BREAKING VOOM DVR News from CES!!!

[stevesmall]

You know, I don't have a problem with Voom doing what they are at the moment. I have said before and I'll reiterate that I believe there is a reason all of this seems to be targeted for the spring. It is my belief that Voom will relaunch in a much bigger way at that time. How much of a splash can you make if you basically "relaunch" Voom with the following:

A Networked DVR
New Channels (70 HD, hundreds of SD, etc.)
MPEG 4
New Dish for MultiSats
SD boxes available for cheap for the kids' rooms, kitchen, etc.

If you think about it, why would they launch the DVR before MPEG 4and the new sat ability and have to upgrade, or build in the cost of the upgrade into the box. Doesn't make good sense.

I also believe it is possible Voom's sats will be unloaded and that Rainbow will make the Cinema10 and Voom exclusives available as "compelling HD content" exclusively at first to the purchaser (E*?) and then to everyone else (ala Sundance, AMC, etc.)- this also makes business sense. They could then spin off Rainbow media as just that- a media company.

Voom exclusive means they have the name of the channel not the movie or program as exclusive to voom. VOOM does have exclusive channels but the content is owned by various other conglomerates and is for sale to whatever provider wants to air it. as for the upconversion does anyone know if this is being done on an exclusive basis for voom or is their another company doing this and charging voom ? How is that end working ?

 

[Walter L.]

Voom exclusive means they have the name of the channel not the movie or program as exclusive to voom. VOOM does have exclusive channels but the content is owned by various other conglomerates and is for sale to whatever provider wants to air it.

That is partially true. Some of the non-movie content is being produced by VOOM and therefore, it is exclusive to VOOM (example some of the Equator HD and Rush-HD series). Also, they have exclusive HD rights for some of the movies.

 

[vurbano]

Well since I was expressing my dissapointment with Voom at CES I might as well add my biggest dissapointment of all that NO ONE has mentioned.

1. What company was the first to announce their intent to go mpeg4? Voom
2. What company claims their reciever is upgradeable to mpeg4? Voom
3. What company displayed the worlds first mpeg4 broadcast at CES????

Directv

WTF?????????????????

Again, IMO, Voom has totally fallen on its face at this one. Im sorry to be so negative lately, I suppose it will wear off. But one of the major reasons I came to voom was their promise to implement mpeg4. And to be upstaged by a behemouth that doesnt give a rats ass about HD PQ or quantity on the mpeg4 issue is pretty embarrassing.

 

[calikarim]

Voom Box DVR has HDMI

Here is a link that explains what the difference is between DVI and HDMI. Basically you can use an adapter to connect the voom dvr hdmi port to a tv that has a dvi port as long as the dvi tv has hdcp complaince. This means it has copyrite protection built in the dvi interface so that movies cannot be copied. This way with a hdmi to dvi adapter you should see the video feed, but will not be able to use the 8 channel audio interface, unless your tv has hdmi port. It is ok because most poeple use the optical out for dolby and feed it to their amplifier.

http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/howto-dvi-hdmi.html

 

[vurbano]

IF combining audio and video into one cable was the main reason for hdmi, then I think it was a gigantic waste. What Home theatre person listens to audio through the fricken TV set?

 

[warkovision]

IF combining audio and video into one cable was the main reason for hdmi, then I think it was a gigantic waste. What Home theatre person listens to audio through the fricken TV set?

I think the idea is for later when you see pre/pros, receivers, dvd players, etc all sporting hdmi for all inputs/outputs, then you have fewer cables behind your rig to get all messed up. Just a guess.

 

[andrzej]

IF combining audio and video into one cable was the main reason for hdmi, then I think it was a gigantic waste. What Home theatre person listens to audio through the fricken TV set?

You don't have to. What about HDMI from STB to HT receiver and then HMDI (or DVI) from the receiver to your TV.

 

[calikarim]

I agree HDMI is a waste

I think HDMI is a waste. Now anyone with a new 2005/6 set has a HDMI input rather than DVI. That means if you have multiple DVI outputs you will need to get adapters for each one go to a HDMI switchbox, and then go to HDMI input on your HD set. Why can't they just stick with DVI/ HDCP. IT has copyrite protection built in. I wish the dvr voom box has dual outputs dvi and HDMI then we don't have to buy expensive adapters and diminish the signal strength.

 

[vurbano]

You don't have to. What about HDMI from STB to HT receiver and then HMDI (or DVI) from the receiver to your TV.

O yeah thats what I want. I cant wait to pay Denon $5000.00 bucks for a reciever with HDMI. Seen one with DVI yet? Seen the price for one with 4 component inputs? Its just a stupid idea IMO. The only one it helps is Monster cable.

 

[vurbano]

Back on topic:

NOTHING reported on Voom today? NO press releases? NO news? No info on mpeg4?

Should we stop even wondering if they will show us anything else at CES?

 

[gutter]

I would still like to know what the procedure will be for the dish upgrade and when. That is the key to the extra channels.

 

[vurbano]

wouldnt a D* 3lnb dish work pointed in the right direct? Its a wide oval. then just replace one of the lnb's with one needed for the new sat?

 

[Loki40]

Dvi

O yeah thats what I want. I cant wait to pay Denon $5000.00 bucks for a reciever with HDMI. Seen one with DVI yet? Seen the price for one with 4 component inputs? Its just a stupid idea IMO. The only one it helps is Monster cable.

HDMI is going to replace DVI in the future just a better format. Monster cable has nothing to do with it.

 

[vurbano]

HDMI is going to replace DVI in the future just a better format. Monster cable has nothing to do with it.

The point is there is no need for it. The only ones making money on it are the equipment and cable manufacturers. There is no real benefit to the consumer. Those tiny optical audio cords are too cumbersome? A Better format? You have to be joking. PROFITS have everything to do with it. Performance has NOTHING to do with it.

 

[jawilljr]

O yeah thats what I want. I cant wait to pay Denon $5000.00 bucks for a reciever with HDMI. Seen one with DVI yet? Seen the price for one with 4 component inputs? Its just a stupid idea IMO. The only one it helps is Monster cable.

vurbano, have you looked at the Marantz SR8500? It has 2 DVI inputs and 4 component inputs... all for $1599 retail. Not bad I think. I will be buying one next week.

I agree... HDMI is a total waste. Why mix audio and video together? Just plain dumb.

Jerry

 

[warkovision]

I agree... HDMI is a total waste. Why mix audio and video together? Just plain dumb. Jerry

I don't know enough about the spec. Does one HDMI connection handle both input and output like firewire? If it does, I would think it would make a BIG difference in the ease of setup in multi component systems. I look at the back of my Anthem AV20 and just marvel at the multitudes of extraneous composite, component video ins/outs and toslink, spdif, analog audio in/outs. Assuming a completely digital sytem, doesn't it make sense to run one cable from every component to the pre/pro or receiver instead of possibly 2, 3 or 4? Is HDMI as robust as firewire? Or is this just another useless attempt at some sort of standardization because people will continue to want to mix and match formats?

 

[richard_rd]

wouldnt a D* 3lnb dish work pointed in the right direct? Its a wide oval. then just replace one of the lnb's with one needed for the new sat?

Yep, should work, IMO, DirecTV uses 101/110/119 birds, 9 degree separation between each bird. The separation between 61.5 and 72 (10.5 degree's) so i think they should work just fine. Also DirecTV uses Lagacy style LNB's (no frequency stacking like DishPro type LNB's). So the DirecTV LNB's should also work IMO.

 

[vurbano]

vurbano, have you looked at the Marantz SR8500? It has 2 DVI inputs and 4 component inputs... all for $1599 retail. Not bad I think. I will be buying one next week.

I agree... HDMI is a total waste. Why mix audio and video together? Just plain dumb.

Jerry

sounds like a nice reciever. Too rich for my blood though.

 

[TheForce]

Guys try not to be so narrow-minded re HDMI. The use of HDMI is a great idea that simply expands on the DVI concept. It greatly simplifies the connections in a complex home theater system. It was not meant to enable listening to the audio through the Video monitor speakers althjough, in some applications that is quite possible as well.
Something had to come first and early in 2004 HDMI began to show up in some monitoprs as well as some HD source devices. Finally this year at CES several AVR's have come through with multiple inputs for HDMI plus a couple DVI-D. From here the DD and DTS sound can be split off to power your speakers and the video output to drive your display. With the HDMI inputs added to the AVR's this new interconnect has now reached it's goal for a greatly simplified set of all digital interconnects. Next year we should see this appear in most of the middle and low end AVR's but this year it is just appearing in the highest end of certain brands. Finally, never forget that an adapter cable is all that is needed to come out of a HDMI source and derive DVI feed, or connect a DVI source through a special cable to an HDMI video only input when other audio routing is desired.

 

[vurbano]

Guys try not to be so narrow-minded re HDMI. The use of HDMI is a great idea that simply expands on the DVI concept. It greatly simplifies the connections in a complex home theater system. It was not meant to enable listening to the audio through the Video monitor speakers althjough, in some applications that is quite possible as well.
Something had to come first and early in 2004 HDMI began to show up in some monitoprs as well as some HD source devices. Finally this year at CES several AVR's have come through with multiple inputs for HDMI plus a couple DVI-D. From here the DD and DTS sound can be split off to power your speakers and the video output to drive your display. With the HDMI inputs added to the AVR's this new interconnect has now reached it's goal for a greatly simplified set of all digital interconnects. Next year we should see this appear in most of the middle and low end AVR's but this year it is just appearing in the highest end of certain brands. Finally, never forget that an adapter cable is all that is needed to come out of a HDMI source and derive DVI feed, or connect a DVI source through a special cable to an HDMI video only input when other audio routing is desired.

And next year it will be some other useless technology to lure fools to part with more money. ya know you can achieve the same thing with a few 5 cent plastic zip ties around your dvi cable and your audio cable or flexible sleeve or some electrical tape. O look instant declutter. O but the effort required to plug in two cables whatever shall I do? And yes a simple DVI to HDMI cable can be used, another product for sale for you to spend your money on. Of course the manufacturers knew that when they added HDMI. And so did the high end cable makers. What a scam.