Virgin connections

Kenai · 4 Feb 2017 at 10:12

May seem a daft question but can't find anything about this online.

If I've ordered Virgin Internet and TV, does the coax need to feed just the router and the TV STB is fed via ethernet or does the coax split and need to feed both but with ethernet too.

The literature I can find says it needs ethernet but not whether that is in addition to coax.

Trying to figure out what cables I'm going to need to hide under the carpet before I commit to a room layout!

aardvark · 4 Feb 2017 at 11:22

coax goes to router and the tv box.
if you have a smart tv you can also run an ethernet cable from the router to the tv if you want, but that's separate to any virgin service.
The stb does have an ethernet port but i have no idea why - i've never used it.

Entai · 4 Feb 2017 at 12:15

The ethernet port on the set top box is 100mbps, whereas the internal one through the coax is only 10mbps, so linking the ethernet port to your superhub gives you 10 times the speed so the gui works faster and smoother than just using the internal link through the coax

The new v6 stb has an internal 100mbps off the coax hence why everyone says the menus are faster and smoother.

Mine have been for years on the old box.

TheVoice · 4 Feb 2017 at 12:19

Thread title sounds like the name of a chat room for lonely teenagers.

Steeps · 4 Feb 2017 at 14:38

Only use I've found for the ethernet ports on the Tivo boxes is to connect them to your home network so you can watch recordings from one box on another, but you can't schedule/record shows remotely using it.

Kenai · 4 Feb 2017 at 20:40

Coax to both it is, thank you!

aardvark · 6 Feb 2017 at 13:04

Entai said:
The ethernet port on the set top box is 100mbps, whereas the internal one through the coax is only 10mbps, so linking the ethernet port to your superhub gives you 10 times the speed so the gui works faster and smoother than just using the internal link through the coax

The new v6 stb has an internal 100mbps off the coax hence why everyone says the menus are faster and smoother.

Mine have been for years on the old box.

what!!
i had no idea this was a thing.
so i can just plug it into the hub and it will work? do i need to do anything else (unplug the coax, set anything up etc)??
thanks

asim18 · 6 Feb 2017 at 20:39

I will also be investigating this tonight. Does seem bizarre how a faster connection will improve GUI speed. But maybe he's referring to specific apps like iPlayer and YouTube, I can understand how they will be faster but general GUI speed seems implausible.

And no, don't unplug the coax, you still need that to be able to tune into your cable TV channels.

asim18 · 12 Feb 2017 at 10:05

Entai;30470076 said:
The ethernet port on the set top box is 100mbps, whereas the internal one through the coax is only 10mbps, so linking the ethernet port to your superhub gives you 10 times the speed so the gui works faster and smoother than just using the internal link through the coax

The new v6 stb has an internal 100mbps off the coax hence why everyone says the menus are faster and smoother.

Mine have been for years on the old box.

Yeah I had a feeling this wasn't the case. Just tested and there is ZERO Ethernet activity while browsing menus or watching iPlayer. Double checked to make sure it was definitely connected to LAN under Settings>Network.

Unless you can tell me exactly how to replicate any Ethernet port activity.

Entai · 12 Feb 2017 at 16:57

All can say is it works fine on my box, maybe you have a different box.

Mines a Samsung SMT-H3110

Vertigo · 12 Feb 2017 at 17:05

asim18;30495580 said:
Yeah I had a feeling this wasn't the case. Just tested and there is ZERO Ethernet activity while browsing menus or watching iPlayer. Double checked to make sure it was definitely connected to LAN under Settings>Network.

Unless you can tell me exactly how to replicate any Ethernet port activity.

You're right, it's nonsense.

asim18 · 13 Feb 2017 at 01:13

Entai;30496561 said:
All can say is it works fine on my box, maybe you have a different box.

Mines a Samsung SMT-H3110

Ah. I have the TiVo box. I thought you meant the TiVo box when you said "old box".

But yeah I used to have that box too but I replaced it with TiVo a few years back. It was slow then but it's just getting slower lol - the box you have now was a lot snappier. Also the older box used to have proper 1080i iPlayer, the TiVo i have now is only 720p :/

Have to say the TiVo system is good but it's just ridiculously slow. iPlayer app is just an absolute disaster lol. YouTube is just as bad.

Kenai · 23 Feb 2017 at 20:26

Installation was today, the V6 box is lightning quick through the UI compared to the older TiVo box

Jamesyboyjim · 24 Feb 2017 at 11:32

I have two 500gb TiVo boxes, both painfully slow, on demand services such as iPlayer etc are a joke, my mate showed me his new V6 which is excellent. If I wasn't in contract with Virgin I'd be threatening to leave unless they give me a faster box. I was also disappointed to discover these TiVo boxes don't have hdmi cec either.

peahead · 24 Feb 2017 at 12:00

Have to agree with the above comments about the new V6 box its like night and day compared to the old one.. i guess because now its using dedicated internet connection this has really helped speed it all up.

TheMightyTen · 24 Feb 2017 at 12:34

Jamesyboyjim said:
I have two 500gb TiVo boxes, both painfully slow, on demand services such as iPlayer etc are a joke, my mate showed me his new V6 which is excellent. If I wasn't in contract with Virgin I'd be threatening to leave unless they give me a faster box. I was also disappointed to discover these TiVo boxes don't have hdmi cec either.

Can't you upgrade for a one off of £49.99, I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Jamesyboyjim · 24 Feb 2017 at 12:43

TheMightyTen said:
Can't you upgrade for a one off of £49.99, I'm sure I read that somewhere.

Hmm, possibly, I'll have a look into that, thanks!

Still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, having to pay an extra fee just to receive the same level of service that other newer customers receive when you both pay the same monthly price anyway!

peahead · 24 Feb 2017 at 12:48

TheMightyTen said:
Can't you upgrade for a one off of £49.99, I'm sure I read that somewhere.

He can do this yes my dad did this but was not happy about paying the £49.99 installation so they said they can give him around £3.60 monthly loyalty discount so making it effectively free.

No harm in trying

TheMightyTen · 24 Feb 2017 at 14:01

Jamesyboyjim said:
Hmm, possibly, I'll have a look into that, thanks!

Still leaves a bitter taste in the mouth, having to pay an extra fee just to receive the same level of service that other newer customers receive when you both pay the same monthly price anyway!

From what I've seen they are slapping on a £99.99 one off installation fee for new customers if they insist on a TiVo v6 and then giving them a £50 discount so it looks as if £49.99 is there price for the box regardless of new or old customers

Kenai · 25 Feb 2017 at 10:26

TheMightyTen said:
From what I've seen they are slapping on a £99.99 one off installation fee for new customers if they insist on a TiVo v6 and then giving them a £50 discount so it looks as if £49.99 is there price for the box regardless of new or old customers

Maybe because I ordered as a bundle but I had no such fee as part of my initial fee, the V6 was just the standard box it came with. I think it was £14.99 one off and that was it - for 'Installation' I think.