I haven't missed Tivo

[Podgy Dad]

I know, its a shocking admission. Since I got my V+ box I haven't used Tivo and while its not perfect its good enough. My biggest annoyance with it is that you are limited to 32x when forwarding through a show, you can't jump to a point in the show like you can with Tivo.

[mikerr]

Workaround for that:

Start playing the recording,
press v+
restart the recording
It now asks you where to start from
You choose the time to jump to, and type in 15:30 or something.

Not as elegant as tivo's 15minute skip though ;)

[ndunlavey]

Interesting. Does V+ do wishlists and suggestions?

[cwaring]

No. Other than meta-data for linking series, it's pretty-much a dumb DVR.

However, it's nice to know that I won't have to suffer "live tv" ever again if my Tivo ever does die.

[ndunlavey]

Oh, OK - so it does no more than Sky+, then?

[cwaring]

No, but it does have THREE tuners and TWO decoders :)

[Podgy Dad]

Oh, OK - so it does no more than Sky+, then?

And series links actually work, and has a better UI than Sky+

[Pete77]

If some Freeview Playback machines start offering Wishlists the Sky+ and V+ will surely have to follow in due course.

Once the basic idea of what a PVR can do is there then there is sure to be a demand for more sophisticated machines with a greater range of recording facilities.

It seem incredible that Virgin can miss this clear cut opportunity to gain a marketing advantage over Sky.

[mikerr]

V+ still has two major drawbacks:

Pressing record begins from when you press record, it doesn't record the buffer.
There is no programme search facility. You have to use the guide to record anything.

[Pete77]

V+ still has two major drawbacks:

Pressing record begins from when you press record, it doesn't record the buffer.
There is no programme search facility. You have to use the guide to record anything.

But clearly both of these relate only to limitations of the software and not the hardware and could be easily rectified with the use of superior and tried and tested software for cable boxes (e.g. Tivo's cable box version).

[Podgy Dad]

V+ still has two major drawbacks:

Pressing record begins from when you press record, it doesn't record the buffer.
There is no programme search facility. You have to use the guide to record anything.

I didn't realise that, that's annoying.

Did I read somewhere that the V+ boxes are made by the same company that make Tivo's in the US?

[blindlemon]

Yes, Scientific Atlanta make the box, and it's basically the same model as used by Cox Communications in the US, for whom TiVo have agreed a deal to supply TiVo software via an OTA upgrade as they do with Comcast.

[Craig B]

V+ still has two major drawbacks:

Pressing record begins from when you press record, it doesn't record the buffer.
There is no programme search facility. You have to use the guide to record anything.No search facility! What is this, the dark ages?

My vague thoughts on getting a V+ are now dead and buried. Why on earth would they not include this simple but useful feature?

[mikerr]

Sadly the great unwashed seem to be happy with simple dumb record functionality,
with series links at most. That's why there doesn't seem to be any advances(1) in DVRs.

(1) Where "advances" means "slowly reinventing various parts of tivo functionality" :rolleyes:

[PhilG]

You know, every time I see a review of PVRs (of any sort) I really wish they'd compare the functionality with the dead Tivo. Perhaps that might embarass someone into doing the job properly

Snag is (I guess) that with a lot of the Tivo functionality, if you've never had it you won't miss it (or realise how useful it is)

[Simon George]

I got my V+ a year ago, and I loved it for HD, upscaling, record two, watch another etc.

As a PVR however its software is terrible. It is less buggy than it was but development hs been non existant for all practiable purposes the last six months. (ever since the Virgin rebranding).

So my Tivo was gathering dust

Then HD content, the most important techical value added of V+ went backwards, not forward. (reduced so a bit of on demand and the BBC service) and no prospects of any more on the horizon.

Then Sky One disappeared (I realise not a problem for many, but a killer for a Stargate/24/BSG nut like me - and my wife even more importantly)

So I cancelled V+, vacuumed my Tivo, installed a cachecard. a 500gb drive, bought an external scalar and rediscovered just how good Tivos software is. I feel like the repentant sinner. It is a cracking piece of kit

If you can do wthout the extra tuners, then stay with Tivo. Believe me you are doing yourself a favour.

(The only thing that is definitely a step backwards is te picture quality. Even with Mode 0 enabled. it is just not as good as V+, hence the extra scalar)

[blindlemon]

Although, of course, if Virgin Media were to do the deal with TiVo then you could have TiVo software with HD, triple tuners etc. on your existing V+ box :up::D

As a V+ customer, have you written to VM to ask about this?

[Gavin]

As a V+ customer, have you written to VM to ask about this?

Please don't.

They cant keep the services they have working smoothly, please don't ask them to do anything that might taxes them.... :p

[Pete77]

They cant keep the services they have working smoothly, please don't ask them to do anything that might taxes them.... :p

Clearly they are still only NTL with a new name then. ;)

By the way welcome back and also congratulations on your wise decision. As the old saying goes "there is more joy in Heaven over one sinner that repenteth than over 50 good and true..................."

As to the lack of dual tuners you could buy yourself a second unsubbed Tivo and then use TCM's (or Sanderton as he was) manual Conflict Resolve model to schedule the other conflicting recording on the unsubbed Tivo over the Cachecard and network (mind you you would need a Cachecard or Turbonet card in the other Tivo to do that). Or just get hold of a second Tivo with a sub and make the SP for the conflicting shows a higher place in the list on that machine than on your main Tivo.

[cwaring]

Clearly they are still only NTL with a new name then. ;)
...and clearly that's simply not the case. However, don't let the truth get in the way :)

Just for the record, here's the time-line:

1. NTL purchased Virgin.Net (ADSL provider) some years ago
2. Telewest did the same with Flextech (now Virgin Media TV)
3. The merger happened - on paper Telewest actually acquired NTL
4. The new firm, ntl: Telewest purchased Virgin Mobile
5. The whole group rebranded to Virgin Media on Feb 8 this year

All my VM services are working smoothly. There are obviously 'regional issues' and this has always been the case, even when I was with Telewest.

[Pete77]

My points is that NTL Digital was famous for regular bizarre technical problems and sudden loss of all channels. It sounds to me like those problems have not yet gone away despite the shiny new Virgin badge.

[RichardJH]

Pete have you ever had any cable services? I agree entirely with Carl and as far as I am concerned VM have brought cable services to a new level. I have been with cable from way back when it was analogue only in the days of Windsor Cable and the Cable Corporation.

I have never been able to get Sky despite 3 attempts by installers to try to circumvent the tree problems.

I agree that the loss of Sky One etc was a nuisance requiring more use of Torrent services but in no way can I blame VM for that loss.

[Simon George]

Blindlemon - IF ONLY. I did a customer survey on V+ which I said more ore less as you suggested. I hold out exactly 0% hope. :rolleyes:

Carl - I do not agee that Virgin have made things better, actually i think Telewest were the ones (in my area) who had done most of the work already (including V+ development). Virgin have done what they always do, I.e. professionalised the marketing. However in some areas things have gone backwards. Customer service is WORSE than it was in the latter days of telewest, V+ stalled, HD stalled, an VOD and EPG search is slow to the point of being non functional. Then they pick a fight with Sky which they are going to lose (it's a simple matter of the economics of scale).

Two TiVos - I only have one cable tuner now, so how does having a second tivo get round that problem? (I should say I already use the freeview tuner on my Panny HDD/DVDR as a second tuner).

(BTW I would have Sky but I am in a conservation area so no dishes allowed)

[jonphil]

...and clearly that's simply not the case. However, don't let the truth get in the way :)

Just for the record, here's the time-line:

1. NTL purchased Virgin.Net (ADSL provider) some years ago
2. Telewest did the same with Flextech (now Virgin Media TV)
3. The merger happened - on paper Telewest actually acquired NTL
4. The new firm, ntl: Telewest purchased Virgin Mobile
5. The whole group rebranded to Virgin Media on Feb 8 this year

All my VM services are working smoothly. There are obviously 'regional issues' and this has always been the case, even when I was with Telewest.

Interestingly I saw in the paper on Tuesday that some American firm were looking at a takeover bid for Virgin Media.

On a side note why are all Sky Virgin and Freeview developing their own PVR's when they could have got Tivo to do a much better job.
I still dream of the day Tivo relaunch in the UK, but the long that is the less likely that will happen. They seem to have lost interest in the entire European market now, maybe scared of the new ROSH law over lead content in boxes and such. Outside of Europe you can sell what you want but here you have huge red tape to jump through.
I know coz I'm waiting to get my hands on a Ziova Clearstream box which just just a rebadged Z500 from Australia (had to be redesigned for the strict European market)

[Paul555]

Virgin joining with TiVo on the V+ box would convince me to drop Sky forever. Are you listening Virgin?

Somehow I doubt it. If someone gets me an email contact address for Virgin I'll email and ask!

[Pete77]

If someone gets me an email contact address for Virgin I'll email and ask!

See www.virginmediatv.co.uk/about_us/our_people/

Try the Head of Brand Planning for Virgin Media Tv, Paul Hancock

paul.hancock@virginmedia.com or if no joy try paul.hancock@virginmediatv.co.uk

and Director, Broadcast Services - Ashley Holloway

ashley.holloway@virginmedia.com or ashley.holloway@virginmediatv.co.uk

Or from the main parent company the following

Steve Burch, the CEO of the company and quoted by the BBC at the time of the split with Sky over their basic channels:-

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/6389015.stm

Try steve.burch@virginmedia.com and/or stephen.burch@virginmedia.com

or the Chief Operating officer

neil.berkett@virginmedia.com

or the Chief Commercial Officer

ernie.cormier@virginmedia.com

or the Chief Executive Officer - Content Division

malcolm.wall@virginmedia.com

See http://pressoffice.virginmedia.com/phoenix.zhtml?c=205406&p=irol-whoswho for more info.

I would email all of the above personally as you never really know who calls the shots on this kind of issue. In fact you almost need to set one of them off who knows Tivo starting to ask the question to the others who may be ignorant of it -also especially the version of Tivo's software that will run on their V+ boxes.

Also some of Virgin's board appear to be Americans who will understand Tivo and its benefits a lot better.

[cwaring]

Yes, once again Pete, I'm sure they'll thank you for plastering their email addresses all over a public forum :rolleyes:

Yes, I know they're available on VM's own web site. The point is they know that they're listed on there. They don't know that someone else is plastering them all over other Forums. You could (and should) have just posted that final link and said "there you go!".

[Pete77]

Yes, once again Pete, I'm sure they'll thank you for plastering their email addresses all over a public forum :rolleyes:

(Yes, I know they're available on VM's own web site. The point is they know that they're listed on there. They don't know that someone else is plastering them all over other Forums.)

Carl if this was secret information it wouldn't be on their website viewable by anyone on the planet. Also you have a strange way of thinking if you really imagine that posting the details of these people for the handful of geeks who read the threads on the UK part of this website will generate many emails compared to the thousands of disgruntled Virgin Media customers over the loss of the Sky channels who will clearly all visit the VirginMedia sites directly if they wish to find someone to vent their anger on.

I think your problem is having never moved anywhere near the hallowed corridors of power you wrongly regard these people with a kind of reverential god like status. But the reality is they are only people (usually somewhat selfish, single minded and egotistical people to have reached these positions) and if they didn't want to hear their customers views then they shouldn't have taken those jobs in the first place.

And whether you accept it or not emailing the senior staff is far more likely to slightly increase the chance of Tivo software appearing on a Virgin Media box than trying to make the point to some clueless customer service adviser, who finding Tivo not even in their call centre script doesn't end up even recording the complaint.

[ndunlavey]

I think your problem ...
Hmmmmm ....

[cwaring]

Carl if this was secret information
Exactly where did I mention it was secret information? :rolleyes:

My point is that - for example - I know my email address is on my website. I don't want it anywhere else without my knowing about it.

[Pete77]

I know my email address is on my website

You mean the email address at www.carl-waring.co.uk ;) :p

The only real argument against posting email addresses on a web forum page is spammers harvesting them but as spam harvesting is now so widespread (for instance a new email address for my Mum picked up a torrent of spam after only 1 month) its going to happen anyway and the only solution is an email provider with a decent level of spam filtering.

And these guys are senior figures in a leading public company so to me that removes their right to anonymity.

[TCM2007]

I think your problem is having never moved anywhere near the hallowed corridors of power you wrongly regard these people with a kind of revential god like status. But the reality is they are only people (usually somewhat selfish, single minded and egotistical people to have reached these positions) and if they didn't want to hear their customers views then they shouldn't have taken those jobs in the first place.


Wow, slagging off Carl in a deeply patronising way AND making loads of generalised assumptions about senior managers based on what I can only assume is either jealousy or perhaps some kind of class based prejudice - all in the same paragraph.

Way to go Pete! :(

[TCM2007]

And these guys are senior figures in a leading public company so to me that removes their right to anonymity.

How so?

Board members and shareholders of a PLC are matter of public record, but why does the ownership status of the company's shares make any difference? Why are senior executives of companies backed by venture capitalists excluded from your e-mail harassment campaigns?

[Pete77]

making loads of generalised assumptions about senior managers

You are obviously the exception that proves the rule TCM in spending lots of your time on a non revenue earning activity that also has no clear cut long term career enhancement prospects.

But yes possibly I am little damaged after working for a couple of very abusive and extracive small company private sector employers who took all my existing knowledge and contacts from me while giving me little in return and in each case had an artificial glass ceiling (old buddy buddies at the top) that it was impossible for me to break through.

[Pete77]

Why are senior executives of companies backed by venture capitalists excluded from your e-mail harassment campaigns?

You will be relieved to hear that they aren't excluded from my email campaigns and nor are senior civil servants or senior executives in government funded QUANGOs such as Ofcom.

[TCM2007]

in each case had an artificial glass ceiling (old buddy buddies at the top) that it was impossible for me to break through.


Yes, that will be why. I'm sure you didn''t wind up your former bosses the way you wind people up here. That couldn't have anything to do with it.

[TCM2007]

You are obviously the exception that proves the rule TCM in spending lots of your time on a non revenue earning activity that also has no clear cut long term career enhancement prospects.

I think your problem is having never moved anywhere near the hallowed corridors of power you wrongly regard these people with a kind of envy. But the reality is they are only people.

I'd buy the "single-minded" bit up to a point, but the senior guys I know are just normal folks with hobbies interests and families just like everyone else.

I think you must have watched Wall Street once too often.

[TCM2007]

Recent studies have shown that many successful managers are in fact psychopaths who relentlessly tread on their staff to get to the top.


If they do that they are bad managers and would only be successful in a thoroughly dysfunctional company.

Still if you are one of them rather than one of those trodden on you probably won't have perceived the problem.

As to them having families yes generally they do but that doesn't stop many of their employees seeing them as monsters.

"Psychopaths" "trodden on" "monsters". Pete, you have issues. BIG issues. Like your TW problems in another thread, the problems seem to be at your end.

[Pete77]

If they do that they are bad managers and would only be successful in a thoroughly dysfunctional company.

The last company I worked for was extremely dysfunctional and I think our public school Operations Director modelled himself closely on the tales of Flashman.

But TCM don't you ever feel your addiction to this forum and your constant need to position yourself as its guru in advising others may mean that you may have some issues too? ;)

[Paul555]

Guys, calm down. We are well off topic now. I will look into emailing one or more of those addresses later. Maybe we all should to get them thinking about it.

[blindlemon]

Yes, once again Pete, I'm sure they'll thank you for plastering their email addresses all over a public forum :rolleyes:

Yes, I know they're available on VM's own web site. The point is they know that they're listed on there. They don't know that someone else is plastering them all over other Forums.Forgive me for siding with Pete here (:o) but I have to agree that if they've published the email addresses on their own website then there's not really any way they can complain about people re-posting them elsewhere.

Once something's on the web it's 'out there'. If you don't want it out there, then don't post it on the web, anywhere.

[Pete77]

Forgive me for siding with Pete here (:o) but I have to agree that if they've published the email addresses on their own website then there's not really any way they can complain about people re-posting them elsewhere.

Once something's on the web it's 'out there'. If you don't want it out there, then don't post it on the web, anywhere.

To be fair they only published the names and the positions of the people concerned under the About Us, Press and or Investor Information of the two websites.

I then derived the email addresses on the basis that firstname.surname usually works about 90% of the time. And I haven't even tested they work, which is lazy of me. But if you get rejects on any of these email addresses then try the format alastname@virginmedia.com (where a is the initial of the firstname), firstname@virginmedia.com, firstnamelastname@virginmedia.com and firstname_lastname@virginmedia.com. I would be surprised if one of those doesn't work, although annoyingly at some companies the naming convention for email addresses of different members of staff depends on when they joined the company and which was most fashionable then. However most companies have standardised on firstname.lastname@company.com as a common email address format.

[cwaring]

You mean the email address at www.carl-waring.co.uk ;) :p
Yep. That'll be me then :) You'll notice it's not a 'live' link either (and it's a graphic), so no spam should result from it. However, were you to post the address on here then that might be harvested, which would annoy me.

You see my point now?

Forgive me for siding with Pete here (:o) ...
No ;):D

[Pete77]

No ;):D

blindlemon is always fair and objective in relation to the facts.

Other people, myself included and definitely TCM included, seem to have their own agendas of one sort or another.

[cwaring]

Hence the smileys :rolleyes:

[blindlemon]

I then derived the email addresses on the basis that firstname.surname usually works about 90% of the time.Ahh, so they're not all real email addresses anyway?

Well, nobody can really get upset about you publishing a work of fiction :p:D

However, I would consider it a breach if somebody published a private email address not published anywhere that had been used to reply to an email sent to a public address - eg. where you send an email to info@company.com and the person inadvertantly replies from fred.bloggs@company.com.

[TCM2007]

our addiction to this forum and your constant need to position yourself as its guru in advising others

Takes one to know one!

Sorry, I've allowed myself to be dragged into a debate again. Must try harder not to react to Pete's ridiculous prejudiced generalisations.

[Pete77]

Takes one to know one!

:p :D

Sorry, I've allowed myself to be dragged into a debate again. Must try harder not to react to Pete's ridiculous prejudiced generalisations.

But where would you be without them to have the chance to pass some chiding comments on. ;)

[Pete77]

However, I would consider it a breach if somebody published a private email address not published anywhere that had been used to reply to an email sent to a public address - eg. where you send an email to info@company.com and the person inadvertantly replies from fred.bloggs@company.com.

But in the days before email surely nobody could stop someone writing to them at the company they worked for so long as they knew what the company was and its address. :(

But obviously with email as its free and much easier people do tend to do these multi recipient communications a great deal more often. Also company websites make it much easier to track down who is in charge than it was in the days of having to go to a library or deal with dragon switchboard operators on the phone (usually saying stuff like I'm not authorised to give out the names of people who work here).

[TCM2007]

But in the days before email surely nobody could stop someone writing to them at the company they worked for so long as they knew what the company was and its address. :(

E-mail is much more intrusive. Most senior execs have a PA who opens and screens post, but it's rare to have someone screen your e-mails.

[Pete77]

E-mail is much more intrusive. Most senior execs have a PA who opens and screens post, but it's rare to have someone screen your e-mails.

Which is precisely why I find emails to senior execs often such a successful weapon in changing things compared to the Customer Crunching department (oops I mean so called Customer Service).

Clearly one factor in the whole computer revolution is that dedicated secretaries are becoming less common and only people in very large corporates have them any more (and even not all of them do).

One of the more amazing people to normally always deal personally with emails to his obviously readily deducable firstname.lastname email address is Ben Verwaayen, CEO of BT. Indeed in response to one of my emails as one of the long running campaigners involved with the www.saynoto0870.com he even picked up the phone and called me back to discuss the issues I had raised. He normally sends some form of reply, even if short.

On the other hand it can be a double edged sword as due to my habit of emailing the managing director with all my criticisms the MD's of no less than three different companies have told me that if I don't like their way of doing things that I should take my business elsewhere. But at least I know where I stand and the reasons why that particular company never listens to most customer's views.

As to the intrusion no one can force you to reply to email correspondence from people who are not a direct part of your normal job function with the organisation. The fact that you feel you perhaps ought to shows how much wortwhile letter correspondence your assistant or secretary previously used to keep away from you.

[TCM2007]

As to the intrusion no one can force you to reply to email correspondence from people who are not a direct part of your normal job function with the organisation.


E-mails from customers to senior management fall broadly into three categories:


People who are bringing to your attention a problem or opportunity you might otherwise have missed, and whose feedback is useful and constructive. These people are invariably polite, and their comments are always read and often acted on.
Angry rants, usually cc'd to every manager the sender can find at your company, ALWAYS cc'd to the CEO in the misguided belief that you will act to solve their problem faster as result . Sometimes there's a grain of truth in the e-mail, but it's hidden under such OTT righteous indignation that it's often hard to find it. You do have to find out if there's a genuine reason for the complaint though, but if they'd done it like the previous category it would have been much easier.
Complete nutters whose e-mails make little sense


So I wouldn't say e-mailing managers is inherently a bad thing. Spamming the entire management structure of a company with a rant is.

[Pete77]

So I wouldn't say e-mailing managers is inherently a bad thing. Spamming the entire management structure of a company with a rant is.

My strategy varies depending on the circumstances. Sometimes a rant still seems justified if you feel the organisation is such a large faceless corporate that it is incapable of changing its ways anyhow. Most often my issue is with corporate policy rather than the failure of any specific individual.

What would you suggest if you politely drew a matter to the attention of the right manager in a company and then months later they had failed to take the right action, so leading to a much worse situation?

That is when heading towards a wider circulation list and more of a rant tends to set in.

As to being classed as a nutter I suspect spidery handwriting and several pages of illegible screed are most effective in creating this particular impression. ;) :p

[Pete77]

And reactions by companies are not at all consistent and depend on their culture.

For instance the decision of Hargreaves Lansdown to make me leave them as a customer with several tens of thousands in my portfolio, just because I complained about them constantly irresponsibly badgering me to transfer all my other investments to them beyond the protection levels of the Investors Compensation Scheme and also about them recently failing to automatically issue me with a refund cheque for the part of funds I recently sent them for their share float that were not turned in to shares I regard as being utterly bizarre and incomprehensible.

But their MD seems to be an old style grumpy Yorkshireman who seems to believe that he is always right and that his customers are more like staff so are not allowed to criticise the way the company does business.

[TCM2007]

What would you suggest if you politely drew a matter to the attention of the right manager in a company and then months later they had failed to take the right action, so leading to a much worse situation?

Take your custom to a better company?

[Pete77]

Take your custom to a better company?

What if they are a monopoly provider like a County Council Highways department?

In those circumstances I don't see much option other than what the Israeli Eurovision Song Contest entry this year calls the "Push The Button" option.

[TCM2007]

In that particular case, they are responsible to the council, so you would contact your local councillor, whose job it is to take up your grievance.

[Pete77]

In that particular case, they are responsible to the council, so you would contact your local councillor, whose job it is to take up your grievance.
But your local County Councillor is once again a monopoly supplier of his services. ;)

So presumably go to the local paper if he does not respond?

[TCM2007]

Most county councils have more than one member per ward, and there are of course the councillors with direct roads responsibility to talk to.

If all fails and everyone refuses to act, you should perhaps at least consider the possibility that your complaint is not valid or that your style of complaining is counter productive.

[Pete77]

Most county councils have more than one member per ward, and there are of course the councillors with direct roads responsibility to talk to.

If all fails and everyone refuses to act, you should perhaps at least consider the possibility that your complaint is not valid or that your style of complaining is counter productive.

No there is only normally one County Councillor per Division. You are thinking of Borough and District and Unitary Councillors when you talk in terms of 2 or more per ward.

[Paul555]

Okay if you lot can stop squabbling and get back on topic please. I have attempted to send a carefully worded email to the addresses suggested but they all failed. Does anyone know a genuine email address to try?

I am not expecting a positive response as they may say that they are developing Virgin Central but who knows?

The topic by the way was not missing TiVo having parted with it.

Thanks all

[Pete77]

Okay if you lot can stop squabbling and get back on topic please. I have attempted to send a carefully worded email to the addresses suggested but they all failed. Does anyone know a genuine email address to try?

The following works:-

malcolm.wall@virginmediatv.co.uk

It seems virginmedia.com does not appear to be used for email addresses.

[cwaring]

Except that they are all addresses for people who work at what used to be Flextech, the TV content division and are, consequently, completely the wrong people to contact.

See what I mean, Pete? You can't just go firing off emails to everyone in the company in the hope that one of them just might be the right person to contact :rolleyes:

[Pete77]

Except that they are all addresses for people who work at what used to be Flextech, the TV content division and are, consequently, completely the wrong people to contact.

Since you appear to have an inside track Carl perhaps you can tell us the right person to contact. ;) :p

[Pete77]

It seems the reason certain very senior staff have no virgimedia email address is because the company has not yet bothered to create one for them.

Try the following NTL email addresses for 2 people who definitely do have the power to affect the decision over Virgin's use of Tivo software:-

steve.burch@ntl.com President and CEO of Virgin Media
neil.berkett@ntl.com Chief Operating Officer of Virgin Media

[cwaring]

Since you appear to have an inside track Carl perhaps you can tell us the right person to contact. ;) :p
If you are a customer, I would suggest Customer Support :p

[Pete77]

If you are a customer, I would suggest Customer Support :p
Where you can then speak to Debbie who says "What's A Tivo" and not having it on her list of known customer issues totally ignores your call.

[Pete77]

And here's a list you won't like that is used by those of us who don't like being fobbed of by customer services people-

www.connectotel.com/marcus/ceoemail.html

[Raisltin Majere]

And here's a list you won't like that is used by those of us who don't like being fobbed of by customer services people-

www.connectotel.com/marcus/ceoemail.html

Just out of curiosity, how many people on that list have you emailed?

[Pete77]

Just out of curiosity, how many people on that list have you emailed?

Well considerably less than all of them. ;) :p

[Atomic409]

I foolishly clung to the poorly designed, practically unsupported, and woefully inadequate dvrs from DirecTV, DISH, and cable company for far too long. Only recently have I awakened from my stupor.

As a previous poster said you don't know you need the features that tivo provides till you actually have them for a while. For my .02 let someone else suffer with these other dvr boxes, I'll be a happy tivo owner!

Never goin' back now! Thank you tivocommunity!

[cwaring]

Where you can then speak to Debbie who says "What's A Tivo" and not having it on her list of known customer issues totally ignores your call.
I would politely ask Debbie to make a note of my comments and pass them up the chain. Now you might say "well yeah, but she'll probably just bin them" but I luckily not only do I have a little more faith in people than you, but I would think that comments from customers would be seen as very important.

I know. How foolish of me :rolleyes::p:D

[Pete77]

I know. How foolish of me :rolleyes::p:D

Surely what the customers think doesn't matter a damn at VirginMedia or Sky.

Instead its purely whatever crumbs at this Duopolistic little pair that the directors of these companies feel like casting towards their customers.

The customers will choose between what they are offered but they won't be allowed to control the show. Only in the Land of the Brave and the Free is that kind of thing allowed.

[blindlemon]

It seems virginmedia.com does not appear to be used for email addresses.Try virginmedia.co.uk - a couple of the published addresses are here ;)

[Pete77]

Try virginmedia.co.uk - a couple of the published addresses are here ;)

Utterly bizarre and inconsistent given that if you try to visit the website www.virginmedia.co.uk you are redirected to www.virginmedia.com and also when its predecessor company used www.ntl.com and not www.ntl.co.uk.

[Pete77]

Try virginmedia.co.uk - a couple of the published addresses are here ;)

Your html link seems to be missing? :confused:

[blindlemon]

Utterly bizarre and inconsistent Maybe, but they worked for me :)

[blindlemon]

Your html link seems to be missing? :confused:The web forwarding has been up & down all day :mad:

[Pete77]

Maybe, but they worked for me :)

I'm not saying they don't work but just that its bizarrely inconsistent of them to use virginmedia.com for the website and virginmedia.co.uk for the email.

Anyhow I take it that you haven't therefore been emailing only customer services as Carl would recommend. ;)

[blindlemon]

I'm not a Virgin Media customer so I didn't see the point.

[Pete77]

I'm not a Virgin Media customer so I didn't see the point.
I never see the point in writing to customer services as the average customer service person seems to be completely unable to "think outside the box".

If a phone call to customer services doesn't do the job on any issue then emailing management is usually my next line of attack.

I'm sure the Ignore band will be unhappy when they still see me quoted in your posts. Perhaps they will soon start Ignoring you too though ;)

[Paul555]

It seems the reason certain very senior staff have no virgimedia email address is because the company has not yet bothered to create one for them.

Try the following NTL email addresses for 2 people who definitely do have the power to affect the decision over Virgin's use of Tivo software:-

steve.burch@ntl.com President and CEO of Virgin Media
neil.berkett@ntl.com Chief Operating Officer of Virgin Media

Email sent to these two. Let's hope I get a reply. I'm not really expecting one though.

[Pete77]

Email sent to these two. Let's hope I get a reply. I'm not really expecting one though.

Email also sent to them here.

I am sure these two are getting a huge number of direct complaints about the loss of Sky channels so it depends if they notice our emails (or their secretaries do) amongst all those.

I suggested that putting Tivo software on the Scientific Atlanta box was a very good way for them to strike back against Sky by then having a PVR product that was clearly much better than that of their main rival. It was also a good way of encouraging customers to uprate to their premium priced package by only making the Tivo software available on the V+ box with its HD based subscription packages.

[Paul555]

Email also sent to them here.

I am sure these two are getting a huge number of direct complaints about the loss of Sky channels so it depends if they notice our emails (or their secretaries do) amongst all those.

I suggested that putting Tivo software on the Scientific Atlanta box was a very good way for them to strike back against Sky by then having a PVR product that was clearly much better than that of their main rival. It was also a good way of encouraging customers to uprate to their premium priced package by only making the Tivo software available on the V+ box with its HD based subscription packages.

Pretty much what I said too!

[Pete77]

Pretty much what I said too!

But the key thing is for it to be said in our own words as completely duplicate letters with exactly the same text but only different names are usually treated as a petition, so usually then carry less weight in changing opinions.

[Paul555]

But the key thing is for it to be said in our own words as completely duplicate letters with exactly the same text but only different names are usually treated as a petition, so usually then carry less weight in changing opinions.

Yes, I don't know exactly what you wrote. I haven't posted the full email on here for that reason.

[Pete77]

Yes, I don't know exactly what you wrote. I haven't posted the full email on here for that reason.

Ditto here. That is I thought of posting my letter here but decided not to precisely because some people might then just cut and paste and send it under their own name as an email.

[TCM2007]

My living room TiVo just blew up (last week /var got wiped, this week TiVo keeps locking up and ther's no network connection; probably hard drive).

It occurred to me that if it wasn't acting as a remote data source for an ex-pat friend of mine in the States I probably wouldn't bother repairing it. I have MCE, Sky HD and a TiVo attached to that TV, and the TiVo only gets watched in the very rarest of circumstances.

A lovely interface doesn't make up for the picture quality and single tuner any more. :(

[Pete77]

A lovely interface doesn't make up for the picture quality and single tuner any more. :(

Which is clearly why we want Virgin to provide us Tivo software on their HD compatible and three tuner Scientific Atlanta box.

[verses]

It occurred to me that if it wasn't acting as a remote data source for an ex-pat friend of mine in the States I probably wouldn't bother repairing it. I have MCE, Sky HD and a TiVo attached to that TV, and the TiVo only gets watched in the very rarest of circumstances.

Obviously I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here; but would using the MCE box not be a better way to server content to the friend? Presumably the files are more highly compressed yet just as good quality (ie, better encoding algorythm)?

Having said that I've no hands-on experience of MCE and just working from my own assumptions.

Cheers,

Ian

[Pete77]

Having said that I've no hands-on experience of MCE and just working from my own assumptions.

MCE can't handle encrypted Sky channels unless you want to mess around with the Dragon CAM and shuffling the relevant Sky subscription card between the two.

[TCM2007]

Obviously I'm teaching my grandmother to suck eggs here; but would using the MCE box not be a better way to server content to the friend? Presumably the files are more highly compressed yet just as good quality (ie, better encoding algorythm)?

Having said that I've no hands-on experience of MCE and just working from my own assumptions.

Cheers,

Ian

The files need re-encoding before sending whatever records them; an episode of EastEnders is about 110Mb when re-encoded.

I could do it direct on the MCE PC, but that would mean giving my friends access to it, craeting programming clashes and filling up my hard drive with EastEnders, the Bill and other such horrors. By doing it via TiVo, he can set whatever recording he likes with TivoWeb, and eTivo will automatically re-encode them and give him a web interface to download them and manage the encodes.

Also he also likes to get rugby, which is only available on Sky and my MCE setup is Freeview - with MCE you can either be Sky or Freeview but not both.

[Pete77]

I received an email Read Receipt at 8.40am this morning from:-

Malcolm.Wall@virginmediatv.co.uk

[cwaring]

Of course, that only means the address works. He won't have any responsiblity for the V+ Box whatsoever as he works for the TV broadcasting (ex-Flextech) side of things.

It's all very-well mail-bombing everyone you think might have the slightest connection to a subject, but I think that just makes you look stupid. (That's the royal 'you', Pete, not a personal attack :))

[blindlemon]

Carl,

With all due respect, as you seem to know who's who at Virgin Media, apart from Customer Services who would you recommend we email?

[mikerr]

richard.branson@virgin.com ? ;)

[Pete77]

richard.branson@virgin.com ? ;)

Not a bad idea I agree but I suspect he is too far away from the real running of NTLVirgin to have much real input on this apparently techy/geeky issue. Of course the loss of the Sky channels is another matter and I am sure he is taking a very hands on interest there.

Still if you don't ask you don't get. Hopefully he has a team there reading the emails for all seemingly valid or progressible suggestions.

[cwaring]

With all due respect, as you seem to know who's who at Virgin Media, apart from Customer Services who would you recommend we email?
I really have no idea. My only contact is the head of the Media Centre.

[Pete77]

I really have no idea. My only contact is the head of the Media Centre.

Who in any case is listed on the Press section of their website. :rolleyes:

[TCM2007]

Carl,

With all due respect, as you seem to know who's who at Virgin Media, apart from Customer Services who would you recommend we email?

Howard Watson is Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media. No, I don't have his e-mail address!

[Pete77]

Howard Watson is Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media. No, I don't have his e-mail address!

howard.watson@virginmedia.co.uk

[cwaring]

Who in any case is listed on the Press section of their website. :rolleyes:
Did I say it wasn't :rolleyes:

Howard Watson is Chief Technology Officer at Virgin Media. No, I don't have his e-mail address!
howard.watson@virginmedia.co.uk
Yeah, thanks Pete. We're all so thick we couldn't have worked it out for ourselves :rolleyes:

Seriously, you're just doing this to up your post count aren't you! ;):D

[Pete77]

Seriously, you're just doing this to up your post count aren't you! ;):D

Hey I still haven't made No 1 for a day in the Posting thread tables yet (close at No 2 last Saturday though) and I'm only 30th highest poster on Tivocommunity for all of May so far. :p

But no I just posted the email address as quite a few people here don't ever seem to get the firstname.lastname@ business and seem to need to have it spelled out for them. Also cunning virginmedia use .com for the website and .co.uk for the email addresses just to throw people off track. ;) :mad:

[cwaring]

Yeah, it's almost like they don't want people to email them, isn' it? ;):)

[WiteWulf]

Hey guys, I've been following this thread with interest for a while now as an owner of a TiVo that's getting more and more unreliable in a cabinet cluttered with multiple receivers. I've been so tempted to call up Virginmedia and ask them for the upgrade to V+ but the TiVo interface keeps calling me back. This news of Comcast offering the TiVo software is absolutely fantastic, would it be beyond the realms of imagination to actually organise a proper letter writing campaign (rather than a couple of random emails, as seems to be happening here) with a pre-written text telling Virgin that they have a market (us TiVo owners) and they (potentially) have a product, the two just need to be brought together.

[TCM2007]

There are only 20-odd thousand of us, maybe many less, so we don't really constitute a market as such.

[mikerr]

A small number of installed tivos, but a huge market for PVRs nowadays.

Lets face it, in 2000/2001 even hardcore techies didn't buy (or even understand) tivo,
and by the time tivo pulled out of the UK in 2003 the public were still largely
unaware of PVRs in general

How many times did you tell people what your tivo was, and they just said
"I have a vcr for that", or "whats the point?" until they see one in use.
It got better within the last 2 years, as now you can say "like sky+ but better"

Nowadays everybody knows what a PVR is, the market is much bigger.
Even my grandad has bought a freeview PVR (crap though it is).

Or maybe there are just to many for tivo to compete as a standalone now?
I still think VM and V+ is the best bet

[britcub]

A standalone TiVo could compete if anyone was interested in making them. Comparitive advertising has been allowed for a few years now, meaning a series of ads showing what features TiVo (S3) and Sky+ have side by side could be run. Folks could then see how few features Sky+ actually has!

[mikerr]

Dual tuners are essential nowadays.
A standalone tivo with dual tuners is only possible on freeview (no cablecards or sky cams)
but the freeview market won't want to pay a monthly tivo sub, which would make for
a high cost of the box (£300?) - when there are sub £100 dual tuner boxes already.

So this leaves the subscription market: sky or cable.
Both are closed systems, so it would have to be sky or VM actually licencing the software/box.

[Podgy Dad]

For those with VM, do you have problems with the picture breaking up and sound dropping out. On my V+ box I'm having these issues and am not sure if its HD related or signal.

[cwaring]

I don't have the V+ but am certainly not having any similar problems at this time.

[RichardJH]

I have V+ but do not use HD. Haven't had any problems