Available to new and existing Virgin Media Broadband customers, Stream is Virgin Media’s streaming TV service. Launched in April 2022, Stream lets you pick and mix your entertainment every month – so you only pay for the stuff you love. We look at everything you need to know about Stream from Virgin Media.
What is Stream from Virgin Media?
Virgin Media Stream is a small palm-sized box which seamlessly combines all your favourite subscriptions - like Sky Sports, Disney+ and Netflix - as well as live Freeview channels and on-demand content into one place. The Stream box plugs directly into your existing TV and content is streamed entirely by broadband, meaning there is no need for an aerial.
The Virgin Media Stream box costs £35 upfront with no ongoing costs beyond the services you choose to subscribe to, which you can change anytime, so you’re only paying for what you actually use.
Stream is only available to Virgin Media Broadband customers and you can’t get Stream if you already have a Virgin Media TV package.
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Freeview and catch-up without an aerial | No recording capabilities |
| Most of the major UK streaming apps | Some Freeview channels missing |
| No long-term contracts | No Multi-Room |
| Personalised recommendations and profiles | Only for Virgin Media broadband customers |
| Stream credit can be used to get 10% credit on some entertainment subscriptions | Some streaming apps missing |
What content is on Virgin Media Stream?
Virgin Media Stream comes with access to many Freeview channels with HD as standard, as well an an impressive selection of streaming apps and premium channels. Most of the major channels and apps are available but there are a couple that are missing, although it’s likely more apps and channels will be added in the future.
Freeview Channels
The great thing about Stream is that because it uses your broadband connection, no aerial is needed. The current list of Freeview channels available via Stream is:
| BBC ONE HD | Film4 HD | DMAX | FreeSports HD |
| BBC TWO HD | Really | 5 USA | CBS Reality |
| ITV 1 HD | More 4 HD | ITV 4 HD | Tiny Pop |
| Channel 4 | Cbeebies HD | Yesterday | Great! Movies |
| Channel 4 HD | BBC News HD | ITVBe HD | BBC Scotland HD |
| S4C HD | CBBC HD | 4Music | Pop |
| Channel 5 HD | CITV | 5STAR | Sky Arts |
| ITV 2 HD | BBC Alba HD | 5Action HD | Sky News |
| BBC FOUR HD | BBC Parliament HD | Quest Red | GB News HD |
| ITV 3 HD | Dave | Challenge | TG4 |
| Pick | Drama | 4seven HD | RTE One |
| QUEST HD | W HD | 5SELECT | RTE Two |
| E4 HD | BBC Three HD | Blaze | Sky Sports Racing HD |
Streaming Apps
The list of streaming apps available on Stream includes:
| Netflix | Disney+ | Prime Video | YouTube |
| YouTube Kids | Vimeo | BBC iPlayer | ITVHub |
| All 4 | STV Player | Britbox | My5 |
| Vevo | BBC Sounds | BaebleMusic | Dance TV |
| RadioLine | Al Jazeera | France24 | CNN |
| Pluto TV |
Some of the major apps that are still missing are:
| Apple TV+ | Plex | Twitch |
| NOW TV | TalkTV | UKTV Play |
Entertainment subscriptions
Stream enables you to add to some subscriptions and premium channels to your Stream plan. These are then billed through your Virgin Media bill so there is only one monthly payment instead of three or four or five, depending on how many service you subscribe to.
This makes is easy to keep track of all your subscriptions, and cancel them when you want to. Plus, you get 10% credit back on the entertainment subscriptions you add to Stream. This service isn’t available for all apps though, Amazon Prime Video will still need to be managed and paid via Amazon.
These are the current entertainment subscription you can subscribe to via Stream:
- Disney+
- Netflix Basic
- Essential Entertainment (25 channels in HD including Sky Showcase, Sky Max, Sky Sports Mix, Sky Witness, Sky Documentaries, Sky Comedy, MTV, Gold, Comedy Central, Discovery, Eurosport & Nat Geo)
- Sky Sports HD (All 8 Sky Sports channels in HD)
- Sky Cinema HD (All 11 Sky Cinema channels in HD)
- Sky Sports & Cinema HD (All 8 Sky Sports and all 11 Sky Cinema channels in HD)
- BT Sport (All 4 BT Sport channels in HD, plus BT Sport Ultimate in Ultra HD)
- Kids Pick (Nick HD, Nick Jnr, Nick Jnr Too, NickToons, Cartoon Network HD, Cartoonito, Boomerang)
- LIONSGATE+
Virgin Media Stream box and features
The Virgin Media Stream box is small, measuring just 80mm x 80mm x 16 mm. Here are the technical specifications:
Rear panel
- 1x HDMI v2.0b with HDCP 2.2 copy protection
- 1x Micro-USB connector (supporting power and wired network pass-through)
Front panel
- 1 multi-colour LED
- 1 button (on/standby and RCU pairing)
Wireless
- Switchable Dual-band 802.11ac (WiFi 5) 2x2
- Bluetooth LE 4.2 remote control
Core system
- RDK software
- Horizon 4 User Interface
Visual
- 4K/60 fps with HDR (HDR10 & HLG)
- HEVC and VP9
Audio
- Support for Dolby Digital (inc. Dolby Atmos passthrough)
Power consumption/Power saving features
- Low power usage (<5W)
Physical
- Size: 80mm x 80mm x 16 mm
- Casing made with up to 85% post-consumer recycled plastics
The Stream box is simple to set up and shouldn’t need an engineer visit. Just plug the box into your TV and you should be good to go in a few minutes.
The remote is the same that is supplied with Virgin Media’s TV 360 boxes, so if you have had Virgin Media TV in the past then this might be familiar to you. The remote has a built-in microphone so you can use voice control to quickly find what you want to watch.
The Stream box supports 4K and Dolby Digital and Dolby Atmos, assuming your TV is compatible.
Profiles & Parental Controls
With Stream you can create individual profiles for each family member with all their favourite channels, personalised watchlist and recommendations.
You also have the option to set up kids profiles so you can control what they watch.
Watchlists & Recordings
One of the main things to note with Stream from Virgin Media is that there are no recording capabilities.
Unlike the usual TV set top boxes that we have come accustomed to from Virgin and Sky, the Stream box has no hard drive, so cannot store any recordings. Instead, Stream lets you create your own personal Watchlist of content from streaming apps and catch up services which you can watch later. When you see something you want to watch, just hit the ‘add it to your Watchlist’ button. When you then come back later to watch, you are not watching a recording, you are streaming it from the app like BBC iPlayer.
This does leave you at the mercy of the streaming apps, as if the content gets removed then you will no longer be able to watch it.
How much does Stream from Virgin Media cost?
When you order the Virgin Media Stream box there is a one time fee of £35. This fee is waived if you take a Virgin Media Broadband plan with speeds above 350Mb. After this, there are no ongoing costs other than the services you choose to subscribe to. Services are on monthly rolling contracts, giving you the flexibility to chop and change your subscriptions as needed. Only want Sky Cinema at Christmas? No problem! With Stream from Virgin Media you are only paying for the content that you want, when you want it.
If you subscribe via Virgin Media then the monthly costs gets added to your Virgin Media bill so you only have one payment each month.
- Disney+ - £7.99 per month
- Netflix - from £6.99 per month
- Essential Entertainment - £12 per month
- Sky Sports HD - £38.75 per month
- Sky Cinema HD - £14.99 per month
- Sky Sports HD + Sky Cinema HD - £46.25 per month
- BT Sport - £18 per month
- LIONSGATE+ - £4.99 per month
- Kids Pick - £4 per month
Stream can only be taken with a Virgin Media Broadband package, so you will need to factor this cost in too.
Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband + Calls
1£29.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Calls
2£35.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband + Calls Volt
3£35.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband + Calls Volt
4£41.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband + Calls
5£41.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband + Calls
6£47.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband + Calls Volt
7£47.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband + Calls Volt
8£53.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband + Calls
9£53.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M125 Fibre Broadband
10£25 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M250 Fibre Broadband
11No for 3 months, then £28.99
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M350 Fibre Broadband
12£35.99 per month
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media M500 Fibre Broadband
13No for 3 months, then £33.00
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media Gig1 Fibre Broadband
14No for 3 months, then £39.99
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front cost
Virgin Media Gig2 Fibre Broadband
15No for 3 months, then £69.99
(prices may change during contract)
No up-front costVirgin Media Stream Credit
Virgin Media Stream credit gives you 10% off your entertainment subscriptions when you pay for them through your Virgin Media bill. Current subscriptions you already have cannot be transferred over, so you may need to cancel and then resubscribe via Virgin, but this is worth it for an extra discount.
Frequently asked questions
Can I record live TV with Stream from Virgin Media?
You cannot record with Stream. Instead you can create personal Watchlists of all your favourite content to stream later.
Can I get Stream without Virgin Media Broadband?
Stream from Virgin Media can only be taken alongside one of their broadband packages.
Can I use the Virgin TV Go app If I have Virgin Media Stream?
Yes, with the The Virgin TV Go app you can watch live TV and On Demand TV programmes from your mobile or tablet. If you’re subscribed to Sky Sports then you can watch on the Sky Sports app. Netflix or Disney+ can be watched through their apps too.
Can I take my Virgin Media Stream to different houses?
No, Stream only works with your own Virgin Media broadband connection so you cannot take it to a different house, even if they have Virgin Media Broadband.
How many Virgin Media Stream boxes can I have?
You can only have one Stream box per Virgin Media account. This means that there is no multiroom option, unless you want to unplug your Stream box and take it to a different room with you. You do have access to the Virgin TV Go app to watch on your mobile or tablet.
Can I get Pluto TV on Virgin Media Stream?
Pluto TV was made available for Virgin Media Stream customers in July 2023.
Pluto TV is the leading free, ad-supported streaming TV service giving customers access to more than 100 live linear channels spanning drama, news, sport, entertainment, kids’ programmes and much more, as well as thousands of iconic films and television series on-demand. Popular channels include the UK home of the popular chat series The Drew Barrymore Show and CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, which follows the elite team of forensic investigators.