Horizon IS coming to existing V6 boxes - or is it?

There's an interesting thread on Virgin's own Community Board developing about next year's introduction of Horizon software on existing V6 boxes. Around halfway through a Virgin staffer writes: 

Pending successful trials, from next year any existing customers with 2 x V6 boxes will be able to upgrade them to 360 over the air and keep the entire 2TB storage across both boxes. 

Some ultimate oomph customers are being contacted very soon to join the trials. We would like to contact all of them but far too many people are opting out of marketing these days.

This contradicts earlier reports that Horizon won't be replacing TiVo on existing hardware. Meanwhile, the ever-reliable Spiderplant on Cable Forum has confirmed that:

There are 3 boxes: 

Arris boxes: Can run either TiVo or Horizon software

Humax boxes (with or without a hard drive): Can only run Horizon software

I wonder if existing recordings, series links etc on a V6 are preserved during the upgrade to Horizon? I suspect the answer is no but I'd be happy to be wrong on this.

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

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. 

TiVo to be replaced by Horizon - confirmed

Liberty Global’s fourth quarter results filing arrived this week which finally shone some light on Virgin Media’s TV strategy. Liberty has confirmed that TiVo’s long-standing reign at Virgin Media in the UK will soon end and be replaced by the Horizon 4 platform:

Virgin Media will soon roll out the company’s new user interface, Horizon 4, on its V6 boxes (replacing TiVo), and the ongoing integration of OTT apps such as YouTube, Netflix and Amazon Prime Video.
“We are open for business when it comes to app integration,” Liberty Global Chief Executive Mike Fries said.
The Horizon 4 rollout in the UK will also mark Liberty Global’s expansion of a video product that utilises the Reference Design Kit, a pre-integrated, open source software platform being managed by Comcast, Liberty Global and Charter.
“We think it will be transformational to the consumer experience in the same way X1 was for Comcast,” Fries said. “The bundle matters, and video is a big part of the bundle.”

More from Fries, the financial results and an update on Project Lightning: https://www.lightreading.com/cable-video/liberty-global-sizing-up-partnerships-to-expand-reach-of-virgin-medias-network/d/d-id/757527

The sharp-eyed among you may notice that Horizon is being built using Comcast technology. Comcast is the owner of Sky.