Virgin TV 360 - Mini box connection - Wrongly sold package?

[caseyref]

Hi all, 

I've been with Virgin for broadband for 16 years, but for the last few years moved the TV to Sky Q due to better prices and newer tech. I decided to come back to Virgin last week thanks to the promise of better tech and a good retention price. 

I've received my install kit today and have installed the 360 box with no issue. But when I've gone to install my mini box I have the error CS2004 - The TV guide works and can stream but no live channels. 

My best guess is that I need a Virgin cable connection into the box, which I don't have - can someone confirm if I need a wire?

The reason I ask is I was sold on the idea of multi-room after the retention person told me that the mini box is wireless and receives the signal from the main 360 box (similar to what I have on Sky Q and Sky Q mini box).

No one at Virgin TV technical support tonight will confirm if I need a cable or if the mini receives a signal from the main box and instead just want to book an engineer.

I really don't want anymore cables trailing around the house so am really unhappy if I need a cable around the house. 

Can someone advise how the box works? - If I need a wire I'm not going to be too happy =/

Thanks in advance! 

[japitts]

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@caseyref wrote:

I've received my install kit today and have installed the 360 box with no issue. But when I've gone to install my mini box I have the error CS2004 - The TV guide works and can stream but no live channels. 

My best guess is that I need a Virgin cable connection into the box, which I don't have - can someone confirm if I need a wire?

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All VM TV boxes need 2 connections..

1: Physical co-ax connection which carries your live TV channels, I'm very surprised your 360 even boots up without one.

2: Internet connection - wired or wireless - for OnDemand, streaming & EPG updates.

The only difference between a 360-master & 360-mini is the lack of hard drive in the mini. Everything else is identical - including connectivity & co-ax cable requirements.

[roy247]

You do need 2 connection's, live TV is down the coax cable same as the main box and either ethernet or wifi for the mini box. Recordings are done on the main box.

Some of the advertising can be misinterpreted for the mini box.

[caseyref]

Thanks both for your help. 

I was told on the help line tonight that I only need 1 connection for my tv box to work, irrespective of whether I have 1 or 2 boxes. 

I have the 360 box setup with a splitter taking the wire from the wall and splitting 1 cable into my WiFi box and the other into my 360 box. I then have a Ethernet cable from the WiFi box to the 360 box. 

Does this sound like a usual setup?

Still not sure what to do with the mini box now as no one over the phone will explain.

[roy247]

Yes that is a normal configuration for one 360, depending on the location of your 2nd box a cable can be run externally to near the other boxes location, depending on your property an internal cable maybe required. You can always agree on the cable routing with the engineer. 

[japitts]

Each VM box - be it a router or STB, needs an individual co-ax connection.

So if you have 2 x TV boxes plus the broadband router, you need 3 x co-ax connections.

They can be split from one incoming, but you still need a separate co-ax for each. Anyone who tells you otherwise is either mistaken or confused.

The TV boxes still need a separate connection to the router, which can be Ethernet cable or WiFi.

[roy247]

Hi caseyref,

You will need to phone Virgin again and select the I am thinking of leaving option again and ask for a manned installation of the 2nd box, if you have outside walls from where your existng external box is to where you want the mini box to be installed then the cables  can be run outside, obviously if it's a mid terraced house or town house and the cable can't be run outside your property then it would be split internally.

[nodrogd]

Some CS staff seem to only see the Mini box as only needing 1 connection, as in 1 physical connection. The coax. Because the box can be wireless for everything else they don't seem to think it matters that they mention this.

[Roger_Gooner]

I've never seen any publicity material from VM saying that the Mini box needs a coaxial cable. The only reference that I'm aware of is the answer to the question "How does the switch process work?"

https://www.virginmedia.com/help/virgin-tv-360

[Zoie_P]

Hi Caseyref, 

Thank you for your post 🙂 

I am so sorry you have been having issues with the 360 mini boxes and not getting any answers.

I have the mini box upstairs and it does indeed have a coaxial. I can get this booked in for you, I will pop you over a PM.

Zoie