Looking to buy an OTA antenna to upgrade my Voom's punny one, I noticed that there are many Voom receivers on sale. The most expensive one I have seen was $76, including shipping. I called and asked Voom and they will not activate any equipment they do not sell.

Intrigued and with nothing to lose (at least I can use it to get my OTA HD local channels) I bought one for $50. The box is new, the equipment is new and it is exactly like the one I got from Voom (actually, this one is not scratched, the one from Voom was).

It just doesn't make any sense. If Voom as a company is struggling and it needs to increase its customer base for fresh cash and revenues, it should just go ahead and release the boxes for consumers to buy (free market).

I think they are struggling to service the few customers like me they have, that they will not be able to serve a larger customer base. If they would have activated my box, I would have been a happy customer promoting Voom and paying them to do it, rather to start thinking to buy the Direct TV box, which they will activate, since Direct TV will be increasing its HD channel line up this year.

:cool:

as i have reported on here before this boxes for the most part are stolen boxes that is one of the reason voom will no activate them. Most if not all of these boxes belong to a installer some where and will have to one day pay for them when they can't account for them. (There are a very few that has bought these boxes out right and most will tell you if you asked)

A bunch of VOOM STBs were stolen late last summer as TYORK has aluded to. Have you tried the box for OTAs? My understanding is that they will not work if they haven't been authorized by VOOM.

Still watching OTAs off an authorized STB under clear/cold Seattle skies, Gill

I think all of us should complain or report this to ebay. I think Voom also should contact Ebay about their equipment up for sale on the site. As others has mentioned Voom will not activate any of these receivers.

so your saying there is No Direct or Dish stolen receivers in use??
find that hard to believe.......

I think all of us should complain or report this to ebay. I think Voom also should contact Ebay about their equipment up for sale on the site. As others has mentioned Voom will not activate any of these receivers.

Ive tried, but I simply cannot find an email address or method to contact the people that run ebay.

No offense, but you must not have looked hard enough - I found this in less than a minute:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/index.html

And here is one to report a bad listing - one link further than the one above

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/report_listing.html

No offense, but you must not have looked hard enough - I found this in less than a minute:

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/index.html

And here is one to report a bad listing - one link further than the one above

http://pages.ebay.com/help/contact_inline/report_listing.html

None of their "choices" seemed to cover the situation IMO. The sellers know the recievers cannot be activated and cleverly deny any knowledge of what it takes to get them activated.

i had One guy tell me that he was just sell them for the ota cause i asked him for the S/N and he would not give that info either so i am sure he knew that they were stolen. boxes

And again, if they are legitimate boxes that were disconnected correctly they can still be used for OTA. So if anyone claims you can hook them up again, that's a scam. But if they are selling it as an OTA receiver it may be perfectly legitimate. If I ever sell off my boxes, I will be sure to differentiate.

T's all over this guy and the stollen goods. Look for her in a upcoming episode of The Investigators on Court TV. When are you going to slam dunk this guy T? Looks like he has sold about a dozen or so "new in the box" STB's

T's all over this guy and the stollen goods. Look for her in a upcoming episode of The Investigators on Court TV. When are you going to slam dunk this guy T? Looks like he has sold about a dozen or so "new in the box" STB's


believe me we are all over it. It has be on going I just sent 2 more number in monday and there responds was keep the number coming All i need is the S/N and access card numbers and if they were are then i can get them track to the orgianal person that they were sent to.

we are work on this on going.

Tyork

so your saying there is No Direct or Dish stolen receivers in use??
find that hard to believe.......


Nope no one said this he asked about voom receivers and and i just told him what i know. and yes i am sure there is stolen d* and E* receivers but it don't make it ok in my book . I just know that i have access to finding out who is respondable for these boxes and i hope that they have to account for everyone they sell for 50.00 buck cause in the end it will cause the about 6 X that hope it get deep in there pocket for steeling them.

So, if I give you the serial number of this box and the access card number, you will be able to track it? I asked the guy who sold it to me and he just said he had a "reputable" supplier. Ebay supposedly does not allow the sale of stolen items. If Voom activated these boxes, they could track very fast the serial and access card numbers and punish the installer who "lost" them.

I guess the point is that you can go and buy the Direct TV and Dish HD receivers in stores for cheaper prices, thus making it accessible to more people. As for the Voom "exclusive" channels, I never watch them, all they have there is old movies and the news channel repeats itself every hour.

As for over the air, it works great.

So, if I give you the serial number of this box and the access card number, you will be able to track it? I asked the guy who sold it to me and he just said he had a "reputable" supplier. Ebay supposedly does not allow the sale of stolen items.

I guess the point is that you can go and buy the Direct TV and Dish HD receivers in stores for cheaper prices, thus making it accessible to more people. As for the Voom "exclusive" channels, I never watch them, all they have there is old movies and the news channel repeats itself every hour.

As for over the air, it works great.

yeap that all i need to track these reciever to see if they are stolen sometime a little faster if we know what state they came from to . So if anyone out there has a box that they have bought on ebay and you what to know if it was one of the stolen boxes just send the info to Tyork37@msn.com or just pm and i will let you know as soon as i find out.

tyork

VoOm not allowing their receivers to be activated is no different than Dish Network not allowing the 322 and 522 receivers to be activated if it is not new and belongs to Dish Network which was previously released.

Will the VoOm receivers pick up any FTA? It may be worth it for an OTA HD antenna for some (if the receiver is not stolen).

i thought the box had to be activated to get ota channels

I thought it had to have been previously activated but didnt have to be currently activated to get the OTA channels.

I thought it had to have been previously activated but didnt have to be currently activated to get the OTA channels.

Correct. The STB will not go past the setup menu without being activated. Meaning unless it downloads the guide the STB is permanently in PARK with no way to procede. The STB will not download the guide and open up the user menu unless it is activated by Voom with the receiver serial # and smart card # authorization.

This is why you want to buy a used receiver that has been unhooked from the LNB line BEFORE the "kill" signal is sent down from the satellite.

By contrast, I have 2 Directv receivers I bought on eBay. Directv authorized them without any question or hassle. I have been told VOOM will not even authorize a receiver if the legitimate owner decides to discontinue the service and give the receiver to a family member. I hear they will not authorize a receiver they have provided unless they get their full installation fee. Is it true that they want $199 to install a second receiver for a current subscriber, in addition to the $400 price for the receiver, will absolutely will not permit self-installation. Anyone know if this is true?

Guys,
There are some cx that bought their equip..(Sears $750.00) And I heard of some dealers that have been stuck with equip.
I don't know about Voom not activating rec. for customers. We have to give a tech id to activate rec.


Just me 2 cents

Fandale8

By contrast, I have 2 Directv receivers I bought on eBay. Directv authorized them without any question or hassle. I have been told VOOM will not even authorize a receiver if the legitimate owner decides to discontinue the service and give the receiver to a family member. I hear they will not authorize a receiver they have provided unless they get their full installation fee. Is it true that they want $199 to install a second receiver for a current subscriber, in addition to the $400 price for the receiver, will absolutely will not permit self-installation. Anyone know if this is true?

yeap all it true. so why not just rent you can get 3 for 1.00 with free installtion.

Guys,
There are some cx that bought their equip..(Sears $750.00) And I heard of some dealers that have been stuck with equip.
I don't know about Voom not activating rec. for customers. We have to give a tech id to activate rec.


Just me 2 cents

Fandale8


This is true there were some customer that did buy the boxes at Sears but when they put then on ebay they will tell you that they bought then at Sears
but them are few and far between.

By contrast, I have 2 Directv receivers I bought on eBay. Directv authorized them without any question or hassle. I have been told VOOM will not even authorize a receiver if the legitimate owner decides to discontinue the service and give the receiver to a family member. I hear they will not authorize a receiver they have provided unless they get their full installation fee. Is it true that they want $199 to install a second receiver for a current subscriber, in addition to the $400 price for the receiver, will absolutely will not permit self-installation. Anyone know if this is true?

$199 for an additional receiver install to an existing account with nocommitment. $49 to install a extra receiver to existing account with a six month commitment. Both are lease options, not a purchase.

Any one here working for Voom or has a business relation with the company?

It seems that what most likely is happening is that Voom is losing the battle. The more I read to my original message and all the replies it seems that either one of the other companies (D* & E*) will go out of their way to satisfy the customer, in this case, me; but, Voom. Their way or the highway.

You can tell me that no one else has as many HD channels, true; but, what good is it if no one at home watches the fashion channel or the rave or the old movies (that are so old that even in HD they don't look good) or has already watched the Chicago special in HD for the n^th time. What I am looking for is quality current entertainment in HD at good price. Simple free market.

I have been paying for a VaVa Voom service for almost a year that keeps me calling the CSR to tell them to turn channels on every month, because for some reason, they go out. Or, because they do not not make the charges to my account on the day they are supposed to, and when they do, they double charge the account and then Voom gets upset because you get your card company to never accept their charges and have them wait for a check.

It has never worked for businesses to force clients; unless, they have either a monopoly or such a product/service that justifies the actions.

Where do I sign for D* or E*?

Well, if VoOm is not going to allow receivers that people purchased not be able to be sold so that someone else can activate them then they should go out of business. That is so stupid. I dont pitty them much now after hearing that.

If my memory service me correct.. When E* or D* first started they didn't have a self install kit. Also I think were it comes down to is also with OTA might be harder to install then the actually dish. I know when my installer first came I already had E* dish on the roof and the install of the V* was quick. However, with the OTA antenna took almost 3 hr and two installers later to get most of the channels. Then the upgrade antenna in which took additional 2 weeks for paperwork and schedule to get..Life is great with V*..

yeap all it true. so why not just rent you can get 3 for 1.00 with free installtion.

Rent? What if I prefer to own? What if I am not comfortable relinquishing control to others when it is my money I am spending? I like choices. I like to be self-reliant. Those used to be core values in this country. I resent big corporations telling me I need to be spoon-fed. Besides, as to the lack of self-install, I truly doubt if there are many installation techs that have as much Satellite, Television or Electronics experience or skill as I. For these reasons I am not a candidate for VOOM. Directv does not direct or restrict me, and has a pretty decent lineup of HDTV. And with 5 or 6 OTA stations presenting quite a bit of HD in prime time, I am satisfied. Installer, please pardon me if I am not comfortable with a stranger coming into my house to simply plug in a cable or two like I am some helpless boob! $199 to install a second receiver! Sounds like extortion to me!! I cannot help but resent that! By the way, I don't live in a house where some homeowners association tells me how I can live in it, plant around it, or park in the drive either!! Guess I am living in the past, and happily at that!

Curmudgeonly, I am
Tony Neece

Rent? What if I prefer to own? What if I am not comfortable relinquishing control to others when it is my money I am spending? I like choices. I like to be self-reliant. Those used to be core values in this country. I resent big corporations telling me I need to be spoon-fed. Besides, as to the lack of self-install, I truly doubt if there are many installation techs that have as much Satellite, Television or Electronics experience or skill as I. For these reasons I am not a candidate for VOOM. Directv does not direct or restrict me, and has a pretty decent lineup of HDTV. And with 5 or 6 OTA stations presenting quite a bit of HD in prime time, I am satisfied. Installer, please pardon me if I am not comfortable with a stranger coming into my house to simply plug in a cable or two like I am some helpless boob! $199 to install a second receiver! Sounds like extortion to me!! I cannot help but resent that! By the way, I don't live in a house where some homeowners association tells me how I can live in it, plant around it, or park in the drive either!! Guess I am living in the past, and happily at that!

Curmudgeonly, I am
Tony Neece


Tony,
didn't mean to offend you but the fact of the matter is that there were several box that have stolen and that is one reason that do not activate these . Sound like you are happy with d* so i guess that is where you should stay and by the way it 199.00 to for the install with on rec. and the second is 49.00 . but if you do some check with D* and E* there prices are the same unless you are a new customer and get the free install . NO i take that back if you are a new E customer and don't have a SS number then they will charge 200.00 plus 50.00 to activate just had a customer last week that this happen to .

T, No offense taken. I do think it is reasonable and desireable for VOOM or anyone else to refuse to authorize a stolen box. I wish there was a database on the net where service shops could check on any device that was sent in for repair as to it's legitmate provenance. There is way too much crime out there and way too little of it is prosecuted. By the way, I was glad to see eBay has now banned the sale of access cards.

My gripe is just with the idea that a vendor would place restrictions, and expensive restrictions usually, on who is allowed to install, maintain or repair their product once it has been purchased. I have seen so many cases where relativly simple repairs were made expensive by the vendor's restrictions.

Case in point. My HVAC unit needed a new ignitor cable. Retail price $56. Only available to holders of a HVAC Contractor's license. Now a service call for a HVAC contractor in this area, to replace it, would be over $200 . I would have to work an entire shift to make that much after taxes, but I can replace the cable myself in less than an hour.

I could go on for hours about how our schools actively discourage kids from going into technical crafts or engineering, causing skill shortages and thus high prices, but that is a whole 'nuther rant!

Tony Neece