Small Changes in Virgin Media UK’s Latest TV 360 and STREAM Update
Broadband ISP Virgin Media (VMO2) recently started to roll-out their first new device firmware update(s) of 2024 for both their Virgin TV 360 (v5.06) and STREAM (v5.07) platforms, which make a variety of smaller changes to the User Interface (UI). But none of the changes are particularly big this time around.
The changes start with a tweak to “make the programme tiles more visible,” which in practice means these will now show in landscape (rather than portrait) across the majority of screens, enabling users to see a bit more information.
Elsewhere, description boxes have been added to various settings options, and the profile creation screen has been updated so that the content categories you can select when creating a new profile now match the most popular selections.
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VMO2 has also changed the progress bar on the home screen, which previously gave you a visual indication to highlight how much of a TV show or Movie you’d already watched. Curiously, they now only display this for the highlighted programme, rather than all programmes, which some may view as a negative change.
Finally, on STREAM boxes only, VMO2 has changed ‘My Watchlist’ by enabling users to add any programme, including those that have already aired through Catch Up. Previously, you could only add upcoming shows to the watchlist.
Mark is a professional technology writer, IT consultant and computer engineer from Dorset (England), he also founded ISPreview in 1999 and enjoys analysing the latest telecoms and broadband developments. Find me on X (Twitter), Mastodon, Facebook and Linkedin.
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Is there a technical reason why the box couldn’t work with another ISP provider? I assume not, as you can use your own router with the Virgin Hub, are Virgin missing an own goal here by not allowing any ISP user to purchase Stream?
I was just about to say the same thing. They are making this limited by only allowing customers with their cabled areas to purchase it. I thought the whole point of this ahead of launch was for those who didn’t live inside their coverage area.
I’m within their cabled area and due to how unreliable it is (bigger story there) and the fact I have a full fibre BT business line I do not need or want their broadband…
I ended up buying Google TV instead, so I think they are really missing a trick here… Maybe vendor lock in has something to do with it
The Stream product is aimed at those who live in their coverage areas but may not have legacy cable TV provision (such as XGS Pon).
It is also a different product and aimed at those who don’t need or want the option of recording live TV, and at a cheaper price range (free of charge without premium channels).
The reasoning for stream not being compatible with other ISPs is that it relies on the data transmission and linked in to cable TV at the local head-end (or so I am told by a VM technician).
Whereas Sky stream is IP delivered from their servers and not linked to any local infrastructure.
Better off going with NOW TV unless you’re desperate for Ultra HD. Always a deal on offer when you threaten to cancel a subscription. Either with a Smart TV with apps built in or Just get the latest Amazon Firestick. You can pick and choose which services you want (Now TV/ Discovery+/ Netflix etc.). I only have the Sky Sports package for example.
To retain multicast, which is perfect fro live tv especially sports viewing aspictures can be recieved the same as those distributed by dish.
@Big Dave
One of the reasons I got it was when folks visit, they like to watch Sky Sports.
With this box it’s only £18.75 in HD, whereas Now TV it’s £35 for SD and £41 for HD.
As an extra bonus, I can watch the occasional iPlayer UHD content, that neither my smart TV nor my Apple TV box can do.
If they allowed more than one box per customer I’d switch from Sky.
Sky stream works with any broadband provider
VM Stream isn’t multicast, but it is offered on-net only. I assume it’s for two reasons – it’s an added value for the broadband product, and also means they have some control over CDN costs.
It is a big shame for VM and many their customers complained that title letters very look like from late 90-s mostly for CRT 25” TVs. And no ability to change it even for this the latest TV Box.
Subtitles