Forum Discussion

Jeni's avatar
Jeni
Superfast
24 days ago

Is the V360 box better than V6?

We have been having a few problems with our V6 TV box and have been offered a new V360.  I am finding the info on VM site a bit confusing so would welcome any comments from other users.  We have an Engineer booked for later this week to look at our V6 but will probably cancel that because it suddenly seems to be behaving properly again.  Really as a non-technical user I would welcome comments on how much better/worse the 360 is, how they compare and if there are any hidden drawbacks they don't tell you about"

12 Replies

  • japitts's avatar
    japitts
    Very Insightful Person

    There's 2 angles here.

    First off, what are the problems you've been having with your V6? If you explain the issues, we may well be able to help. I very much doubt that any fault scenario is, of itself, a reason to migrate to TV360.

    V6 runs TiVo-software, TV360 runs Horizon-firmware - the two are completely & fundamentally different. TiVo-software is very recording-centric with a very good streaming product added on. Horizon-software is the opposite - it's online/OnDemand-centric with recording retrofitted.

    TiVo-software is licenced to VM, whereas Horizon-software is in-house to VM's parent company, Liberty Global. They will encourage conversions to TV360 at every opportunity, but you're doing the right thing in querying the differences. There's plenty of past threads comparing the two - the forum's search function will be useful.

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person

    And be aware, if you do the "upgrade", there is no going back.  Be very sure of your decision.  There are some Tivo patented features that are not on the 360 software.  As japitts​ has suggested read up and do your research beforehand.  

  • Thanks for your replies.  I shall do a search and see what else I can find but it sounds as if we would be better sticking with the V6.  We don't really stream  - I guess rather old fashioned in that respect.  Our V6 box has a hissy fit every so often and we have to reboot but the other day we just got a white screen and it would not do that.  However trying again later on, everything came straight back on and, fingers crossed, seems fine.  I am going to cancel the Engineer as it is not much point in coming to try to figure out a very intermittent problem.

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person

      The symptoms you've described, certainly don't sound like anything that are TiVo-software-specific.

      Thus if symptoms ever got worse, a like-for-like replacement V6 would be the solution.

      Recording certainly isn't fashionable these days, but it's always preferably to anything OnDemand given a free choice.

  • Jeni don't do it!!  Ive had the 360 for 4 hours and I hate it already. There was no problem with my V6 but I was lead to believe the "upgrade" was compulsory-apparently it isn't.

    After many years as a customer I'm prepared to part company with Virgin over this as I feel so strongly that it's actually a DOWNGRADE!!

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person

      There was no problem with my V6 but I was lead to believe the "upgrade" was compulsory

      Out of interest, what specifically was it, that made you think the migration was compulsory?

  • Absolutely NOT. We’ve just upgraded and wish we hadn’t. The recording functionality is basic at best. The remote is awful. Can I ask virgin for a replacement V6 box to go back to the old system? 

    I recommend only upgrade to V360 for streaming not if you watch TV and record programmes

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person

      Can I ask virgin for a replacement V6 box to go back to the old system? 

      Unfortunately not. Conversions from TiVo/V6 > TV360 are voluntary, but one-way.

    • CD1155's avatar
      CD1155
      Tuning in

      Having used V360 for a few days now. Some observations

      1. if you record a series and delete an episode after viewing, it will record any repeats. There is no intelligence to it🤔
      2. the picture appears more vivid (brighter) 👍
      3. profiles are a pointless feature (IMO)🤷
  • Thanks JackieH1947 - I think we have decided to resist any change to V360 from our V6 if we possibly can.  We are now having the same problem on our V6 box as on Sunday so are going to let the \M engineer come and see what he says tomorrow

    • Tavis75's avatar
      Tavis75
      Super solver

      For reference, the 360 is missing a lot of features compared to the V6, many of which are TiVo patents so will never show up on the 360, even the ones that aren't patented, like undelete, they show no interest in implementing, despite people asking for it since the 360 was released.

      Some of the missing features are as follows; Quickplay (play 10% faster with audio), Wishlists (where you can set the box to record programs on certain subjects or featuring certain people), undelete, series link+, suggestions, setting of series links for programs not in the current TV guide, ethernet control, keyboard support via USB, turning off the mini-preview screen while browsing menus, switching between tuners with constant buffering, skip-back on fast-forward, 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.

      Also, extra boxes do not have their own hard disks or tuners (unless converted from a V6 box), so you lose storage space and recording ability and are also reliant on the main box being on to watch and set recordings and also on having a decent wi-fi signal (or ethernet cable) between the two boxes when watching recordings. If the boxes are used by independent family members i.e. older children living at home, then there is also the issue of recordings being pooled across all boxes, so everyone's recordings are mixed up, rather than being separated. This also means that if there is a show that both people watch and one person watches and deletes it then it is gone for the other person as well, and can't be recovered due to the lack of undelete.

       

      • newapollo's avatar
        newapollo
        Very Insightful Person

        The 360 doesn't have all the bells and whistles of the Tivo/V6, however I never used most of them so don't miss them, and unlike  a number of users on the forums I'm happy with the switch to 360.

        Here's a list of the main differences between the boxes :-

        It isn't possible to transfer any data from the TiVo/V6 box to 360. This data will also be lost during the upgrade process for existing customers. So you will lose series links and all recordings.

        The radio channels no longer have channel numbers like on the Tivo/V6. On the 360 you press Home and then highlight Guide; you'll see a shortcut to the radio app available at the top right of the screen.    There is also a short cut to the most recently used radio stations at the bottom of the Home screen (this won't be populated though until you've listened to a few stations) Alternatively, you can use voice search and say "radio", or "radio1", "radio2" etc.

         The 360 carries the BBC Sounds app, and also the RadioLine app which carries hundreds of extra radio channels.

        The 360 does not have a wish list however you can search for something using voice (e.g. "Movies with John Wayne") and then manually save the result to your Watch list.

        You can't filter by HD channels, although you can set up a Profile and just list HD channels on that profile.

        Each 360 remote pairs 1 to 1 with the box, it does not use infra-red (IR). This means you can only use one remote with a box and not multiple remotes, although you can use All In One remotes as additional remote controls.

        The OneForAll URC1240 measures H22, W4.4, D2cm compared to the OneForAll URC6820 which measures H17.4, W2, D4.8cm.

        Although the URC6820 is smaller than the URC1240 it does appear to have larger buttons.  The URC1240 and URC7125 are both available from Amazon, and slightly cheaper than from Argos. You should also be able to return to Amazon if purchased from there and not suitable.

        To set up the OneForAll URC7125 - use the SimpleSet setup process and choose Ziggo manufacturer. To set up the OneForAll1240 enter the code 1582, It needs direct line of sight to set it up.

        I can also use my LG Smart Control to control the TV360. (I set it up as a Ziggo device and then Ziggo Mediabox Next  ( Ziggo is the name used in Holland by Liberty Global (VM's owners) 

        Sadly there is no undelete feature. Once a recording is deleted you will not be able to retrieve this recording.

        You can select which series you want to start recording from in your series links, the box will record everything from that point onwards. The recording of repeats when a previously recorded program has been watched and deleted no longer occurs.

        The 360 will record content in the definition of the channel you setup the series link on. If you want HD, ensure you check the channel details when setting up the series link and don't select the SD version

        You can't set future recordings, ie those that aren't displayed in the EPG such as the next series of Doctor Who.

        360-series links can only be set where a programme is currently in the 14-day EPG, a TiVo SL can be set from any guide entry - so a single VoD asset is sufficient to generate the "create series link" menu. That SL has a lot more options for fine-tuning: Start from particular series, HD/non-HD/HD-preferred, new-only/repeats, VoD/recordings, single-channel/multi-channel etc.

        It doesn't have the ability to swap between tuners by pressing info and scroll down - so you have no direct control over what each tuner is doing save for setting recordings.

        It does have "Startover" on selected channels, which behaves like the iPlayer "watch from beginning" and is effectively a cloud-based recording.