Virgin V+ box

[Admiral Huddy]

I've notice an Ethernet and USB port on the back.

I take it then I can down/up load stuff from the box to and from the PC.

Any details on how this is done?

[leowyatt]

Don't think you can mate, well I've never tried that is :D

Q: So what can I do with the Ethernet, USB and eSATA ports?
A: Absolutely nothing at the moment. All three are disabled. Some people have reported that USB keyboards work, but it's not a supported feature. Others have also powered a PC cooling fan off the USB, but that really isn't necessary. Just keep it well ventilated and it'll be fine.

[Admiral Huddy]

weird then.

[Desmo]

You get things like this on boxes all the time and they never seem to get used.

[Admiral Huddy]

I know how it feels not to have your gadgets used or played with :D

[LeperousDust]

On some of the old telewest boxes (maybe NTL) the box itself could be used as a modem, thus the ethernet port, it may still be there from those days? The box modems where only good for 1mb though (this is how long ago it was!) and i think they just started disabling them and leaving it. In the future it maybe for something like linking two V+ boxes up for some reason or other?

As Desmo says you get ports on these boxes like this all the time they're just never used but there in case they are needed in the future and can be activated with a firmware update...

[Mark]

The other possibility is that they're used for engineering purposes (testing the box/diagnosing faults etc.). Though often claims like that are just shorthand for 'we haven't thought of a use for them yet'.

[Del Lardo]

Ethernet port is incase Virgin want to use the STB if/when they launch an IPTV service over DOCSIS 3.0 though it is more likely they will use a new STB.

USB is in case they add photo viewing functionality or the ability to add an external HDD in the future. I wouldn't hold your breath.

[Fayshun]

Sky+ boxes have 2 usb ports and an RS232 port (I think). All disabled, and useless.

[LeperousDust]

Sky+ boxes have 2 usb ports and an RS232 port (I think). All disabled, and useless.
RS232 is for some STB fault finding afaik with their own software
The other possibility is that they're used for engineering purposes (testing the box/diagnosing faults etc.). Though often claims like that are just shorthand for 'we haven't thought of a use for them yet'.
See above, they'd use RS232 for engineering instead of ethernet

[Daz]

See above, they'd use RS232 for engineering instead of ethernet
Just because it's an RJ45 socket doesn't mean it can be used on an ethernet network. Likewise ethernet works just fine over coax or fibre, and isn't tied to RJ45's and CAT5/6.

[Mark]

True - my old dial-up modem router uses an RJ45 port as a serial console port.

[Del Lardo]

For those that are interested I've had a chat with a man about and dog and he confirmed that the ethernet port can only be used for low speed internet connections instead of a modem, 1mbit and below and the USB ports will never be utilised.

[LeperousDust]

Yeah the internet modem thing comes in quite useless in some households (who want basic internet in livingroom but wont pony up £40 at least for a router/wireless/whatever... I've found it doesn't work on a lot of boxes, it seems they started disabling it on the "newer" boxes to save hassle probably.