Virgin TV360

Calibos · 06-06-2020 12:31am

Tried to persuade Virgin to let me pay for another one or two 360 mini boxes but no go, certainly not during the trial. Then investigated Mirroring the VirginTV Anywhere App to a TV with a Chromecast but apparently Virgin Block this now to protect Multiroom Subs. How ironic when I only researched Casting to Chromecast because they wouldn't sell me another multiroom sub or two! LOL

Had a brainwave though. I have AMlogic S922X powered Odroid N2's running CoreElec KODI for every TV. I could install Android 9.0 on two of them and run KODI as an APP but importantly also run the VirginTV Anywhere app. ie Boot up device and be able to select whether I want to use KODI or Watch TV via the VirginTV Anywhere App.

Is anyone else here using the VirginTV Anywhere App from the playstore on a little Android Set Topbox like the Odroid N2 as opposed to the usual use-case of running it on a phone or tablet? The VirginTV ANywhere app just treats it like the latter and doesn't treat it as casting and disable the app or anything like that??

youcancallmeal · 06-06-2020 11:11am

Why do they even need to trial these if they have already been in use in the UK for a year now?

RunDMC · 06-06-2020 2:02pm

Calibos wrote: »

...
The VirginTV ANywhere app just treats it like the latter and doesn't treat it as casting and disable the app or anything like that??

Bear in mind that the app will only allow two devices to view TV. Not even simultaniously, you can only have two devices registered in the app at any time.

R

Calibos · 06-06-2020 2:41pm

RunDMC wrote: »

Bear in mind that the app will only allow two devices to view TV. Not even simultaniously, you can only have two devices registered in the app at any time.

R

Thats why the Android Box could be the better option as its not casting to another device connected to the TV, its connected directly. Apparently even when Virgin allowed Casting it was a PITA because both the Casting device like your phone or tablet and the receiving device like the CHromecast counted as connected devices as far as the VirginTV ANywhere app was concerned and thus both slots were taken up to display content on a single TV. With an Android box that shouldn'tbe the case.

Are you sure about non simultaneoud usage though? The way I read Virgins Blurb is that only 2 devices can be actively displaying content but that other registered devices can still interact with the App to set recordings etc. The other limitation being that you can only swap in/out one new/old device per month in terms of registered active devices.

Are there any restrictions on devices using Virgin TV Anywhere or the app?

You can register up to two separate devices per calendar month, but you will only be able to watch TV on two of them. You can use the others to view the guide and set up recordings if you like.

Some content may not be available to play over 3G or 4G data connections on your mobile or tablet. An error message explaining this is the case. To continue viewing you'll need to connect to WiFi or via Ethernet cable

You may be right though. It could be interpretted either way.

Calibos · 06-06-2020 2:50pm

youcancallmeal wrote: »

Why do they even need to trial these if they have already been in use in the UK for a year now?

The UK has had the Humax V6 main Box for a year but running a TIVO OS/UI whereas we have gotten an updated Humax V6 main box and Humax Mini boxes for multiroom running Virgins new in-house OS/UI.

NeitherJohn · 06-06-2020 5:35pm

Have you been able to compare the 1080p picture to 4k at all?

Calibos · 07-06-2020 11:20am

NeitherJohn wrote: »

Have you been able to compare the 1080p picture to 4k at all?

No, haven't come across The UHD channel if there is one, but I’ve been distracted the past week trying to get VirginTV Anywhere Android app working on an Odroid N2 box that I have for KODI seeing as Virgin wont let me order 2 more 360 mini’s. Ive already maxed out multiroom with one main and 3 mini’s. Got it working btw, so I’ll have Virgin TV Anywhere opening as an external app from a link inside KODI which once I figure out how to get get Android KODI To autostart on bootup will mean an almost appliance like integration.

Even if there is a UHD channel there to try out, it’ll be a while before I can check it out as the 4K TV is using an old HDMI 1.2 cable buried in the Chimney Breast that doesn't support 4K bandwidth, so to test I’ll have to bring the 360 box over to the mantle piece and connect it to the TV with a short HDMI 2.0 cable I have. I’lo do that when I have to disconnect everything in the equipment rack anyway to untangle the spagetti junction cable mess that has developed over the years.

Mearings · 07-06-2020 11:31am

There are many rooms in my father's mansion.[John 14:2]

Calibos · 07-06-2020 12:02pm

Mearings wrote: »

There are many rooms in my father's mansion.[John 14:2]

And Lo the Lord said, behold Virgin TV in every room!

beauf · 07-06-2020 1:00pm

The main complaints with the TV product is the poor and buggy software of the horizon box. That they would ignore a decade of complaints, and give us an updated version of the same software (I assume written by the same team that produced years of bugs and bad design in the original software) is not a good sign.

That is has taken years to get this to trial here when they have better solutions in place elsewhere is just baffling.

NeitherJohn · 07-06-2020 2:39pm

Does it not upscale 1080p channels to 4k? Some of the supposed HD channels on the Horizon box are absolute rubbish.

Julabo · 07-06-2020 2:59pm

Is there any word when Virgin will start supplying this package to all?

Calibos · 07-06-2020 10:45pm

NeitherJohn wrote: »

Does it not upscale 1080p channels to 4k? Some of the supposed HD channels on the Horizon box are absolute rubbish.

I'll hopefully get a chance to play around with 4K next week as I mentioned in my post earlier today.

What I would love to see happen is for them to move everyone to these new boxes and then they can free up bandwidth by removing Mpeg2 encoded SD/HD channels and use H264/H265 that the new boxes can decode. Get rid of all SD channels and have every channel HD. With everything encoded in H265 you could have everything in HD, reduce the 'effective' compression (cause H265 is much more efficient than mpeg 2 and even H254) and increase quality, all the while using less broadcast bandwidth than all those crappy Mpeg2 SD channels use up now.

Its 2020, why do SD channels still exist, why are they still the majority of channels and why are we still paying extra for HD. Not Virgin Specific, same applies to Sky.

Calibos · 07-06-2020 10:48pm

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

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.

Gave that a try. How does the 'find my remote' thing work in practice. The remote only bleeped when I picked it up. Doesn't help much if it only bleeps after I find it and pick it up!!

Calibos · 07-06-2020 11:05pm

RunDMC wrote: »

Bear in mind that the app will only allow two devices to view TV. Not even simultaniously, you can only have two devices registered in the app at any time.

R

Can confirm that this is not the case. You can indeed use the VirginTV Anywhere app on two devices simultaneously.

I got VirginTV Anywhere working on my ODroid N2 with Android 9.0 (PIE) installed on it and even better, was able to integrate VirginTV Anywhere into KODI. Just need to get KODI to autostart on boot up and I'll have a fantastic little KODI/VirginTV Anywhere integrated appliance. ie. Turn on with remote, straight to KODI main Menu, select my thousands of TV Shows and MOVIES in KODI via the TV SHow or Movies Menu items or select the VirginTV Menu item. VirginTV app opens instantly and when closing the Virgin app you are straight back to the KODI main menu.

Having to use my Wireless Keyboard with touch pad to interact at the moment but once I get the compatible WeChip G30 remote and get everything configured perfectly I'll record a Youtube Video of the setup in action.

Picture Quality from the VirginTV Anywhere app on my ODroid N2's on the 720p plasma I tested with is on par with the PQ from the 360 TV STB's themselves.

Really thrilled at how its working out. So much so, that I won't now be hassling Virgin to bend the rules and let me pay them another €11-€22 per month for 2 more 360 mini's. As long as their VirginTV Anywhere app keeps working on my Android 9.0 ODroid N2 boxes, then I will never need any more real 360 TV boxes from them.

To finally get back to the point.....I loaded up the VirginTV Anywhere Bookmark in my Chrome browser on my bedside PC and selected RTE2 HD and maximised the screen. Then went downstairs and set up the ODroid N2 with Android 9.0 running the VirginTV Anywhere Android app and selected ITV3 to test. Loaded the channel and played back without issue or any onscreen message/warning, ran back upstairs to find Serengeti on RTE2 HD still playing away on my bedroom PC without any onscreen message/warning about simultaneous play. So can confirm, You can watch two different channels on two different devices simultaneously with the VirginTV Anywhere app

EDIT

Went into settings on the app on my PC and it says '0 of devices' registered. The app is aware of my main 360 box and tells me to turn back on main box to play content recorded and on its hard drive and a userprofile I setup on one of the Mini's downstairs is available to select in the app on the PC. Yet the app is saying 0 of devices registered?? Perhaps the new 360 integration with the app means they have disabled device registrations and/or their limitations during the trial period for 360. So maybe me being able to have two instances of the Anywhere app simultaneously is temporary. We might need someone else without 360 yet to see can they run 2 instances of the Anywhere app on two of their phones or tablets simultaneously to be sure.

RunDMC · 08-06-2020 12:44pm

Calibos wrote: »

Can confirm that this is not the case. You can indeed use the VirginTV Anywhere app on two devices simultaneously.

I was able to watch TV on two phones and a PC simultaneously this morning, which had not been possible before. They must have made a change to the limits.

R

Calibos · 08-06-2020 1:26pm

RunDMC wrote: »

I was able to watch TV on two phones and a PC simultaneously this morning, which had not been possible before. They must have made a change to the limits.

R

Yeah, it definitely sounds like I was on to something with my edit. ie. that temporarily or otherwise, their integration of 360 TV functionality into the VirginTV Anywhere app has disabled the Active Registered Device limit of the app either by mistake or by design.

Not overly worried if they eventually do re/apply a one device at a time limit because its unlikely the two rooms I’ll be using these Android boxes with the Virgin app in, will be occupied at the same time. They really should keep it at 2 simultaneous devices though given multiple family members in the average household will have smartphones and tablets.

Bodan · 14-06-2020 3:24pm

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

Interesting video. It shows TG4 , Channel 4 , E4 and More 4 all with replay Tv. That is not available on the current horizon Box. Also Ch4 HD ,E4 HD and More HD are higher up on the epg list, where they should be.

mackersdublin · 14-06-2020 5:07pm

For those that have been selected for the trial, is Channel 4 HD, E4 HD and More4 HD really on 111, 112 and 113 as the video screen grabs in the previous post show? And if so are there any more EPG changes? The EPG badly needs to be tidied up, it's been years since a reshuffle

15-06-2020 12:34am

This new box Virgin have looks just as brutal as the rest of their tv services, Sky Q to rule for another decade.

Col_30 · 15-06-2020 9:24am

Deleted User wrote: »

This new box Virgin have looks just as brutal as the rest of their tv services, Sky Q to rule for another decade.

I think most people who already subscribe to Virgin and use the Horizon box will be thrilled with the performance of this new box and won't care if it's as good as Sky Q or not.

Wabbit Ears · 15-06-2020 11:38am

beauf wrote: »

The main complaints with the TV product is the poor and buggy software of the horizon box. That they would ignore a decade of complaints, and give us an updated version of the same software (I assume written by the same team that produced years of bugs and bad design in the original software) is not a good sign.

That is has taken years to get this to trial here when they have better solutions in place elsewhere is just baffling.

The old horizon box software was NDS (cisco) Snowflake which was a customized XBMC (Kodi).

https://www.multichannel.com/blog/first-look-liberty-globals-horizon-gateway-and-guide-324158

The new box is using "Horizon 4 RDK"

https://rdkcentral.com/liberty-global-launches-horizon-4-platform/

Delta2113 · 15-06-2020 7:40pm

150 BBC Four SD
174 QVC SD

All the Plus one channels except for RTE & Virgin are in the 500's.

All the Sports and Movies HD are at the start and SD pushed out.

Surprised they put BBC2 HD on 109.
709 BBC2 Northern Ireland SD

All the other SD replaced lower are now in 700's.

Kurn · 17-06-2020 9:38pm

I’m sure customers will welcome it. But the interface could be 10 years old. Nothing modern about it.

Wabbit Ears · 17-06-2020 9:46pm

Kurn wrote: »

I’m sure customers will welcome it. But the interface could be 10 years old. Nothing modern about it.

:rolleyes:

Kurn · 17-06-2020 9:51pm

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Disagree? admittedly im going on the video.

Wabbit Ears · 17-06-2020 10:00pm

Kurn wrote: »

Disagree? admittedly im going on the video.

Yes, I have used the box for a good while now where you havent even seen it in real life, so rolleyes is pretty much as worthwhile a discussion we can have on the topic.

Kurn · 17-06-2020 10:06pm

Wabbit Ears wrote: »

Yes, I have used the box for a good while now where you havent even seen it in real life, so rolleyes is pretty much as worthwhile a discussion we can have on the topic.

That’s nice.

icdg · 18-06-2020 12:04am

Cool it both of you please

Armonline · 26-06-2020 5:29pm

Any word on when this Trial will end and the v6 box will be available to existing customers?

RunDMC · 27-06-2020 12:24pm

Calibos wrote: »

Yeah, it definitely sounds like I was on to something with my edit. ie. that temporarily or otherwise, their integration of 360 TV functionality into the VirginTV Anywhere app has disabled the Active Registered Device limit of the app either by mistake or by design.
.

The restrictions seems to be back in place, limited to two registered devices.

R

Delta2113 · 27-06-2020 11:52pm

The Rook 8 episodes is the only 4K content available at the moment.

Dannyor1990 · 30-06-2020 4:26pm

Armonline wrote: »

Any word on when this Trial will end and the v6 box will be available to existing customers?

Looks like September/October VM Engineer told me today due to Covid-19. It’s taking so long I’d say because they learned a lot of mistakes with horizon and they want to make sure that there is no major standout issues with the new V6 box during the trails.

Mearings · 30-06-2020 5:06pm

I like the fact that the new box is smaller.
Roberts SB1 soundbar on lower shelf of tv stand; Horizon box + Traxdata cd-r + Toshiba blu-ray player on middle shelf. The Toshiba 40" tv takes up the top shelf. I suppose the H box was so big because it included a modem. Fortunately I never had to use the latter. Supplied with Hub 3.0 modem.

Antomus Prime · 04-07-2020 8:05am

I've had my 360tv boxes since December (I'm an insider lol). We had Sky Q in the living room with virgin BB, and the horizon in the bedroom. Since getting the 360, not only did I stop using the Sky Q but i cancelled it altogether when the contract expired.
The responsiveness of the box, the speed of navigating menus, the replay tv content and voice control are all fantastic in my opinion.
You can also cast to the main and bultiroom boxes from your phone too which we didn't even know in phase 1 of the trial

nicelives · 04-07-2020 1:19pm

Do you think Virgin would give me a V6 box as a new TV customer if I asked, I have their broadband already, tried the UPC Horizon box a few years ago and found it fairly slow?

Cancelled Sky today as their IT system just doesn't let me upgrade to Sky Q despite numerous tickets raised almost a month ago so in the market for alternatives.

Antomus Prime · 04-07-2020 6:33pm

nicelives wrote: »

Do you think Virgin would give me a V6 box as a new TV customer if I asked, I have their broadband already, tried the UPC Horizon box a few years ago and found it fairly slow?

Cancelled Sky today as their IT system just doesn't let me upgrade to Sky Q despite numerous tickets raised almost a month ago so in the market for alternatives.

As it stands now the 360tv (its not called the V6 here) will be available to existing customers mid July and to new customers in October. We haven't been told yet if "existing customers" means existing TV customers or if BB only customers can get it. If I hear anything more I'll let you know

nicelives · 04-07-2020 7:58pm

Antomus Prime wrote: »

As it stands now the 360tv (its not called the V6 here) will be available to existing customers mid July and to new customers in October. We haven't been told yet if "existing customers" means existing TV customers or if BB only customers can get it. If I hear anything more I'll let you know

Thanks for that Antomus

beauf · 04-07-2020 8:26pm

I've have BB. But I won't get that Horizon box back.

Calibos · 06-07-2020 12:16pm

More 4K content and Virgin getting BT Sports back would make me fully content with Virgin. Love my 4x 360 Main and Mini Boxes, the TV Anywhere App I have running on 2 of my little KODI Android boxes and have always been very happy with their BB as I have always gotten 100% of my package speed 24/7 and have had about 10 hours total downtime for my connection in the last 10 years.

beauf · 06-07-2020 12:25pm

Mines been nothing as reliable as that.

I'll waiting for some more feedback on these new boxes before considering get their TV product back.

https://youtu.be/StTqXEQ2l-Y

Armonline · 06-07-2020 6:01pm

Found the following page on Virgin website that gives some more details:

https://www.virginmedia.ie/virgintv360support/

Antomus Prime · 10-07-2020 2:00pm

Calibos wrote: »

More 4K content and Virgin getting BT Sports back would make me fully content with Virgin. Love my 4x 360 Main and Mini Boxes, the TV Anywhere App I have running on 2 of my little KODI Android boxes and have always been very happy with their BB as I have always gotten 100% of my package speed 24/7 and have had about 10 hours total downtime for my connection in the last 10 years.

If itnwas up to VM they'd have BT sports but there are multiple factors preventing them having it.

I'm the same with my broadband, everytime I do a speed test I get full speed. I find the biggest cause of slow speeds or WiFi "dropping" (I frickin hate that term) is people's own devices. If you have an iPhone 5 or a 2.4ghz N class laptop and you're complaining about not getting 500mbps you may as well be in a Micra on the Autobahn complaining about not doing 200mph lol

beauf · 10-07-2020 2:06pm

Antomus Prime wrote: »

If itnwas up to VM they'd have BT sports but there are multiple factors preventing them having it.

I'm the same with my broadband, everytime I do a speed test I get full speed. I find the biggest cause of slow speeds or WiFi "dropping" (I frickin hate that term) is people's own devices. If you have an iPhone 5 or a 2.4ghz N class laptop and you're complaining about not getting 500mbps you may as well be in a Micra on the Autobahn complaining about not doing 200mph lol

What has the WiFi speed or got to IEEE standard and with being disconnected (or "dropping").

In your analogy it would be the road disappearing. What difference does the type are car make.

You might have a mix of devices some wired some wireless. If the connection is gone. Not a lot you can do about it.

Mearings · 10-07-2020 3:23pm

Some droppings in that first sentence.

Calibos · 13-07-2020 11:30am

Antomus Prime wrote: »

If it was up to VM they'd have BT sports but there are multiple factors preventing them having it.

Such as?

I thought once Sky bought back the rights to BT Sports in Ireland after Eir didn’t renew their deal with BT, that just like when Sky had the rights to BT Sports and sold it wholesale to Virgin a few years ago, that they’d do the same again.

If Virgin wont pay The wholesale price Sky want, then both Virgin and Sky could lose out on subs what with Now TV carrying Sky Sports and BT Sports.

Sort it out Virgin/Sky!!

icdg · 13-07-2020 11:50am

Sky never had the wholesale rights to BT Sport in Ireland before August 2019. You may be thinking of the former ESPN UK operation. The rights were held by Setanta Sports from BT’s launch in 2013, renewed for the 2016-19 cycle and had been sold to eir as part of the sale of Setanta’s original Irish operation.

However I’d agree with the general sentiment. Sky has agreed a wholesale deal for BT Sport with Vodafone (and briefly had one with eir before they changed their TV strategy suddenly) so I’m not sure why they can’t do one with Virgin. It can only boil down to price as Sky clearly hasn’t taken any decision to limit availability of the channels to Sky DTH customers.

killbillvol2 · 13-07-2020 12:02pm

Do they intend to carry Sky Sports UHD on this or any 4k content?

Col_30 · 13-07-2020 4:57pm

Just renewed with Virgin today and they told me the new box will be available by the end of the month and that existing customers will be able to upgrade for free.

killbillvol2 · 13-07-2020 5:07pm

Col_30 wrote: »

Just renewed with Virgin today and they told me the new box will be available by the end of the month and that existing customers will be able to upgrade for free.

Their CS really takes the biscuit.

I'm about to move house and am inclined to go with VM for broadband and Sky for TV at the new place.

I rang them on Saturday to discuss it and there was some rigmarole about going on a new 12 month contract for broadband from that date if I gave 30 days notice to cancel my TV service. I said I'd think about it.

I rang again today and cancelled everything. I told her I was moving house and it seemed simpler to cancel everything now and assess my setup at the new place before deciding what I needed from them there.

Neither agent mentioned the new box!

Virgin TV360

Comments