SKY+ HD vs Virgin TiVo
Discussion
Virgin media will only ever be as good as sky allows it to be. Ie sky controls all the best channels and decides which ones go to virgin. I went from Virgin Media to Sky last year. I find the HD picture so much better on Sky. Sky Atlantic is a great exclusive channel. Sky News HD and Sky Sports News HD are also great channels so its sky for me. However I still use virgin for the fibre optic BB.
I have just started my 18 month contract with Virgin after moving from Sky. I only moved for cable broadband and I moved the whole TV package too.
Virgin (Tivo included) TV is crap. You can tell that Sky have been doing it for so long as they have perfected it in comparison.
The menus in Sky are so much better, they are faster and much easier to navigate. Tivo is OK but not good enough for me to not move the TV back to Sky as soon as I can even though Virgin is cheaper.
HTH
Virgin (Tivo included) TV is crap. You can tell that Sky have been doing it for so long as they have perfected it in comparison.
The menus in Sky are so much better, they are faster and much easier to navigate. Tivo is OK but not good enough for me to not move the TV back to Sky as soon as I can even though Virgin is cheaper.
HTH
t IMO.TiVo is vastly superior to Sky+ box.
As for Sky being at it longer you are wrong. TiVo have been making PVRs for years, in fact Sky even launched the UK series one TiVo many many years ago.
Virgin (as well as several other networks around the world) only licence the product from TiVo, http://www.tivo.com/
As for Sky being at it longer you are wrong. TiVo have been making PVRs for years, in fact Sky even launched the UK series one TiVo many many years ago.
Virgin (as well as several other networks around the world) only licence the product from TiVo, http://www.tivo.com/
I recently had the TiVo box fitted to replace a V+ HD box and Sky+ HD. Cancelled Sky and had the V+ box put in the bedroom.
I love the TiVo box, little slower to use than either of the others, but the search function is fantastic. Just type in anything you are interested in and it will tell you if and when it is on.
I love the TiVo box, little slower to use than either of the others, but the search function is fantastic. Just type in anything you are interested in and it will tell you if and when it is on.
bigbubba said:
Virgin (Tivo included) TV is crap. You can tell that Sky have been doing it for so long as they have perfected it in comparison.
Virgin ... or one of it's constituent companies, Telewest, were doing HD before Sky. Not sure what you mean by Sky doing it for "so long in comparison" as the Digital broadcast by cable is as old as the satellite service.Sky is becoming a limited platform, as they do not have a bonded return path, nor the ability to set different service types up that VM can do - that's why they bought Easynet, but even with an ISP it's a DSL product and has much greater limits than the DOCSIS cable platform. The TiVo box is astounding, but not because it's a flashy PVR, but because it's an expandable platform. It already has a discrete 10Mb broadband service to it, and things like the YouTube service make use of that bandwidth without affecting your 20Mb / 50Mb / 100Mb service. The TiVo box will have lots more services (apps, if you like) rolled out to it.
The earlier posters were correct in terms of the content that Sky allow Virgin to carry, hence VM doing as much as they can to get access to VoD rights, as well as the IPTV services that TiVo will allow. This defines the difference between the Sky service and the Cable service in essence - the cable service is the one with most technology opportunities, the satellite service has the best content. As a customer you will always have to choose between the two.
aclivity said:
Virgin ... or one of it's constituent companies, Telewest, were doing HD before Sky. Not sure what you mean by Sky doing it for "so long in comparison" as the Digital broadcast by cable is as old as the satellite service.
JaybirdUK said:
TiVo is vastly superior to Sky+ box.
As for Sky being at it longer you are wrong. TiVo have been making PVRs for years
Talk about you two reading what isn't there!As for Sky being at it longer you are wrong. TiVo have been making PVRs for years
I was comparing Sky and Virgin. Not Sky+ and Tivo or Sky HD and Telewest!
Specifically the menu sysetm. It is much better on Sky. I had to wait three minutes stuck on the Virgin On Demand menu today. This is quite good, normally I have to reset the box.
bigbubba said:
Talk about you two reading what isn't there!
I was comparing Sky and Virgin. Not Sky+ and Tivo or Sky HD and Telewest!
Why? I was comparing Sky and Virgin. Not Sky+ and Tivo or Sky HD and Telewest!
When the OP has specifically asked about Sky+HD vs Virgin TiVo.
In response to the OP's original question - I would recommend it. I got mine a few weeks ago, the 500gb version and I love it. It's getting smarter, learning what I watch and don't watch. The suggestions are more relevant now and it's getting to the stage where I have more stuff recorded than I have time to watch it. The BBC iplayer and Youtube apps are great and are easy to use.
Don't get me wrong, it's not without it's flaws. It can be a bit slow at times and a touch buggy. But it is new and supposedly there is a firmware update coming in October which should sort a lot of that out.
A mate of mine has had Sky for years and after a half hour play with my TiVo box, he's pretty much converted.
Don't get me wrong, I love the way Sky set out the menus and how quick and easy it is to use but VM have definitely caught up.
Edited by spaceship on Friday 19th August 20:16
I'm currently on V+ HD and am upgrading to Tivo when I move in three weeks, I'm not at all interested in Sky +HD, mainly because on the few occasions I've had a problem with my V+ HD box I've called Virgin up and they've either fixed it there and then or sent a software update/fix to the box overnight which has fixed it. When I was with Sky I seemed to constantly have to take days off work for engineers visits.
Out of interest, those of you that went from V+ HD to Tivo, how do they compare? And what can you do with Tivo that you couldn't with V+ HD? (I'm upgrading purely because my company is paying for the install/box).
Out of interest, those of you that went from V+ HD to Tivo, how do they compare? And what can you do with Tivo that you couldn't with V+ HD? (I'm upgrading purely because my company is paying for the install/box).
Dixie68 said:
I'm currently on V+ HD and am upgrading to Tivo when I move in three weeks, I'm not at all interested in Sky +HD, mainly because on the few occasions I've had a problem with my V+ HD box I've called Virgin up and they've either fixed it there and then or sent a software update/fix to the box overnight which has fixed it.
I must say, this is a good thing about Virgin.As they own the boxes if one goes tits up even after a couple of years they do not try to charge you for a new box or engineers visit.
<thread resurrection> - largely to see if anything has changed since 2011..
We are currently out of contract with Sky TV (HD & 3D, with multi-room x 1), and are paying over the odds for a not particularly great BT Broadband service. Phone still with BT.
According to online checks, we can get Virgin fibre-optic in our street but not BT Infinity.
So, considering a few options..
Stay as we are, although might threaten to leave Sky (TV) and see if they'll throw in something to entice me to stay.
Stick with Sky for TV (threaten to jump ship, as above), but look to switch Broadband to Virgin Media. This is probably my preferred choice, as it stands.
Switch phone, TV & broadband to Virgin Media..
Anyone been through the same thought processes ? Any comments, regrets, suggestions ?
We are currently out of contract with Sky TV (HD & 3D, with multi-room x 1), and are paying over the odds for a not particularly great BT Broadband service. Phone still with BT.
According to online checks, we can get Virgin fibre-optic in our street but not BT Infinity.
So, considering a few options..
Stay as we are, although might threaten to leave Sky (TV) and see if they'll throw in something to entice me to stay.
Stick with Sky for TV (threaten to jump ship, as above), but look to switch Broadband to Virgin Media. This is probably my preferred choice, as it stands.
Switch phone, TV & broadband to Virgin Media..
Anyone been through the same thought processes ? Any comments, regrets, suggestions ?
Edited by SS2. on Thursday 11th October 11:50
I've been on Tivo now for just over a year. Its light years ahead of Virgin+HD and I really like it. The drawback (for me) is the cost (£75 a month for 1Tb Tivo, 20mb broadband & telephone) and the lack of a few Sky channels (namely Sky Atlantic).
Virgin have a stranglehold on the fibre optic cabling where I live so Sky's broadband is pathetically slow in comparison. I would have gone back to Sky otherwise simply because the channel package suits me better. I dont have any complaints about the Tivo hardware or software (its only had to be reset once or twice in a year) the recordings are good and 1Tb is plenty. The search facility is really handy too.
Virgin have a stranglehold on the fibre optic cabling where I live so Sky's broadband is pathetically slow in comparison. I would have gone back to Sky otherwise simply because the channel package suits me better. I dont have any complaints about the Tivo hardware or software (its only had to be reset once or twice in a year) the recordings are good and 1Tb is plenty. The search facility is really handy too.
Changed from v+ to TiVo six weeks ago
Hate TiVo operating system, v+ seemed so logical to use, as does the sky+ we have at work
However search on TiVo is good to have
Ffwd on TiVo much easier to manage ( does a little rewind when you stop ffwd so easier to get in the right place and avoid overshooting)
Don't think TiVo interface has changed since about 2003 though, very clunky!!!
Hate TiVo operating system, v+ seemed so logical to use, as does the sky+ we have at work
However search on TiVo is good to have
Ffwd on TiVo much easier to manage ( does a little rewind when you stop ffwd so easier to get in the right place and avoid overshooting)
Don't think TiVo interface has changed since about 2003 though, very clunky!!!
After years with Sky, I've had the TiVo box with Virgin's phone and BB for almost a year now, and once my 12 months is up I'm moving, probably to a freest box of some sort.
I only have the basic package, so it's something like £45 a month for the package, but I hate the UI of the TiVo box. I can use it perfectly capably, I just don't like it.
Simple things that Sky have had sorted for years, like Series Link, just aren't simple with Virgin. With Sky, you press the button, and you end up with the series recorded. With Virgin, you press the button, then choose whether you want 'express' series link or if you want to play with the settings.
You can choose how many minutes you want before and after the program, to allow for previous programs overrunning. Unnecessary on Sky, because it just works.
You can choose whether you want only new episodes, or new and reruns. Interesting choice, but utterly useless because 'New' only means episodes that haven't been screened in the last 2 weeks. Almost every series I've recorded has ended up with old epoisodes dotted between the new ones, with no indication that they're not part of the current series unless you delve into the indiviual episode's info. With Sky, it just works.
The other big thing in favour of Sky (that I've only got up and running quite recently) is their Anytime collection over Brodband. The library of available films and programmes is staggering, and while they take a little while to download, the choice is incredible.
I only have the basic package, so it's something like £45 a month for the package, but I hate the UI of the TiVo box. I can use it perfectly capably, I just don't like it.
Simple things that Sky have had sorted for years, like Series Link, just aren't simple with Virgin. With Sky, you press the button, and you end up with the series recorded. With Virgin, you press the button, then choose whether you want 'express' series link or if you want to play with the settings.
You can choose how many minutes you want before and after the program, to allow for previous programs overrunning. Unnecessary on Sky, because it just works.
You can choose whether you want only new episodes, or new and reruns. Interesting choice, but utterly useless because 'New' only means episodes that haven't been screened in the last 2 weeks. Almost every series I've recorded has ended up with old epoisodes dotted between the new ones, with no indication that they're not part of the current series unless you delve into the indiviual episode's info. With Sky, it just works.
The other big thing in favour of Sky (that I've only got up and running quite recently) is their Anytime collection over Brodband. The library of available films and programmes is staggering, and while they take a little while to download, the choice is incredible.
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