Digital TV Guides

Virgin Media TV channels

Tuesday 25 January, 2011

By Garnet Roach - garnet@consumerchoices.co.uk

Cable TV provider Virgin Media (www.virginmedia.com) offers a huge range of digital TV channels as well as high-definition, on-demand and catch-up content.

Virgin Media offers three different television packages to make sure there’s something to suit all interests and budgets.

Virgin Media TV packages

Whether you just want a little more than Freeview, or you're a telly-addict looking for the maximum amount of channels, one of Virgin Media’s packages, which offer from 65+ to more than 160 channels, will be sure to fit the bill.

• M+ offers 65 digital TV channels, including Sky 1, Dave and the Discovery Channel. You also receive free Catch Up TV from the last seven days' telly broadcast on the BBC, Channel 4, ITV and more
• L gives you access to 100 channels, including everything from the M+ service as well as Comedy Central, Animal Planet and SyFy. It also includes the free Catch Up TV service
• XL is the biggest TV package offered by Virgin Media, with more than 160 channels, including ESPN, National Geographic and the Disney Channel. As well as the standard free Catch Up TV service you also get access to the TV Choice On Demand service offering thousands of shows and even entire series at the touch of a button.

And remember that you can also bundle your Virgin Media TV service with the provider’s broadband, home phone or line rental services to save even more money.

Premium channels and added extras

If you want to really max out your Virgin Media TV service, you can sign-up to premium channels like Sky Sports or Sky Movies for an extra monthly fee.

You can also watch super-sharp high-definition (HD) TV if you've got a V+HD or a V HD box and a HD ready television set.

And now Virgin Media is even offering on-demand movies in 3D. These are available to watch on a pay-per-view basis provided you also have a 3D TV.

The Virgin Media set-top box

As a Virgin Media customer, you have the choice of three different set-top boxes, with some of the most advanced hardware on the market - and all of them are HD enabled.

Its standard set-top box is the V HD, which allows you to watch high-definition content but doesn’t allow you to record any TV.

Next up the list is the V+ HD box, which allows you to pause, record and rewind “live” TV as well as giving you access to all the HD channels included in your monthly package.

The provider’s most high-tech box is the internet-enabled TiVo box, which allows you to search for your favourite shows by programme or actor, as well as browse by theme or genre. “You can even backwards search because your TiVo box will save a pick of the week's TV for you,” says Virgin Media.

Your TiVo box can even make suggestions and recommendations, based on the TV you already watch. It is the provider’s “biggest” set-top box, with a terabyte of memory - enough space to store up to 500 hours of TV.