Recording F1 on VM
Long term customer many years. Currently have broadband and landline, account due for renewal soon. Looking at adding tv and Sky Sports F1. Tested the cost by completing the online application but did not “order” anything. I was extremely surprised to be offered a “stream” box, which would appear to be almost useless as 1) it doesn’t appear to possess an Ethernet socket (!!) and 2) it doesn’t appear to be capable of recording anything (!!??). Is there an alternative which DOES have an Ethernet socket and DOES record anything I want? I’ve noticed something called a “360 box”. I really can’t see any point in not being able to record F1 Grands Prix for example as assuming Grands Prix are live at 06:00 and the like it’s nice to have a lie in, get up at say 07:00 and watch from the start on chase play “as live” whilst still recording. Not being able to record programmes and not having an Ethernet port seems ridiculous. I’m stunned by this lack of features.
For most Sky Sports you can watch from start on the Virgin Stream box, and F1 is one of those sports. You select from the EPG [programme Guide] and it gives you the choice of watching live or watching from the start. Do that from a different channel, i.e. don't leave it on the Grand Prix channel when you switch off the night before - so you aren't met by the live action before you go back! With such a programme you can use the remote control to fast forward, etc., if you want to speed past any pre-race waffle.
After the event you can select the programme via the EPG which goes back a week. It is also in catch up - the easiest way to use that is via search. I'm not sure how long Virgin keep it in catch up, probably a week.
With sports you are at the mercy of Virgin Media's EPG which unlike other platforms doesn't cope with late changes including overruns, but I don't think that the Grands Prix are often affected by that, and at least for F1 the subsequent programmes can be seen on catch-up in the same manner, so you should be fine.
There is the odd sporting event on Sky where this doesn't operate, the main ones that I've seen are Sky Sports Racing, and I believe some of the tennis doesn't make catch up, as Sky doesn't have the rights.
