VOOM DSR-580 DVR Spec Sheet

HDMI port is missing on the latest CES JPEG? Even tho virtually all the new HDTVs being sold right now have HDMI, not DVI, inputs?

Whatzupwitdat, huh, VOOM?

It seems to me the DVR should have one HDMI output and one DVI output.

I sure hope they don't expect me to BUY this thing -- it's gonna have virtually no resale value. They better have a lease plan at rollout.
 
Until Voom changes their activation policy, NO Voom receiver has resale value.

David Dietzel said:
I sure hope they don't expect me to BUY this thing -- it's gonna have virtually no resale value. They better have a lease plan at rollout.
 
The brochure states programs are searchable, will it have a search feature similar to the Dish 501 where you can type in a name and have it find it?
 
And........... which DBS provider will be the first to utilize the 2 little round hangy-down thingies between their legs and give us FIREWIRE?
 
None of them. They have no motivation to, and certainly don't care to be sued. There is no requirement for sat operators the same as what the cable companies agreed to.
 
madpoet said:
None of them. They have no motivation to, and certainly don't care to be sued. There is no requirement for sat operators the same as what the cable companies agreed to.
Firewire is the reason I picked up Cable HD DVR, but their HD service lacked and they never enabled firewire. I discontinued Cable service and added two more VOOM STBs...waiting on the DVR.
 
DarrellP said:
And........... which DBS provider will be the first to utilize the 2 little round hangy-down thingies between their legs and give us FIREWIRE?

You all ought to realize by now, nobody is gonna buck the MPAA and allow pristine digital recording capability of HD streams. Let go of the balloon.
 
joemama said:
You all ought to realize by now, nobody is gonna buck the MPAA and allow pristine digital recording capability of HD streams. Let go of the balloon.
I'd like to know why it was mandated for Cable boxes but us Satellite Guys are SOL? :mad:
 
The cable companies agreed to it. They were sort of forced to the table at a time when it seemed like firewire was going to become a huge thing in HDTV. I don't think it's anywhere close to the level they thought it would be, unfortunately. So I doubt you'll see the equivelant requirement for sat companies.
 
joemama commented:
> You all ought to realize by now, nobody is gonna buck the MPAA and allow pristine digital recording capability of HD streams. <

Huh? I assume you must be limiting your "nobody" to "no satellite provider", because I've been making "pristine digital recordings" of HD streams (at better, uncompromised bitrates than Voom offers) for the last 8 months. No magic, no expensive hacks, just off-the-shelf gear. Totally plug-and-play. [D-VHS and Charter digital cable.] Unfortunately, only 8 HD channels... and there's the rub.

If cable CAN do it (and they are) then satellite providers CAN do it too. All they'd need to keep the MPAA off their backs would be to implement 5C in their boxes. But they have no motivation to do so (at least at this time), probably partly because of their planned migration to MPEG4. For now, time-shifting on a 250G hard-drive looks like all we're going to get, from any of the sat providers. :( And that's a damn shame, especially since all the talk from Voom had indicated they would support Firewire.

Give them a couple years, when the transitions to MPEG4 are complete, cable everywhere offers HD, and HD-DVD discs are widely available. Then ALL the satellite providers will provide some way (not necessarily Firewire) to offload content, just to remain competitive.

It's just very disappointing that Voom didn't step up to the plate now, with as long as they've made us all wait for their DVR. Except for that one huge omission (for some of us), things are looking really good.

I'm just wondering if there might be some way to tap into their Ethernet links with a PC to capture content, but based on their "Benefit" of "Advanced signal security and content copy protection technologies", I suspect there's a snowball's chance of that.

Unfortunately, I already know what it's like to be constrained to ~25-30 hours of content on a locked-in HDD, and it's not comfortable (for me). Even my e* PVR-510 has almost 100 hours, which is about right. It'll be a while before a terabyte of HD content (on a hard drive... I've got ~18 TB on tape) is economically viable.

- Tim
 
And...I think if you check the wording out, it says they have to provide a HD STB with a functional Firewire port. NOT an HD-DVR STB.

This content protection stuff is a joke.

"We don't care if you watch it, copy it AND distribute it...we just don't want your copy to look any better than what's out there now."

This adopts the "You won't be able to resist the urge to become a bad guy..." approach.

Sorry...but there are laws in place to protect content. If I pay for your content, I'm free to do whatever I want to with it, as long as I don't BREAK ANY LAWS.

Ok. I'm done now.
Sorry.

:)

Lob
 
Anyone know why they did not include a HDMI port? I agree with others. Seems it should have been included.
 
You bet a HDMI output should have been included -- it's the new standard and the spec offers several advantages over DVI -- a new standard (HDMI) that virtually all new hardware incorporates is certainly not a gimmick.

You can buy a DVI to HDMI cable for $10 to $20 and then you'll need to route the audio separately using, preferably, coax rather than optical if possible -- if not, optical will certainly work.

New VOOM subscribers with their shinny new HDTV with HDMI inputs will not be happy to discover that a pure digital connection with their VOOM sat box will require them to go out and buy a cable. Bad public relations move, VOOM. They bill themsleves as the leading state-of-the-art provider of HD content and then they go and leave HDMI out of their newest and greatest sat box. Baffles the mind. And will annoy new customers.

I love VOOM and have no plans to change providers. It just saddens me when I see management in any company do stupid things.
 
David Dietzel said:
They bill themsleves as the leading state-of-the-art provider of HD content and then they go and leave HDMI out of their newest and greatest sat box. Baffles the mind. And will annoy new customers.

HDMI right now is only capable of delivering 2.1 sound so you would still need to run a optical or digital coax cable for true 5.1 surround sound. Then they would have customer calling up saying I have a surround sound and am only getting the front speakers to have sound, it must be something with your box.
 
David Dietzel said:
You bet a HDMI output should have been included -- it's the new standard and the spec offers several advantages over DVI -- a new standard (HDMI) that virtually all new hardware incorporates is certainly not a gimmick.

You can buy a DVI to HDMI cable for $10 to $20 and then you'll need to route the audio separately using, preferably, coax rather than optical if possible -- if not, optical will certainly work.

New VOOM subscribers with their shinny new HDTV with HDMI inputs will not be happy to discover that a pure digital connection with their VOOM sat box will require them to go out and buy a cable. Bad public relations move, VOOM. They bill themsleves as the leading state-of-the-art provider of HD content and then they go and leave HDMI out of their newest and greatest sat box. Baffles the mind. And will annoy new customers.

I love VOOM and have no plans to change providers. It just saddens me when I see management in any company do stupid things.

they said there will be hdmi in future boxes.... and best yet since were leasing them its a FREE upgrade.... better than D*'s way of operating.
 
Oh please, not having HDMI on this box means NOTHING to us now. Let's be honest. The only thing HDMI would gain you at this point in time is a slightly better cable spec distance and a smaller form factor for the end. *shrug* I don't get the angst. If they toss in a free DVI-HDMI adapter will you all be happy? Sometimes I think people look for reasons to be unhappy...
 
Geez, madpoet,

I'm unhappy. Don't know why. Maybe I should blame....

Watching HDTV under brightening but very rainy Seattel skies, Gill
 
If i wrap a DVI cable and a toslink cable together up with electrical tape I have a superior cable than the Gimmick HDMI thing. Its worthless IMO and only serves to sell more cables and sets.
 
Although my HDTV has HDMI input, I agree with madpoet and vurbano: HDMI should be low on VOOM priority list. An HDMI-to-DVI cable works fine for me. Even if VOOM adds HDMI, I wouldn't change my optical cable for audio.
 

How will the DVR hook up?

Will My Tivo Work?

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