[Cablemaster]

Neil Berkett has announced that Virgin media are planning a new V+ box later this year to improve customer choice and functunality

I wonder if this may be the PVR that ntl were going to intoduce?

[Feed The Reaper]

deleted

[Feed The Reaper]

Am I right in thinking that the current V+ is from Scientific Atlantia? If so they released new set-top boxes in January...

The three new models in the 8500HDC DVR series1 offer a range of capabilities such as sharing Internet services and content across multiple device platforms and the portability of personal photos and video content. The 8500HDC DVR Series provides the ability to support key next-generation features such as:

Whole Home Content: Sharing DVR or user-generated Internet-based video content across multiple set-tops or personal computers (PCs) in the home;

Richer Media Experience and Navigation: Advanced programming guides, enhanced video navigation options, and integrated search functions across multiple devices;

Internet and Premium Content Services: Extended high-definition sports, international content, user-generated video, and Internet content now accessible on the television (TV) or mobile phone;

Device Docking and Storage: Photos and personal video from the PC available for viewing on TV, music downloaded from the PC to home entertainment and mobile devices;

Interactive and Community/Social Applications: Content and experience sharing, as well as communicating with other people across devices on the same network;
and
Enhanced Video Communications: Instant messaging across multiple devices, home monitoring services and caller identification (ID) services across the TV or PC.

Additional Features Enhance Visual Networking Experience:
The latest additions to the 8500HDC series offer 800 mips (million instructions per second) of application processing power; dual 400MHz processors for MPEG-4 advanced video compression decoding; 1 GHz tuning; and optional OpenCable™ features. Additionally, the 8552HDC DVR model set-top is one of the first in the industry to offer Multimedia over Coax Alliance (MoCA) whole-home connection. MoCA adds Ethernet-over-coax support, enabling the transport of digital video and entertainment through existing coaxial cable in the home to other consumer home network devices.

“Many years of research and hard work have resulted in our developing new capabilities to meet the needs of our service provider customers and consumers,” said Bob McIntyre, chief technical officer, Cisco Service Provider Group. “The 8500HDC DVR is vastly improved and has new features that surpass the PC you bought two years ago. The new Cisco set-top boxes were built to enable innovation and will soon be the must-have device for every home entertainment system.”

http://www.scientificatlanta.com/new.../08Jan07-1.htm

[xtraterrestrial]

Originally Posted by Cablemaster

Neil Berkett has announced that Virgin media are planning a new V+ box later this year to improve customer choice and functunality

That's great news.

[TheUnholySinner]

Seeing as the current boxes, well all boxes provided by Virgin are rental, does this mean everyone who has an older box when this one comes out, will get a free upgrade/replacement?

[Furnell]

Yes that is great news.

I like the sounds of the new box cream-egg has posted info about. Sadly though something tells me that it will be out of my price range, for a while anyway....

Unless they decide to upgrade all V+ owners to this new box and use the current V+ as the standard box and get rid of the V boxes ..... ok I'll stop dreaming now

[goomba]

Unlucky for anybody who has spent money on an old one. Makes sense why they have been flogging them off cheap.

[MatthewF32]

Originally Posted by goomba

Unlucky for anybody who has spent money on an old one. Makes sense why they have been flogging them off cheap.

Another one who thinks the £150/£75 up front V+ fee means that you have *bought* the box.

[Clarat]

Originally Posted by goomba

Unlucky for anybody who has spent money on an old one. Makes sense why they have been flogging them off cheap.

Not unlucky - did anyone expect VM to stop developing their offerings just because they spent 75 -150 quid on a current top of the range box?

I got mine a year ago, I certianly didn't expect it to be the best box they have for ever.

Anyway, if it is a complete replacement (I can't see this box being different enough to be a new 'product' as such) we'll get one when our current boxes 'break' anyway, that is the beauty of renting rather than buying.

[Feed The Reaper]

I cant see it being a replacement somehow.... the words Choice and Functionality for the customer to me appears like they are making varying systems available dependant on price the customer wants to pay.

To me, it sounds like a cut down V+ (maybe 20 hours recording or 2 tuners etc) for £50 install fee or cheaper rental per month (something i doubt as that is a backwards step) or more likely a V+ with a bigger HDD (160 hours of recording) for those that need a bigger HDD for HD channel recording (ok stop sniggering now) and willing to pay £200 installation or higher monthly rental.

If it was a straight replacement then it wouldnt offer choice and functionality that burkett has said it is designed for.

[mclarenf1]

Originally Posted by MatthewF32

Another one who thinks the £150/£75 up front V+ fee means that you have *bought* the box.

I dont think this is the case - as you cant own a VM box. You can pay £75 upfront but this is to stop the £10/£15 per month charge that they were charging for the rental of the box.

/edit - missread your post.

[tommyd1258]

I wonder if the new box will encorporate MPEG4 for HD channels? If so, it will be like I said a while ago whereby there's normal STB, then V+ for entry level HD and then a V+HD for full HD channels and the top level box for those who wish to upgrade from this current V+?

It has always seemed like a good idea to me - some argued that it would be bad if they suddenly said they had a new box for HD when V+ was originally marketted as the VM HD box.

EDIT : just read it does have MPEG-4! DOH!

[MatthewF32]

Originally Posted by tommyd1258

I wonder if the new box will encorporate MPEG4 for HD channels? If so, it will be like I said a while ago whereby there's normal STB, then V+ for entry level HD and then a V+HD for full HD channels and the top level box for those who wish to upgrade from this current V+?

It has always seemed like a good idea to me - some argued that it would be bad if they suddenly said they had a new box for HD when V+ was originally marketted as the VM HD box.

EDIT : just read it does have MPEG-4! DOH!

I would go a step further and suggest that possibly the existing V+ will lose the HD capability and become like Sky+ VM stop broadcasting HD in MPEG2 and you would get the new V+HD box for HD using MPEG4

[Formula1Mad]

As long as my V+ upscales SD as well as it does then HD will never be my priority.

[garbage456]

is there a link for this story ?

[goomba]

Originally Posted by MatthewF32

Another one who thinks the £150/£75 up front V+ fee means that you have *bought* the box.

I definitely did not think that. You may as well have bought it though, unless they are going to come round and collect it from you and give you the improved one free of charge?

[FTTW]

Originally Posted by garbage456

is there a link for this story ?

It was an internal communication for VM staff from the CEO.

Don't see the point in the OP even posting this since theres no info on the new box anyway.

[MatthewF32]

Originally Posted by goomba

I definitely did not think that. You may as well have bought it though, unless they are going to come round and collect it from you and give you the improved one free of charge?

150 > "Thinking of leaving us" option > = Free Upgrade.

[Feed The Reaper]

Here is something interesting...... is there going to be a new V+ simply because they dont make the old ones anymore???

V+ is made by Scientific Atlantia..... only they were bought out by Cisco in 2006 but carried on with the SA boxes and branding..... until 2008 when they announced in January they are dropping the SA brand name and more importantly, the STB's made under that brand (The current V+ would fall under this) to be replaced by Cisco's own STB products, of which the 8500HDC mention in my earlier posting is the latest version released to coincide with their change in policy over SA products being replaced by their new product.

Could it be that the current V+ as we know it is due to be discontinued by Cisco (who will have taken up the VM contract to supply V+ that Telewest and SA had agreed) in the near future and be replaced by either a current STB they supply, or this brand new model that offers a LOT more technology with it.

Some links.....

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/05...atlanta-brand/

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/14...op-box-series/

[MatthewF32]

Originally Posted by cream-egg

Here is something interesting...... is there going to be a new V+ simply because they dont make the old ones anymore???

V+ is made by Scientific Atlantia..... only they were bought out by Cisco in 2006 but carried on with the SA boxes and branding..... until 2008 when they announced in January they are dropping the SA brand name and more importantly, the STB's made under that brand (The current V+ would fall under this) to be replaced by Cisco's own STB products, of which the 8500HDC mention in my earlier posting is the latest version released to coincide with their change in policy over SA products being replaced by their new product.

Could it be that the current V+ as we know it is due to be discontinued by Cisco (who will have taken up the VM contract to supply V+ that Telewest and SA had agreed) in the near future and be replaced by either a current STB they supply, or this brand new model that offers a LOT more technology with it.

Some links.....

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/05...atlanta-brand/

http://www.engadgethd.com/2008/01/14...op-box-series/

Thats one pig ugly STB

MattF

[starsailor123]

Originally Posted by MatthewF32

Thats one pig ugly STB

MattF

Agreed

But if its a chioice between esthetical pleasing or functional I'll take the later!

[tommyd1258]

Who designs these STBs!?!?! The Pace Sky+HD, and Standard Sky box is beautifully designed to be sleek and fit in with these top model LCD screens and their shiny stands! This box is grey, boring and has ugly RGB connections on the front. It's also rectangular. The current V+/TVDrives were just about on the edge of OK/Ugly, but this box looks horrible.

[GavMJM]

That would really take the p!ss. I just had V+ installed, lol!

I like the idea of media-sharing, it sounds fantastic, but the chances of Virgin actually using this feature (Like the eSata port, the USB port, just to name a few), is very low.

[sherer]

Originally Posted by GavMJM

That would really take the p!ss. I just had V+ installed, lol!

I like the idea of media-sharing, it sounds fantastic, but the chances of Virgin actually using this feature (Like the eSata port, the USB port, just to name a few), is very low.

Don't forget the above is the specs of the box itself not what Virgin will enable on it.

Until you see any info on a new VM branded box we don't know what we will get

[Formula1Mad]

I don't care if my STB has the same eye candy appeal as Pat Butcher and Dot Cotton. As long as it functions well that's all that's important.

If they do roll out this new box i hope it's as good at upscaling SD as the V+.