Nialli's unofficial blog on Virgin Media's UK cable TV services
March 04, 2010
More on Tivo's new technology
For more on "a tantalizing glimpse at what Virgin Media will be rolling out in the UK for its subscribers" check out this story on the Home Cinema Choice site.
Question: having "bought" a Samsung V+ box just last August from Virgin Media (although I know they say the cost is purely for getting connected!), what do you think the chances are that VM will roll these TiVos out to their existing V+ customers as direct replacements?
I'm guessing no chance, and I'd have to "buy" this TiVo if I want it.
Can't they take the existing V+ boxes back from XL customers, pass them down the food chain to VM customers on a lower package deal, then give us Tivo?
Dan - I don't think anyone knows the answer to that yet, nor will they for some time. We may not even get the Tivo kit on the cable network, just the future IP TV service - we don't know. I've an SA V+ so I'm a generation behind. One scenario could be that if VM get the Sky Movies and Sports HD channels and sell them on a monthly sub, they may be broadcast MPeg4 and those with the older MPeg2-only SA boxes will get a swap out in return for signing up for 12 months. Dunno. It's all conjecture. I certainly wouldn't worry about it - Virgin's "coming soon" services have sometimes failed to materialise completely (ITV HD on demand anyone?)
This would be quite a tasty selling point for VM. It's not like they can really promote their current "technology" very effectively, as the interface looks like something from a 1970s episode of Dr Who.
Speaking of selling points, it doesn't look like VM's efforts have persuaded any former pirates to stick around, now that the Nagra 3 upgrade has rendered pirate boxes in some areas useless. There's a poll on a popular pirate site asking what people did after the N3 switch, and so far, only 14% say they've signed up to a VM package. 40% went to Sky, and the rest are split between Sat and Freeview, meaning VM was seen as the least attractive option, and HD seems to be an important factor.
The Nagra 3 rollout is obviously not complete yet, but the trend in this poll clearly supports what I said in another thread about VM's general popularity, so the sooner they can start making some concrete promises about HD and Tivo the better.
3 comments:
Question: having "bought" a Samsung V+ box just last August from Virgin Media (although I know they say the cost is purely for getting connected!), what do you think the chances are that VM will roll these TiVos out to their existing V+ customers as direct replacements?
I'm guessing no chance, and I'd have to "buy" this TiVo if I want it.
Can't they take the existing V+ boxes back from XL customers, pass them down the food chain to VM customers on a lower package deal, then give us Tivo?
Dan - I don't think anyone knows the answer to that yet, nor will they for some time. We may not even get the Tivo kit on the cable network, just the future IP TV service - we don't know.
I've an SA V+ so I'm a generation behind. One scenario could be that if VM get the Sky Movies and Sports HD channels and sell them on a monthly sub, they may be broadcast MPeg4 and those with the older MPeg2-only SA boxes will get a swap out in return for signing up for 12 months. Dunno.
It's all conjecture. I certainly wouldn't worry about it - Virgin's "coming soon" services have sometimes failed to materialise completely (ITV HD on demand anyone?)
This would be quite a tasty selling point for VM. It's not like they can really promote their current "technology" very effectively, as the interface looks like something from a 1970s episode of Dr Who.
Speaking of selling points, it doesn't look like VM's efforts have persuaded any former pirates to stick around, now that the Nagra 3 upgrade has rendered pirate boxes in some areas useless. There's a poll on a popular pirate site asking what people did after the N3 switch, and so far, only 14% say they've signed up to a VM package. 40% went to Sky, and the rest are split between Sat and Freeview, meaning VM was seen as the least attractive option, and HD seems to be an important factor.
The Nagra 3 rollout is obviously not complete yet, but the trend in this poll clearly supports what I said in another thread about VM's general popularity, so the sooner they can start making some concrete promises about HD and Tivo the better.
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