Forum Discussion

Suzysue1's avatar
Suzysue1
Tuning in
2 months ago

Virgin tv 360 is awful! Avoid! Didnt anyone try this out before launching it! No end of frustrations!

General feedback;

I got my V360 about 6 weeks ago and it's caused me no end of stress and frustration! I should point out too that I have ADHD  and being neurodiverse, the slightest problem can be a bigger issue to me/ us than for a neurotypical person.

  1. Since installing this V360 I feel a total disconnect  with what was an enjoyable past time of just turning the tv on and just watching tv.
  2. So now- firstly I put the tv on with tv remote and get a blue screen (no signal screen = irritation no. 1), so every day I watch tv I then need to use the 360 remote to click on the 'power on' button. Then I need to wait for  a few seconds to see if it then changes the screen to a V360 screen (this delay = irritation no 2). Previously I would turn on tv with tv remote and go straight into a tv channel and see the tv channel screen working straight away. Then you get hit by this 'wall' of a V360 screen  offering you options/get tickets for/best picks/ continue watching etc. (This screen for me is visually information overload/overwhelm plus the audio soundtrack is an assault on my audio senses....  when I didn't ask to see this page = my nerves feel like they are physically frying by this point = irritation no 3 and I still have yet to actually see any sign of an actual tv channel). Then I have to select the Home button to go to TV  Guide or an App or Recordings...... my blood pressure feels like my blood is  'frothing' by now - all I want is to watch 'The TV'  but have to go over all these hurdles to get to watch something that I want to watch, and not what Virgin are trying to get me to watch. So I click on TV Guide - with the Tivo tv Guide that was compact and you could see a sufficient number of channels and tv programmes per click of the forward or backward button.  But with the V360 tv Guide screen,  the display is spread out and this is irritating as I have to go through many more pages/ clicks on the remote control to get to see what's available (irritation no 4? - it would be great if we could adjust the tv Guide display (to a more compact one). So I can't see anything I want to see on the Guide,  so I go to my Recordings.
  3. Previously under Tivo these recordings were listed in worded programme names vertically.  But now under V360 they have a picture accompanying each one, which takes up room and they are displayed in a horizontal line, which on my tv only shows 4 in a row per screen view, so you have to keep clicking the button many times to move side ways to see them all.
  4. Also I don't even have that many programmes being recorded (compared to the masses I had with the tivo box) and apparently I'm already at 90% storage capacity! By now I've lost track of all these irritations  but I've almost lost the will to live  - AND I still haven't actually seen a tv channel or been able to relax as im still trying to get there. So hopefully you can see that previously with the tivo Box I'd put the tv on and go straight onto a tv channel but now I have to navigate through several pages and layers of 'stuff', each offering choices and  requiring decisions (which having ADHD is hard), before I get to even see a tv screen and that's why I'm now experiencing a total disconnect with watching tv, which I used to love ... now I'm a lost soul.... and its made me quite upset that what was a simple set up is now a battle every time I try and put the tv on.
  5. On a similar point I work with people with dementia and I'm sure this V360 set up is not dementia friendly. 

What I want is to put the tv on and go straight to any tv channel. Then if I'm not happy I can either toggle the programme buttons till I find one I like or then go to the tv Guide or recordings. 

I think technologically that virgin should give the user different viewing options eg basic or classic viewing (with tv channels being the primary focus and being the first  screens you come too, with streaming and apps etc being something you then seek out if required), to a more streaming/apps version as its primary focus (with tv on a secondary focus level) as you've currently got with this v360)

Now on this post I haven't even touched upon all the problems with trying to actually record or delete planned recordings! OMG! That's going to be a separate post!! 

  • Mr_K's avatar
    Mr_K
    Knows their stuff
    2 months ago

    Yes it is a downgrade all round. Customers need to do their research before agreeing to change from V6 to 360. Granted, they shouldn’t have to if VM claim its an 'upgrade'. 

    The only 'upgrade' is to VMs profits as they don't have to pay for the many lost Tivo features anymore.  That's probably what they meant by upgrade ,  and why they are so keen. 

  • nodrogd's avatar
    nodrogd
    Very Insightful Person
    2 months ago

    It is one of the downsides of companies being taken over. VM is now owned by a Europe wide cable operation. Horizon V360 is their system (now in its 5th Generation) &, surprise surprise, they are now imposing it on their new acquisition. No doubt the main driver is cost. VM hasn’t been making much profit for a while now, so the new owners don’t want to pay out on two TV systems. Horizon is also future proof & can operate over IP (internet) as well as broadcast technology, which is where all TV will eventually end up.

    • cje85's avatar
      cje85
      Trouble shooter
      2 months ago

      Liberty Global acquired Virgin Media in early 2013. It's not really a "new acquisition" after 12 years!

  • Roger_Gooner's avatar
    Roger_Gooner
    Alessandro Volta
    2 months ago

    I fail to see why you don't turn on the 360 and have it turn on your TV automatically. And why keep using the remote's buttons when voice control is easier.

    • japitts's avatar
      japitts
      Very Insightful Person
      2 months ago

      And why keep using the remote's buttons when voice control is easier.

      This probably goes to the root of TiVo/V6 vs TV360. The flip side of this point is "why should button control be made so difficult to force use of voice control.

      Different methods suit different people.

      • Mr_K's avatar
        Mr_K
        Knows their stuff
        2 months ago

        Indeed, what if you want to quietly want to do something on the the box, whilst your nearest and dearest is asleep ? Start talking to your remote control could get you a black eye and/or certified ....

  • Carley_S's avatar
    Carley_S
    Forum Team
    2 months ago

    Hi Suzysue1 

    Welcome to the Community Forums. 

    Sorry to hear of your concerns regarding the TV360. 

    I can see one of my colleagues is supporting you on your recording concerns, so please reach out to them and they'll be able to continue to support you there.

    We always take on board the feedback we receive so we can collect the information and use it to learn more about the areas we need to improve. We will certainly pass this information along to the relevant teams.

  • Suzysue1's avatar
    Suzysue1
    Tuning in
    2 months ago

    Firstly thank you all for your comments. I have to confess something.... After I'd posted my post,  about a day later I was sitting watching tv and mulling over my annoyances when it suddenly occurred to me that I had a vague memory of a tiny TV button on the remote control! SO....  that answers a few of my queries.  But I will say anyone hard of seeing or with dementia will struggle to see or use that button. It needs to be made bigger and clearer, after all ironically  it is a TV remote control!!

    Regarding using the voice control button. -  i was so battle warn I forgot it was there.  I'll give it ago and see if it can cope with my requests!!

    So that leaves the other few questions to work on..... 

    Thanks again for your help. 

     

    Sue 

     

    • V1nce_A's avatar
      V1nce_A
      Tuning in
      2 months ago

      Re your point 3, click on "View All" o see recordings vertically and without the picture

  • roy247's avatar
    roy247
    Superstar
    2 months ago

    The picture below of the remote might help.

    If you have "one power" set to on in settings and the 360 remote is correctly paired to your TV using the red power button will turn the 360 and TV on and off. Also have the 360 set to fast start or active start if it's set to eco it will be slow to start up, also don't switch the 360 off at the plug.

    The 360 should start up on the last channel watched and not the home screen, if it's on a channel just press the Guide button no need to press the Home button. You can also press the OK button and the up and down buttons to see other channels. If you are on the TV guide you can also press the 🔼🔽 buttons to move a page at a time. The white TV button below the red power button will take you back to the last channel.

    Just press View all to see all your recordings and planned recording.

    When setting a series link use the Advanced options and select either "new only" or "from this series" if you select "all" the 360 will record episodes already watched and deleted unless something changed in the last update.