Virgin Media has completed an overnight reshuffle, with changes to entertainment, factual, movie, sports and children’s channels in the UK.
As part of the changes, a number of services from Channel 4 and Sky are now offered in high definition only, with standard definition or SD versions of the channels being removed.
Under the motto “sharper telly, easier to find”, channels such as Sky Max have a new channel number.
E4, Film4, More4 and 4seven are now HD only to all Virgin Media viewers following the overnight channel reshuffle. Standard definition versions of Sky Sports News and Sky Sports Mix have been deleted.
It’s part of a long term project to migrate Virgin Media TV viewers to HD by default. In December, Virgin Media became the first platform operator to offer all UKTV channels (Alibi, Dave, Drama, Eden, Gold, W and Yesterday) in HD. And earlier in 2022, all BBC channels were upgraded to HD only.
The changes come at no extra cost to TV subscribers.
What’s changed?
- Some channels have moved. Others are now HD by default. Some have both moved and are now HD only.
- By making more services HD by default, Virgin Media has removed some of the variations between the channel list on older V6 boxes and newer 360 and stream boxes.
▶ Overview: Virgin Media channel reshuffle January 2023
- 106 E4 (HD by default, E4 HD moves from 145 on V6 boxes)
- 109 Sky Showcase HD (HD by default)
- 110 Sky Witness HD (HD by default, was 111)
- 111 Sky Max HD (HD by default, was 121)
- 112 Sky Comedy (HD by default, was 123)
- 115 ITV2 HD (HD by default, moves from 176 on V6 boxes)
- 117 ITV3 HD (HD by default, moves from 177 on V6 boxes)
- 118 ITV4 HD (HD by default, moves from 178 on V6 boxes)
- 119 ITVBe HD (HD by default, moves from 179 on V6 boxes)
- 121 Sky Crime HD (was 136)
- 122 Sky Sci-Fi HD (was 138)
- 123 Sky Arts HD (was 140)
- 135 Pick (was 156, still SD)
- 139 Challenge (was 160, still SD)
- 140 Sky Arts SD (HD moved to 123 on 360/Stream; SD was on 165)
- 143 4Seven HD (HD by default)
- 147 More4 HD (HD by default)
- 154 Comedy Central Extra (moved from 182)
- 156 Sky Replay (moved from 180)
- 160 E! HD (moved from 163)
- 163 Sky Witness +1 (moved from 220)
- 164 Sky Crime +1 (moved from 221)
- 266 National Geographic HD (HD by default, moves from 268 on V6 boxes)
- 278 Sky Nature HD (HD by default, moved from 279)
- 415 TCM Movies HD (HD by default, moved from 416 on V6 boxes)
- 428 Film4 HD (HD by default, moved from 429 on V6 boxes)
- 704 Cartoon Network HD (HD by default, moved from 732 on V6 boxes)
- 712 Nickelodeon HD (HD by default, moves from 714 on V6 boxes)
As a result of services becoming HD by default, spaces have been freed up on the channel list, as Virgin Media no longer needs to list both a standard and a high definition copy of the affected channels.
Channels no longer available in standard definition
(In order of their previous appearance in the Virgin Media channel guide for V6 boxes.)
NOTE: All of the following services are still available in HD only on Virgin Media. If you have a SD TV connected to a cable receiver, the pictures will be downscaled.
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- E4
- Sky Showcase
- Sky Witness
- ITV1/UTV (SD copy on channel 113 in the ITV regions & Northern Ireland is now removed).
- ITV2
- ITV3
- ITV4
- ITVBe
- Sky Max
- 4seven
- More 4
- Channel 5 SD (copy on 154 removed)
- E!
- Comedy Central
- MTV
- 5 ACTION
- National Geographic
- Sky Documentaries (SD copy on 278 removed; HD on 277)
- Sky Nature (SD copy on 280 removed; HD now on 278)
- TCM Movies
- Film4
- Sky Sports News
- Sky Sports Mix
- Cartoon Network
- Nickelodeon
Speaking of the change, David Bouchier, Chief TV and Entertainment Officer at Virgin Media O2, said:
“Providing our customers with fantastic value and ensuring they have a smooth user experience is our top priority. That’s why, where there’s a HD option available, we’re giving it to our customers as standard so they can enjoy some the UK’s popular TV channels in fantastic high definition, at no extra cost.”
Marc Thornham
Updated 24/01/23 with quote from Virgin Media O2