UPDATE: Film4 HD launches exclusively on Virgin Media TV
UPDATE 20.07.10:
Virgin Media has today launched the Film4 HD channel exclusively on its TV platform. The channel has been added as channel 429 and is free to all M+, L and XL TV customers.
The addition of Film4 HD brings Virgin Media's HD channel offering to 30 channels with more promised later this year.
Film4 HD will offer a daily line-up of movies with the 'best of British film-making alonsgide US independent films'.
This announcement comes alongside the news we reported earlier that Sky Sports HD will be coming to Virgin Media in August, along with ten Sky Movie HD channels.
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Published 08/03/10:
Film 4 HD and E4 HD will launch exclusively on Virgin Media cable TV this summer.
Virgin says Film 4 HD will showcase the best of British film-making, including Slumdog Millionaire, Mike Leigh's Happy Go Lucky and Ken Loach's Looking for Eric, as well as American independent films, Hollywood blockbusters and mainstream films.
E4 HD will offer popular programmes such as Glee, Skins and Hollyoaks in HD, and simulcasts the normal E4 schedule. Viewers will also be able to see US series such as Desperate Housewives, 90210 and Ugly Betty in HD.
Cindy Rose, executive director of digital entertainment at Virgin Media, says: "Channel 4 has a great track record in delivering innovative and compelling content and we're delighted to bring some of its very best films and most popular programmes to our customers in stunning HD."
So far this year Virgin Media has announced four new HD channels and the company plans to reveal more details about further launches in the coming months.
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Comments
The whole system is flawed beyond belief - HD channels that don't provide HD, TV via internet that requires a MS Live subscription and a Sky TV subscription AND a Sky multi room subscription, cable only channels when huge areas of the country aren't covered by cable, Freesat you have to pay for (clues in the name people), dish reception that goes off in heavy rain, digital reception that goes off in heavy rain, etc etc etc when you add in the networks showing a new series then sticking in episodes from previous series whenever they feel like it or taking a break mid series but carefully not advertising when the series is restarting so you miss it or putting cliff hanger resolutions in the bloody trailer for the show so even if you do manage to catch it you know how it ends anyway .... GAHHHH
Any other Sky subscribers feeling like they're being crapped on from a great height recently?
Firstly Sky Sports become cheaper on all other platforms, now no Film4 HD - as someone who initially signed up to Sky FOR the HD/Sports content I feel pretty let down.
Disappointed. I was hoping Film4 HD would arrive on Freeview/Freesat HD.
If money was an issue they could have gone back to their old subscription method - 4 pounds/month with no adverts.
I guess the Virgin deal gives them more stability and a guaranteed income.
Maybe some of the licence fee should go towards putting more HD on Freesat.
So, i could be wrong (no,really, it has been known), but this looks like a case of ball dropping by Sky to me.
Cheers Sky.
The ultimate conclusion for me will be a basic digibox with few channels and to heck with the lot of them.
I've wanted a film4 hd for ages. CURSES!
Erm, I've already for E4HD on Sky HD (channel 215). Is it going to disappear and go exclusive to Virgin Media?
What about Freesat? I went the Freesat route expecting more HD channels.
[I can't get Virgin or Freeview in my area of London]