Virgin trains - music selection

[blakey1152]

Hi all,
Something else that I noticed on both my outward and return journeys to Manchester is that Virgin's onboard music selection thingy thats between the seats no longer seems functional!

I seem to recall they had a similar thing to planes where you plugged in a headset and could listen to differing styles of music.

When did they finish providing this service?

Chris

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Hi all,
Something else that I noticed on both my outward and return journeys to Manchester is that Virgin's onboard music selection thingy thats between the seats no longer seems functional!

I seem to recall they had a similar thing to planes where you plugged in a headset and could listen to differing styles of music.

When did they finish providing this service?

Chris

I can remember it happening, it was maybe 2-3 years ago. I think it was stopped to save money, though I have also heard something about it interfering with WiFi.

 

[185]

Daft Virgin. It was something that costs next to nothing to operate.

In Spain on the AVE they have movies playing on the ceiling mounted TVs.

 

[Schnellzug]

On the Voyagers the selector was so inconveniently located, low down between the Seats, and I think it only used special headphones available from the buffet, didn't it, so I can't say I'm altogether surprised it fell into abeyance.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Daft Virgin. It was something that costs next to nothing to operate.

In Spain on the AVE they have movies playing on the ceiling mounted TVs.

With sound only through headphones, I do hope.

 

[tbtc]

Daft Virgin. It was something that costs next to nothing to operate

It was a nice idea, but it was devised/ introduced before everyone had ipods/ laptops/ smart phones - the idea of having your music selection dictated by the train company seems quite quaint now.

 

[Schnellzug]

I expect it was probably it being normal practice on planes that that gave Virgin the idea. As it did "airline" style seats.

 

[SS4]

As tbtc said the service is superfluous now. Next to nothing is still greater than nothing after all

 

[WestCoast]

I expect it was probably it being normal practice on planes that that gave Virgin the idea. As it did "airline" style seats.

Even on planes music on a loop is much less common than 8/9 years ago. Some airlines (like Virgin Atlantic) have invested in seat back Audio Video On Demand entertainment. Like Volo but better.

I feel that Wi-Fi is more useful nowadays on a train.

 

[table38]

I miss Radio 4 as it's not easy to get decent radio reception inside a train.

However they tended to leave the RDS switched on, so you suddenly got a travel report from BBC West Midlands right at the good bit in the news or a comedy.

I was always of the opinion that they left the RDS on deliberately so that you subconsciously felt better about speeding along on a train rather than being stuck in a queue on the M6

I remember someone telling me that on the 390s they installed the WiFi routers or whatever into the space previously occupied by the music/radio gubbins.

 

[JoeGJ1984]

On the Voyagers the selector was so inconveniently located, low down between the Seats, and I think it only used special headphones available from the buffet, didn't it, so I can't say I'm altogether surprised it fell into abeyance.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---


With sound only through headphones, I do hope.

I haven't used it or come across it, but would headphones that may be used with a computer or ipod, etc. not have worked? Because there are lots of those knocking around. And would these headphones work on planes? (I don't see why they can't use the standard type of headphones).

 

[Jay247uk]

I remember it being in the hotline magazine the issue before wifi started to appear. It said that they were turned off as the equipment space was needed for wifi

 

[Tomonthetrain]

They used a 3.5mm jack (ie standard headphones!)

 

[furgus2]

Travelling on 390054 for the first time last week, I was surprised that even though built several years after the other sets, it still comes with the the, now superfluous, entertainment sockets between the seats. Also, was disappointed that wifi has not yet been set up on board.

 

[JoeGJ1984]

They used a 3.5mm jack (ie standard headphones!)

I think planes use a different size jack. I don't know why they don't use the standard 3.5mm jack as everybody has these headphones knocking about, more so than the wider jack used on aeroplanes.

 

[tbtc]

I think planes use a different size jack. I don't know why they don't use the standard 3.5mm jack as everybody has these headphones knocking about, more so than the wider jack used on aeroplanes.

Presumably they want to get people to pay another few quid for them?

Now (almost) everyone carries headphones around with them (for their ipod etc) there shouldn't be any need to buy new ones (apart from Airlines trying to squeeze yet another few quid out of people...)

 

[SS4]

I think planes use a different size jack. I don't know why they don't use the standard 3.5mm jack as everybody has these headphones knocking about, more so than the wider jack used on aeroplanes.

To earn more money of course. It's the same reason everyone uses non-standard components.

 

[WestCoast]

To earn more money of course. It's the same reason everyone uses non-standard components.

Not really in the case of airlines. The budget airlines usually don't offer an entertainment service and the vast majority of long-haul airlines rent them out for free. Only the charter/holiday airlines tend to charge for them (which I admit is for money making purposes).

However, the non-standard jack is designed to prevent passengers from taking them away from the plane!

 

[CosherB]

Virgin used to sell headsets in standard class for those that didn't have them, but gave them away in first! There used to be a bag on them on the luggage rack in each 1st class coach, and you just helped yourself.

Mind you, they were cheap and nasty. Almost as bad as the rubbishy poor quality white leaky ones that come as standard with Apple stuff.

 

[jon0844]

Almost as bad as the rubbishy poor quality white leaky ones that come as standard with Apple stuff.

Surely they weren't that bad?

 

[LondonJohn]

I used to really enjoy Virgin Radio travelling between Southampton and Leamington Spa before they became Cross Country and on a journey to/from Glasgow.

Surprisingly enough I used to like the Kids channel.. Dick and Dom and Think Pink a weird selection of club type poppy tunes!

 

[krisk]

It was a novel idea and even now people ask me is the at seat music working. Yes people have more portable audio options now but when your battery dies and you don't have a table seat then at least you can plug your headphones in there instead.

The sockets accepted normal headphones and likewise the ones sold onboard worked in all audio devices. And at £2 with their own case I have to say they were an absolute bargain.

I'm surprised no one mentioned the fact the pendo shop used to sell CDs and books too. That said at £14 a disc the uptake was slow.....