Walsall_Ram Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Virgin hits back at Sky Q with new 4K box By Jon Porter 2 hours ago Television Virgin Media has today confirmed that it will be launching a 4K set-top box later this year with an upgraded box to replace its current TiVO box, which it has been using since 2011. Details are thing on the ground so there is no word yet on whether the box will be UHD Premium certified, whether it will be HDR compatible, or whether it will have a more basic feature set of just a UHD resolution. It is also not yet clear how Virgin plans on distributing content to the device, whether it will be an internet-based solution, or whether UHD channels will broadcast alongside HD and SD channels and be delivered over cable. We have contacted Virgin Media to ask it for clarification on both these points, and will update this article when it responds. As the operator of a fibre network which offers speeds of up to 200Mbps, Virgin's network meets current bandwidth requirements for delivering 4K streams over the internet. Netflix currently recommends at least 25mbps for its UHD content. Sky Q The news comes a couple of months after Sky released its Sky Q service with a box that is able to deliver 4K content, although this capability wasn't turned on at launch and has yet to be enabled. 4K content is expected to be enabled on the service for the start of the Premier League in August. Outside of resolution, Sky's box also features four times the number of tuners of Virgin Media's. Virgin Media has also said that it plans on updating the software on its existing TiVO box to make its menus "slicker and more picture-based". Via WhatHifi --------------------------------------------------- Can't they just update the software in current TiVo to suit 4k? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mostyn6 Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 "Details are thing on the ground"?? WTF?!?! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRam Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Am a fan of Virgin media over Sky myself, but doubt I'll get a 4k TV any time soon. Will get a 4k monitor for my PC first and even that won't be for a couple of years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerTedd Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 I think sky have really upped the ante in this sector recently. They're sky go app, and other apps, along with their general user interface on the to beats virgin hands down. Virgin say they're going to do an upgrade on the UI, but it's long over due. I like virgin as a company, but they're not doing anything that would make me move from sky. Sky Q looks fricking awesome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramsbottom Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Until they use a good looking box, I'll stay clear of Virgin, their equipment is horrible to look at. You spend £1500 to have a sleek, beautiful Samsung 4k screen, decked out with polished steel accents why would you go and stick a cheap, plastic turd underneath it... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolfie Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 34 minutes ago, TigerTedd said: I think sky have really upped the ante in this sector recently. They're sky go app, and other apps, along with their general user interface on the to beats virgin hands down. Virgin say they're going to do an upgrade on the UI, but it's long over due. I like virgin as a company, but they're not doing anything that would make me move from sky. Sky Q looks fricking awesome. Agree. the Tivo UI has been deteriorating in the last few months and the boxes are slow in comparison to SKY. The corporate ID has also been moving away from the traditional Virgin branding, so I'm wondering if there will be some kind of re-launch and new name. It hasn't been part of the Virgin Group for a while, being owned by Liberty Global. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LesterRam Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Virgin are one big affiliate marketing company, they lease films from SKY, the TiVo box is leased from the US of A, the software is a third party open source circa 1985, the 4k offering will be from china/india/thailand that will be only 4k in name, yes I love Virgin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRam Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 1 hour ago, ramsbottom said: Until they use a good looking box, I'll stay clear of Virgin, their equipment is horrible to look at. You spend £1500 to have a sleek, beautiful Samsung 4k screen, decked out with polished steel accents why would you go and stick a cheap, plastic turd underneath it... Have all my stuff inside a cabinet. None of the TV boxes look any good. Not compared to other tech you can get. In fact I don't know anyone who has their Virgin/Sky box on display. You need to get more tech eye-candy for your room. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramsbottom Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 22 minutes ago, SaintRam said: Have all my stuff inside a cabinet. None of the TV boxes look any good. Not compared to other tech you can get. In fact I don't know anyone who has their Virgin/Sky box on display. You need to get more tech eye-candy for your room. So have I but you can still see them through the glass. Tivo boxes are ugly pieces of kit, Sky's box is an iMac in comparison. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SaintRam Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 10 minutes ago, ramsbottom said: So have I but you can still see them through the glass. Tivo boxes are ugly pieces of kit, Sky's box is an iMac in comparison. Maybe, but I get hugely faster broadband with Virgin and the package makes the both sides cheaper. I also don't have a glass cabinet Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ketteringram Posted May 10, 2016 Share Posted May 10, 2016 Wasn't there a thread recently, where people were saying they couldn't see the difference between SD and HD? Now we're talking 4k. Be a long time before I get into that. Happy with HD. I've never even upgraded to the Tivo box, despite them constantly pestering me, as I've no need to ever record anything. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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