Millions of Virgin Media users to get free upgrade – the exact button you need to press to access it
Finding things to watch will now be so much easier, thanks to a huge improvement to your TV box.
1
"We're rolling out some helpful improvements to how you search on our Stream box and Virgin TV 360," Virgin Media said in a new blog post.
Visual search results
Thanks to the free upgrade, when you type something in to the search bar, you will now see an image, instead of a bog standard list.
"Gone are the boring search results that made it feel like you were cramming for an exam (and not a fun one)," Virgin explained.
"Instead, we've ditched the text lists and have updated our search function to show image results, making it quicker and easier to find what you want.
"Whether you're typing out your search query or you're using our super powerful voice search feature, you will now see visual tiles for the relevant results."
How to access the new feature
Virgin revealed that all devices - including 360 and stream boxes - have access to the update.
You don't need to restart your box or install anything, the update will just appear automatically.
"You won't have to do anything special to our 360 or Stream boxes for this latest update to take place. It'll happen as if by magic (we'll press a button on our end)," Virgin said.
To use the feature, simply press on the magnifying glass on your remote and begin typing.
Once you've typed in a few letters, visual search results should begin to appear.
Virgin Media goes down leaving tens of thousands with internet and TV issues
You can also hit the microphone and speak the name of a show into it.
Image options will start to appear as you speak.
The new feature should cut down the amount of time you spend aimlessly scrolling for something to watch.
More Virgin Media news
Virgin Media recently warned users about ' internet speed vampires' slowing down Wi-Fi.
How do I check my Virgin Media service status?
Virgin Media has a dedicated web page where you can find out if there are any problems in your area.
Click here to visit the My Virgin service update website.
To find out if there are problems in your area, enter your postcode.
See our Virgin Media outages guide for more information on how to check your service and if you're eligible for compensation.
Sometimes background apps, like cloud storage or automatic updates, are using the internet without you knowing.
So, Virgin Media recommends you do four things if your downloads and uploads are slow.
Start by pausing any downloads, streaming, or cloud backups you're not using.
Then, the firm says to move closer to your router, or use a wired connection for better speed.
Restart your router, as this will refresh the connection.
And finally, do a speed test to check your download and upload speeds.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Scottish Sun
4 minutes ago
- Scottish Sun
Virgin Media reveals HUGE broadband upgrade for over 56,000 UK homes with ‘fastest speed' available
BROADER BAND Virgin Media reveals HUGE broadband upgrade for over 56,000 UK homes with 'fastest speed' available Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) THOUSANDS of homes in a major UK city can now access "blazing" high-speed broadband. The huge upgrade allows more than 50,000 households to access one of the fastest download speeds in the country. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 UK workers continue to work from home more than nearly any of their global counterparts Virgin Media has announced it is rolling out its high-speed broadband across Leeds. In a statement posted on its website, a spokesperson for the company said the new service offers "blazing speeds of up to 2 Gbps with Gig2`". The spokesperson added: "If you live in the Leeds area, you can now sign up to our full fibre gigabit broadband, which brings download speeds of up to 2Gbps (2000Mbps) and the option for symmetrical upload speeds just as fast. "You read that right – two gig! "You'll also get top-notch intelligent WiFi that reaches every room, and the option to bundle in great TV packages with things like Sky Sports, Sky Cinema, and Netflix." The spokesperson added the new service would be beneficial to anyone working from home. Rise of home working Since the pandemic, broadband firms have been wise to the uptake in the number of people working remotely – and adjusted their services accordingly. According to a report by Ofcom, average UK broadband speeds largely held up during the Covid-19 lockdown – despite rising demand from home working, online lessons and TV streaming. Ofcom's Home Broadband Performance Report revealed how broadband speeds changed before and after the lockdown measures came in – when there was a surge in broadband use. Download and upload speeds fell only by 2 per cent and 1 per cent respectively, according to the report. CHECK YOUR SPEED: Broadband According to the latest figures, UK workers continue to work from home more than nearly any of their global counterparts more than five years after the pandemic upturned traditional office life. In May this year, the Global Survey of Working Arrangements found UK employees now average 1.8 days a week of remote working. This is above the international average of 1.3 days. Virgin Media's roll out makes use of full fibre broadband to reach its top speed for anyone WFH. The spokesperson explained: "Full fibre means we run the fast fibre-optic cables all the way to your door – not just to the cabinet at end of your street. "That makes your broadband faster, more stable, and proper reliable, which leads to less buffering, no more slowdowns at tea time, and no more shouting at your router when you start lagging on your online game." Targeting the 'wheel of doom' The upgrade for households in Leeds is part of the firm's goal to deliver full fibre connection across the UK. "Leeds is one of the UK's fastest-growing cities, with five universities, a booming tech scene, and loads of independent businesses thriving. That's a city on the rise, and it needs broadband to match," said the spokesperson. "We're bringing full fibre broadband to the heart of Yorkshire so that more people in LS1 to LS29 can live, work, and stream without the spinning wheel of doom ruining their day." What is the average broadband speed in the UK? According to Ofcom, the communications regulator, the average maximum download speed across the UK was 223 Mbps in 2024. Compared to 2023, that's a 53 Mbps increase. This is well above what Ofcom and the government considers a 'decent' broadband connection – which stands at a download speed of 10 Mbps and an upload speed of 1 Mbps. If you don't have the technology in your area to accommodate decent broadband speeds then you might have the right to request an upgraded connection. If you're looking for a new broadband provider, we list some of the best broadband deals here. Make sure to click on this link for Sky specific deals.
Finextra
33 minutes ago
- Finextra
Openbank migrates investment accounts to Upvest
Openbank, part of the Santander Group, has chosen Upvest as its new investment infrastructure provider. 0 By integrating Upvest's Investment API, Openbank is strengthening its investment offer with a modern experience and deep localisation in the German market. This enables Openbank to offer a comprehensive, digital-first product range and a competitive user experience across all major asset classes to rival neo propositions. The migration of Openbank's investment products to Upvest marks a major vote of confidence in Upvest's enterprise readiness and its ability to support some of Europe's largest financial institutions. The partnership starts with fractional stocks and ETFs in Germany, providing end users with the ability to invest with as little as 1 Euro. This strategic shift allows Openbank to benefit from cost-efficient investment infrastructure and pass those savings to their end users by offering low trading fees (only 0.20% of the transaction volume, starting from a minimum of 1 euro) and no custody fees. The partnership underscores a growing trend among banks to move away from traditional providers and adopt API-first, modular investment infrastructures that support rapid innovation, cross-market scalability, and provide resiliency even during market instability. "This partnership with Openbank proves that modern investment infrastructure can meet the rigorous requirements of large financial institutions, while still offering the flexibility and speed needed to scale across markets,' said Jonathan Brander, COO of Upvest. "As the backbone of some of Europe's fastest-growing fintechs, we've demonstrated our ability to provide stable services through market volatility. Now, we're enabling established players like Openbank to stay ahead in an increasingly competitive landscape." As Europe's largest 100% digital bank by deposits, Openbank serves over 2 million end users and operates under the umbrella of Santander, one of the world's leading banking groups. By partnering with Upvest, Openbank gains access to an end-to-end investment infrastructure that covers everything from brokerage, settlement and custody to regulatory compliance, all via a single API.
The Independent
33 minutes ago
- The Independent
‘Motor neurone disease robbed me of my voice – now I can finally speak again thanks to AI and an old videotape'
A woman who lost the ability to speak after she developed motor neurone disease (MND) 25 years ago has finally regained her voice with the help of AI and an old videotape. Sarah Ezekiel was left unable to talk or use her hands due to the neurological condition that affects the brain and spinal cord, just months after becoming a mum for the second time in 2000, aged just 34. Her children Aviva and Eric had only ever heard her speak through a machine, which had an emotionless, robotic tone. Now, two decades later, her voice has been recreated using artificial intelligence from an eight-second snippet of her real voice taken from a scratchy VHS tape. 'After such a long time, I couldn't really remember my voice. When I first heard it again, I felt like crying. It's a kind of miracle,' she told the BBC, using eye-gaze technology which allows her to type by tracking her eye movements across a screen. Ms Ezekiel got her AI voice when Bristol-based assistive technology company, Smartbox, asked for an hour's worth of audio to recreate it. But because she had lost her ability to speak before the creation of smartphones, all she had was a mumbled eight-second clip of her speaking on a videotape. However, the clip was just enough. Simon Poole from Smartbox recalled his heart sinking when he received the short clip. But he played around with it and looped it through the latest AI-voice technology that uses thousands of voices. It was able to fill in the gaps and predict where a voice, like Ms Ezekiel's, might go with its intonation. Ms Ezekiel was a Londoner who had worked as a personal assistant. She was married with a toddler and expecting her second child when her speech started to slow and she started to feel weakness in her left arm. She was diagnosed with MND - a degenerative condition which causes muscle weakness, with about 1,000 people diagnosed in the UK every year. The condition can be life-shortening, and according to the NHS, most of those affected will lose the ability to speak. Her marriage ended soon after her diagnosis, leaving her to rely on 24-hour care for her and her children. The mother of two battled feelings of isolation because she was unable to communicate. Eventually, after five years of living with the condition, she was able to use eye-gaze technology to type and speak with a synthetic voice, like the physicist Stephen Hawking. But with the help of AI, she now has her accent back - which she said is better than sounding like a robot. Ms Ezekiel joked: 'I was very posh and people didn't know I was [really a] cockney with a slight lisp.' Her son Eric said his mother's new AI voice has made the family closer as she can now express emotions and show when she is happy, sad or angry. Her daughter Aviva explained that hearing her mother's voice was 'amazing' and said she can now feel who she is as a person. "Mum isn't just a disabled person in the corner with a robot that doesn't relate to her,' she said.
