# Virgin turning off analogue tv early June



## Frank

Hi all 

No doubt not the only one that got the letter from virgin that they are turning off the analogue 16 channels next month.

I have digital in the sitting room but the connections to the bedroom and kitchen are just the analogue.

I know I can get 2 more boxes for an extra 11 each a month, more money 

What are the feeling on alternatives?

Sky / Saorview etc.


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## Brendan Burgess

I listen to BBC Radio 4 though the cable. 

Will that be going as well? 

Brendan


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## Frank

not sure it only mentions tv


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## odyssey06

Hi @Frank whereabouts in the country are you? The Virgin Media site is vague about 'when' the switch off is happening per area.
https://www.virginmedia.ie/switchoff/


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## Frank

Tallaght D24 

Got a letter to say June 6th is the cutoff 

Nuisance


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## odyssey06

What a pain. For one thing, analogue TV needs only one power socket. Now will need one for the TV and one for the digital box. Not efficient.


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## Grizzly

We only have analogue. Three TV's in house. Two used. We also have two old fashioned perfectly functioning TV video recorders. We are happy with our system.

Our TV points are on the opposite side of the room to our phone cables where we have a separate provider for our internet.

I already sussed out satellite TV. Installer said he would have to run cables through our house to connect TV's or throw a cable over the roof to connect with TV on opposite side of our house from dish. He didn't want to run a cable through our attic space.


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## Darthvadar

My late mum and I were on Virgin Analogue, and Mum was a terror for keeping bills in credit, LOTS of credit!.

It only ran out in November, Three years and four months after her death!. 

Anyway, when looking for alternatives, I was told of Bill Free TV. I had never heard of it!. I had it installed by a Dublin company, and absolutely LOVE it!. An initial outlay for the dish, boxes, and installation, and nothing afterwards. The technician was in and out in less than two and a half hours.

All of my favourite channels, and dozens more!.

Might be worth a look for some of you. I certainly recommend it highly. 

Darth.


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## Leo

Darthvadar said:


> Anyway, when looking for alternatives, I was told of Bill Free TV.



Bill Free TV are just one of a number of companies installing free-to-air equipment. If you're handy, it's an easy enough DIY job, and full self-install packs start a little over [broken link removed].

~€100-150 will buy you a box with two satellite tuners and a Saorview digital tuner so that can tune in and record any of the FreeSat and Saorview channels on the one box, with recording, live pause, etc. available if you add a USB drive.


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## elcato

Leo said:


> ~€100-150 will buy you a box with two satellite tuners and a Saorview digital tuner so that can tune in and record any of the FreeSat and Saorview channels on the one box, with recording, live pause, etc. available if you add a USB drive.


Assuming you have a dish and you can actually put one up. No use to the _aportment _dwellers.


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## Leo

elcato said:


> Assuming you have a dish and you can actually put one up. No use to the _aportment _dwellers.



Yep, I was really just posting to point out the alternatives to the company named.


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## Darthvadar

Thank you for that, Leo.

Sorry, I should have checked that I wasn't inadvertently promoting a particular company. I was using 'Bill Free TV' in it's generic sense, and it was actually a totally different Dublin company that I used!. Apologies!.

The apartment dwellers issue, sorry. I confess that I never thought of that!. I hadn't thought of the eysore a plethera of dishes attatched to the block would be!. 

Hope you all get sorted very soon (and not at an extortionate price!).

Darth.


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## odyssey06

Leo said:


> Bill Free TV are just one of a number of companies installing free-to-air equipment. If you're handy, it's an easy enough DIY job, and full self-install packs start a little over [broken link removed]. ~€100-150 will buy you a box with two satellite tuners and a Saorview digital tuner so that can tune in and record any of the FreeSat and Saorview channels on the one box, with recording, live pause, etc. available if you add a USB drive.



Do you know if both a satellite dish and Saorview aerial needed for the install?

And if you have multiple TVs, if each has their own tuner box can they watch different satellite channels?

My folks have two TVs, still in analogue ("community aerial") world and if they have to go digital probably makes more sense to go with a once off option like this than digital with Virgin.


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## Leo

odyssey06 said:


> Do you know if both a satellite dish and Saorview aerial needed for the install?



Yes, different signal types, so dish & aerial required. An internal aerial may work for Saorview depending on where you are, but if you're installing a dish, you can add a suitable digital terrestrial aerial to the bracket and run the cables together.



odyssey06 said:


> And if you have multiple TVs, if each has their own tuner box can they watch different satellite channels?



Yes, you'll need a separate feed on the sat dish LNB for each tuner in the box (to record one sat channel while watching another requires two tuners & two cables). LNBs supporting 8 feeds are common.


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## Lucian N

Hi
My analog tv signal switched off on May 7th
I’m with Virgin Media...I have only broadband&phone for €56/mth  and to get digital tv they want €89/month...
Is any better/cheap way to get few channels as before?? I don’t watch irish tv too often as I have satellite dish@ receiver from my homecountry 
Tks


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## Frank

Looking at three unlimited BB 30pm and Sky Q as alternatives 47.20 pm and one off fee.

even with 3 rooms covered on variety option no movies or sport it comes to 77 plus 125 one off fee so 87 per month 

Cheaper than virgin 

It all depends on if three BB is any good.
Anyone using it?
Can I borrow a router to test the signal the map says 4G inside but the proof is in the surfing.


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## Brendan Burgess

I got the note to say that they were switching off the Analogue TV on 7 August. 

My only reason for being with Virgin is that I get analogue radio.  When I enquired about cancelling, they came back and told me that the analogue radio is not being switched off - just the TV.

Brendan


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## Grizzly

We got a letter this week saying that they are reducing the number of stations to 9 this middle August but they won't be turning off the analogue until 2019. The 9 stations that we will have are basically some Saor View plus BBC1 and Sky News.

I have paid my subscription for the full set of Analogue channels until the end of the year.


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## Laramie

Frank said:


> I have digital in the sitting room but the connections to the bedroom and kitchen are just the analogue.
> 
> I know I can get 2 more boxes for an extra 11 each a month, more money



All my connections (3) are analogue. Each has a video recorder to go with each TV.

Am I right in saying that if I go with digital, I get a box that can record multiple shows at the same time?

Would I even need the other TV's in the other rooms. There are only two of us in the house and we only have the other TV's to record programmes that are on at the same time?


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## Brendan Burgess

Laramie said:


> Am I right in saying that if I go with digital, I get a box that can record multiple shows at the same time?



Yes, I have the Horizon Box and it's very good.  You can record multiple programmes simultaneously.  And you can watch one while recording the other.  You won't need a DVD recorder much. It will be useful if you want to keep a copy of the programme permanently. 

The Hard Drive on the box holds a lot of stuff. But if you switch from Virgin or from the box, you will lose what you have recorded. 

Brendan


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## iamaspinner

With my Virgin Media TV box I can record several programmes from different channels at the same time while watching another channel or even a programme that has not finished recording. It looks like this one:


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## odyssey06

My Virgin Media box is limited to a dual tuner, so I can record two programmes at once; or I can watch one & record one at same time. 
But if it is more than 2, I had been using VHS off analogue as backup.
9pm is a particularly busy slot!


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## Laramie

odyssey06 said:


> 9pm is a particularly busy slot



Thanks for the replies. Yes, around 9 o'clock is a busy time. If I could watch one and record two at the same time it would be great. It probably might only happen about a half dozen times a year though. I suppose I can always download some programmes or watch on my laptop using a VPN.

What happens to the old cables behind our walls that we got with cable/analogue TV? Are these obsolete now. Mine is 25 years old, just wondering if I could use them for a Saorview connection to one of the Tv's that is in the bedroom but seldom used?


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## Brendan Burgess

https://www.virginmedia.ie/customer...irgin-tv/recordings/record-using-horizon-box/

The Horizon Box allows you to record 4 programmes and watch a 5th. 

Brendan


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## Tintagel

Do they use the old analogue connection points to connect with the Horizon Box or is the Horizon Box a separate receiver in it's own right?


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## BOXtheFOX

Brendan Burgess said:


> The Horizon Box allows you to record 4 programmes and watch a 5th.


  How much does it cost to have a second box in a different room per annum/month?

For all the times we might use this second box I am not sure if I even need it, especially if on the main box you can watch and record 4 programmes at the same time?


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## Laramie

Brendan Burgess said:


> The Horizon Box allows you to record 4 programmes and watch a 5th.


We have 3 analogue points in the house, seldom used.   We are thinking of just having one room in the house for watching TV. Virgin Media charge €20 or €30 or €35 for their TV only packages, depending on how many channels you want.

Let's say I choose the €30 per month or €360 per year or €3600 over ten years.  Would it not be better to get a satellite dish and run a cable in to the house for free TV, other than set up costs?

Can I get a box similar to the Horizon Box if I get a satellite dish installed? Can I get all the stations that Virgin Media provide....


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## Leo

Laramie said:


> Can I get a box similar to the Horizon Box if I get a satellite dish installed? Can I get all the stations that Virgin Media provide....



Take a look at the free to air satellite channels here.  

I ditched Sky earlier in the year, and now have a combo box with dual satellite tuners and a single digital receiver picking up the Saorview channels.


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## Laramie

Thanks Leo. Can you recommend someone to install this?  Can you record on a combo box?


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## Leo

I bought a Formuler F1 box, the [broken link removed] is an updated model, but looks like that can only support 2 tuners, so you might need to research other options. I'd only look at one with a minimum of 3 tuners, 2+ satellite and at least one digital terrestrial. 

I installed myself, it's not that difficult really, but means I'm unable to recommend anyone.


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## Tintagel

"O.K. Here is my situation. I just realised that I have been made a fool of by Virgin Media for my analogue service.

I pay for my analogue TV a year in advance. Last January I was billed €420 plus €54.60 for an extra point. I was given a "self service" discount of €42. So my total bill was for €432.59. When I got this bill I got no information/inserts/offers to tell me that the digital products were considerably cheaper.

Last week I got the letter to say that my analogue service was being reduced to 9 TV channels from August and removed in 2019 even though I have paid for the full compliment up until next January. I am being offered basically the Saor View channels plus BBC and Sky News.

I had a look at the Virgin website to see their digital offerings..... Freedom TV €240 per year, 20 channels....... Mix TV €360 per year, 50 plus channels....... Full House TV, 100 plus channels, €420 per year.

All cheaper, so why was I being charged €432 a year for basic analogue when Freedom TV was available for €240? Almost identical channels.

If Virgin knew that analogue was going in 2018, why did they not advise me last January and why did they bill me €432 for a years analogue TV upfront?"

I'm probably not alone here?


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## suzie

>>>All cheaper, so why was I being charged €432 a year for basic analogue when Freedom TV was available for €240? Almost identical channels.
Ans: Customer inertia...

>>>If Virgin knew that analogue was going in 2018, why did they not advise me last January and why did they bill me €432 for a years analogue TV upfront?"
Challenge them on this for a sort of refund + a switch to the equivalent digital version... 

S.


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## theresa1

Analogue Radio is being switched off as well.


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## Brendan Burgess

theresa1 said:


> Analogue Radio is being switched off as well.



Virgin told me it was not being switched off. 

Brendan


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## theresa1

Brendan Burgess said:


> Virgin told me it was not being switched off.
> 
> Brendan



Sorry Brendan but that's incorrect. Radio channels will only be available on Virgin via a set top box e.g. Horizon.


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## Bronco Lane

suzie said:


> >>>All cheaper, so why was I being charged €432 a year for basic analogue when Freedom TV was available for €240? Almost identical channels.
> Ans: Customer inertia...


Not really.  Log on to Virgin TV and they have their pricing for Digital TV.  They do not have any pricing for their Analogue TV. Many people were happy with their analogue service. They were sent a bill and paid the requested amount. They did not know that different people were being charged different prices. They should have displayed the price of the service they were offering. 

I would be interested to know if a company who is selling a service must have their prices displayed?


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## Brendan Burgess

theresa1 said:


> Sorry Brendan but that's incorrect. Radio channels will only be available on Virgin via a set top box e.g. Horizon.



Thanks theresa. That seems reasonable.

But the guy in Virgin told me that as well.
I asked to speak to his supervisor who told me that he thought the same but checked with their technical team and were told the opposite.

However, they are probably mixing up analogue and the Horizon box.

Have you a link to it so that I can confirm one way or the other? 

Brendan


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## Leo

Bronco Lane said:


> I would be interested to know if a company who is selling a service must have their prices displayed?



The slow death of their analogue service has been flagged for years, there are threads here dating back to 2009 on the topic. This wasn't a service actively marketed to new customers, they were under no obligation to advertise pricing. No business is obliged to openly advertise the prices of all their services online.


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## ClubMan

I suspect that there's some confusion here.
VM are switching off their analog transmissions on their cable.
So that means all TV and radio channels there, previously available using just your tv, will disappear.
But they're obviously continuing their digital transmissions on their cable.
This means that digital TV channels and digital transmissions of radio channels that may be analog (e.g. FM) in their original form will continue to be available - via a horizon or similar digibox.
So, for example, the analog transmission of BBC R4 will disappear but the digital transmission of BBC R4 accessible using a Horizon or similar box will continue to be available.
That's my understanding and tallies with what VM have told Brendan.

I have no VM TV package but can still get the analog TV and radio transmissions in spite of that. Presumably not for much longer though.

However I'm pretty sure that in a few months Brendan will still be in the same situation as he is now with the same access to the same TV and radio stations via the VM digital signal decided by his VM box.


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## Brendan Burgess

Thanks ClubMan

That makes sense although the Supervisor was very clear that they would not be switching off analogue radio. But I think that he is wrong and that you and theresa are right. 

That messes me up a lot.  I have three radios plugged into analogue points throughout the house. 

I will be able to get RTE and other Irish radios but I won't be able to get the BBC stations other than ones which are podcasted. 

Brendan


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## ClubMan

I think he's confusing the analog cable transmission of radio (which IS being switched off) with the digital cable transmission of radio that may be analog (e.g. FM) or digital (e.g. DAB) in its original broadcast form (e.g. BBC R4 FM or DAB (if that exists) as originally broadcast in the UK) and relayed in digital form by VM on their cable).


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## ClubMan

A stupid analogy...

There's a motorway with two lanes - one for diesel trucks and one for electric trucks. For every diesel truck there's a corresponding electric truck carrying the same load (one TV or radio channel). Diesel trucks can exit the motorway with no restriction. Electric trucks have to go through a special toll booth (the VM digibox). VM are closing the diesel lane but keeping the electric lane open. The same loads will keep getting delivered but only in one form and only through the toll booth.

(I realise that this analogy is not strictly correct since there are some TV/radio channels on digital and not on analog and maybe vice versa but hopefully it still helps to clarify what I believe the situation to be.)


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## Odea

ClubMan said:


> I have no VM TV package but can still get the analog TV and radio transmissions in spite of that. Presumably not for much longer though.


Well done Clubman. The rest of us have been paying through the nose for analogue TV despite the fact that it was effectively available for free. I remember investigating this a few years ago and it was hinted at through Boards etc. I had considered cancelling my subscription at that time. Sorry I didn't, too late now.


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## ClubMan

This seems to be a relatively up to date list of channels on VM digital cable including the radio channels which VM don't seem to mention much, if at all, on their website for some reason:

https://www.tvchannellists.com/List_of_channels_on_Virgin_Media_(Ireland)

My understanding is that this list will not be affected by VM switching off their analog signal.

And to further labour my motorway/truck analogy above VM are not closing the "diesel" lane but eliminating diesel traffic and making the diesel lane available to additional electric trucks (albeit also only through the toll booth) - e.g. additional digital channels or extra broadband bandwidth.


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## ClubMan

Odea said:


> Well done Clubman. The rest of us have been paying through the nose for analogue TV despite the fact that it was effectively available for free. I remember investigating this a few years ago and it was hinted at through Boards etc. I had considered cancelling my subscription at that time. Sorry I didn't, too late now.


I don't watch much TV so a few years ago it made sense for me to get rid of the digital TV package and just take broadband/phone (don't even need/use the landline but it's bundled anyway).
I think I also got fed up with some messing around on VM's part but can't remember what it was.
I'm currently on the month by month (Freedom?) 240Mbps broadband/phone thing.
I'd be open to switching my broadband service to another provider if there was something suitable but I think that VM are still way ahead in terms of theoretical raw speeds (240/360Mbps) at the moment?
I don't like how they offer preferential options to new customers but I suppose that's just business.
I was tempted to switch to another provider for a few months (not sure how long is necessary) and return as a new customer to get a better deal but it seems like too much hassle even for me...
In fact somebody in VM support actually suggested this to me - maybe they were just sick of dealing with a moaning customer.


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## Odea

ClubMan said:


> I don't watch much TV


  A bit like ourselves. We watch most of our programmes/TV shows on our laptop. I was happy enough with our analogue stations although it appears that we have been paying through the nose for this.
A bit like those people on Plan B in the VHI who never changed. Our legacy analogue just kept increasing in price year on year to the point where it is now more expensive than any of the digital packages offered by Virgin.  

We have our Broadband plus landline through Vodafone. No complaints, about €35 per month.


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## Brendan Burgess

ClubMan said:


> I think he's confusing the analog cable transmission of radio (which IS being switched off)



Hi ClubMan

This is the bit I don't understand. How do you know it IS being switched off?  Is that from your technical knowledge that TV and Radio must travel the same lane. I tried to follow your analogy but got lost on a roundabout. 

Brendan


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## ClubMan

Brendan Burgess said:


> This is the bit I don't understand.


Because VM have said so! - i.e. that they are terminating the transmission of all analog (TV and radio) signals on the cable - i.e. the signals that more or less date back to the NTL/Cablelink/Communal Aerial days and that could be tuned in using just a TV or radio (and no need for any digibox decoder because the signals were analog and not digital).
Once that is done the only way to get access to any content on their cable will be using a digibox which will decode the digital signals that carry TV and radio channels (including radio channels that might be analog - e.g. FM - in their original broadcast format but carried in digital form on the VM cable).
And it frees up extra space for more digital signals (e.g. extra TV/radio channels, more broadband bandwidth).
I am assuming that they are not changing their digital signals at all and so will continue to carry the same digital channels and radio.
But, honestly, THEY should be able to tell you without you needing to depend on third party forums like this!

The only people affected will be those who still use the "old" analog signal via a TV or radio (without a digibox) - that means me (fair enough since I haven't been paying them for this in years ) and you if you have multiple TV/radio points in your house only one of which is via the digibox with the others connected directly to a TV or radio.
I'm sure that VM will provide you with additional digiboxes for your other rooms - and charge you for the privilege... 

Edit: actually I see now that VM are not as explicit as I assumed about switching of ALL analog signals:

https://www.virginmedia.ie/switchoff/

But when they say "analog TV" here I presume that they actually mean all analog signals (TV AND radio). But again THEY really should be able to explain what they are doing to customers....


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## Brendan Burgess

ClubMan said:


> I'm sure that VM will provide you with additional digiboxes for your other rooms



OK, so they give me a second digibox on which I get BBC Radio 4.
But I would need a TV to get it? 

Brendan


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## ClubMan

I don't know but I would not expect so.
Again they really should be able to explain what they're doing and what solutions they can provide for your specific needs and at what the costs and requirements are.

To be honest if I was you and BBC (Radio 4?) was the priority then I'd be inclined to look at some other solution such as an internet connected radio or even a satellite dish to receive the free to air TV and radio channels:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_free-to-air_channels_at_28°E#Radio

Or even a laptop/PC and a suitable online radio app with recording capabilities (haven't really researched these lately so I can't make any suggestions right now).


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## jpd

We use an old iPhone with the TuneIn radio app to listen to BBC radio . The iPhone connects to our wifi network and we have a Bluetooth speaker to enhance the sound, although this isn't strictly necessary. The Bluetooth speaker has a USB port and charges the iPhone. The TuneIn radio app is free and covers radio transmissions from all over the world. You could use the BBC iPlayer instead, I imagine.


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## ClubMan

I think that a key requirement for Brendan is the ability to record (e.g. BBC R4) programmes for listening later (not all of which will be archived online or on the player for listening back). I don't know if you can do that with TuneIn Radio?


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## Brendan Burgess

It seems to be gone already. 

I have tweeted them to find out, but I don't see my tweet on their twitter account.

https://twitter.com/VirginMediaIE

On their UK twitter site there are a lot of complaints about UKTV being dropped. I wonder if that is connected? 

Brendan


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## IsleOfMan

ClubMan said:


> Once that is done the only way to get access to any content on their cable will be using a digibox which will decode the digital signals that carry TV and radio channels (including radio channels that might be analog - e.g. FM - in their original broadcast format but carried in digital form on the VM cable).



Can a second hand Virgin Digibox or other similar box decode the Virgin signal or is it coded for each individual subscriber. A family member moving house brought his old box to his new home and it worked fine?


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## Leo

IsleOfMan said:


> Can a second hand Virgin Digibox or other similar box decode the Virgin signal or is it coded for each individual subscriber. A family member moving house brought his old box to his new home and it worked fine?



It's coded to the box/ subscriber. For the digital signals, they can block individual boxes once the owner stops paying the subscription.


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## ClubMan

Brendan Burgess said:


> On their UK twitter site there are a lot of complaints about UKTV being dropped. I wonder if that is connected?


That's a completely separate issue due to contractual disagreements between VM and UKTV and nothing to do with any analog switch off issue.

What is gone?
The analog signal to devices connected directly to the cable (not via a digibox)?
The radio channels on the digital feed accessed using your digibox?
Both?


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## ClubMan

Leo said:


> It's coded to the box/ subscriber.


Via the card that slots into the box as far as I know.


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## Brendan Burgess

ClubMan said:


> What is gone?
> The analog signal to devices connected directly to the cable (not via a digibox)?



The analog signal connected directly to the cable. 

But only for the UK stations. I can still get Radio Eireann and Newstalk.

Brendan


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## ClubMan

That's odd as I would have expected all analog channels to be gone at once.

Are the radio channels still available via the digibox?

I really don't know why VM can't seem to give you clear info on all of this to be honest.


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## Brendan Burgess

ClubMan said:


> I really don't know why VM can't seem to give you clear info on all of this to be honest.



It takes a long time to get through on the phone and the answer is unreliable anyway.

I tweeted to get a written response, but they don't seem to answer tweets about service. 

There is no email address. 

Brendan


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## Brendan Burgess

OK

The official answer is here. They are being switched off bit by bit.  I'm glad to see that I am not the only one who wants to listen to BBC Radio 4 on a radio.

https://www.boards.ie/ttfthread/2057897775


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## ClubMan

I find the best way to communicate with VM is using their chat support facility on their website. That way you can also get a transcript of the "conversation" which can be useful evidence in the event of any subsequent disagreement.


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## theresa1

theresa1 said:


> Analogue Radio is being switched off as well.



I'm wrong -well in the short term. No plan's at present to turn off Analogue Radio. I just spoke with a Tech on my road. It could go in late 2019 or maybe 2023 but that's pure speculation -going nowhere for the moment.


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## Tintagel

I spoke to a manager in their customer service department who didn't know that there was a "talk to" service on Boards.ie. Although having spoken to them I was no wiser after the event.


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## Brendan Burgess

theresa1 said:


> No plan's at present to turn off Analogue Radio. I just spoke with a Tech on my road.



I have just seen this on the boards.ie page so I presume it's correct. 



It's so frustrating that I had spent so much time looking for a way around this and so many Virgin Media reps have misled people. 

I had almost cancelled by Virgin Media and bought a FreeSat box.

Brendan


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## Odea

I'm watching a BBC programme at the moment and there is a message running across the bottom of the screen telling me that they are switching off their analogue service. It is extremely annoying. Why not have it on for 5 minutes at the start of each programme and then switch it off.


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## SlugBreath

Virgin Media are switching off their analogue TV service.

What incentives are they offering people to continue to do business with them?


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## theresa1

FREE upgrade to Digital TV as far as I know.

www.virginmedia.ie/switchoff - Analogue radio continuing for now official confirmation.


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## SlugBreath

theresa1 said:


> FREE upgrade to Digital TV as far as I know.



Not so sure about that. If you push you might get a free box plus free installation in ONE room. Those of us who have enjoyed the facility of a second room viewing for ourselves or children will have to pay to continue to see what we already have and in some cases already paid for in our annual subscription. 

I understand you will have to pay for the second box and pay for installation. You will then be charged double per month compared to what you are already paying for this service.

They will not allow existing customers opt for their cheaper Freedom TV package which is comparable to the analogue service.

They are not doing anybody any favours.


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## theresa1

If you already paid in advance for analogue points you would get a credit back pro rata. The digital multiroom boxes as they are called do work out more expensive than an analogue point but you get more channels.

Some people had FREE extra analogue points - the FREE ride is over I'm afraid.


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## SlugBreath

theresa1 said:


> The digital multiroom boxes as they are called do work out more expensive than an analogue point but you get more channels.


Not everybody wants extra channels. Virgin won't allow people move to their Freedom TV package which is almost identical to the old analogue package.
Why are they not offering the actual box for the extra room, free to their existing analogue customers.


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## Leo

SlugBreath said:


> Not everybody wants extra channels.



Then you'd likely be better off going SaorView / free to air and save yourself the monthly fee.


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## SoylentGreen

I have a number of TV's gathering dust around the house. Some HD some not HD enabled. These are mainly located in no longer used rooms.

We have a second room where we sometimes watch TV. We were thinking of having Saor View in this room. Can we watch Saor View using one of our old TV's. My understanding is that I will need a box and aerial. Is this correct?  Can I record on to one of my old video recorders?

Is there any point in purchasing yet another TV to add to the pile. I'm thinking of a Saor View enabled TV. Will I still need an aerial to receive Saor Vie on a Saor View enabled TV?

Finally. You can see the Three Rock Mountain from our bedroom. I believe that this is where Saor View is transmitted from. Do I still need an aerial to pick this up. Could an aerial be placed in my attic or even on my window sill to receive the service rather than have an aerial put on my roof?

Thanks


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## Delboy

I have a small aerial I bought in Argos attached to the TV in my kitchen. The aerial sits on a shelve, not near a window. And I get perfect saorview


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## SoylentGreen

Thanks Delboy. I assume that you also have a box as well?


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## odyssey06

Delboy said:


> I have a small aerial I bought in Argos attached to the TV in my kitchen. The aerial sits on a shelve, not near a window. And I get perfect saorview



Is is something like this? How far are you from transmitter? This one says it has range up to 15 miles.


Would there be many tall buildings etc between you and Three Rock?


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## shweeney

might be worth trying [broken link removed] first - it's _slightly_ cheaper than the Argos one.


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## SoylentGreen

Thanks. I am 6 km from the Three Rock Mountain. Most aerials state that you need to be within 15 km. I see that DID do boxes for about €70 and indoor aerials for about €20.
In summertime there are a few trees just up the road from my house that sometimes block my view of the transmitter, but only just.


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## jdwex

Most TVs have digital tuners, so you won't need a box. If they have HD screens they definitely do


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## Sue Ellen

shweeney said:


> might be worth trying [broken link removed] first - it's _slightly_ cheaper than the Argos one.



Brings back so many memories of the 'rabbit's ears' that we used for the telly when I was a child


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## Delboy

odyssey06 said:


> Is is something like this? How far are you from transmitter? This one says it has range up to 15 miles.
> 
> 
> Would there be many tall buildings etc between you and Three Rock?


This is the 1 I have

I'm abut 12km's from 3 rock. No large buildings around me but there are a lot of trees which means I'm stuck with Virgin for my main TV viewing as Sky could'nt get a dish high enough!


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## Delboy

SoylentGreen said:


> Thanks Delboy. I assume that you also have a box as well?


No box, just the aerial I mentioned in the post above. It's plugged direct into the TV


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## faolteam

Hi Delboy, How Many channels do u get and what area are u based in ?


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## Delboy

I get all the saorview channels....rte 1,2, News, Junior and rte+1. V1,2,3. Tg4
Based in D6W


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## faolteam

im in rathfarnham and it says my nearest aerial is three rock and its 15 miles away so doubt your aerial will work with mine


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## Delboy

No way Rathfarnham to Three Rock is 15 miles...12km's by road from where I am and your closer to Three Rock than I am


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## jdwex

I'm in Santry and I get perfect HD from 3 Rock using an indoor aerial. (I am 2nd floor in an apartment)


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## cmalone

Is the change in service - a change to contract ? Can I use it to break existing contract... i received letter via post


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## Sue Ellen

cmalone said:


> Is the change in service - a change to contract ? Can I use it to break existing contract... i received letter via post



Read both ours and a relative's letter and don't recall any mention of being able to opt out of contract.  They did away with as far as I can recall 3 stations and only reinstated 1 which was GOLD.  I understand it was to do with an argument over money with a UK supplier.  That would probably be a better option to argue your point.
Check it out with ComReg 

Just came across this article also [broken link removed]


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## Leo

jdwex said:


> Most TVs have digital tuners, so you won't need a box. If they have HD screens they definitely do



My last two HD TVs had digital tuners but didn't have MPEG4 tuners required for Saorview as a lot of the higher end models sold here up until a few years ago were configured for the UK market where they were still on MPEG2.


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## Frank

Got an internal antenna terrible very in and out.

In tallaght so not too far from tree rock but shocking signal, will probably take the hit and get one more box from UPC.


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## Leo

Frank said:


> Got an internal antenna terrible very in and out.
> 
> In tallaght so not too far from tree rock but shocking signal, will probably take the hit and get one more box from UPC.



Is it amplified? I'm further from Three Rock than you and get pretty solid reception with an old amplified internal one.


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## odyssey06

Got a one for all passive ie not amplified aerial. Doesnt need a separate plug. 
In D3 works perfectly in one room, in the other room its a bit flakier ... got a good signal but it was hanging off a chair pointed towards three rock.

Both rooms are downstairs. Good to have as an option for one room at least.


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## SlugBreath

My update. I was on analogue with three rooms viewing.
I pushed Virgin loyalty and was given a free Horizon Box for room one. A free second box for room two. The services of a Ninja to install these for free. I got their mid package, normally €30 per month for €20. I got the charge for my second room TV reduced to €5 per month from €11. All this on a 12 month contract.
My third room is still on analogue. It is never used. We tried plugging in an aerial to see if we could get SaorView but got nothing despite the three rock mountain being about 3 miles away and visible from the room the TV is in. Any thoughts why we are getting no signal?

I haven't received any monthly bills yet. It will be interesting to see if all of the above falls in to place.


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## odyssey06

SlugBreath said:


> My third room is still on analogue. It is never used. We tried plugging in an aerial to see if we could get SaorView but got nothing despite the three rock mountain being about 3 miles away and visible from the room the TV is in. Any thoughts why we are getting no signal?



Does the TV have a built in SaorView tuner? With my TV, it has built in Saorview tuner, I just went through the menu for 'cable' and did an auto tune for channels and it found all of the Saorview channels, plus RTE radio.


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## Leo

SlugBreath said:


> We tried plugging in an aerial to see if we could get SaorView but got nothing despite the three rock mountain being about 3 miles away and visible from the room the TV is in. Any thoughts why we are getting no signal?



What make & model is the TV? 

Not all digital tuners are created equally, and Saorview requires an MPEG4 receiver. UK FreeView used MPEG2 encoding for it's standard def offerings, so many TVs sold here (as we generally get UK spec variants) didn't come with an MPEG4 capable tuner, even after Saorview launched. The majority of sets on sale now though, will have an MPEG4 tuner, even if they have not been submitted by the manufacturer to be officially Saorview approved.


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