My VOOM Saga

ArnieMc

Active SatelliteGuys Member
Original poster
Sep 20, 2004
22
0
Newport News, VA
I signed up for VOOM on July 28 under the 0/0 option and was finally installed on August 11. The installer was late but did a very professional job. All local channels scanned with a signal strength of 90 or above, and the satellite signal was very good. I had everything I was supposed to have.

Unfortunately, however, I had frequent drop outs and break ups of the OTA channels and frequent "No signals" from a couple of them. Most were unwatchable. I called VOOM and set up a service appointment expecting an antenna upgrade. A different installer showed up (in the middle of Tropical Storm Gaston) to replace my STB. This was okay since my STB had "developed" a problem: whenever you turned the set off, when you turned it back on, you had nothing but a blank (black) screen and have to reset the box. So he replaced the STB and told me that the only thing that would help my OTA reception was a better antenna. The new STB soon "developed" the blank screen problem - right after I switched it to "Native" mode. So, apparently, the STB problem was a software problem (at least in combination with my Sony GWIII) instead of a problem with my particular unit. The solution is obvious - don't turn off the STB. ("Doctor, it hurts when I do this." "Well, then, don't do that.")

Anyway, I called VOOM again and explained that it was an OTA reception problem, and that I thought I needed an antenna upgrade. They scheduled another service appointment. A third installer, David, called and asked me about the problem before he came out. I told him what was happening, and he said I needed an antenna upgrade. Since, according to him, VOOM takes up to an hour to approve an antenna upgrade, he called them from the shop to get the process started. They denied the upgrade. He came over anyway, checked the system out including the direction the antenna was aimed and said that the only thing that would help is a new antenna.

I called VOOM again and asked why the antenna upgrade was denied. (I was really nice about it.) No one knew, but they would escalate the problem. The next day, I was called by the escalator. He expressed frustration that the installer did not know what kind of antenna I had, and now he would have to send him back out to see what it is. (If I were setting up a customer database, right after how much they owed me, I would include what equipment we had installed, but VOOM must not think that way.) Anyway, I gave him the make, model and number of my antenna, and he set up another service appointment - I thought to upgrade my antenna.

On the day of the appointment - last Saturday, David called and asked me (asked ME?!?) if I had gotten approval for the antenna upgrade. I told him that I assumed so, that is what the escalator implied. He said that his shipment of antennas had not come in and that it would be a couple of days until he could install it. A few minutes after he called, DataLink (the company between Installs, Inc. and David's company) called me looking for David. I told them what he told me. They said that couldn't be right. The work order just said to re-aim my antenna.

I called VOOM - again! I politely explained the situation and asked what the installer was really supposed to do. The CSR (gosh, those people are nice!) put me on hold for about 10 minutes while she talked to Installation. She came back and said that I had been approved for a pre-amp (a pre-amp?) and that DataLink had said that the delay was due to the fact that David did not have one. I asked if I could just buy my own antenna and hook it up. She said no and started talking about liability and reliability and professional installation, etc.

I can't wait to see what David does when (if) he gets here. Meanwhile, the only watchable OTA channel yesterday was CBS. I had to watch the Redskins game on SD cable instead of in Hi Def OTA. I am starting to get reeeaaallllly frustrated.
 
ArnieMC,

Since everything was working with a 90 signal (OTA channels), what is your setup look like? Do you have a diplexor connected? What's the make, model of your antenna? I just wondering that since you had everything working before why it stopped working.
 
Sean Mota said:
ArnieMC,

Since everything was working with a 90 signal (OTA channels), what is your setup look like? Do you have a diplexor connected? What's the make, model of your antenna? I just wondering that since you had everything working before why it stopped working.
Yes, I have a diplexer connected. The antenna is a Winegard Sensar VM-2NPS, the one that looks like a stealth bomber. It never really worked right. The installer did not spend any time checking each OTA channel. He just trusted the scan. I still get a 90 signal, but only while scanning. On the system status screen, I get an Off-Air Signal Quality of 90, but an Off-Air Signal Power of 50 to 80 with a SNR of about 25. The SNR, however, periodically goes to zero, the picture freezes, and the sound disappears. It may happen every few minutes or every few seconds. If it stays that way more than a couple of seconds, I get the "No signal" message. Sometimes a station will be "No signal" for hours. Right now, I have two "No signal" stations with their subs, three that are okay - but sometimes have problems, and three with the intermittent drop outs.
 
riffjim4069 said:
ArnieMC,

Where are you located, etc.? Go to the VOOM "In You Area" Forum and read through the Washington DC thread if you haven't done so already...we'll get you up and running.
Thanks! I read the thread, and, under the heading of misery loves company, it made me feel better. I'm in Newport News, VA about 20 miles from the towers, and they are all in the same direction within a few degrees. There are some big trees a couple of hundred feet away in that direction, but none of the installers thought that they were a problem. I guess I'll see what happens this week.
 
Antenna Research

One of the things that the escalator complained about was that the installer wanted to upgrade me to a hyper-expensive antenna. I decided to see how expensive it would be.

First, I went to antennaweb.org to see what antenna I needed. They said I needed a medium directional (red) antenna. I then went to starkelectronic.com to price them. Stark sells the antenna that VOOM supplied, the amplified, multi-directional, UHF/VHF Winegard Sensar II, for $69. The non-amplified version sells for $27. So it's basically a do-everything cheap piece of crap with an expensive amplifier. The antenna that the installer wants to upgrade me to is the Winegard PR-8800, a non-amplified, directional UHF antenna which Stark sells for $48.92. For comparison, the antenna that is reputed to be the best for this area is the Channel Master 4228 which sells for $50.68. So the "hyper-expensive" upgrade is actually $21 cheaper than the original. Apparently, the escalator is just like the CSR's: really nice but totally clueless.

Why doesn't VOOM use the information from antennaweb and install the proper antenna the first time. It would save them time, money and complaints. I know they use antennaweb, every CSR that I've talked to has had it open and quoted from it.
 
Buy your own....Antennas Direct on the web....replaced Voom's with a DB8 and
I'm watching 37 out of 40 OTA channels with no interruptions whatsoever....The 3 channels I don't receive are duplicates......I'm 62 miles from the tower in Los Angeles with an assortment of mountain ranges, trees, houses, and various blockage....90+ signal....and I don't live in LA..........
 
Update

The installer/technician David called this morning and told my wife he would be out at 12:00. I went home from work to meet him (my wife was at the dentist). He called at 12:30 and said he wouldn't be out until 3:00 to install my PRE-AMP! My antenna upgrade was denied again. I thought that the escalator had fixed that but apparently not. Anyway, I called VOOM and talked, was put on hold, talked, was put on hold, etc. for a half hour. They again denied my request for an antenna upgrade and assured me that a pre-amp (on an amplified antenna!) was just what I need. The CSR asked me if my problem had been satisfactorily resolved. I told her "Absolutely not!"

I went back to work. David showed up at 2:00. DataLink called me to tell me that he was there. I went home. He installed the pre-amp. The reception got worse. He uninstalled the pre-amp. I called VOOM.

This time it only took 20 minutes of talking and holding. The CSR (they are still real nice) scheduled another service call (the 5th?) to install an antenna upgrade - if it is approved.

More screaming, scotch drinking, and hair pulling to follow.
 
You are a patient man. like the scothc option too, JW Black or Blue here. It took me 7 tries to get it right and two whole days of work I missed before I could get it to work right. Then I found out a DVI cble was suppose to come with it after I dumped $100 on a monster DVI. I still lose PBS-HD feed sometimes but just gave up. Once they got it right it does work well, except for PBS so don't give up hope. It is amazing though the lack of coordination or communication between Voom and the Installs Inc. people. I think installs must be milking the hell out of Voom and raking it in between the repeated service calls and the fact they must be reselling the DVI's somewhere...maybe Ebay?
 
I really think it's the VOOM people. They are calling the shots, and they don't have anyone on staff who would recognize an antenna if it was shoved up their .. uh .. nostril. They are causing the extra service calls: re-aiming a multi-directional antenna, putting a pre-amp on an amplified antenna, etc. CSR: "Well, i don't understand why you aren't getting your locals. According to antennaweb, you should be." Me: "Maybe it's because you haven't installed a medium directional antenna like antennaweb says I need." CSR: "Let's try re-aiming your antenna."

VOOM sends work orders to Installs, Inc. They pass them along to regional sub-contractors who pass them to installer/technicians who are usually independent contractors. It's probably the installers who are ripping off the DVI cables. Fortunately, I had very professional technicians - operating under dumb work orders issued by VOOM.
 
Arnie:

Help yourself. Got a pair of rabbit ears (antenna) laying around the house. Maybe one of those single bowtie antennas? Hook it to the back of the Voom box. You live in Newport News you can make this work.

Good Luck....

p.s. I live in VA Beach...I'm using a Radio Shack Double bowtie. Works most excellent.
 
:) Yeah, you're right. If I knew then what I know now, I would have just had the right antenna waiting for the installer when he first arrived. If he wouldn't put it up, I would. Unfortunately, I'm very stubborn. I have too much time, energy, money, aggravation, and ego invested in this to quit now. I'm determined that VOOM will get me an acceptable OTA picture!

Besides, if you stand back and look at it, it's kind of funny. What is the world's record for futility in dealing with a satellite company?
 
Questions

Well, I finally got my antenna upgrade to a Winegard PR-8800. I was able to watch NFC football on Fox in HD for the first time without it constantly breaking up. Yea! Other stations were also improved. Unfortunately, I also lost CBS, WB (who cares), and 10 satellite channels. The technician showed up with an antenna but without an unpowered diplexer. He didn't know he needed one. He jerry-rigged it using a multiswitch.

The questions:

1. I lost satellite channels 101, 102, 202, 325, 503, 504, 505, 506, 607 and 804 - either a blank screen or macro blocking. Are these channels in any way related? Could there be a common cause or were those just the weakest?

2. Can I add a pre-amp to the 8800? Would it work to put the powered diplexer back in and put a pre-amp between it and the antenna?
 
ArnieMc said:
Well, I finally got my antenna upgrade to a Winegard PR-8800. I was able to watch NFC football on Fox in HD for the first time without it constantly breaking up. Yea! Other stations were also improved. Unfortunately, I also lost CBS, WB ...
I believe PR-8800 is UHF-only. Perhaps your CBS and WB are VHF stations.

I lost satellite channels 101, 102, 202, 325, 503, 504, 505, 506, 607 and 804 - either a blank screen or macro blocking.
What are your satellite signal strength and quality readings? And do you know how your multiswich is currently connected?
 
Ilya said:
I believe PR-8800 is UHF-only. Perhaps your CBS and WB are VHF stations.

What are your satellite signal strength and quality readings? And do you know how your multiswich is currently connected?
The CBS and WB that I lost are the UHF/digital versions - channels 40 and 38, respectively. I think that the reason I lost those channels is that the antenna is aimed wrong. We carefully aimed it to maximize signal strength for one of the stations, I don't know which, but I think that what we picked up was a reflection off the Scottish Rite Temple. As far as I can tell, the antenna is aimed about 30 degrees off. :rolleyes:

My satellite signal quality is about 80. The satellite signal power/SNR is typically 0/11. The zero leads me to believe that the multiswitch is not connected property, but I can't see it well enough to tell how it's connected. Before the change, the quality was over 90 and the power/SNR was around 82/12. Of course, as soon as I started this response and checked on the signal for the "bad" satellite stations, they cleared up so that all satellite signals are about equal but still 0/11.

My current plan is to install a pre-amp, replace the multiswitch with the powered diplexer, and re-aim the antenna. If that doesn't do it, I'm going to separate the antenna and dish and put the antenna on the second story with a separate coax line. If that doesn't do it, I'm going to track the installer down and shoot him, cancel VOOM and my credit card, and jump off the roof.
 

I farted, now I'm leaving Voom...

Unfortunately Leaving Voom...

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