – available to all Virgin Media TV customers. These channels are:

BBC Three HD
BBC Four HD
BBC News HD
CBBC HD
CBeebies HD


We are also very happy to announce the following channels are available to all customers from Friday December 6th until Friday 3rd January:

Watch (Channel 124).
Watch +1 (Channel 125).
Gold (Channel 126).
Gold +1 (Channel 127).
Alibi (Channel 130).
Alibi +1 (Channel 131).
Watch HD (Channel 191).
Dave HD (Channel 194).
Alibi HD (Channel 200).
Eden (Channel 208).
Eden +1 (Channel 209).
Eden HD (Channel 210).
Good Food (Channel 260).
Good Food +1 (Channel 261).
Good Food HD (Channel 262).
Home (Channel 265).
Home +1 (Channel 266).

There are a few channels that are moving on Tuesday 10th December, these include:


BBC Alba will move from Channel 188 to Channel 161.
BBC Two HD will move from Channel 187 to Channel 162.
BBC Parliament will move from Channel 612 to Channel 605.


Channel Closure

We’re also saying goodbye to Style. The channel ceases broadcasting on Monday 9th December

Sorry if you find it a bit strange.

Thanks for the info. Could they in a sense be devaluing their top packages by making a load of channels available to everyone?

Yes, I am still wondering what they intend to do with the xl pack, they are shedding channels to lower packs and as you say devaluing xl