Forum Discussion

MBofYork's avatar
MBofYork
Joining in
23 days ago

Sky Sports + and TIVO

I got a message on my TV recently indicating that i can no longer watch "red button" sports because of my "old" Tivo box. This is a second set box, the main one being a V6 i think.

The message also said to contact Virgin to get a free set top box upgrade so that we can watch red button sport.

Contacting Virgin was a nightmare, being stuck in a circular automated option that drove me crazy but eventually i somehow spoke with a human. He told me i could have 2 new boxes, but not for free, with  an additional cost of just £3 but also waiving the price rise of somewhat more next month, so definitely a zero cost change. But it involves a completely new contract, which seemed OTT. I am deaf and so the conversation with an Indian in a busy call-centre was very difficult for me to follow completely.

However, i have just noted exchanges here about the 360 box and that makes me a little suspicious.

Am i doing the right thing, or should i stick with what i have?! Is the 360 box for the benefit of us the users or Virgin Media?! I have 14 days to cancel!!

Thanks.

  • Adduxi's avatar
    Adduxi
    Very Insightful Person
    23 days ago

    Unfortunately once you pull the trigger on the 360 "upgrade" it's a one way journey.  You can't go back to the V6 Tivo system.  Think very carefully and read up on all the Cons and Pros before you decide.  The "upgrade" is to save VM money, as they pay a licence fee for all Tivo/V6 operating boxes, but not for the Horizon operating 360's   They are totally different ideas, Tivo revolves around recording and Horizon is built for streaming.

  • Graham_A's avatar
    Graham_A
    Very Insightful Person
    23 days ago

    MBofYork  If watching Sky Sports + via the older TiVo box is important to you then insist on VM swapping it out for a V6 box powered by TiVo.  The V6 boxes can access all the Sky Sports + content.  You don't have to move to 360 for this.

  • japitts's avatar
    japitts
    Very Insightful Person
    22 days ago

    To add to Graham_A post, insisting on your TiVo being swapped for a V6 is by far the best solution here.

    If you accept any sales patter offering a conversion to TV360, then that's an irreversible decision that will set in train a series of events. The 14day cancellation period applies to any package, bundle or other pricing alterations. It does not apply to the software conversion from TiVo/V6 > TV360.

    You will receive a new voice-activate remote for your (currently) V6, and a short time to instigate the software conversion to TV360. If you don't instigate it in that time, it will be forced. Your V6 will be reformatted, all your series links & recordings will be wiped, and the Horizon software installed in-place of TiVo. Your V6 will now be a TV360-master.

    Your TiVo will be physically swapped for a TV360-mini, also running Horizon software, and now operate as a slave box to your master.. losing its hard drive storage.

    If you'd not agreed to convert, your V6 would remain exactly as it is now and your TiVo simply swapped out for another V6. You'd still lose any recordings on it, but anything recorded on your V6 would remain - and be available via multi-room streaming.