Unable to watch shows

[Davidgodf]

Recently when searching for shows using the options on the V6 box, when selecting a show, it tells me I need to pay to watch the show (example, SWAT, Last King of the Cross). When I use the Virgin TV app on my phone I can watch these same shows no issue. Equally, last week I could watch them on the V6 box fine as well. What has changed and why can I not watch what I am paying for?

[japitts]

There's a couple of possibilities here

Firstly, disregard the comparison with the TV Go app, availability of (especially box-set) content does differ between that & your STB. Equally, boxset availability on the STB can and does vary over time as new series are loaded, others drop off - all VoD assets due to expire have an "available until" warning on the RHS when you "watch now".

Which TV tier are you on - Mixit? Maxit? Legacy full-house? If you're not sure - check your bill/contract. It matters, because boxset content is only inclusive on top-tier Maxit/Full House, you may have been viewing a "CatchUp" asset last week and now it's flagged as boxset thus tier-dependent.

There is, separately, a potential issue with mis-flagged boxset content at present - but best to rule out the above first.

[Davidgodf]

Just checked contract, it's says Maxit TV. These are shows we recorded, and could previously watch but now can't it seems as we are prompted that we have to pay.

[Davidgodf]

Also, the shows in question are current, SWAT and Last King of the Cross for example, set to record, watching about a week or max a few weeks after it was first shown.

[japitts · Accepted solution]

The only scenario where a recording would become inaccessible is where they were from a Sky-branded channel which you have since removed from your package.

That you are on Maxit eliminates that, and suggests to me that these are not recordings, but VoD shortcuts - check your series links for "includes streaming videos" rather than just recordings.

Take a read of the thread below, and try the suggestions in it. Please post back with the outcome.

https://community.virginmedia.com/t5/Virgin-TV-V6/Should-the-Sky-Cinema-Collection-also-include-Sky-... 

[Davidgodf]

Thanks for the suggestions. The series link options did include streaming, I have changed these to record only. What is strange is this arrangement worked fine until last week. I have now also changed the default options to record only.

[japitts]

The thread I linked to, is discussing the issue I alluded to earlier. That subscribed VoD content is not correctly flagged for whatever reason, preventing you from viewing it.

The SL "streaming video" option will always prefer a recording over VoD by design, but if that's not available - then you're coming up against this current issue.

[Davidgodf]

It would be useful for VM staff to comment about this issue as I can see dozens of very similar posts from other customers with the same problem. 

[japitts]

I agree, this has also been raised in the closed VIP section of the forum.

There are some suggestions in the linked thread, which many other posters have reported success with.

[John_GS]

Hi @Davidgodf 

Thanks for posting and welcome to the community.

Sorry to hear of this TV issue. Can you send us screenshots showing this error please? We can then look into this for you.

Best wishes.