TV FAQs - Digital TV - Virgin Media

TV help and FAQs

Got a question about TV? Find the answer here.

Why have Setanta stopped broadcasting some channels?

Due to circumstances outside of our control, some Setanta channels are no longer available on any TV service, including Virgin Media, Sky, Top Up and BT Vision.

What sports channels are available on Virgin Media?

Virgin Media is still the place to be for sport and our customers can still enjoy all the best sporting action around.

Here's a breakdown of other sports channels available on Virgin Media:

Sky Sports 1, Sky Sports 2, Sky Sports Collection, ESPN America, MUTV.

On top of the premium channels above, Virgin TV customers can also tune into:

Sky Sports News - available to all TV customers

Liverpool TV - available to XL TV customers

At the races - available to all TV customers

Eurosport & Eurosport 2 - available to L and XL TV customers

Extreme Sports - available to XL TV customers

Plus this summer, Virgin TV will have all the action from Wimbledon on BBC iPlayer - so you won't miss a single game, set or match.

See which channels are available with our different TV packages

I subscribed to the Setanta bundle. Will I still get ESPN America?

If you have size M or L TV and would like to continue to get ESPN America you just need to give us a call on 150 - free from any Virgin Media phone - or on 0845 454 1111 from any other phone, and we can add it to your TV pack for £10 per month. If you have XL TV and subscribed to it previously, you don't need to do anything, the channel will still be available to you.

Will I be able to watch the football on ESPN?

We're currently in talks with EPSN about their purchase of the Premier League content previously owned by Setanta. Right now we're not able to confirm whether customers with ESPN America as part of their channel bundle will get access to the Barclays Premier League Content that Setanta previously had the rights for.

Will the channels be back on the air in the foreseeable future?

At the moment we're unable to comment on when, or if the Setanta channels will begin broadcasting again as it's out of our control.

Where can I watch the sports events that were on the Setanta channels?

We are working with Setanta and ESPN to understand where the content will be available. Due to licensing agreements, some content shown on Setanta may not be available elsewhere, but should it become available on other channels, we'll be working hard to make sure the content is available to our customers.

Will Virgin Media be reducing the price of its TV packages?

Any customers paying for the Setanta Sports pack will no longer have any subscription fees to pay. As Setanta Sports was included at no extra cost in TV Size XL, there will be no changes to pricing for this package. The XL TV pack still represents unbeatable value - don't forget the XL TV pack has over 160 TV channels, including Sky Sports News, At The races, Eurosport, Eurosport 2 and Extreme Sports. Plus, all XL TV customers have Music On Demand and the 1000s of shows in TV Choice On Demand included at no extra cost too.

What is V+?

Our V+ set top box is a smart personal video recorder. It lets you pause, rewind and record live TV - just like a DVD. There are no tapes and no fuss. Plus, all our V+ Boxes are HD ready, so hook them up to a HD-ready TV and you can start watching certain shows in glorious high definition right away.

Find out more about our V+ HD Box

How does V+ compare to Sky+?

Just like Sky+, the V+ service lets you pause, rewind and fast forward live TV. However, better than Sky+, your V+ service lets you record two programmes while watching a third. With Sky, you can only record one channel while watching another. What's more, all our V+ Boxes are HD ready, so you can simply connect them to your HD TV and start enjoying HD programmes and films in glorious high definition. Best of all, if your V+ service breaks down, we'll fix it for free, whether it's in warranty or not.

How much does the V+ service cost?

To add our V+ service there's a one-off cost of £99 to get you set up, then you simply pay £5 a month for the service. Or choose TV Size: XL and you'll pay the £99 one-off cost, and after that, you can enjoy our V+ HD service for free!

How do I pause and rewind live TV?

Simply press the pause or rewind button on your Virgin TV control. As soon as you've pressed pause, your V+ service automatically makes a temporary recording (up to a maximum of 90 minutes) of whatever channel you're watching. That means you never miss a thing!

What is high-definition TV (HDTV)?

High-definition television (HDTV) is a new standard that combines high-resolution picture with Dolby digital surround sound to produce a fabulous TV experience. HDTV means a fantastic picture quality. It's really sharp and clear (up to five times higher resolution than a standard digital TV picture). HD makes TV look incredible, with intensely colourful and stunningly sharp images.

What equipment do I need in order to watch HDTV programmes?

A compatible set top box, like our V+ HD Box, and an HD-ready TV with a HDMI socket.

Find out more about our V+ HD Box

How is the V+ service different from Virgin TV On Demand?

The V+ service lets you pause, rewind and record live TV, whereas our On Demand service is like a huge library of movies and programmes that you can access at any time. Every Virgin Media digital TV customer can access our On Demand services. To use V+, you simply need to buy a V+ set top box.

What is Virgin TV On Demand?

Virgin TV On Demand is the new way to relax - more movies, more drama, comedies and kids shows, more everything, and all starting when you say so.

It's like having a DVD library, jukebox and a bunch of the best TV box sets all there to dip in and dip out of. What's more, as well as complete series, there's also the pick of last week's TV programmes, too. So if you've forgotten to record Eastenders from Monday, you can relax, we've done it for you.

All our services on demand work like a DVD, so you can start them, stop them, fast forward and rewind them anytime you like.

Find out more about TV On Demand

How is Virgin TV On Demand different from other pay per view services?

Put simply, our Virgin TV On Demand services start when you say they do. So instead having to choose between the 7.00pm showing or the 8.30pm showing, you can start the show when you like, simply by the touch of a button. What's more, you can stop, rewind and pause them when you please. It really is telly that you totally control.

Plus, no other network offers you the chance to watch the best popular drama series in their entirety (and for free if you're on TV: Size XL).

I'm a digital TV customer - how do I get Virgin TV On Demand?

Just press the 'On Demand', 'Guide' or 'Home' button on your remote control*

I'm not a digital TV customer - how do I get Virgin TV On Demand?

First you'll need to choose your Virgin TV package. And before you do that, it's a good idea to check if you can get cable services where you live. Just check your postcode on the left on this page to get started.

Choose your TV package

Comparison of Virgin Media TV only packages
Size: M - 45 channels	Size: L - 200 channels	Size: XL - 165 channels
Free* Add to Basket Find out more	**£10 a month*** Add to Basket Find out more	**£21.50 a month*** Add to Basket Find out more
*Plus a Virgin Phone line for £11 a month. These offers require you to pay by Direct Debit and use eBilling. Other options shown below.
Or build your own bundle Free installation, plus £20 off online Broadband+TV+Phone Build your bundle

The Legal Stuff

If you prefer not to pay by Direct Debit and/or want to receive a paper bill, the monthly prices for your Virgin phone line with these options is: Phone line and non-DD payment handling: £16; Phone line and paper bill: £12.25; Phone line, non-DD payment handling and paper bill: £17.25. Prices include a £5 payment handling charge payable to Virgin Media Payments Ltd.

General: Installation charges apply (starting from £30 for standard install and, subject to availability, from £15 for Quickstart self-install). Payment may be required in advance. All prices include VAT. Prices quoted are for payment by Direct Debit and e-billing. If you pay by non-Direct Debit methods you will incur a monthly £5 charge, payable to Virgin Media Payments, for payment handling services. £1 per month added for paper bills (£1.25 after 1 May 2009). These terms and conditions are in addition to and form part of our standard customer service contract.

Premium TV services are provided by Virgin Media Entertainment, the trading name of Future Entertainment S.à.r.l which is a subsidiary of Virgin Media Inc. Premium channels or package upgrades, once ordered, must be kept for a minimum of 30 days. (Excludes pay-per-night channels.)

V+ subscription included with TV XL; £5 a month with TV M or TV L. TV Choice on demand subscription included with TV XL; £7 a month with TV M or TV L. V+ must be kept for your minimum contract term.

Catch-up TV content available for 7 days after broadcast. Once purchased, all chargeable on demand content must be viewed in 24 hours.

Free repairs to set-top boxes excludes mistreatment.

The £20 online credit is applied to online purchases of three cable services together (i.e. broadband, TV and phone) on a 12-month contract. Offer ends 30 July 2009.

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