Switching to Virgin - some pointers/advice please

dulpit

Hey all,

I have recently cancelled my Sky TV (about 2 weeks left before it's switched off). My original plan was to just go FTA, but Mrs. Dulpit is having 2nd thoughts, so the current debate is comparing the following options:

1. Go back with Sky. Based on offer they have given me it'll be €42, plus €40 for internet from Eir (contract is coming to an end, so will have to probably switch to a different provider to keep the price similar)
2. Stick with FTA only, but have Mrs. Dulpit wreck my buzz
3. Switch to Virgin's offer they announced today (€55 for TV, Broadband and Sky Sports/Movies)

The Virgin option is tempting, as it's only €15 more than just broadband, with TV and Sky Sports or Cinema added in. I do have some queries though re. Virgin, would appreciate some feedback from users if possible:

1. I know the Horizon box is muck compared to Sky's, but is it at least useable most of the time?
2. I use Sky Plus to record shows while out and about, is this possible?
3. I use Sky Go to watch shows while out and about, is the Virgin option comparable?
4. Are Sky Sports or Cinema in HD with this option? I can see that you pay more for HD if you are just picking Sky Sports as an add-on, but it's unclear for this bundle offer
5. There is another bundle for €65 for faster internet and more TV - are the extra channels worth it for the tenner? (It'd still be cheaper than Sky + separate broadband anyway...)
6. I use box sets and catch up on Sky a bit - are these available via the box itself?
7. I used have Sky Cinema before on Sky box, I was able to watch any movie on demand, is this part of the virgin pack also?
8. Is installation simply them posting you box and you plugging into wall (provided the house is pre-wired, which it is)?
9. Is there anything else I should know/worry about?

Thanks in advance all!

icdg

dulpit wrote: »

Hey all,

I have recently cancelled my Sky TV (about 2 weeks left before it's switched off). My original plan was to just go FTA, but Mrs. Dulpit is having 2nd thoughts, so the current debate is comparing the following options:

1. Go back with Sky. Based on offer they have given me it'll be €42, plus €40 for internet from Eir (contract is coming to an end, so will have to probably switch to a different provider to keep the price similar)
2. Stick with FTA only, but have Mrs. Dulpit wreck my buzz
3. Switch to Virgin's offer they announced today (€55 for TV, Broadband and Sky Sports/Movies)

The Virgin option is tempting, as it's only €15 more than just broadband, with TV and Sky Sports or Cinema added in. I do have some queries though re. Virgin, would appreciate some feedback from users if possible:

I have Sky, but use Virgin quite often so I’ll try to give you some answers. First things first, a question you haven’t asked!. If you want Premier Sports, BT Sport, or eir Sport - none of them are on Virgin. Conversely you will get VM Sport which carries nearly all UEFA football (but not Republic of Ireland games) but all on a non exclusive basis. Just in case it’s a deal breaker.

[*]I know the Horizon box is muck compared to Sky's, but is it at least useable most of the time?

It’s usable, but not a patch on Sky Q. It had features Sky Q touted long before it was released but suffers severely from two issues. Firstly it is slow. Very slow. Windows 95 on a 386 slow, to use a very old analogy! Like as if the hardware can’t handle the features of the firmware. Secondly, the multiroom Horizon box which was promised never arrived so any multiroom boxes provided are the UPC Mediaboxes which are very long in the tooth now and look it. But they are not slow, which is good.

[*]I use Sky Plus to record shows while out and about, is this possible?

Yes

[*]I use Sky Go to watch shows while out and about, is the Virgin option comparable?

Yes, mostly. No Sky premium channels or at least this used to be the case when it was Horizon Go (now Virgin TV Anywhere).

[*]Are Sky Sports or Cinema in HD with this option? I can see that you pay more for HD if you are just picking Sky Sports as an add-on, but it's unclear for this bundle offer

Unclear to me too.

[*]There is another bundle for €65 for faster internet and more TV - are the extra channels worth it for the tenner? (It'd still be cheaper than Sky + separate broadband anyway...)

Do you watch any of the extra channels? I’d ask myself this before buying.

[*]I use box sets and catch up on Sky a bit - are these available via the box itself?

Yes. Virgin has a useful “backwards EPG” feature which Sky Q even lacks. It basically links catch up with the EPG.

[*]I used have Sky Cinema before on Sky box, I was able to watch any movie on demand, is this part of the virgin pack also?

Not sure, there are movies on what Virgin used to call “My Prime” but not as big a selection as Sky Cinema.

[*]Is installation simply them posting you box and you plugging into wall (provided the house is pre-wired, which it is)?

not sure if they’ll let first time customers self install - they do for upgrades but I would ask them.

winston_1

Go for option 2. She will get used to it especially when she realises the ton of money you will save.