Home Cinema Choice reviews the HD V Box

If you don't need the recording capabilities of the V+ but still want the full Virgin Media HD experience, the new Cisco V HD box is probably the one for you. There's a full review over on Home Cinema Choice which is informative and acknowledges VM's superior on demand services ("Alongside this healthy selection of linear HD TV is by far the best VOD choice in the UK TV market"), something reviews elsewhere always seem to gloss over. I haven't got one of these V boxes myself (my secondary TV is only 22in and HD is hardly a priority on a screen that size) but judging by this review they are a good option for a bedroom or kitchen. The only negative I've heard about them to date is a limited EPG - just 24 hours rather than the 7 days of programme information on the V+. Oh, and they look somewhat odd...

Hallmark HD launches on Sky

I don't think I've ever watched Hallmark, but Sky HD customers now have it in high def, added this evening. No word on it appearing on Virgin Media any time soon.
[update: the SD channel is now broadcasting on Virgin Media in widescreen. Mind you, the picture I saw last night was pretty soft and worse than other SD channels]

Off topic: Jackson in talks to direct Hobbit movies

Not sure why the main news channels in the UK haven't picked this up yet, but The Hollywood Reporter (and other US sources including CNN) are confirming that Peter Jackson is in talks to direct the two Hobbit movies.
Not an HD or a Virgin Media story, so apologies for going off topic. But at least I'm not talking about a certain football match this afternoon ;o)

Which new HD service has you most excited?

With Film4 HD arriving on July 8th and the Sky HD channels on their way too, which of the new HD services coming to Virgin Media are you most looking forward to? I've added a poll to this blog so please vote for the one that you're most keenly anticipating.

Film channels renumbered ... to accommodate Sky Movies HD?

Turner Classic Movies - now channel 415
Movies 24 - now channel 419
Movies 24+ - now channel 420
True Movies - now channel 424 (has anyone ever sat through one of these films?)
Film 4 - now channel 428
Film4+1 - now channel 430

I think what we will see is the numbering matching that used by Sky for the HD variants, which would make the Virgin Sky movies HD line up:

413 Sky Movies Premiere HD
414 Sky Movies Showcase HD
432 Sky Movies Comedy HD
433 Sky Movies Action & Adventure HD
434 Sky Movies Family HD
435 Sky Movies Crime & Thriller HD
436 Sky Movies Drama & Romance HD
437 Sky Movies Sci Fi & Horror HD
438 Sky Movies Modern Greats HD
439 Sky Movies Indie HD

Something of a shame to lose Film4 on channel 444 - it was a quick way to navigate to the movie channels. Still no word as to when these will arrive or how much they will cost. I've seen July 31st mentioned as a possible date but that's a Saturday and strikes me as unlikely. I've also seen that Five HD is rumoured to be launching simultaneously on Sky and Virgin in July, but this isn't confirmed yet.

BBC "how we make HD" videos - more entertaining than informative

The Beeb is releasing a series of videos on how HD is made, but judging from these first two they're pretty light on any real info:

Virgin email on Sky Sports and Movies HD

For those who haven't signed up yet for notification of the iminent arrival of the HD Sky Premium channels on Virgin Media, here's the email currently doing the rounds:

Virgin Media update on Sky Sports and Movies in HD
Hello,
Been wondering when you can start enjoying Sky Sports and Sky Movies in HD, on Virgin TV?
Just keep an eye on your emails and we'll be in touch as soon as they're available! Plus all the details of how you can get your hands on them too. There's no need to call now though, you'll be the first to hear the news from us. 
In the meantime, make sure you're ready to go by getting all the right kit. You'll just need an HD Ready TV and one of our nifty set top boxes (choose a V HD or V+ HD Box). Plus an HDMI cable to connect it all up. That way, you can sit down to watch top movies and sport, the second they're ready to go.
Kind regards,
The Virgin Media Entertainment team

To receive notification yourself, click the link at the end of this Virgin Media page.

BBC HD - hello variable bit rate encoding, goodbye unhappy customers?

Whilst we on Virgin Media have enjoyed excellent picture quality on BBC HD of late, those on satellite have suffered an appalling loss of PQ. However, that should now be about to change. According to Tech Radar: "The BBC has launched a raft of picture quality improvements for BBC HD just weeks after campaigners took their complaints direct to the channel’s bosses. The changes include Variable Bit Rate encoding, a fix for mix/fade problems and a new approach to noise in pictures."
Details can be found on the BBC's latest blog post from Andy Quested.

What's everybody watching in HD this summer?

Aside from the World Cup and other summer specials, is there anything worth catching on our HD channels at the moment? After a great Spring of high def (True Blood, Luther, Father & Son, etc) I've just noticed that the only things I've got set to record in HD next week are Desperate Housewives and Lennon Naked. Has anyone found anything they think worth recommending?
(Oh, and if you don't mind slumming it in SD for an hour a week, may I recommend Five USA's excellent Justified? Timothy Olyphant in an Elmore Leonard-inspired corker of a Southern thriller. 10pm Wednesday or Friday nights.)

He's been a reliable source before so...

Big Red over on Cable Forum has posted:

Sky's Basic and Sports & Movies HD channels will be included in the XL price. (Sports & Movies HD channels subject in taking these packages)
So XL/VIP customers will not have to pay for the coming soon HD channels.

I can't verify this but, if true, that's pretty awesome.