Virgin TV360

GBX

Just got a mail from Virgin about doing the trial for the new V6 box. I know it was asked plenty of times on the Virgin Forum when they had reps here. I get there are people with issues with Virgin but at least its progress.

Wabbit Ears

<_<

>_>

[removes GBX from trial list]

Kurn

This is very slow I cancelled by Horizon 2 years ago, so assume they won't ask me. Hope this is a good box, would got back to them if they got it right as I can't get sky

kitsy13

@GBX any chance of pics of the new box, first impressions etc...

Calibos

Got the same email and applied.

Bodan

An installer told me they are planing to release the box to the general public next month(April). He said there is a new modem been released as well.

GBX

Looking like I'll be waiting for the general release - I wasn't selected to do the trial.

Delta2113

Bodan wrote: »

An installer told me they are planing to release the box to the general public next month(April). He said there is a new modem been released as well.

-Earliest be out is June -maybe later due to Coronavirus.

Kurn

Delta2113 wrote: »

-Earliest be out is June -maybe later due to Coronavirus.

Not being smart - Do you have a source, or just speculation?

GBX

GBX wrote: »

Looking like I'll be waiting for the general release - I wasn't selected to do the trial.

I didnt read the message - only due to find out on Monday if Im selected for the trial.

britie

Any update on this trial? Supposed to hear back on Monday but no word. Understandable in the current climate but it would be a good time to test and get feedback as their will be a lot of TV watched over the next couple of months!

heebusjeebus

Got talking to a VM engineer today and asked him when to expect the rollout. He said early July but the trials would be starting soon.

Calibos

Got a call from Virgin today about the trial to arrange an engineer installation appointment but told her I'd prefer a self instal which she was happy to switch me to. She said I'll get an email when the box ships next week sometime.

Kurn

Calibos wrote: »

Got a call from Virgin today about the trial to arrange an engineer installation appointment but told her I'd prefer a self instal which she was happy to switch me to. She said I'll get an email when the box ships next week sometime.

Finally some movement, would love to trial it myself, but I handed back my horizon box a good while back.

towger

Is the V6 purely for TV or is it also the router like Horizon is ?

Kurn

towger wrote: »

Is the V6 purely for TV or is it also the router like Horizon is ?

I'd imagine they learned the hard way that it's best to keep them separate. But not 100% sure... anyone?

Delta2113

Purely for Tv 100%.

coylemj

I never had a problem with the Wi-Fi from the Horizon box but I eventually caved in and took the external BB router so that I wouldn't have any delays in getting the new box.

Are there still people out there getting their Wi-Fi from the Horizon unit?

djivide_

Any update on this? has anyone actually gotten the v6 box to try out? or rumours on when it will be launched?

Hi ya

have it in about 2 weeks much quicker interface menu much better scrolls through very quickly

NeitherJohn

Hi ya wrote: »

have it in about 2 weeks much quicker interface menu much better scrolls through very quickly

How's the picture quality? Is it the same Horizon interface just a bit quicker or something new?

georgina...c

Ye just a bit quicker than horizon interface, great quality. I'm happy with it.

Hi ya

Picture quality for me has always been better from a satellite feed than virgin media .
i just think that's VM signal is not as good as satellite signal .

mfceiling

Hi ya wrote: »

have it in about 2 weeks much quicker interface menu much better scrolls through very quickly

To be fair my father had an 11 year old bush set top box that was quicker than the horizon box.
The horizon box is junk. Rubbish plain and simple.
Missed recordings, sound disappearing, lag on interface. I could go on but I won't as I'm with sky now and it actually works...all the time.

coylemj

To the people with the new box.... has VM outlined a timetable for the trial i.e. have they told you that they'll be looking for feedback in late May/early/mid June and did they mention a planned date for the full rollout?

FaganJr

If you take the Horizon box out of Eco mode, it's a lot better.
VM engineer showed me. Boots now in 2-3 seconds, alot more responsive.

coylemj

FaganJr wrote: »

If you take the Horizon box out of Eco mode, it's a lot better.
VM engineer showed me. Boots now in 2-3 seconds, alot more responsive.

During a chat on WhatsApp, I was told by a VM support person that the menus were faster if you did not select Eco mode. I pointed out that eco mode was a setting for power usage on standby and that that setting should make no difference when the machine was booted up but they stuck to their guns.

The menus do seem to be slower for a period after you boot up the box from eco mode but after a couple of minutes, there's no difference that I could detect.

The reason I use eco mode is because when powered off, the box uses 31W on 'high', 19W on 'low' and less than 1W in 'eco mode'. I think 'low' is there because you can't go down as far as eco mode if the Horizon box is supporting phone or wi-fi. It still takes about three minutes to start from 'low' so if you have the external phone/wi-fi box, there's no reason whatsoever to use the 'low' setting because the box will take as long to boot as in eco mode but it will use more power in standby.

Hogzy

Really disappointed I didnt get selected for the trial. I have bitched and moaned enough about it over the years!!!

If you google Virgin Media 360 quite a bit of info comes up on it. Here is the official VM Link https://www.virginmedia.ie/virgintv360support/

Also see this video of it in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjJwiaG4Ij0

Calibos

Just got a call from Virgin that my install is tomorrow. Asked for self instal but they changed it back to engineer install because we are still on a Cisco 3925 Modem/router. That was through choice As I have it bridged to an ASUS router for 10 years and it still did the job of a modem reliably. Presumably the V6 box needs 360mbits+ for the on demand stuff and our Cisco 3925 and 250mnit BB package dont cut the mustard any more.

Would I be right in saying that the new modem is bridgeable? The Engineer wont bridge it for me will he. i’ll have to do that myself after he leaves? Also will I be on IP6 now and have to Ring to ask to be put back on IP4?

Wabbit Ears

Calibos wrote: »

Just got a call from Virgin that my install is tomorrow. Asked for self instal but they changed it back to engineer install because we are still on a Cisco 3925 Modem/router. That was through choice As I have it bridged to an ASUS router for 10 years and it still did the job of a modem reliably. Presumably the V6 box needs 360mbits+ for the on demand stuff and our Cisco 3925 and 250mnit BB package dont cut the mustard any more.

Would I be right in saying that the new modem is bridgeable? The Engineer wont bridge it for me will he. i’ll have to do that myself after he leaves? Also will I be on IP6 now and have to Ring to ask to be put back on IP4?

Im not sure why you would sign up for a trial when you clearly have a non-standard, non-supported setup. Engineer will leave and you'll just go and change everything, bridge the modem and all sorts of shannigans and then you're absolutely useless for testing purposes.

Hogzy

Have it on fairly good authority that the sales teams in VM have been briefed on the box. However theyre not at liberty to reveal when it will be launched en masse to the general customer base. I would imagine soon though if the sales teams have been briefed on the box.

How does it compare to Sky Q?

Calibos

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Im not sure why you would sign up for a trial when you clearly have a non-standard, non-supported setup. Engineer will leave and you'll just go and change everything, bridge the modem and all sorts of shannigans and then you're absolutely useless for testing purposes.

Got a call from the engineer this evening to confirm its 4x V6 boxes I need. I explained that while I do have 2x HD boxes, a Horizon box and an older DVR active, I assumed I was only getting 1 V6 trial box. He said no, that if I had 4 active boxes on the account, they would be replacing all 4 with a V6 as he said some of the functionality they want some of the trialists to test involves multiple boxes. (I presume its things like Record/start watching in one room->watch/finish watching in another etc) Thrilled to hear this as ultimately I wanted multiple V6 boxes anyway so that HD Sports would be available in all rooms again.

He asked about our cables because if our cables were older than about 10 years he may have had to do all new cable runs from the eaves tap for every box and could be here for half the day. Thrilled when I told him we had dual CT100 COAX and Ethernet runs from a central location near the Eaves Tap running to every room and after describing the internal makeup of the CoAX and UPC connectors on them he was happy we had the RG6 comparable cable the boxes needed already in place, meaning he could fit in a few installs earlier in the day and was happy to oblige me by coming at 3pm after I've finished work so I don't need to change shifts to accomadate the install either.

He asked me about my modem and he gasped in shock when I told him I was still on a Cisco 3925. I laughed and said, its never given me an ounce of trouble for 10 years because the first thing I did when I opened its box over 10 years ago was to install a 120mm PC fan running at 5v powered from its USB port and bridged it to an ASUS Router. He said they would need to replace it with the 360 Modem/Router but said they would put it in Bridge mode for me no problem without me even asking.

TBH, the ASUS RT N66U is 10 years old itself now and I've turned off the WIFI on that at this point nevermind the Cisco 3925. Running 2 WIFI AC Access Points elsewhere in better locations in the house.

You do realise UPC/Virgin support bridging on their newer modem/routers now though don't you. You just have to ring them to switch you to IP4and as I said the engineer didn't bat an eye metaphorically speaking when I mentioned how my Cisco was bridged and he suggested he could bridge the 360 modem for me.

How exactly am I useless for testing purposes again?? My non standard setup compared to most is letting them test their multi-box interconnectivity over a full home ethernet network. They likely already know that wireless interconnectivity will be a nightmare to support just like Sky Q Boxes and their mesh network are. They've got someone in me who is computer literate enough to bridge his own modems, manage his home netwrk, configure access points, make his own Ethernet cables and follow instructions. I'd say they got ucky having me as a trialist who if they wanted me to, could disconnect ethernet to all boxes and configure the boxes WIFI connectivity after install, test and diagnose signal levels with WIFI analyser, change channel frequencies etc and give them an idea how a 4 box system performs in a Victorian era home with 1ft thick walls.

They are LUCKY to have me as a trialist!! LOL!! ;)

Calibos

Hogzy wrote: »

Really disappointed I didnt get selected for the trial. I have bitched and moaned enough about it over the years!!!

If you google Virgin Media 360 quite a bit of info comes up on it. Here is the official VM Link https://www.virginmedia.ie/virgintv360support/

Also see this video of it in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjJwiaG4Ij0

Thanks for the link. Just noticed that they are infact doing 360 Mini boxes. ie. Like Sky Q Mini's. I remember when this question was asked/talked about on the old UPC/Virgin Forum that the answer was there was just one type of V6 box and if you wanted it in multi-rooms you got multply large V6 boxes.....or that thats the way multiroom was done with the V6 in the UK where it was already in customers hands. Anyway, I'm glad to see its just one main box and minis for the rest as only one of my TV locations has an equipment rack that can easily and aesthetically accomadate the larger V6 box, The mini boxes will be a much better physical and aesthetic fit at my other TV locations.

MAJJ

Calibos wrote: »

Thanks for the link. Just noticed that they are infact doing 360 Mini boxes. ie. Like Sky Q Mini's. I remember when this question was asked/talked about on the old UPC/Virgin Forum that the answer was there was just one type of V6 box and if you wanted it in multi-rooms you got multply large V6 boxes.....or that thats the way multiroom was done with the V6 in the UK where it was already in customers hands. Anyway, I'm glad to see its just one main box and minis for the rest as only one of my TV locations has an equipment rack that can easily and aesthetically accomadate the larger V6 box, The mini boxes will be a much better physical and aesthetic fit at my other TV locations.

I have. 360 box, self installed. Broadband on separate router. Up and running after 15 mins with no issue. It's a Humax box and about half the size of horizon box but taller. It's quiet, maybe SSD? It's fast too. Interface and navigation work as expected like a normal experience, unlike horizon. Not using it too much , picture quality seems better but haven't checked much.

Delta2113

Main box only has a hard drive so all your recordings go on this box. Advantages and one disadvantage if main box fails.

Mini boxes still need a coaxial cable feed for linear tv.

Wabbit Ears

Calibos wrote: »

They are LUCKY to have me as a trialist!! LOL!! ;)

Sure, WOW, much tech, very internets, cool story bro.

Calibos

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Sure, WOW, much tech, very internets, cool story bro.

Whooooosh....

Wink wink was to indicate I was taking the piss with/of my own self aggrandisement..while at the same time countering your argument that I am useless as a triallist. I’m sure your sarcastic wit makes you lots of friends. ;)

cannco253

How do you get UHD/4k with this box and is there only 1 UHD channel available?
Will it allow you to watch Netflix/Amazon Prime 4k as well?

cannco253

and does it broadcast 4k HDR? Sky Q box just rolled out HDR this week

Shamrock 64

I take it this box won't have HDMI CEC,since the original English one doesn't?.I thought I read here that we were getting a new version of this box not the original V6.

icdg

My understanding is that what is variously known as “V6”, “EOS”, “Horizon 4”, “Mediabox Next” and “Virgin Media 360” is exactly the same box hardware wise and that the only difference is that the U.K. got different software based on the TiVo platform that VM was already running there whereas everyone else (including Ireland) gets an updated version of Horizon.

Shamrock 64

Looking forward to it,was hoping for hdmi CEC but not a big problem, running it through an AV amp,can still use an optical cable for surround sound.Thanks for the reply.

Calibos

Shamrock 64 wrote: »

Looking forward to it,was hoping for hdmi CEC but not a big problem, running it through an AV amp,can still use an optical cable for surround sound.Thanks for the reply.

Be careful what you wish for...

Install went without a hitch on all my older HD Plasma TV's but black screen with intermittant quick flashes of glitchy image on my 4K LED via a 10 year old HDMI cable buried in wall. Installer thought it was his first Dud 360 mini so got another from the van. Same thing. Took the HDMI Dolby Atmos amp out of the loop. Same thing. We both agreed there was something unique about this room/cabling/setup in this room that was the issue. It then occured to me that maybe CEC was the issue in some way as I'd heard it can cause more problems than it solves sometimes. Installer clicked his fingers and agreed when I suggested that. However trying to disable CEC/Simplink in the TV menu didn't seem to do anything and the problem was still there. It was late in the day and installer said he'd be back with higher level tech the next day as this would be a teaching experience for them anyway (ie half the point of the trial is to iron out install bugs/scenarios) before the roll out to customers.

After he was gone I tried some other cables. A 5M HMDI cable of slightly newer vintage than the one buried in the wall plugged into the TV's HDMI 2 port worked and at least allowed me to go into the Media Box menu and tell it to Display 1080p instead of Auto. That didn't solve the inwall cable connected to HDMI 1 port on the TV though. Then it occured to me to swap the in wall cable to HDMI port 2 and Bingo!!

My theory is that HDMI Port 1 on the TV has CEC but HDMI port 2 doesn't. The in-wall cable is old enough not to support 4K bandwidth but CEC on the TV was telling the Media box to send 4K (and overriding 1080p setting when I changed it) Cable couldn't pass it. Switching the cable to HDMI port 2 without CEC meant no signal from the TV telling MediaBox to send 4K and thus it defaulted to my 1080p setting which the in-wall HDMI 1.2?? cable can and did support with the Horizon Box.

Don't care about 4K content anyway at 55" screen size at current viewing distance and getting to use the cable buried in the Chimney breast for aesthetics is preferable to me so not being able to send 4K from the box to this TV on the Chimney Breast as my setup current stands is not a problem for me at all. I'll only be interested in 4K content when I upgrade the 1080p projector in the same room to a 4K one when they come down in price and that is not reliant on an old HDMI 1.2 cable buried in a wall as the projector hidden on a different shelf can be connected to the Atmos Amp and Mediabox via HDMI 2.0+ cables every step of the way. Come to think of it, when I implement that aspect of the setup and build the appropriate cabinetry, I'll have 4K to the 4KTV anyway (though it might be a 4K OLED at that point and not a Cheapish LG 4K 55" LED) Plan to move the TV location off the Chimney Breast to the wall I currently project onto and build a longer Faux Radiator cabinet to house new low profile front L/C/R speakers and Sub and an Electric Projection screen that rises out the top of the Faux Radiator cabinet in front of the TV. ie. 5m HDMI 2.0 to the TV can be chased in behind replaced skirting board and hidden most of the way inside the faux rad cabinet. An extension of the empty radiator cabinet idea I already half implemented if only to have somewhere to hold my Centre speaker close to the screen. LOL



Also self diagnosed my Bridged HUB 3.0 speedtesting at 95mbits which installer and higher level tech were going to investigate the next day.Why 90-100mbit everytime I asked myself after they went. Eureka!! HUB Bridged to my Asus router and onto my 24 port switch and home network must have been negotiating at 100mbit network speeds instead of Gigabit. Swapped the ethernet cable between the HUB 3.0 and myh Asus Router and Bingo!SPeedTest now showing my usual 250mbit download.

Texted back installer that he only needed to come back to collect our old 4 STB's which will probably be Tuesday as we both forgot it was a BH weekend.

Yeah, I'm useless as a Trialist alright! LOL. :rolleyes:

;)

Shamrock 64

That was a right mess, very frustrating,glad you got it sorted out,so far no problems with my equipment using HDMI CEC through an Onkyo amp,if there's none on the new box then il use as normal with V6 going to hdmi1 ontv with optical cable to amp for surround sound.Hdmi 2 runs a 4k Blu Ray Player and an Android box with CEC no problems thank god.

Calibos

Shamrock 64 wrote: »

That was a right mess, very frustrating,glad you got it sorted out,so far no problems with my equipment using HDMI CEC through an Onkyo amp,if there's none on the new box then il use as normal with V6 going to hdmi1 ontv with optical cable to amp for surround sound.Hdmi 2 runs a 4k Blu Ray Player and an Android box with CEC no problems thank god.

I wouldn't necessarily call it a right mess. 3 out of the 4 box installs went without a hitch, Hub was bridged to my Asus router in seconds and Internet back up and running quickly. It was one of my own Ethernet cables that was dodgy causing it to negotiate at 100mbit. My own 10 year old HDMI 1.2 (??) in-wall cable causing the hiccup with the final box install. I wasn't stressed or frustrated by it because I knew we'd figure it out. We just ran out of time that day because mine was the last install of the day. Its not like I had to take a day off work even if he did have to come back the next day. Work is next door so I could come in to him whenever he visited again.

I have 3 of the boxes on wired Ethernet connections. Every room has 2x CT100/RG6 Coax and 2x Ethernet. However one room with a TV has a big old Wardrobe infront of wall plate and I wasn't about to empty it and move it to plug in an ethernet cable for that box so we set it up with the KODI boxes ethernet cable and I did the WIFI setup later and swapped the ethernet back to the KODI box. One of my Wireless Access points is in the room below so the signal strengh was full bars and the Media boxes network diagnostics showed excellent signal strength/speed and a big green tick mark beside UltraHD.

He had worried he was going to have to replace all the COAX in the house from the TAP but was thrilled to find out I had CT100/RG6 from a Side Attic Central point near the TAP outside to every room in the house. Ironically, it was the 2010 UPC installed COAX from the TAP to my 2010 internal COAX cabling that was below spec for the new boxes.

Loving the new Mediaboxes BTW and plan to max out multiroom and get another 2 mini's. Installer said a max of 6 boxes are supported. (1x Main and 5xMini's) which is more than SKY but I guess thats because Virgin Mini's need a COAX as well as network connection whereas SKY Q is sending everything over the network.

youcancallmeal

Hogzy wrote: »

Really disappointed I didnt get selected for the trial. I have bitched and moaned enough about it over the years!!!

If you google Virgin Media 360 quite a bit of info comes up on it. Here is the official VM Link https://www.virginmedia.ie/virgintv360support/

Also see this video of it in action
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjJwiaG4Ij0

Same, every time they sent out a survey i would go to town on them about how bad the TV box is. They don't care at all

Calibos

youcancallmeal wrote: »

Same, every time they sent out a survey i would go to town on them about how bad the TV box is. They don't care at all

Sometimes a critic and sometimes a defender of them on the UPC/Virgin Customer Interaction forum on boards and expressed interest in the trial over there several times. Don't recall ever PM'ing my Account details to the Reps for that reason specifically, though I guess they could have done a User name search and gotten my account number from an unrelated old query and put a flag on my account to offer me a Trial when they started. That said, IIRC I officially applied for the trial via a link in a Promotional email that I received from Virgin on March 4th. Did I receive that email because I'd expressed interest in the trial on the CI forum here on boards or did everyone get that Trial email early March and I was just lucky to be selected and it was coincidental that I had expressed interest last year.

NeitherJohn

Bought a new build in an estate that is prewired for VM. The master bedroom has coax outlets as well as the sitting room.

I take it the new mediabox in the bedroom can connect to the box in the sitting room via WiFi? No ethernet in the master bedroom. Just the coax for the VM.

Delta2113

Yes over WiFi be fine once you have a good wifi signal. Linear Tv is via coax on all boxes.

Wabbit Ears

Shamrock 64 wrote: »

I take it this box won't have HDMI CEC,since the original English one doesn't?.I thought I read here that we were getting a new version of this box not the original V6.

It does have CEC on by default, some people have turned to off, especially with amps etc, but for me its handy that it turns on and off the tv in one click.

Another cool thing is keep your old D4A (not horizon) remote as it works with the new box as a backup.

There is also a nice 'find my remote' feature (press channel up on box for 10 seconds). My kids love it.