Virgin Media TiVo or switch to BT Vision?

[spaceship]

I'll be moving house soon and I'm currently a VM customer with BB and tv though I'm coming to the end of my contract.

Considering upgrading to TiVo 500gb box as an existing customer, keeping my BB at 10mb, and taking the weekend calls phone line.

Alternative is BT Vision, BB and phone. My sister has this and was really impressed with the on-demand service. Great range of films and to watch. The menus etc are really easy to use and quick to respond.

As I see it:

VM pros

reliable
digital quality
10mb BB
100+ channels
HD channels
3 tuners (TiVo)
Storage space

Cons
V+ box is slow, clunky to respond, especially getting into demand services (is TiVo better?)
Lack of decent on-demand content
Not cheap (about £90 for install of TiVo and one-off fee)

BT Vision pros

Great on-demand
Quick system
Cheaper install and monthly fee

Cons

Only Freeview channels
Smaller HDD
Not fibre-optic BB (BT have no plans to launch Infinity in my area. I'm less than half a mile from the exchange)

Looking at my pros and cons it would seem like I've already answered my own question but I was really impressed by the BT Vision on-demand services and disappointed with VM, though I've not seen TiVo working.

I'd be interested to know others experiences with TiVo and how the on-demand compares to BT Vision?

I always said I would never move away from cable because of the reliable internet and speed. I don't do a lot of downloading online - mostly surfing, though I watch a decent amount of stuff online.

Any help appreciated.

[Hoover.]

I was a VM customer who left for BT, I ended up cancelling BT early to get back to VM.

Slow BB ( and I live 100 m from the exchange) , unreliable BB, unreliable phhone, 3 new home hubs....... must admit I didn't have the TV package, but that would of only been more woes probably.

Ohh when I came to VM, got large tv package HD, BB & telephone for nearly same price ( a couple of quid difference) as BT BB and phone... no brainer.

[Zod]

Tivo menus are much quicker than the old V+ box menus.

[spaceship]

That's good to hear. Been checking out my contract and it looks like it runs until mid-November so I've probably answered my own question. I'd have to pay to get out of the contract early or continue paying until it ended. I'm sure I have enter a new contract even if I stick with them and move house.

Don't think I can give up the reliable BB anyway.

[pmanson]

If you can get one of the new V+ boxes (samsung I think with a blue light) it's much faster than the old one!

[spaceship]

Funnily enough, I was talking to a mate of mine who recently got a new Samsung box with his install and he said it was supposed to be much better than the Cisco box. Faster to respond and less glitchy.

[Zod]

The Tivo is better.

[pmanson]

spaceship said:

Funnily enough, I was talking to a mate of mine who recently got a new Samsung box with his install and he said it was supposed to be much better than the Cisco box. Faster to respond and less glitchy.

Picture quality is better as well

[PGM]

Is it correct that you need to be in a fibre optic area to receive Virgin TV? We are in a village with just normal broadband so the website is telling us it's not possible?

Does the TV come through the broadband signal then?

[Zod]

You just need Virgin cable for both broadband and TV. Areas upgraded to fibre-optic get better broadband speeds.

[PGM]

Zod said:

You just need Virgin cable for both broadband and TV. Areas upgraded to fibre-optic get better broadband speeds.

OK, so I assume their cable is not in the road then?

[Zod]

PGM said:

Zod said:

You just need Virgin cable for both broadband and TV. Areas upgraded to fibre-optic get better broadband speeds.

OK, so I assume their cable is not in the road then?

Look for Virgin or ntl boxes in the street or manhole covers and connection boxes on houses. If they're not there, there's no cable.

[PGM]

Zod said:

Look for Virgin or ntl boxes in the street or manhole covers and connection boxes on houses. If they're not there, there's no cable.

Thanks for your help, I'll do that.

[chrisxr2]

Tivo is a one of installation and 3 quid a month extra for the box. A box which with Virgin you never own.

spaceship said:

I'll be moving house soon and I'm currently a VM customer with BB and tv though I'm coming to the end of my contract.

Considering upgrading to TiVo 500gb box as an existing customer, keeping my BB at 10mb, and taking the weekend calls phone line.

Alternative is BT Vision, BB and phone. My sister has this and was really impressed with the on-demand service. Great range of films and to watch. The menus etc are really easy to use and quick to respond.

As I see it:

VM pros

reliable
digital quality
10mb BB
100+ channels
HD channels
3 tuners (TiVo)
Storage space

Cons
V+ box is slow, clunky to respond, especially getting into demand services (is TiVo better?)
Lack of decent on-demand content
Not cheap (about £90 for install of TiVo and one-off fee)

BT Vision pros

Great on-demand
Quick system
Cheaper install and monthly fee

Cons

Only Freeview channels
Smaller HDD
Not fibre-optic BB (BT have no plans to launch Infinity in my area. I'm less than half a mile from the exchange)

Looking at my pros and cons it would seem like I've already answered my own question but I was really impressed by the BT Vision on-demand services and disappointed with VM, though I've not seen TiVo working.

I'd be interested to know others experiences with TiVo and how the on-demand compares to BT Vision?

I always said I would never move away from cable because of the reliable internet and speed. I don't do a lot of downloading online - mostly surfing, though I watch a decent amount of stuff online.

Any help appreciated.