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Real world experience of Virgin 360 after 4 weeks

johnau
Tuning in

Overall, I'm really liking the new service and I believe it stacks up well against Sky.

Pros:
Is it just me or has the picture quality improved significantly now that my V6 boxes have received the software update?
Voice commands.
Fast response times.
Much improved and colourful user interface.
Access to some Sky UHD content - sadly, still no UHD Sports.

However there are a few areas where I believe the experience has gone backwards in useability.

Cons:
EPG no longer shows which programmes are "new"(or when they were first aired).
EPG no longer gives star rating for movies which now means a visit to IMDB to determine if a movie is worth watching.
Multiple key presses required to get to my recorded shows - no dedicated button.
No option to record only new episodes of shows.

The cons may be just ignorance on my part. In which case I'm willing to be corrected.

52 REPLIES 52

These things go in cycles. Currently the V6 (and probably the Sky Q) are at their best after years of development. VM has released the 360 which isn't as good as the V6 but the Horizon 4 development tean in Amsterdam will make it better, and it's only a matter of time before everyone is compelled to migrate to Horizon 4. When will it happen? Don't know as LG/VM don't disclose contract details but it's a certainty that TiVo won't get licence payments forever. If I were a betting man I'd say 2022 at the earliest or 2023 as it's going to take a while to migrate some 3.5m TV boxes.

As for Sky: belatedly Sky is putting effort into their IP box which in time will require a migration from satellite dishes. I have little doubt that the initial versions of this box will be criticised as poor comapred with the current box but, again, the new box will get better.

So, in summary, the Sky Q is better than the 360 but the 360 will be better than the Sky Q replacement. As I said it's cycles but the cycle development of competitive companies usually are not completely parallel, so there are times when one is better than the other.

--
Hub 5, TP-Link TL-SG108S 8-port gigabit switch, 360
My Broadband Ping - Roger's VM hub 5 broadband connection

martingg
On our wavelength

Just had my 3 TiVo box’s upgraded? My first observation is that only one remote will work per box. Not like the v6/TiVo box. This is not convenient and this is not stated in the Virgin 360 hype that only one remote can be used per box, One step forward one step back, so no progress. The picture quality seems better. Not sure about the interface style seems less user friendly, but time will tell. I only changed as one of my box’s was playing up and two of the remotes had a couple of the buttons were getting sticky. Will give it a week and see how it goes. If it gives me to much grief and can’t solve the dual remote issue will ask to revert back. 

japitts
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

@martingg wrote:

Will give it a week and see how it goes. If it gives me to much grief and can’t solve the dual remote issue will ask to revert back. 


You can ask, but you'll be told no.

Conversions from TiVo/V6 > 360 are one-way trips and irreversible.

I'm a Very Insightful Person, I'm here to share knowledge, I don't work for Virgin Media. Learn more

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Thanks for your comments.

Having had the system for 6 months now, I thi k my comments still hold true. I would probably add the following negative observations.

Cons:

Occasional lip-sync issues. Not broadband related.

Can't undelete deleted "recordings".

Still no live UHD sports e.g. Football, Golf.

I know it's not very green but no option to leave V6 boxes on warm standby so often have to go to one if my other boxes to start up in order to eGch a program recorded there. 

All other EPG isues I mentioned in my original post still stand. 

newapollo
Very Insightful Person
Very Insightful Person

@martingg wrote:

Just had my 3 TiVo box’s upgraded? My first observation is that only one remote will work per box. Not like the v6/TiVo box. This is not convenient and this is not stated in the Virgin 360 hype that only one remote can be used per box, One step forward one step back, so no progress. The picture quality seems better. Not sure about the interface style seems less user friendly, but time will tell. I only changed as one of my box’s was playing up and two of the remotes had a couple of the buttons were getting sticky. Will give it a week and see how it goes. If it gives me to much grief and can’t solve the dual remote issue will ask to revert back. 


Hi @martingg 

There's a very good 360 FAQ   page for the boxes which you may find useful.

I've highlighted your comments about only one remote control. This is explained in the FAQ's above, "Each 360 remote pairs 1 to 1 with the box, it does not use infra-red (IR). This means you can only use one remote with a box and not multiple."

I have an LG TV and can use the LG Smart remote with my 360. Other users have also been able to pair their TV remotes with the 360 box. 

If your TV has that option then try Ziggo or Ziggo Mediabox Next

 

You can use some third party remotes such as the OneForAll URC7125 - use the SimpleSet setup process and choose Ziggo manufacturer

Also the Logitech Harmony remote.  You need to set them up as a "Ziggo Mediabox Next" 

You can also control the 360 by using the Virgin TV Go app

Dave
I don't work for Virgin Media.
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roy247
Community elder

@johnau wrote:

.....

I know it's not very green but no option to leave V6 boxes on warm standby so often have to go to one if my other boxes to start up in order to eGch a program recorded there. 


Set the boxes to fast start or active start.

 


@johnau wrote:

Still no live UHD sports e.g. Football, Golf. 


BT Sport broadcasts in 4K and Eurosport also has 4K broadcasts from the Winter Olympics.

--
Hub 5, TP-Link TL-SG108S 8-port gigabit switch, 360
My Broadband Ping - Roger's VM hub 5 broadband connection

Hi thanks for your response I understand that you can only have one remote per box due to technical limitations. Wish this had been flagged to me at the time I spoke to virgin or had done more research as would have just had the one iffy box changed and got some new remotes to replace the remotes with sticky button’s. Looking into 3rd party remotes at the moment, but also going to look at sky glass as that looks as if the voice control is built into the TV and can be accessed without a remote. Not a fan of Sky switched from Virgin to Sky a few years back but got rid as I as got fed up with pixelation. Saying that it’s not easy as it used to be to get in contact with Virgin as it used to be 10 years back, and customer service is not as good as it used to be(lost its personal touch). 

I know, as per the V6 boxes, not really a full program of sports though. I was referring specifically to Sky Sports. Also BT are in the process of selling of BT Sport so there's every chance that will disappear from our packages at some point.

Thanks Roy, very helpful!