Virgin TV 360 - Where's youtube kids app?

[Kev1977]

Hi All,

So my existing V6 boxes have been "upgraded" to use the 360 software.  What's happened to the youtube kids app? I understand the existing v6 software gets replaced by 360 but surely if youtube kids is available on v6 it should be made available as an app on 360 also for Oomph customers?

Many thanks

[japitts]

YouTube Kids is indeed on the V6 but not the 360, there's a few others that're the same too. All-4, notably.

While the 360 does have some new functionality (voice control & profiles), not every function on the V6 is replicated on the 360, it's "different".

[Kev1977]

Hi,

Thanks for the quick response, I was hoping it was simply a case that the app would be added later as I've only just switched from VIP to Oomph but obviously not, very disappointing, Virgin have definitely missed a trick here, considering the Oomph package is supposedly the flagship package it makes no sense to not offer the same apps which were with VIP, hows that even an upgrade! Yes the 4k, profiles and voice activation is all very clever with 360 but it's the little things that make the difference, what's the point in me setting a profile for my kids, if the apps they want, Disney plus, youtube kids etc aren't even available? I've only had this for couple of days and my children are already asking why I "upgraded" to 360, I'm beginning to wonder myself.

Come on Virgin sort it out!

[japitts]

A package change is entirely independent of a voluntary migration from TiVo/V6 > 360, and you can have Ultimate Oomph on a V6 box.

The V6 box supports 4K/UHD TV just as well as the 360 does.

[roy247]

Agree with japitts on that, I was on oomph with V6's before going 360, the question is were you given a choice or told you had to change to 360.

[Kev1977]

Hi,

Yes indeed, my two VIP package V6 boxes have had the software updated to the Ultimate Oomph package, that's precisely my point, why remove apps that I had on V6 with my multi-room VIP Package now that I've updated to Oomph package which is supposed to be the flagship offering, seems like a backward step to me and makes no sense. Obviously Disney Plus wasn't available on the V6 prior to the upgrade, I keep reading it's coming soon but it never seems to arrive, but for simple apps like youtube kids you'd think someone would have thought it would be a good idea to add it to Oomph if it's offered as VIP.

Upgrading to Ultimate Oomph basically means if you have Tivo you get sent V6 boxes with Oomph software, if you already have V6 boxes you are prompted to initiate the software upgrade yourself which replaces the existing software and yes gives you 4k, voice control and profiles but you also lose apps and the ability to control the box with more than one Virgin remote, you can get around that using a Harmony infrared remotes but honestly it really does seem like a rushed package, I was even incorrectly informed that an engineer would come and replace my V6 boxes! I waited in all day, I chased and got told the engineer would be with me soon and no one arrived, when I chased again I finally got through to someone from the Oomph team who apologised and said the first two tiers of customer support had incorrectly informed me.  No one at any other point even hinted that it would be me that needed to initiate the upgrade, that's very poor however you look at it.

Until everyone in Virgin is singing from the same hymn sheet how on earth can anyone from a customer perspective be expected to make an informed decision as to whether to upgrade or not.

[japitts]

---

@Kev1977 wrote:

Upgrading to Ultimate Oomph basically means if you have Tivo you get sent V6 boxes with Oomph software, if you already have V6 boxes you are prompted to initiate the software upgrade yourself

---

You seem to be getting confused between what a package is, and what STB software is.

VIP package, Ultimate Oomph - these are packages. In alternate terminology, this is your payment plan or bundle of services.

The software that your STB is running on - that's where TiVo-software (which drives the TiVo & V6 boxes) and Horizon (which underpins the 360 platform) come in.

New TV customers get 360 software as a matter of course, regardless of package. You can have a TiVo or V6 box on Ultimate Oomph or any other bundle. Regardless of whether you're changing package or not, a conversion from TiVo > 360 is entirely voluntary. That includes existing V6 customers wanting to take out an Oomph bundle - you can keep a V6 running TiVo software, or choose to migrate to the 360-service. There is no requirement to convert.

Hopefully this explains things a little?

[Kev1977]

Hi,

Thanks but I'm really not confused as to what equipment\software I have or what package I am running, as per my initial post it was a simple inquiry as to whether or not I could expect to get the Youtube Kids app with Virgin TV 360, that has been answered with a resounding no but I do appreciate the response.

As to why I've upgraded to Ultimate Oomph, that is not relevant to the question I asked, I was simply pointing out comparisons between what I had with my previous VIP package and what I now have with my Oomph package. 

The VIP package was at one time the top package you could have, this has been replaced with Ultimate Oomph.  My point is why would Virgin choose to negate features which were included with TiVo-software from the Horizon software which is it's successor, that does not make sense when the Ultimate Oomph is advertised as the top level for "Maxit TV" which to me should therefore include the same streaming capabilities of it's predecessor.

[japitts]

Let's try coming at this from a slightly different angle.

Ultimate Oomph is... Maxit TV, with Sky Sports HD, Sky Cinema HD, Sky Entertainment VoD UHD, Kids pick, and a multiroom TV box. Plus broadband, landline & mobile.

There was nothing stopping you from having this package with your previous V6 box, and you would have retained access to the YouTube Kids app. Somewhere as part of this process, you chose to migrate your TV boxes from TiVo-software to 360-software and therefore no longer use the TiVo-platform.

At the present time, the 360-software platform is different to TiVo-software. It has some features that are new, such as profiles & voice control. It is missing some features, such as multi-channel series links and access to particular apps.

That you are missing certain streaming apps has nothing to do with your Ultimate Oomph package, and everything to do with converting your V6 boxes into 360.

[BlueLou]

To confirm, there shouldn't be any difference between V6 and 360 when it comes to the main apps.  Sometimes it just takes a little longer to develop or gain approval for certain apps on the newer platform.  

All4 is the most obvious one, this is down to Channel 4 not having the resource to develop it over the last year but the good news is that it will be available relatively soon.

The even better news is that You Tube Kids *should* be available next week, I'm keen to try it out as my 2 year old watches YT constantly and there is some weird AF stuff on there! 😁