Forum Discussion

davidaldred61's avatar
davidaldred61
Tuning in
11 months ago

Don't like the 360 box

Hi, 

Just got the 360 box after my V6 box died after many years of great service. 

Does anybody agree that the 360 user interface, especially the channel guide is terrible?

I have asked for a V6 box back, they can keep the 360, just awaiting a reply on WhatsApp (if I'm still alive lol) 

  • You're not alone, the 360 is a step down in many ways, however you are very unlikely to be able to swap back as VM are graudally going to migrate everyone over (the TiVo software on the V6 is developed by a third-party and software on the 360 is developed in house and used by Liberty Global companies around the world).

    Some of the missing features are as follows; Wishlists (where you can set the box to record programs on certain subjects or featuring certain people), undelete, series link+, series link manager, suggestions, setting of series links for programs not in the current TV guide, ethernet control, keyboard support via USB, switching between tuners with constant buffering, skip-back on fast-forward, quickplay, default recording options, cancelling individual recordings from a series link, multi-channel series links, radio channels allowing recording of radio, separation of recordings between boxes, watching recordings when internet is not available and probably a few others I've forgotten.

  • You're not alone, the 360 is a step down in many ways, however you are very unlikely to be able to swap back as VM are graudally going to migrate everyone over (the TiVo software on the V6 is developed by a third-party and software on the 360 is developed in house and used by Liberty Global companies around the world).

    Some of the missing features are as follows; Wishlists (where you can set the box to record programs on certain subjects or featuring certain people), undelete, series link+, series link manager, suggestions, setting of series links for programs not in the current TV guide, ethernet control, keyboard support via USB, switching between tuners with constant buffering, skip-back on fast-forward, quickplay, default recording options, cancelling individual recordings from a series link, multi-channel series links, radio channels allowing recording of radio, separation of recordings between boxes, watching recordings when internet is not available and probably a few others I've forgotten.

    • davidaldred61's avatar
      davidaldred61
      Tuning in

      Blimey, I hate it even more now. 

      I also think the picture quality isn't quite as good as my old V6 box.

      It's a poor state of affairs when supposedly upgrades are a step backwards, oh well, still waiting for my reply. 

  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    Very Insightful Person

    davidaldred61 wrote:

    Hi, 

    Just got the 360 box after my V6 box died after many years of great service. 

    Does anybody agree that the 360 user interface, especially the channel guide is terrible?

    I have asked for a V6 box back, they can keep the 360, just awaiting a reply on WhatsApp (if I'm still alive lol) 


    At the moment, migration to the Horizon platform that runs V360 should still be voluntary. The likelihood is that the tech only had Humax V360 boxes in his van, so fobbed you off with it. The vast majority of Arris manufacture boxes (the only ones that can run TiVO firmware) that VM has are refurb units, as they are moving away from TiVO kit. Horizon can also be IP driven (TiVO cannot), & with VM moving away from cable broadcast type technology over the next few years, we will all be stuck with Horizon going forward.

    • davidaldred61's avatar
      davidaldred61
      Tuning in

      Maybe there is still hope with a refurb unit, keeping my fingers crossed, still no reply yet 🙄

  • japitts's avatar
    japitts
    Very Insightful Person

    The reply from nodrogd has nailed it, aside from adding one point.

    As part of the tech converting you from TiVo-platform to Horizon-platform, certain account changes have been made. Those account changes are normally irreversible, given that migrations from TiVo/V6 > TV360 are completely voluntary.

    Your issue will be in persuading VM that you were missold, or that the conversion was their error and not your buyers remorse.

  • I have just got the 360 after my V6 died. 

    ddon't like the 360 and my wife said she won't use it. The user interface is terrible, especially the TV/channel guide.

    It is like a downgrade as far as I am concerned. I have been on the phone for 4 hours this morning being passed from pillar to post to see if I can get a V6 box. 

    I think the answer is no so I asked about cancelling my contract because it's not our fault the user interface is rubbish, I was told I would have to pay the rest of my contract up to cancel. 

    I think I an stuck with the 360 until October then I will probably cancel my full contract and go elsewhere, customer service are a joke. 

    • roy247's avatar
      roy247
      Superstar

      davidaldred61 wrote:

      I have just got the 360 after my V6 died. 

      ddon't like the 360 and my wife said she won't use it. The user interface is terrible, especially the TV/channel guide.


      I think you will find Sky and what was BT now EE UI similar, last time I switched on a Sky box at my daughter's it didn't start on a live TV channel (last one you were watching when you switched the box off) it came on with something like the Virgin Home screen. When I have looked at EE you can add 2 of their mini boxes at no additional charge which might be something to consider.

       

  • japitts's avatar
    japitts
    Very Insightful Person

    Calling CS and asking them to revert a migration from TiVo/V6 > TV360 is an exercise in futility, especially if you got passed offshore. The only surprise is that you had 4 hours worth of patience.

    Equally the choice of TV box software has no bearing on your minimum term contract, T&Cs cover all of this. The UI also comes down to personal preference.

    Your best bet is to pursue the complaints line if you are confident the tech misled you into converting or you were missold in any way. VM's high-level strategy is to migrate from TiVo/V6 > TV360, and both their processes & sales machine are geared to this end - so you'll need to be persistent and clear as to your approach.

    In all the years I've been posting on this forum, I know of 2 cases where - if the public post is to be believed - a reversion has been possible. One of those involved a dementia/elderly customer who had medical issues and was missold a conversion - to give you a flavour that calling VM and "asking nicely" is unlikely to get you anywhere fast.

  • Does anybody know if there is a way of speaking to the local VM engineering people? I want to ask if they have any reconditioned V6 boxes because we don't like the 360 box which we had fitted when our V6 died. Tried on line chat etc but getting nowhere and when I queried cancelling my contract due to the 360 box I was told it will cost me 350 quid to cancel. 

     

    • KeithLeonard's avatar
      KeithLeonard
      Rising star

      As said earlier it is extremely unlikely that Virgin Media will transfer you back to a V6 box for once you have transferred to a 360 Box there is no way back.

      If you can prove that you were missold/misled into accepting the 360 box, then you may have an outside chance of transferring back but I very much doubt that you will be able to.

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person

      davidaldred61 wrote:

      Does anybody know if there is a way of speaking to the local VM engineering people?


      Your point of contact for service-affecting faults is VM-CS, they book appointments as necessary - but as mentioned above, it's not as simple as just swapping the box back - even if that were possible.

      TV360 runs a completely different software platform to TiVo/V6, and your account will have been changed accordingly. That will require CS action to rectify, once you have buy-in from VM that you can.

      It will sound slightly blunt, but take some advice from the replies you've already had - it is being given by users who have enough experience of VM to understand a) How they operate, and b) What they're likely (or not likely) to do.

      Asking for a local field tech's mobile number to ask them if they've got any spare boxes for a fault that has already been closed - is not going to get you a V6 back.

    • nodrogd's avatar
      nodrogd
      Very Insightful Person

      davidaldred61 wrote:

      Does anybody know if there is a way of speaking to the local VM engineering people? I want to ask if they have any reconditioned V6 boxes because we don't like the 360 box which we had fitted when our V6 died. Tried on line chat etc but getting nowhere and when I queried cancelling my contract due to the 360 box I was told it will cost me 350 quid to cancel. 

       


      This route would get you nowhere. Your account has been changed to Horizon, so if you connected a TiVO V6 to your account the automated system would trigger a conversion to Horizon & you would be back where you started. Your contract has no bearing on what equipment is provided, just that you get the channels you pay for.

  • Hi, my V6 box recently died and was replaced with a 360 which I do not like and my wife will not use. The user interface, especially the TV guide is terrible and in my opinion the picture quality is inferior. 

    I spent ages on the phone and got passed from pillar to post only to be told I'm stuck with the box, and if I want to cancel my contract I will have to wait until October when it expires, or pay £300 to cancel early, totally unacceptable seeing as I didn't ask for this box. Not a happy customer. 

    • Gareth_L's avatar
      Gareth_L
      Forum Team

      Hello davidaldred61.

      Thanks for your post.

      Sorry to hear you and your wife are not fans of the 360 box.

      Sadly once the 360 upgrade has taken place it would not be possible to revert back to the V6 box.

      As you are still in contract you will be liable for early disconnection fees.

      Hopefully you will get used to it over time and remain with us.

      If you then left you may find the interface of others providers equally unlikable.

      I know this is not the answer you are looking for and I am sorry again for the inconvenience this is causing you.

      Gareth_L

  • Anonymous's avatar
    Anonymous

    I did manage to revert to V6 about 18 months ago, however it did take a while and several attempts to finally get through and persuade the right UK based CS representative. I told them that the 360 was unusable for my needs and that I was struggling to adapt to the new interface as it was near unusable for me. They sent me 2 refurbed Arris V6 boxes and a pack to return the Humax 360 boxes which were later collected.

  • The upgrade to 360 is probable one of the biggest steps away from what TIVO is all about... where have the tumbs gone? why can you not set up records for programs that are not yet llsted and why is the recording page at the very end, the one thing you use above all else, what have virgin media done to my beloved TIVO, very dissapointed so far and its only day 2

    • newapollo's avatar
      newapollo
      Very Insightful Person

      The thumbs up/down feature is a tivo patent.

      You can scroll left and right in the navigational bar to access recordings, however the quickest way to access them is to use the voice button on the 360 remote and say, 'recordings'

      • Anne72's avatar
        Anne72
        Tuning in

        Not when your speech is affected by a stroke. 

        The Accessibility features are a disgrace. 

    • Mr_K's avatar
      Mr_K
      Knows their stuff

      Unfortunately it's a case of look before you leap with VM and not falling for words like 'upgrade'.

      Its their profits they are upgrading as they don't have to pay for Tivo licence with 360. 

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person

      cjpbrum wrote:

      The upgrade to 360 is probable one of the biggest steps away from what TIVO is all about...


      Absolutely correct it is. TiVo-firmware is fundamentally about recordings first & foremost, with a pretty good streaming offering built on.

      Horizon-software, marketed in the UK as TV360, is about online-first, and recordings second. The two platforms are completely & fundamentally different. When you comment "what have VM done to TiVo", the answer is they're moving away from it. A bit like you "install the Windows 11 update on my Windows 10 laptop" and then wonder why the OS has changed.

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