French Open in 4K and HDR

Virgin Media will broadcast Roland-Garros event in 4K with High Dynamic Range (HDR) again when Eurosport’s coverage of the tournament which runs from September 27th until October 11th.
Virgin will utilise Hybrid Log Gamma (HLG) technology to broadcast all matches that feature on the Phillipe Chatrier court in 4K UHD with HDR on its V6 set top box.

Eurosport’s live 4K HDR coverage will be available on each day of the two-week long tournament on all matches that appear on Phillipe Chatrier court.

Sadly, there's still no official word when we will see the promised 4K Sky channels that were supposed to arrive in 2020. These were first announced in July 2019 but since then it's been radio silence from the company, which is extremely disappointing.

New firmware for V6 but still no working Radioline app

There's new firmware being rolled out to Virgin Media's V6 boxes. It's 20.10.1.RC21 and one of the things it is supposed to address is an issue with the sound on some BT Sports channels. There's a thread on the upgrade on the Virgin Media Community Boards.

However, it doesn't resolve the issue with the Radioline app, which has been offline since August. That's a known problem and Virgin say they're working on it. Bad timing though, as Radioline announced on Twitter last month that they've just signed a new deal with Virgin for the app to be on the V6 boxes.

Virgin Media Horizon thread

There's an interesting thread over on Cable Forum started by regular poster Ozsat. He has a Horizon main and mini box and is posting on his experiences. You can find the thread here: https://www.cableforum.uk/board/showthread.php?t=33709333

Confusion over Horizon coming to existing V6 boxes

Mark Jackson on ISP Review has this week suggested that Liberty Global's Horizon software may not be coming to our V6 boxes after all. In a post published this week he says:

"We understand from our sources that Horizon won’t be coming to the v6 boxes after all. Instead Virgin Media appear to be gearing up to introduce two new STBs – a main box with the Horizon software and hard drive inside, and then a mini box with no hard drive (see * below) . 

"Both boxes support 4K video. We assume that the new Mini Box is the same one as Liberty Global recently launched for UPC in Poland while the new Main Box looks a bit like the v6, but on the inside it’s a different piece of hardware. At present it is unclear whether the new kit will be available to all new customers or only specific bundles (e.g. Ultimate Oomph). Likewise, we don’t know if existing v6 customers will have to pay for an upgrade (post-trial) or if it will be free."

All very confusing, especially as Virgin Media confirmed last year that Horizon was definitely coming to the UK and replacing TiVo and most pundits, me included, thought that meant new software on existing boxes. Maybe that's not now the case and there are technical issues that prohibit such a change? I'm confused. I can't imagine Virgin quickly replacing its existing V6 hardware base (too expensive and too inconvenient for customers) nor can I see it running TiVo and Horizon simultaneously across the UK for any prolonged period. Hopefully all will become clear "soon" (to use Virgin's favourite timeline).

* Liberty Global has launched a new internet TV box in Poland and plans to roll this out to other European regions according to this story: https://www.broadbandtvnews.com/2020/08/24/liberty-unveils-4k-mini-tv-box/. 

Price rise question

When was the last price rise from Virgin Media? I haven’t posted about one since August 2018 but may have missed something last year when this blog went into hibernation. I’m normally the first to complain when they raise prices and it feels like a while. Hope I’m not tempting fate here!

UPDATE Royalbeech added this comment: I just found this email I received from Virgin:

“Let’s get to it: after the last four months, and the uncertainty of what’s ahead, there’s no more business as usual. That’s why we aren’t raising your price this year as we normally would.

“This means the price you pay for your current package right now will stay the same for the rest of 2020. There are no catches, and there’s nothing you need to do. In the meantime, we’ll keep investing in our network and doing all we can to make sure you stay connected."

Horizon on a V6 "Mini" box going into field testing

Some Virgin customers have been invited to test the new Horizon software on a V6 "Mini" box. I haven't, but here's the email they've been sent:

We think it’s only right that our customers get their hands on our amazing new TV experience first. Get it at no extra cost today and discover how we bring together all your screens, favourite channels and apps, so you can seamlessly watch and stream the telly you love, at home and on the go. Yep, it’s our best TV experience yet, on the house.

Great power and streamability

Our fastest-ever TV experience, now with new features like super powerful voice search, personal profiles and more.

Entertainment, brought together

The UK’s most popular channels, Catch Up services, movies, TV Box Sets and built-in apps, all in one place. So you won’t need to hop around.

TV that moves with you

Watch in more rooms with a 4K-ready Mini box. Or stream, control and manage your recordings with our free, supercharged, Virgin TV Go app.

Ready to go? We’re making our new TV service available to you early, and you have until 2nd September 2020 to get involved. There’s limited availability, but don’t worry it will be available again soon.

Once you’ve applied, it can take up to 7 working days to receive your confirmation.

Looks like they're entering final testing for a late 2020 launch. If anyone has more information, please email me. 

NOW TV Entertainment price rise

Now TV has announced that its Entertainment Pass will be going up by 12% to £9.99 a month in September (unless you're on an offer - I'm on a half price deal until next year).
The price of this service has crept up a few times recently and I don't think it's quite the bargain it used to be. Like many Virgin customers I only have it for Sky Atlantic programmes but, with this price rise and the Boost HD meaning it will cost me an extra £12.99/m next year I will probably drop it once my deal ends and just dip in when something on Atlantic really demands my attention.

The Horizon 4 software on Virgin Media Ireland's V6 box

Virgin Media Ireland support pages for the Horizon 4 customers: https://www.virginmedia.ie/virgintv360support/

And this one is particularly interesting: https://www.virginmedia.ie/virgintv360support/functions-and-features/ 

The V6 appears to have been renamed the V360 with the new software.

Horizon 4 - Virgin's new software running on the V6

This is interesting: a clip on YouTube of Virgin Media Ireland's V6 box, running Horizon 4

Whatever happened to Sky Q without a dish?

Back in 2017 Sky announced it was to introduce the Sky Q TV without the need for a satellite dish. There were no dates, just a series of vague promises that it was 'coming soon'.
Now, Pocket-lint has confirmed that the broadband-only Sky Q plans have taken a back seat:
"We have been working on it," said Sky's group chief product officer, Fraser Stirling, during a briefing on the new features coming to Sky Q in July. He revealed that, in the UK, IP (Internet Protocol) delivery of content will be more beneficial to the company's existing Sky Q platform in the short term. "We will move more and more of our services - like in how the product works - to be levered over IP and that will include some channels. You will find linear content, VOD content, and other experiences that are going to be IP based, with a really solid backbone: that hybrid delivery part, which is satellite. [It] is going to play a key part of our future for quite some time."
So, whilst it's not dead, a pure IP Q service is not being developed for launch any time soon and any Virgin Media customers waiting for a dish-less Sky offering as an alternative to VM should cross it off their list for now. (Actually, make that "for NowTV", which is a viable alternative to cable if you want to move to Sky for your TV.)
Incidentally, my contract with Virgin Media has just come up for renewal and I gave serious consideration to the NowTV and BT alternatives (local planning laws prohibit me having a dish). After a number of calls to Virgin and the others I found no-one could beat Virgin's offer for the next 18 months, which I guess is good news for fans of this blog.