Virgin 360 sucks

[Shredder87]

I hate the 360 box over the v6. There is no improvement apart from the remote control voice feature. Here’s why I hate it.

1) Although both boxes will automatically record so much live tv so you can rewind, with the 360 box you lose the ability if you swap from watching a recorded programme to live tv. With the v6 box it would still record.

2) the search function is not as good. Often when search for a series and you choose episodes, it will only show the most recent episodes.  to go back to episode one, you often have to go to BBCi player etc to play it.

3) recording.  This is my biggest bug bear. On the v6 box you had options to record new series only, but not on this one. For example I’m constantly getting repeated episodes of Gogglebox recorded onto my box and it’s filling up with stuff I’ve already watched.

4) the remote - going through batteries almost every 2 weeks as it’s back light comes on every time you touch it. Also it doesn’t always respond.

5) the software is buggy. Sometimes I go to recordings and it’s says no recordings available. Occasionally I try to delete an episode I’ve just watched and it say cannot delete at this time.

also when watching a series episode, as the episode it about to end, it will give you a choice of automatically playing the next episode, however it’s switching over to it before the episode has actually ended, missing the last couple of minutes.

[Anonymous]

I’ve been in a position where I’ve used Sky Q and V360, and each has good and bad points.

Sky’s UI is much more feature rich and has more content in HDR (particularly Sky’s own content). I like the ease of being able to download anything to the box rather than use apps (eg. BBC content). I also like the choice of apps, and they appear more stable (Disney+, Prime, Netflix, Apple TV+ etc).

But it’s worth remembering Sky has been plagued by a number of issues, lasting in excess of 18 months - sound drop outs, mini boxes taking up all the internet bandwidth and some apps not working for some (issues with TV+). 

Q’s mini boxes don’t have coax so rely on Wi-Fi for content and watching live TV… and they’re not always stable. Although some find coax to V360 boxes a bit of a hassle, they provide a much more stable connection for live TV - and they support UHD (which Q minis don’t).

V360 is now 13 months young and still has a way to go to be anywhere near Sky’s offerings, but I wouldn’t say it’s awful. UI is a little dull and lacks content, but it’s stable and has pretty much everything you need if you know where to look. I like being able to stream catch up content whenever I want, but wish that was possible with BBC content too (rather than having to use the iPlayer app). Sky also have better licence agreements with the likes of BBC and ITV, so you’ll find far more content directly through Sky’s box than you will with Virgin. That could improve this year though, as Virgin have signed a new agreement with ITV to provide more content directly though the V6 and V360.

Virgin won’t be beaten on price, particularly [what was] their Ultimate Oomph bundle. I literally have everything with Gig1 fibre for £111 a month… you’d be looking at almost £200 a month to match that on Sky. 

All that said, if the V360 could match Sky Q’s features and UI, it would be awesome… and I hope that comes with future updates. 

[Carley_S]

Hi @Shredder87,

Thank you very much for getting in touch. We appreciate your feedback and welcome any criticism you have with our 360 set top box. As @Anonymous has very kindly explained, the 360 is still pretty young but we will continue to improve the service and features as needed. I will pass your forum post on to the 360 team. 

Let us know if there is anything else we can help with. 

@Anonymous - Thank you very much for taking the time to help in the community :). 

[Eddiexl5ufo]

Have to agree that 360 is not really any use at all. If i had known what its like I would not have upgraded. Trying to say only 18 months young is no excuse Virgin are taking a lot of money for this service. My box has deleted all recordings and planned recordings so having to set up again. Why?  I have seen others have this problem but not explained. Buggy is not an excuse if its not ready should not release and using customers as guinea pigs is pants. Wish I could go back and regret big time signing up to the change. Please explain to me why it routinely does its own thing. If you are reading this and havent changed DON’T. Walk away now. 

[Steven_L]

Thanks for coming back to us @Eddiexl5ufo.

I'm really sorry that you are having such a bad experience with the 360 box at the moment. 

Are your recordings set to delete after a certain or have got it set at keep until you wish to delete them?

The planned recordings were they from before your box was converted to the 360 software or is that an issue since you got the 360 box?

Regards,

Steven_L

[Eddiexl5ufo]

Hi there was a set up issue which meant installation not complete so sorted yesterday, however playback still a problem as locks up, says not recorded won't play back etc, but not all the time. I have agreed to try for a few more days otherwise will get rid of TV and just go with  B Band for a while. Spending this much cash you expect things to work and not have to be a beta tester a year down the line. So overall still need to be impressed as use the amazon ~firstick as have , Disney and Discovery  etc so not having them as apps a bit poor. Stability of the apps is poor as well on the box, so use other things ahead of virgin to use as hub, which shouldn't really be the case.

prior to 360 the box was fine and enjoyed the usability of the software. 360 not an improvement as far as I can see at the mo, and won't be hanging about if it doesn't become more stable.

[Ayisha_B]

Thanks for coming back to us @Eddiexl5ufo

We really do appreciate your feedback and we can certainly get this raised.

Apologies for any inconvenience caused.

[Eddiexl5ufo]

TV issues have just driven me mad and this is notice to cancel contract under 14 days cooling off agreement.

Issue have not been sorted and there are still significant problems about the using of the service. I have tried to give it time to settle down but it is as bad as ever. The TV is unusable as you never know what it is going to do next and can't rely on being able to access a programme.

1. Recording not letting you rewind

2. Wouldn’t then let access to the programme again

3. Programme  has been recorded but says recording failed

4. When fast forward a programme it gets stuck and have to shut down and then can’t access the programme again

5. Doesn’t let you use catch up says cannot access programme

6. When letting programme record to get ahead In the adverts it then locks up after a while and cannot access the programme, this is across all channels

7 Black screen when changing channels and nothing works

error Code when does come up and just not frozen, CS2217 failed to play recording -Service is temporarily unavailable --  TRY Permanently unavailable.

This system is so buggy and is not letting us use the system as it is supposed to be used. I want to give notice to remove the transfer to Virgin 360 and the Volt o2 mobile SIM and return me back to the old system. I understand that you cannot uninstall firmware and cannot go back on the box, which was not explained at the time also I was told at £25  SIM was unlimited data which I see from the package that it is not that at all.

I would go back to your recording of the sale as I was not that happy to transfer the mobile anyway and now admit this was a big mistake. Could you supply a replacement V6 box so I can go back to the system that worked.

If that is not possible I would like to discuss the termination of the contract in total as this service is beyond a joke

This is getting into the realms of misselling and not being clear over the phone as to exactly what is being signed up to.

Can you please get someone to contact me to discuss.

[newapollo]

Hi @Eddiexl5ufo 

If you wish to cancel you cannot do it via the forum. It's a Community forum so most answers are from members such as myself and not an official VM forum..

Forum Staff do get involved if/when normal forum users cannot help, however they do not have access to regrades or cancellations.

You need to contact VM using the methods advised under https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/the-legal-stuff if you wish to cancel.

If you wish to cancel under the 14 day coolimng off agreement then you need to  read and follow the instructions in 

https://www.virginmedia.com/shop/the-legal-stuff/terms-and-conditions-for-fibre-optic-services#cooli... 

[Eddiexl5ufo]

Hi I know cant cancel through forum it was a copy of email sent to Virgin as struggled to communicate as they direct you here or through telephone but wait ages and then close at 9. Still having issues with the box and want to be able to note that as part of complaint gave them time to address issues but haven't had the patients or time at the mo. Having flagged these issue and not getting resolution it will give me evidence to say they have breached the issue of having a fit for purpose system.  If i am the only one struggling i must be unlucky but it is still expecting me to take lots of time and effort to address this when its their problem and they shut at 9   As a communications company they stink.