Why can't I see all freeview channels on my Virgin Media TV

[TweetiPi]

After the most infuriating and circular conversation with VM, a few minutes ago, I remembered that I had a fantastic response from this forum, in the past, when I had an ongoing problem for weeks, so here goes. I can see some channels (eg DMAX) on an old Sony TV with no associated charges or packages-just Freeview channels. I am told by the VM rep. (after explaining about 5 times!) that DMAX is a freeview channel, but, along with many others, it is greyed out on my screen. Can anyone cast any light on this please, as it would be completely ludicrous to have to swtich between VM and back to normal Samsung Smart settings, or another TV to watch channels which are ostensibly free. (and BTW, when are VM finally going to wake up and provide decent customer service???) Thanks for your help.

[John_GS]

Hi @TweetiPi

Thanks for posting and welcome back to the community.

Virgin Media don't offer a Freeview service. Freeview is a different company. The channels specified maybe on a different package to the one you're on. You can find out more on TV packages here - https://www.virginmedia.com/tv/channels

Best wishes,

[nodrogd]

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@TweetiPi wrote:

After the most infuriating and circular conversation with VM, a few minutes ago, I remembered that I had a fantastic response from this forum, in the past, when I had an ongoing problem for weeks, so here goes. I can see some channels (eg DMAX) on an old Sony TV with no associated charges or packages-just Freeview channels. I am told by the VM rep. (after explaining about 5 times!) that DMAX is a freeview channel, but, along with many others, it is greyed out on my screen. Can anyone cast any light on this please, as it would be completely ludicrous to have to swtich between VM and back to normal Samsung Smart settings, or another TV to watch channels which are ostensibly free. (and BTW, when are VM finally going to wake up and provide decent customer service???) Thanks for your help.

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Broadcasters have to pay the Free TV platforms in order to join the channel line up. This is why you see some channels on Freeview, but not on Freesat & vice-versa. With pay platforms like VM these broadcasters can also opt for a cut of the customer subscriptions by their channels being restricted to certain tiers on the service.

It is a commercial TV market. So what you get on any particular platform revolves around the decisions made by individual broadcasters & channel owners.

[Roger_Gooner]

VM is a Pay TV provider and all channels, bar a handful of FTA channels, are encrypted and are only decrypted if you subscribe to them. I don't see the problem in changing the source from the VM cable box to Freeview to watch a Freeview channel.