The Virgin Media Television thread

icdg · 23-08-2022 7:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119506825#Comment_119506825

No pre-publicity, no promos as far as I can see. The softest of “soft launches”.

Doesn’t look like it’ll be on Sky for now either.

EdmondShiels3 · 23-08-2022 7:54am

I hate the big screen they have for the news. It drives me wrong when I see it. Hopefully the new channel will be in HD on Sky. Not that I will watch it much as it will as it will be repeats like the others.

medoc · 23-08-2022 9:15am

I know things are very different than the analogue days. But as channel launches go this takes the biscuit. Practically no mention of it anywhere. You’d think there would have been some sort of build up. An ideal time to differentiate their channels and give them some identity. But as VMTV program their existing channels by copy and paste I doubt they have the brains to do anything else.

JDxtra · 23-08-2022 9:38am

No placeholder even on their own Virgin Media platform! No mention on social media, no program guide, no placeholder on their web site - absolutely zero publicity anywhere.

Quite an impressively soft launch when they don't even create some rolling test loop.

I suppose they are still fattening up that goose for sale, one more channel to the line-up may make it sound that bit better. Viewers? Meh, nobody cares about those...

Maz2016 · 23-08-2022 9:54am

We weren’t expecting much but this takes the p!ss! You know it probably will launch at 7pm tomorrow evening or whatever time and just say welcome to VM4. Then they sit back and let the advertising revenue come in. Once they cover the carriage costs I’d presume it’s profit after that. And if they just show repeats it’s a win win for them.

zeebre12 · 23-08-2022 11:59am

If it's stil profitable launching a channel on Saorview you'd have to question why none of the UK Freeview channels have never launched here other than Sky News? Some even have their own Irish version with Irish ads.

Longwayjump1991 · 23-08-2022 12:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119510225#Comment_119510225

Would be nice if Channel 4 added their channels to Saorview. There’s very few channels on Saorview compared to the UK’s Freeview.

galtee boy · 23-08-2022 5:06pm

https://www.irishmirror.ie/tv/irish-virgin-media-saorview-users-27812721.amp

http://www.iftn.ie/broadcast/news/?act1=record&only=1&aid=73&rid=4294543&tpl=archnews&force=1

Making the news now.

Delta2113 · 23-08-2022 6:28pm

Moving VM One +1 channel or getting rid off altogether I wonder.

icdg · 23-08-2022 7:49pm

Wonder why they’re reserving their NFL coverage to VM Four, plays right into Sky’s hands.

Dodge · 23-08-2022 8:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119512411#Comment_119512411

It’s highlights. Presumably on a Tuesday similar to the BBC show. Anyone with an interest has already seen them online. I enjoyed the BBC show but it didn’t add much so I doubt it’s of much value to Virgin

odyssey06 · 23-08-2022 8:40pm

Hmm... no sign of a VM Four schedule on Channel 110 on a Virgin Media box!

Maz2016 · 23-08-2022 8:47pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119512681#Comment_119512681

Or on saorview

Delta2113 · 23-08-2022 10:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119512681#Comment_119512681

No because it's currently carrying VM One +1

icdg · 23-08-2022 10:20pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119512648#Comment_119512648

There will be three live games too, two of which will be exclusive (and the other will be the Super Bowl).

The highlights show (which will be on Fridays)…it’s not really aimed at those with an interest. Those with an interest have their seven hours of Scott Hanson on Sky Sports Mix on a Sunday . It’s really an advert for the NFL and American football for those curious. Tucking that away is a bad idea (for the NFL, anyway) but VM only really have this as a result of ITV picking it up so they probably don’t care too much where it goes.

On a completely different note I chuckled at the press release stating “Virgin Media Two is now clearly a youth-focused channel”. Because what the youth want is 7 hours of ITV daytime game shows tucked between cookery programmes and soap repeats.

Maz2016 · 23-08-2022 11:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119513149#Comment_119513149

Yeah and they will be harping on about the ratings for love island for the next year. I’d say it’s the only programme that brings them such ratings.

Atlantic Dawn · 23-08-2022 11:46pm

It's crazy, they hardly have enough shows for 2 channels to consume let alone 4. I don't have VM1HD so never watch any sport whatsoever they broadcast, will always go with the UK option, they should sort that out first on Saorview.

patrickmooney · 24-08-2022 1:42am

Well it appeared after midnight on channel 110 with One+1 moving to 116. Oh and The Chase is airing daily.

Maz2016 · 24-08-2022 2:38am

Here is the line up for the first 2 days, I don’t have the weekend but it features The Chase , Beat the Chases, Family Fortunes, Catchphrase, repeats of Don’t look back in anger, Irelands Paramedics, repeats of shows from Thursday night aswell as UEFA and Heathrow busiest Airport

Wednesday 24th

06:10 Winning Combination

07:00 Winning Combination

08:00 Winning Combination

09:00 The Chase

10:00 The Chase

11:00 Paul O Grady (love of dogs)

11:30 Paul O Grady (love of dogs)

12:00 The Hotel Inspector

13:00 Irelands Paramedics

14:00 Storage Hunters

15:00 Don’t look back in anger

15:30 Don’t look back in anger

16:00 Posh Pawn

17:00 The Hotel Inspector (repeat from 12:00)

18:00 Irelands Paramedics (repeat from 13:00)

19:00 Yorkshire Airport

19:30 Yorkshire Airport

20:00 Don’t look back in anger (repeat from 15:00)

20:30 Don’t look back in anger (repeat from 15:30)

21:00 Two Sides

22:00 The Mr Moonlight Murder

23:05 The Group Chat

00:05 Sports Stories - Kevin Doyle

01:05 Two Sides (repeat from 21:00)

Thursday 25th

06:10 Winning Combination

07:00 Winning Combination

08:00 Winning Combination

09:00 The Chase

10:00 The Chase

11:00 Paul O Grady (love of dogs)

11:30 Paul O Grady (love of dogs)

12:00 The Hotel Inspector

13:00 Irelands Paramedics

14:00 Storage Hunters

15:00 Don’t look back in anger

15:30 Don’t look back in anger

16:00 Posh Pawn

17:00 The Hotel Inspector (repeat from 12:00)

18:00 Irelands Paramedics (repeat from 13:00)

19:00 Paul O Grady (love of dogs)

19:30 Paul O Grady (love of dogs)

20:00 Don’t look back in anger (repeat from 15:00)

20:30 Don’t look back in anger (repeat from 15:30)

21:00 Two Big Interview

22:00 Londongrad - Putins…

22:30 The Lebinside camp shamrock

23:05 The Chase

00:05 The Group Chat

01:05 The Restaurant

02:00 Channel off air

lertsnim · 24-08-2022 7:29am

Same old shite, different channel so. Is anyone surprised.

Charles Slane · 24-08-2022 8:27am

A Virgin Four logo has appeared on Saorview Channel 7 now.

StreetLight · 24-08-2022 8:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119513916#Comment_119513916

Label updated to Virgin Media 4 and EPG has populated with programmes starting at 11am.

Atlantic Dawn · 24-08-2022 8:53am

It's strange they are not showing the old 70's/80's shows from ITV 3,4.

Glaceon · 24-08-2022 9:04am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119513916#Comment_119513916

In 4:3 stretched too! Still incapable of getting aspect ratios correct out in Ballymount.

JDxtra · 24-08-2022 9:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119514064#Comment_119514064

I'd say that's the Saorview team as the feed from Virgin for the channel probably isn't ready/setup.

iseegirls · 24-08-2022 9:25am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119514025#Comment_119514025

Looks like those type of shows like Marple, Morse, Poirot, Heartbeat, Lewis, Touch Of Frost, Darling Buds, Wycliffe will stay on VM3 - which really does mimic what ITV3 show

Maz2016 · 24-08-2022 9:37am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119514137#Comment_119514137

And it makes more sense to keep them on one channel where possible.

Glaceon · 24-08-2022 10:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119514091#Comment_119514091

I'd say you were right. It was a rough transition, audio first followed by a still of the ident (in 16:9 with subtitles icon). My TV then dropped back to audio only for a few seconds before coming back blocky and then normal video.

iseegirls · 24-08-2022 10:10am

Had a look through the schedule for the next 7 days. Very much a copy of VM2 - all shows are either quizzes, factual documentaries, and then observational docs like Heathrow, Hotel Inspector, Posh Pawn, Paramedics etc..

They're starting Group Chat from Episode 1, which I think is around March 2022. Not seen any of them, but I'm sure they're very much topical of the weekly events at that time.

Weekends seem to have this 2 hour block of VM More type sports programming - classic matches (e.g. PSG v Man Utds from 5 years ago) along with CL Highlights. And then they are showing the 1965 film The Heroes Of Telemark 3 times over the weekends - Sat 7pm, Sun 2pm, Sun 8:50pm. That probably indicates how stuck they are for any type of programming and films.

Overall, it just seems the "pull a show from a hat and stick it next in the schedule" technique was done.

JDxtra · 24-08-2022 10:36am

It's live now on Saorview.

I use an Enigma2 receiver, and I could not initially add the channel as it thought it was a duplicate of RTE Jr. I'll need to source the logo and add it to the receiver.

timothydec77 · 24-08-2022 1:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119513722#Comment_119513722

Pure filler content.

Dodge · 24-08-2022 1:39pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119513149#Comment_119513149

Just on the NFL, I have no doubt the super bowl will be on the main channel. Maybe VM2. The London games are on sky too so not exactly exclusive

odyssey06 · 24-08-2022 1:56pm

If someone could bump the thread if they spot NFL programmes in the schedule, that'd be appreciated... seems bizarre to put NFL on it rather than VM2 given the rest of the content.

iseegirls · 24-08-2022 4:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119515597#Comment_119515597

From ITV Press Release:

ITV kicks off its coverage on Friday September 9 with the first in a series of hour-long weekly shows, airing at 11.30pm on ITV

So I'd expect it to appear in the schedule from that date onwards

timothydec77 · 24-08-2022 7:45pm

Of great interest to Nfl fans.

But still minority viewing.

People can get YouTube highlights same day.

Brock Turnpike · 24-08-2022 7:55pm

An utterly pointless channel

icdg · 24-08-2022 9:38pm

As I say this isn’t really for NFL fans, it’s basically an advert for the sport for the more causal watcher. The fans will long have seen these games before then (and in case they hadn’t Sky are bringing in a new two hour highlights show on a Tuesday night this season).

Those London games will be exclusive though, or at least that’s my recollection - they get two and Sky gets one, and therefore they will be of interest to fans.

Schorpio · 25-08-2022 3:24pm

Recorded the start of VM4 yesterday. I wanted to see whether there would a continuity announcement, or anything to launch the new channel. So what did they have?

Nothing. Nothing whatsoever.

No voiceover. No announcement. No welcome. Just launched straight into Paul O'Grady.

Honestly, what is the point of this channel. It's so low effort. The 'Four' logo onscreen before the channel launched was a 4:3 image stretched into 16:9. The Image was also really compressed, with really obvious colour banding in the background.

This sounds like nit-picking - but this is supposed to be a brand new channel.

Channel launched in Ireland used to be a big deal - because we got to few of them. Maybe I'm just old......!

Maz2016 · 25-08-2022 3:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119521082#Comment_119521082

Dreadful. I went into their website to actually see if I could watch back the launch but Four isnt even listed as a channel on it yet.

I also rewatched the news at 5:30 from yesterday (launch day) to see what they would say about the new channel - nothing. Weirdest launch ever.

You know, it’s my assumption that a lot of people are unhappy with what VM offer. If they put VM One on HD on Saorview, I think that would win a lot of people over. It would make the world of difference for some programming- particularly sports. Surely the cost can be met at this stage.

mackersdublin · 25-08-2022 4:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119512057#Comment_119512057

Virgin Media One +1 moved to 116 on VM boxes, the old VM Sport slot

icdg · 25-08-2022 8:12pm

They promised the Lions doc on the Player during the Champions League pregame yesterday - it clashed with the match - but it’s not there and in fact there’s no sign of VM Four there at all.

done123 · 26-08-2022 10:20am

Why is Virgin Media Four not available on Virgin Media player, Live Channel Section, when it is free to air?

26-08-2022 12:49pm

VM TV’s own online TV guide still doesn’t have listings for VM 4.

https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/tv-guide

Maz2016 · 26-08-2022 1:20pm

The launch of VM4 was so soft, they probably forgot to tell the guys that do the website !!

iseegirls · 26-08-2022 7:55pm

Their own Virgin Media TV Solutions website (where they try and sell advertising and sponsorship packages) is so far out of date.

Nice to see them promoting Elaine, 12 months after they axed it for Loose Women.

https://www.virginmediatelevision.ie/solutions/our-programmes

iseegirls · 28-08-2022 9:13pm

Amateur scheduling continues with the new channel. Scheduled as Heroes of Telemark tonight in fact turns out to be Rambo Last Blood. I'd guess there is absolutely nowhere states this, even the Virgin Media horizon box still states Telemark.

Same on Friday night, when Billy Connolly doc was strangely scheduled to run for 3 hours, yet there was a film (Weekend at Bernies) after it. But how is anyone to know when all digital guides are wrong.

iseegirls · 28-08-2022 9:15pm

One more thing. The VM4 ident just before they start a new show - does it does look really pixilated at the start? Not sure if it's intentional.

lertsnim · 28-08-2022 10:33pm

I've noticed that too. Looks intentional to me.

Longwayjump1991 · 28-08-2022 10:59pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119534942#Comment_119534942

Here’s hoping that Virgin Media 5 will be a better channel, lol! 🤣

Charles Slane · 29-08-2022 9:54am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119535376#Comment_119535376

Virgin Media 5 will be an Arts and Entertainment channel, with live broadcasts of performances from the great opera houses of the world. Classical music concerts and ballet, both recent and from the archives, will be peppered throughout the schedule, bolstered by in-depth interviews with the great thinkers of our times.

Documentaries on a wide range of topics from ancient history to modern philosophical theories will be shown in prime-time, while children will be catered for with home-grown educational programming in both English and Irish.

A nightly arts programme will showcase all the great music, comedy, cinema, gallery exhibitons and theatre that is available across the country, with in-studio performances from both Irish and visiting musicians.

Either that, or it will be wall-to-wall Tipping Point, The Six O'Clock Show and The Chase.

The Virgin Media Television thread

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