Need help reviewing my package and equipment

[oner1]

Hi

The package I receive from Virgin is well past its expiry date and I am now paying far too much for what I receive. I am reviewing the situation which includes whether or not to switch user particularly as I my property can be supplied FTTP via Openreach.

I live in a three storey town house and when Virgin was first installed(more year ago than I dare to remember) supply to the hub was taken to the top floor and that is where it remains. At the time my main PC was situated on that floor and I wanted an easy ethernet connection to it from the hub. Things have changed since then and over time(too much time) I have endured painfully slow performance of On Demand TV and YouTube, ETC through the TiVo Box .

In exploring my options I am looking at staying with Virgin and have looked at the packages currently on offer to new customers. As an existing customer but one for whom a fundamental review is long outstanding I have the following queries :-

• I am interested in TV & broadband package. The packages online show options where the fastest download on offer is 516Mbps yet broadband/phone packages include an option with 1130Mbps download speed. Would it be possible to have a TV/broadband package which includes a download speed of 1130Mbps.
• I have no interest in including in my package a deal for an O2 SIM card. Is it an option not to include O2 benefits and have that reflected in the monthly charge?
• Again would it be an option not to include a landline?
• I would like to replace the TiVo I currently have with a V6
• I need to re-site the hub from the top floor to somewhere closer to the TV box. The hub need to be updated from Hub 3 to Hub 5x. Should the TV and Hub be in the same room or would it work for the Hub to be in the hall on the ground floor with the TV box immediately next door in the living room? Is this something a Virgin engineer would set up for me as part of setting up the V6 and new hub?
• A neighbour has his hub on the ground floor(not sure which ISP he is with) and has ethernet cables running from the hub up the outside of the house to provide a wired link with first and second floors. Any reason why this could not be done from a virgin hub?
• With a V6 is there still an annoying noise when switching channels or carrying out other operations with the remote?

Would grateful for advice on these points.

[oner1]

Hi

I currently have TiVo box but hope to switch to a V6.

I live in a 3 storey house and for historical reasons the hub is currently located on the top floor. The TV and TiVo are on the ground floor and consequently linking up to On Demand TV, YouTube, etc on the TiVo is painfully slow.

I plan to have the hub relocated. To get a smooth use of On Demand TV, etc will it be necessary to have the hub in the same room as the TiVo? Or will having the hub in the hall be okay - the TiVo and telly are immediately in the next room(living room).

Many thanks.

[nodrogd · Accepted solution]

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@oner1 wrote:

Hi

The package I receive from Virgin is well past its expiry date and I am now paying far too much for what I receive. I am reviewing the situation which includes whether or not to switch user particularly as I my property can be supplied FTTP via Openreach.

I live in a three storey town house and when Virgin was first installed(more year ago than I dare to remember) supply to the hub was taken to the top floor and that is where it remains. At the time my main PC was situated on that floor and I wanted an easy ethernet connection to it from the hub. Things have changed since then and over time(too much time) I have endured painfully slow performance of On Demand TV and YouTube, ETC through the TiVo Box .

In exploring my options I am looking at staying with Virgin and have looked at the packages currently on offer to new customers. As an existing customer but one for whom a fundamental review is long outstanding I have the following queries :-

• I am interested in TV & broadband package. The packages online show options where the fastest download on offer is 516Mbps yet broadband/phone packages include an option with 1130Mbps download speed. Would it be possible to have a TV/broadband package which includes a download speed of 1130Mbps.
  
  Usually these options are related to pricing, so 1Gig should be available.
  
  
• I have no interest in including in my package a deal for an O2 SIM card. Is it an option not to include O2 benefits and have that reflected in the monthly charge?
  
  Yes, but the deals will have less discount, so you won't save much.
  
  
• Again would it be an option not to include a landline?
  
  Landlines come with a huge discount attached. The package price is likely to increase without it.
  
  
• I would like to replace the TiVo I currently have with a V6
  
  TiVOs are being phased out. Don't be talked into taking V360. It's a totally different system. You can move to V6 without a contract change,.
  
  
• I need to re-site the hub from the top floor to somewhere closer to the TV box. The hub need to be updated from Hub 3 to Hub 5x. Should the TV and Hub be in the same room or would it work for the Hub to be in the hall on the ground floor with the TV box immediately next door in the living room? Is this something a Virgin engineer would set up for me as part of setting up the V6 and new hub?
  
  The V6 can be wired or WiFi, but an Ethernet connection is recommended. Powerline connectors might be an option. What you won't get is a HUB 5x. These are full fibre XGS-PON driven kit, so won't work on the older hybrid DOCSIS/Cable TV network you are currently connected to. You will get a standard Hub 5. Everything your side of the Virgin kit is your responsibility, including linking the TV box to the hub.
  
  
• A neighbour has his hub on the ground floor(not sure which ISP he is with) and has ethernet cables running from the hub up the outside of the house to provide a wired link with first and second floors. Any reason why this could not be done from a virgin hub?
  
  Again, something you would have to arrange yourself. It's not Virgin's problem.
  
  
• With a V6 is there still an annoying noise when switching channels or carrying out other operations with the remote?
  
  You can turn off the sound effects, Yes.

Would grateful for advice on these points.

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[oner1]

Nodrogd. That is really helpful! Really appreciated! Thank you.

[oner1]

Nodrogd. In layman's terms what is the problem with the V360? Just had an initial brief look and it looks a decent bit of key and seems to get good reviews.

[nodrogd]

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@oner1 wrote:

Nodrogd. In layman's terms what is the problem with the V360? Just had an initial brief look and it looks a decent bit of key and seems to get good reviews.

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V360 runs on a TV platform called Horizon (nothing to do with the Post Office kit, although some find it just as useless). It is the property of Virgin’s American parent company & is being imposed on them. It is NOT an upgrade, & many facilities you have with TiVO (suggestions, series links etc) are either missing or do not work as well. It is also a server based system, being designed for cloud recording. In the UK & Ireland the TV agreements only allow recording to a local disk, so the system has had to be modified. When the Broadband fails with TiVO/V6, you still have access to your recordings. With Horizon you don’t, even though they are on the local disk. If you have started playing a recording you may still have access to it, but otherwise no. TiVO/V6 is a far better system, & until we are forced off of it when XGS-PON takes over nationwide I personally will stick with it.

[oner1]

Brilliant. Thanks again!

[Roger_Gooner]

Although the V6 is probably a better box as it's been under development for a lot longer, you need to be aware of a few things. One that the 360 has voice control, a real benefit in switching quickly between live channels and apps or changing channels. Another is that the V6 is no longer being developed, so all new apps like Disney+, Paramount+ and Apple TV+ are only available on the 360 (and Stream for streaming customers). As you have the horrid TiVo I won't have thought you'd struggle with the 360.