Are you considering going back to D*?

[vurbano]

With the Voom PQ problems, the false advertising of 39 HD channels by 6/1/04 ( a date that has moved again and again and again), the failure to add INHD or HDnet, the wasteful use of HD bandwith, 2 barkers that look better than discoveryhd, the 21 HD channels with little content, D*'s new satellite and 2 more to launch next year and D* HD channel additions looming, are you considering going back to directv?

 

[occammd]

I've had VOOM for a month, but I left the D* dish up. I'm getting dashed lines all over nick and abc family and I've been waiting for a 30" for 2 weeks. The "divine" thing may be enough to send me back (please don't comment on that part of my decision, I don't want to hijack this thread).

 

[Westbender]

Poll

You don't have the choice of "Still Evaluating". That's what I'm doing. I've only had VOOM for a month and other than the lack of receiver features, I'm having a good experience. I'm hoping the next software update will address the things I'm frustrated about with the box. The programming however, is fine.

 

[Sean Mota]

I have Dish Network right now and will drop it as soon as HDnet is on VOOM. I will downgrade my subscription soon. But will not go back to Dish once I let go...BTW, I did not vote because it is only for D* subs -- the poll.

 

[vurbano]

SEAN

As soon as hdnet is on VOom.... yeah right. First of all, Cuban is going to DEMAND a level of bandwidth under mpeg2 that Voom probably isnt gonna give him. Then theres the issue of WM9 applied to his channel. Then theres his fued with Dolans son. Can you spell "cold day in He$$?

WESTBENDER

I consider "evaluating" to be the same thing as "considering"

 

[astrossuperfan]

I've never had D*, but I am switching to them so I voted yes. Voom's content just isn't there. I don't have my RSN, foodtv, HGTV, sci-fi, or usa. The movies are awful, which I've mentioned before in other threads. I also don't understand why a sat. company that has little bandwidth to begin with would have a channel like Moov. The reasons for me leaving:

1. D* has Tivo working PROPERLY. Tivo "service" w/o locals is not up to par. I don't care if this is Voom's error or Tivo's error. I just want it to work.
2. D* has the channels I want, listed above, plus HDnet, plus the HD channels I want that Voom has also: Espn & Discovery HD.
3. D* has all my locals, unlike Voom who adds locals in spanish before KNWS, which shows Houston's local sports.

My main point is, Voom can have all the HD channels in the world but Voom doesn't currently have the content to fill them. They also don't have the channels that I want to watch. I got Voom hoping that these would be added, but as of THE BIG DAY (6/1) I'm not seeing it. I hope to come back when Voom has more of what I want.

 

[squicken]

I think recent happenings and not happenings have pissed off almost everybody. The only reason I'm staying is b/c my cable company has no bandwidth, Pegasuck handles D* where I live, and E* seems to piss off their customers as much as Voom. The first affordable HD DVR is where I'll hang my hat. For now, I sit and wait. That chat last night left a bad taste in my mouth. Voom reps had a chance to speak to the community and they just sat there? Who isn't thinking of switching?

 

[occammd]

Can you give us a quick review of the chat?
On another post?

 

[jgantert]

I'm not sure how to vote on this one.

As of now, I'm sticking with Voom. If D* ever gets more HD channels, then I will probably switch. But for now, Voom it is. I can't imagine going back to only 4 HD channels!

-John

 

[vurbano]

I think recent happenings and not happenings have pissed off almost everybody. The only reason I'm staying is b/c my cable company has no bandwidth, Pegasuck handles D* where I live, and E* seems to piss off their customers as much as Voom. The first affordable HD DVR is where I'll hang my hat. For now, I sit and wait. That chat last night left a bad taste in my mouth. Voom reps had a chance to speak to the community and they just sat there? Who isn't thinking of switching?

Yes the chat was bizzare, I wish I had known it was the time to complain to the reps.

 

[vurbano]

Can you give us a quick review of the chat?
On another post?

How do you review "nothing"?

 

[squicken]

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?p=118657#post118657

Sean put up his reveiw here.

 

[cameron119]

With the Voom PQ problems, the false advertising of 39 HD channels by 6/1/04 ( a date that has moved again and again and again), the failure to add INHD or HDnet, the wasteful use of HD bandwith, 2 barkers that look better than discoveryhd, the 21 HD channels with little content, D*'s new satellite and 2 more to launch next year and D* HD channel additions looming, are you considering going back to directv?

The 2nd barker (8-15) is a remap of the 1st barker. It requires no additional bandwidth. Besides, Rainbow 1 has full saturation on all transponders whether it's dummy data or a channel carrying a network feed.

 

[vurbano]

the barker PQ looks far better than discoveryhd.

 

[ZeitGeist]

I'm still on the fence and continue to have my DirectTV setup with Voom. I'm going to wait through the summer and weigh the changes at Direct with the new 7s (whatever that means for new HD channels) along with the new HD directtivo against the Voom DVR, Voom exclusives, and the addition/non-addition of both a few HD as well as SD channels. And to be honest, I'm gonna have to think honestly about Cable HD (shudder), too.

It's not a simple equation for me but I won't to get to one service so I have to find the one that best fits my predominant programming needs. I miss Food and BBC America on Voom. I miss sports PPV on Voom. I want a good HD PVR choice. In 3 to 6 months Voom may have all of that.

On the other side, Direct has a dearth of HD channels but I would like HDNet. Direct has HBO which is the premuim channel that matters the most to me but not StarzHD, which is the premuim channel I want the most after HBO. Direct has loads of sports ppv options that fit my viewing needs but I do have to pay extra for Fox Sports World while Voom has La Liga in HD and FSW with the basic package.

I just don't want to be hasty on a final decision since I have the belief that once Voom changes to MPEG 4 / WM9 then there should be the addition of all the channels I want, the DVR solution could possibly be leased rather than purchased, and that Voom will finally get INHD and HDNet.

 

[barth2k]

Voom will NOT have HDnet in the foreseeable future. Mark Cuban himself says so. Forget about hdnet.

You can hold out hopes for InHD. But the fact that they're adding EquatorHD and not InHD indicates it's not so much a bandwidth issue as political/financial, which means InHD is doubtful too.

I'm tempted to go back to D* because:

0) it's missing food and hgtv, must have for the women.
1) the horrible STB and PQ not up to par.
2) I'd gladly trade ultra, moov, gallery, rush for hdnet.
3) The premium channels are disappointing. starzhd sucks -- they have hits like Finding Nemo but not in HD, just upconverts. Not Voom's fault, of course, but it does make Voom less compelling to have.

It's a tough decision. I wish I could "suspend" service on Voom and go back when they improve, but I don't think they'll let me. I'll have to cancel, and I don't think reinstall will be free.

 

[szman167]

With the Voom PQ problems, the false advertising of 39 HD channels by 6/1/04 ( a date that has moved again and again and again), the failure to add INHD or HDnet, the wasteful use of HD bandwith, 2 barkers that look better than discoveryhd, the 21 HD channels with little content, D*'s new satellite and 2 more to launch next year and D* HD channel additions looming, are you considering going back to directv?

I left VOOM last night and had them call me as to why, I told them "Divine" and to many reruns.

Steve

 

[Walter L.]

The only way I would ever consider going back to D* is if they match the channels that VOOM has NOW at a better price and give me free equipment and no-commitment. Launching new sats and making lots of HD promises mean nothing to me.

 

[GadgetRick]

Nope...

Not even considering it at this point. Wine all you want about pq issues but at least Voom has pq issues. It's hard to have pq issues when you don't have the channels!

But seriously, I'm sick to death of the overcompressed SD on DTV. Try watching any kind of sports on DTV and you'll see what I mean. Sure, we've got the sparklies over here (on some--too many--channels) but it's something which can be fixed (judging by some of the posts I've seen on this topic) but the pq on SD still rocks DTV by a mile.

Is the HD stuff on DTV looking better? I really don't know since I've not seen DTV HD and, quite frankly, I don't really care. I know Voom looks good and I'm happy. Sure, I want it to get better, I ALWAYS want it better but that doesn't mean it looks like crap.

Now, keep in mind, I've been a DTV sub for about 8 years now so it's not like I only had it for a while. They've been against HD since it started and I don't believe for a second they've changed their direction. They can put up satellites every month but, until they start offering some HD channels, it does nothing for me.

I'm sticking with Voom until something better comes along or they get everything right. For now, they're getting an awful lot right...

The Rickster