Virgin TV Control 4+

This app is useful at times, but could be a lot better. But it has one particularly frustrating issue - even when I’m on my home wifi, I get a “reconnecting” message at random times and whatever I was busy with is lost, for example if I set a particular date and channel to look at on the guide, I’m suddenly shunted back to the current date and lose the channel. It has caused me a lot of frustration, especially when it happens multiple times in quick succession. If Virgin Media is your chosen provider, unfortunately you don’t have any other options than this app.

It does allow you to see what’s currently being shown on tv. Like a TV guide. And it does allow you to see what you have recorded(one star well done for hitting some of your design brief). But it doesn’t let you watch anything you have recorded unless you’re at home on your home network. Which kind of defeats the point. If you have the audacity to leave your home and attempt to watch a recorded programme you will be met by the error message telling you that you should’ve set up streaming whilst you were on your home network. Coincidentally it doesn’t matter how many times you set up streaming on your home network, using the account that your logged in to, at the point you wish to watch something it will forget the fact that you’ve now done this merry dance over a dozen times and decline you any entertainment. It is essentially the same as taking a thermos full of boiling water from your kettle at home. But when you try to make a cup of tea you find the water is cold and you can only heat it up again using your own kettle at home. Mind numbingly infuriating.

Since the recent updates I am able to check what is recording and set up recordings if I’m away from home and have forgotten to record something. I have added several favourite actors to my wish list and it now automatically records anything that they appear in. Once a series link is created it automatically records any new series without having to be asked to again. Previously you couldn’t watch anything away from home, but now you can download shows from your recordings and watch them wherever you are. If you are home you can watch anything you’ve recorded away from the main box on any of your devices. Works perfectly for me and is a real good addition to the already good service that Virgin offer. Well done they finally got there.