Any Word on Noggin and VOOM

[Amphicar770]

Hi All,

VOOM is coming to do the install next week.

Today my wife asks, "we will still have Noggin, won't we". I mumbled something about new channels coming.

Has any one heard anything on if Noggin will be added to the VOOM lineup?

Keeping two services with two boxes is out of the question in my house. Not just cost but also too much complexity.

Thanks.

 

[ComcastOgre]

No official word, but it looks like Voom is maxed out. Your wife will be waiting at LEAST until the August-October timeframe for the new Voom satellite to get incorporated with most of the customers and Voom actually gets a deal with Noggin.

 

[jagouar]

wtf you talking about DBS? They have a new bird going up in march which will give us 70HD/350SD from the ~39/87 we have now. The new bird is already up there and running so it should be ready to go in march (IE no need for testing/other stuff a new bird would need, that should all be happening now).

Theyre going to have plenty of capacity but theres no indication on when/what channels will be added then.

 

[ComcastOgre]

Jagouar, they will have the CAPACITY for those channels, NOT necessarily that many channels. Voom is already overpriced, so a lot of the channels everybody expects will be available NO DOUBT won't be. That doesn't even take into account what channels may be difficult getting contracts with for reasons other than price. The OVERWHELMING majority of Voom subscribers do NOT have the right hardware to view this new satellite either, so that problem will probably take a while to fix as well.

Anybody that actually expects 70 HD channels will be VERY disappointed in March and right on through the end of the year. I predict MAYBE 6 or 7 new HD channels (InHD 1 & 2, Wealth TV, ESPN 2 HD, the upcoming Outdoor Channel HD, upcoming TCM HD) if they're lucky.

 

[Amphicar770]

What do you mean when you say that the majority of customers will not be able to view the new satellite? I assume that this is the bird that will carry much of the new programming. Should I hold off on my pending install until some newer equipment is made available or are they currently installing the "correct" equipment? Thanks.

 

[jagouar]

Im not expecting 70 HD chans in march (more like 6-10 like you said) but your first post said they will have NOTHING NEW until aug/oct which is 100% your opinion and most likely wont happen... we will see new channels online before aug/oct.

I expect them to add 10HD/~50-100SD in march (theres alot of missing SD channels that need to get added quickly and voOm knows it)

Most people speculate all the VaVaVoom movie channels would need the new dish and free up lots of space on the current one. But the simple fact is nobody knows what voOm has in store for us in march but I expcet them to add quite a few new channels then.

 

[gutter]

And DBSOgre, where do you get your mis-information? If you know what you say is based on fact..than state the fact. However, if it is your opinion...don't make it look like fact. Right now, state who offers more regular HD without making you pay extra?

 

[ComcastOgre]

Amphicar770, to answer your question, I'm referring to the current customers already installed that will need a dish upgrade. I've dealt with Voom before. I'd be surprised if they move really quick on this.

I stand corrected on the nothing new because the original information I remember seeing wasn't for March. 50-100 SD channels is a very generous estimate. I'm guessing 50 SD basic package channels at the ABSOLUTE most, including public interest channels and shopping channels. They may add other a la carte stuff too.

I apologize to all of the Voom pom pom waivers, and their faith is strong. Most of my words above are fact with a few opinions thrown in. I have no way of proving the facts, but most of the positive predictions in this thread are a bit over the top.

As for Gutter's question, from how you worded it, both DirecTV and Dish Network offer more REGULAR HD without making me paying extra. Voom is more expensive than DirecTV and Dish with half the quality programming, and their HD picture quality is for the most part absolutely attrocious. I had Voom for 2 months before. I know. There are those gem moments where they live up to their monicre, but not often.

 

[jagouar]

D* is much worse PQ that voOm and Dish PQ is better but their linup blows balls, not to mention none of the other sat providers out there can touch the SD PQ of voOm.

There is no perfect provider (see dish and directs move to mpeg4 making all that equipment into paperweights yes even those 1k hd-tivos). There is no provider ever nor will there ever be that will make everybody happy.

And on the money side of things they are very competative....

This is for a 2 box system
===================
My local cable co
50 for basic cable
5 receiver
10 HD package
$65 total
-----------------

D*
36.99 for total choice w/o locals
HD pack 10.99
5 mirror fee
$52.98 (doesnt count $300 to buy each HD receiver)
------------------------
E*
29.99 (top 60 plus)
HD pack 9.99
5 mirror
$49.98 (doesnt include cost of getting equipment)
----------------------
V*
49.90
5 mirror
$54.95

Not exactly higher than all the other providers considering you get more HD channels.

When we see the DVR pricing the value will probably grow exponentially. And tons of capacity avaliable in march makes a very exciting future for voOm if they can keep from going out of buisness before then.

I know everybody brings up the price as a con for voOm but the numbers simply dont reflect that. Ive never understood that. Yes I know they are giving the HD pack away for free but at the cost of longer contracts and only lasting 6 months etc just to keep people around... thats not the set price and they will stop letting people have them for free so thats why its part of the price because you cant expect it to always be 6 months free.

 

[vinnyv07]

I have Directv and VOOM and I tell you that all of their SD sucks. Its just bad. When you switch from a HD ch to a SD ch you see it even more. Fact is that VOOMs new sat is going to need an upgrade Dish...I really dont see it happening in March. I dont care if they have to just flip a switch. They have been behind on everything that they do. I dont see March being any different at all. Also...I cant see how anyone can say VOOM is overpriced. I was paying 52 bucks a mth for TWC in my area and I had around 7 HD ch's , 5 which were local ch's. They gave me nothing. For 5 bucks more VOOM is giving me a ton more....plus I like OTA way better than what Directv or TWC pipes in for you. OTA is the best quality in my area. It just looks better.

 

[ComcastOgre]

Comparing Voom to cable companies, Voom is (for the most part) a MUCH better deal. In terms of DirecTV, I get everything. Everything on Voom is more and yet it's not even 3/4 of what I get on DirecTV for cheaper.

Jagouar, you can't make the argument about the move to mpeg 4 because several threads have email replies about what the future of those questionable receivers is. At least for DirecTV, they will be switched out for little or no money whatsoever.

 

[jagouar]

Ok total choice premiere w/o locals is 87.99
then 5 mirror fee

vavavoom 89.99
5 mirror

they are almost the same price and Id take 2x HD programming over 2x SD programming any day.... and I dont beleive that even included the HD pack.

And I can make that comment about the receivers... you should know better by now to trust what ANY D* CSR tells you they are going to sugarcoat anything to keep people there. If they indeed do replace all that equipment good for them but bare minimum your going to have to re-commit for 12 months like they are doing for locals that require a new dish they are joo'ing subs into a 12 month commit and thats a 3lnb dish, lets see what then do when it comes time to replace 1k tivos.

 

[ComcastOgre]

That's a good argument, but you are unfortunately part of the minority there jagouar. Most of the people on this forum and the other satellite forums are majorly pro HD, but HD does NOT have a strong enough foothold yet to survive with the quality of Voom's other areas besides HD. I am not saying Voom is going to completely go away, but this satellite isn't going to be Voom's heavenly savior. LOL. It will give Voom the opportunity to be their own heavenly savior. Having satellite space doesn't mean it will be filled. I hope Voom gets to Dish Network's and DirecTV's point because I would switch back if their customer service was there and they filled several major programming holes.

 

[jagouar]

Well I fully expect by the end of the year that they will have fully caught up in the SD (locals nonwithstanding) dept and be well ahead in the HD dept (again locals nonwithstanding) were going to have to wait for their 5 birds to get up into orbit before we see locals on voOm. (provided they make it that far). But if we can keep them aloat that long IMO they have a better long term future plan than D* or anybody does.

5k HD channels, the networkable and stackable (couldnt get a straight answer from D* if their whole home solution would be stackable, not that it really matters because who could be able to afford 2 hd-pvr's form them when the hd-tivo is 1k) DVR, MPEG4 ready on all equipment, since we lease free upgrades, etc. Yes they still have pretty bad CSR and other deficiencies but theyre still a relatively new company. The big part will be making it to where they have a few million subs so they can get the rest of the birds up and have vastly more transponder space than anybody.