Cancellation now or wait until free period ends?

[jcato]

I like Voom, but I'm going to cancel and here's why.

1. Content

Yes, they have alot of content, but there isn't really anything I'm that interested in on the 21 exclusive channels. In the month I've had it, I think I've watched 3 movies on Cinema 10. The best thing I've seen has been the Tom Petty concert on Rave, but that's about it.

2. Hardware Issues

This isn't the issue you might think it is. Yes, my receiver locks up every couple of days and I have to reboot. Irritating, but not a big deal. The real issue is the DVR they have coming out. I would really wan that, but I can't see dropping another $800-$1000 for it and having the $800 receiver I already have. Even if there is an upgrade option, I doubt it will be free. So I can cancel now, get my money back, and possibly come back later and get the DVR. This is probably the biggest issue of all of these.

3. The alternative

My local cable folks (Comcast) have 9 HD channels (3 locals w/ a 4th soon, ESPNHD, INHD, INHD2, HBOE, HBOW, and SHOWHD). I'm not getting the locals with Voom, so this a big bonus, espcially with the Super Bowl coming up. These 8 channels (I wouldn't get the Showtime package) will be most everything I'd be interested in.

4. The cost

It is unclear to me what the Packs for Voom will be. I would want HBO and ESPN. HBO will be a plus pack, but what about ESPN? If it is, too, then that will $55 plus whatever taxes and fees are added on. The cable will be $68 + T&F. Plus, I'll get a lot more SD channels and more PPV options. Although, no HD PPV, yet.

So, bottom line, because of the DVR, returning everything now and possibly coming back when it is ready seems like the best way to go.

The question (finally!) I have is should I cancel now or wait until the middle to end of Feb? I know they have said the money back on the equipment is through March, but I haven't seen it in writing, so that worries me a little bit. We're talking $800 and I'm sure I want to take that chance. My 30 days (which is in writing) ends tomorrow. So, cancel now or enjoy it for a few more weeks?

Thanks

 

[Sean Mota]

jcato,

I edited your title to make it more descriptive to your post. You raise interested issues or points.

1. I agree. Cinema 10 needs to get more content.

2. DVR, yeah this one is a big one. If non-dvr receiver costs $750 (I know it includes antenna, satellite and OTA amplifier), how much will VOOM be asking for the DVR? Another $999? Who knows? the bottom line more money to spend.

3. You mentioned your local cable company which is happening all over. In my case, cable is not an option. My big debate is the 921! Having a unit to record my HD, but again the 921 has no firewire active and it may never become active. Just like the internet inactivity in the 721. So do I get the 921 or not?

4. Espn-HD will probably be located in the sports pack ($15/mth on top of the $39/mth). You are probably right here that cable or another satellite company will get you more SD channels and VOOM will never be able to compete on SD channels. However, once the other HD channels $100/mth on 39 HD channels will look fine.

If I were you, I'll stay until Feb 29 when free programming ends and/or until 3/31/04 when money back guarante finishes. Yes, there is no official document on VOOM's website about the money back guarantee extension. But we do have a minutes document from Installs Inc on a meeting between VOOM and Installs Inc confirming the same. Also, Wilt Hildenbrand, VP at VOOM, said the same publicly. So, there are enough reasons to see the whole package and then evaluate as to oppose leaving now and not seeing the whole package.

 

[MagicConch]

If it were me I would quit now because I don't like to sit on things. However if that's not an issue, you may as well get as much as you can out of it. I doubt you'll lose your money either way.

DVR is the only reason I haven't jumped on yet. I don't even think the current receiver can be a client for the PVR receiver. You'd have to buy a new client for every TV (except for the one that has the PVR of course) so you'd never even use the current receiver.

 

[Sean Mota]

MagicConch,

I have no data to back it up right now in terms of the current receiver being used as a client to the DVR. IMO, it will be in the best interest of VOOM to make the current receiver an workable unit (client) with the DVR. I do not see this as a major problem.

 

[rudolpht]

It can be a client, so you can stream from the DVR (1 or more), PC audio & graphic files, or use it like a regular STB, i.e. watch the "local" attached channel. I don't know about it's stream combined with the multiple other streams to be used remotely, implied but I have my doubts on that. So client yes, server ?, would bet no.

 

[dcbag]

I will cancel about the middle of Feb, don't want to wait until the end of time frame, but I am ready to get this piece of crab out of my sight, I am absolutly tired of all the problems with this receiver. I have gone for the $99 HD upgrade for long time customer from D.

 

[MagicConch]

Thanks Rudolph & Sean. I asked Wilt as well and he has confirmed what you have said; and that it is a definite.

 

[Dan Berndt]

I'm not having any real serious receiver problems anymore. The channel changing is a little slow and the guide pops up on its own every once in a while but those are not deal breaker issues for me. All the OTA channels I want to watch are mapped and I like having only digital OTA reception.

If you break down the installation costs, I paid only $199 for the receiver and $556 for the installation and the satellite. That $556 also includes a two year maintenance contract on the total system. I think DirecTV wanted to charge me something like $10/month for a maintenance contract.

I figure I can still sell my old DirecTV equipment and reduce my change over expenditure even further. I hate taking a loss on my old equipment but a change over from any satellite or cable company to another is going to cost since there is no compatibility between equipment. I figure this loss is the price I have to pay to make the service providers give me more HDTV.

The other service providers are not providing the amount of HD premium channels that VOOM is yet, but I do expect them to try to catch up. VOOM provides two Showtime HD channels and two Starz HD channels. DirecTV was only providing one HBO and one Showtime HD primium channels.

With DirecTV, I use to have the, HBO, Starz and Showtime packs and would still have difficulty sometimes finding something I wanted to watch, especially in HD. Since we are paying for them, we can complain about what's being shown on the twenty one VOOM channels to try to change the programming more to our liking but that's still twenty one channels of high definition programming you are not going to get anywhere else. Maybe I don't watch much TV but I'm still able to find things I want to watch on the VOOM channels.

I was very disappointed with ESPN-HD when it started to air on DirecTV. Very few of the programs were actually in HD. When I switch to a HD premium channel I want to watch HD not SD.

I still get excited whenever I hear about the addition of new HD channels but I've been disappointed to many times by the lack of HD on the HD channels to get too excited. It will be nice to have 45+ HD channels come february 1st but how many of those channels are going to be showing something in HD when I want to watch HD? At least I will have the twenty one VOOM channels I know will be in HD when all the other digital channels are trying to see how much SD they can get away with.

My thinking is changing from how much is it going to cost me to stay with VOOM to how much is it going to cost me to leave VOOM. If I abandon VOOM there will be just that much less pressure on the other providers to support high definition. Can I really afford to leave VOOM right now?

 

[Sean Mota]

Dan,

these are good points. This is why I like VOOM. There are 21 + others (starz-hd east and west, sho-hd east and west, nfl-hd, discovery-hd theater, tmc-hd). I am never out of watching HD channels and if I am I go and watch a DVD movie. My SD channels hours has been reduced and there has been an improvement on the 21 HD channel programming. Yes, we can cry all we want to have more but I think we are just trying to push VOOM.

Dan is completely right. Now I find that I need a DVR because there is too much in HD that I do not have enough time. My 6000 receiver has been sitting there inactive and I just use it to compare PQ. And I did not mention all the HD programming that comes through the OTA mapping. This keeps you busy...Just watching HD only...A dream come true.

 

[geekygizmo]

I want to stay with Voom but hardware costs and future compatibly are my MAJOR decision factors.

First off, I still don't have all my locals, I have hdtv SAT-520 and receive all my locals with it, but my channel mapping is still wrong even after several emails to wilt and co. If this is not fixed by the drop dead date then it's a no brainier, Voom is gone.

Now the tricky part, My sat-520 does not care if I subscribe to d*, It will still perform as expected on the local channels. As it stands the Voom box will be dead in the water if I unsubscribe to Voom, no locals no-nothing! I am hoping the next update that scan's for locals will fix that. If I have to subscribe to Voom just to keep my locals then I can't justify selling my old d* HD receiver and in turn justify keeping Voom.

I also can't justify extra per mo. money just for HD if I nothing is on when I want to watch it during our evening movie time. So the (lowcost) upgrade to a PVR (which by the way the rumors were when I went ahead and took this deal in the first place) would also clinch the deal but now it looks like I may have to trash this hardware to go PVR (A deal killer again).


Did any of that make sense?
Well it's late,
gg

 

[Sean Mota]

geekygizmo,

you did not mention it. Did you do the factory reset procedure?

 

[geekygizmo]

Yes, please set aside technical stuff on this thread. My locals are not in the guide there for they don't receive.

I was just trying to lend more reasons as to why/why-not keep Voom

GG