Charlie Chat and Voom 21

[Indy]

I just got off the phone with Dish technical support and asked what my options were on hardware upgrades to the 942. I am still a Dish customer with my account in idle mode. I asked if she had any information of what might happen with the Voom programming on 61.5 and she said there is a good possibility Dish will offer the Voom programming after May1. She also stated the encoding would be changed to be compatible with Dish hardware. She also added the 942 is compatible with MPEG 4 and the 942 purchase price to existing Dish customers is $299. Think I will do nothing until I hear what will happen to the Voom programming.

 

[mdonnelly]

I just got off the phone with Dish technical support and asked what my options were on hardware upgrades to the 942. I am still a Dish customer with my account in idle mode. I asked if she had any information of what might happen with the Voom programming on 61.5 and she said there is a good possibility Dish will offer the Voom programming after May1. She also stated the encoding would be changed to be compatible with Dish hardware. She also added the 942 is compatible with MPEG 4 and the 942 purchase price to existing Dish customers is $299. Think I will do nothing until I hear what will happen to the Voom programming.

She was smoking crack.

 

[ChetK]

I just got off the phone with Dish technical support and asked what my options were on hardware upgrades to the 942. I am still a Dish customer with my account in idle mode. I asked if she had any information of what might happen with the Voom programming on 61.5 and she said there is a good possibility Dish will offer the Voom programming after May1. She also stated the encoding would be changed to be compatible with Dish hardware. She also added the 942 is compatible with MPEG 4 and the 942 purchase price to existing Dish customers is $299. Think I will do nothing until I hear what will happen to the Voom programming.

What? This is new news. Only $299 for existing customers? I've been told the 942 isn't available to existing customers. Their web site says the exact same thing.

I don't know whether the 942 is Mpeg-4 compatible or not.

Also, I doubt E* will add Voom 21 channels. At least, I hope not.

 

[Sean Mota]

Indy,

the csr told you what you wanted to hear. The 942 is not compatible with MPEG-4. That is a fact. It is a waste of a receiver. Charlie last night said there is no more HD channels added until fall/winter 2005. CSR is lost.

 

[ChetK]

By the way, if it was, in fact, only $299, you should have jumped all over it. In reality, it's $249 as a non-refundable down payment and $5 per month after that. If you want to disconnect, you have to give them the hardware and you don't get you $249 back.

 

[Sean Mota]

She was smoking crack.

I agree with that. Maybe in wherever she is located it is more accessible.

 

[MarcelV]

she said there is a good possibility Dish will offer the Voom programming after May1.

And where are they going to move those channels to? Unless CVC will lease the satellite to E* in the interim, it's still owned and operated by CVC. FCC hasn't made the decision. And I doubt there's any capacity on E* current 'fleet' to add all those channels.

Seems to me like air. But who knows....

 

[Indy]

Damm! What a fire I started with that post! OK, I will concede the CSR was probably clueless and had me by the you know what's with her soft southern drawl. Hmmm.. now my curiosity is peaked of what would have happened if I ordered the 942

Anyway I am still going to wait and see what happens before I make any decisions.

 

[jeslevine]

I don't know about the CSR you talked with but

I just got off the phone with Dish technical support and asked what my options were on hardware upgrades to the 942. I am still a Dish customer with my account in idle mode. I asked if she had any information of what might happen with the Voom programming on 61.5 and she said there is a good possibility Dish will offer the Voom programming after May1. She also stated the encoding would be changed to be compatible with Dish hardware. She also added the 942 is compatible with MPEG 4 and the 942 purchase price to existing Dish customers is $299. Think I will do nothing until I hear what will happen to the Voom programming.

everything coming out from dish right now is that

1. No lease option currently for existing customers
2. No new HD content until at least later in the year

the 942 would need to be upgraded to support mpeg4

nothing will happen with dish and HD until later

 

[gutter]

I just got off the phone with Dish technical support and asked what my options were on hardware upgrades to the 942. I am still a Dish customer with my account in idle mode. I asked if she had any information of what might happen with the Voom programming on 61.5 and she said there is a good possibility Dish will offer the Voom programming after May1. She also stated the encoding would be changed to be compatible with Dish hardware. She also added the 942 is compatible with MPEG 4 and the 942 purchase price to existing Dish customers is $299. Think I will do nothing until I hear what will happen to the Voom programming.

I believe you. You are the 3rd person to make this same report. I am wondering if I shoudl wait. If they did offer it...I would switch to DISH. If not I am looking at STAR CHOICE out of CANADA.

 

[James Long]

I believe Indy, but cannot believe the CSR. We have had much higher level people confirm that the 942 will NEVER do MPEG4. "after May 1" could mean May 2nd or December 2006. C Ergen is interested, but not now. Adding those channels now does not fit in to the E* timeline.

JL

 

[Jamey K]

Also, I doubt E* will add Voom 21 channels. At least, I hope not.

Why?

 

[ptech]

Most of the HD preliminary content will be HD locals but their is mention of other HD content by 2007. You can read the press release from last fall here http://www.directv.com/DTVAPP/aboutus/headline.dsp?id=09_08_2004A for details on D*'s plans. but here is a summary.

The first two of these satellites, Spaceway 1 and Spaceway 2, will launch in 2005 with programming being offered to consumers by the middle of the year. These satellites will have the capacity for more than 500 local HD channels. With these satellites, DIRECTV will have the ability to bring local HD programming to most of the U.S. population, as well as continuing to expand standard-definition local offerings and other enhancements.

The next two satellites, DIRECTV 10 and DIRECTV 11, will launch in early 2007. These satellites will have the capacity for more than 1,000 additional local HD channels, more than 150 national HD channels, and other new programming offerings. These satellites will provide DIRECTV the capability to bring local and national HD programming and other advanced services to every U.S. household. Consumers will be able to receive all of these services, as well as existing DIRECTV® programming, with a single small satellite dish.

For now I still have my voom running along side Dish and comparing TNTHD on both just kills me. Dish can't even compare to the quality of Voom. I would take Voom's TNTHD glitches anyday over Dish's picture. Must be the HD LITE Sean talked about.

I for one, will switch to Directv once they offer the new HD content this June. I'm sure they will have some great deal to lure the Dish people away. I put getting Voom on hold because of the lack of locals and have kicked myself in the a$$ ever since. So HD locals to start will be great for me. Just in case your thinking about it. I am one of the guys who has spent thousands of dollars in search of HD local broadcasts and when the planets all line up and the temp is just right. I could get one or two until a tornado took it all away the other day.

Bottom line, wait until Directv comes out with an offer this summer and switch.

Still VOOMING until the 30th

 

[shanewalker]

25K x $100mo. + equipment = a nice grab if E* gets smart and tries to woo the hard core Voomer/HD audience soon (number is est. based on new subs and less those who carry mult. and are already in a post-Voom camp). Let's hope that Charlie throws some HD bones our way and doesn't kill PQ or E*s attractive 'no money up front for equipment' policy will leave them no leverage to keep subs who want HD now...especially those of us who got a taste of how it SHOULD be with Voom.

I'd think E* would be in the prime position to throw up more HD channels with the license transfers and whatever negotiations were/are in the works with Dolan for the 21 content, etc., well before D* gets anything online...let's see if they do it.

As for you, Chet, your comment is ridiculous. Why would you want less programming options? Trust me, the more range of HD channels you get, the better. Same as SD, or do you sub only to the minimum/Favorite 60 pack there, too?

 

[John Kotches]

[

Originally Posted by Carter
They will be up before winter:

Spaceway 1 = April 26

DirecTV 8 = May 21

Spaceway 2 = June

Originally posted by KLEN:

So, deosn't it stand to reason that they will be able to blow away E* on HD content, or is all the space to provide HD locals?

Am I missing something here?

You would be missing the fact that E* has

• AMC-15 in orbit and testing
• AMC-16 in orbit and testing
• Rainbow 1 in orbit, awaiting FCC disposition.

Not to mention other sats they might have on order from Lockeed Martin and SES-Americom.

Cheers,

 

[ChetK]

Why?

As for you, Chet, your comment is ridiculous. Why would you want less programming options? Trust me, the more range of HD channels you get, the better. Same as SD, or do you sub only to the minimum/Favorite 60 pack there, too?

Not if there's not enough bandwidth. Although, I'll agree that more HD options is a good thing, not at the expense of quality. I think the 21 exclusive channels could be condensed down into 5 good channels. There simply wasn't enough content or bandwidth to fill 21 channels with high-quality programming.

I don't want HD just for the sake that I can say "I have HD". I want HD so I can say that I have enough high-quality content to watch at any given time. Many people will argue quantity over quality. But, you'll NEVER hear me preaching that sermon.

Fact is, E*, right now, doesn't have enough bandwidth to add one more HD channel so there's no reason to believe they have enough for 21 more. Maybe AFTER the sale goes through, but not until then.

 

[ptech]

Now I'm not up to speed on all the details in the sale agreement between Cablevision and Echostar but it would seem to me that Echostar could offer the Voom 21 and move their programming they offer over and we would all be in about the same place we are now, correct?

With all the bandwidth being used by the HBOHD's and SHOHD's etc and the duplicated SD channels of same, it would appear that their would be more than enough bandwidth for the few remaining channels we did not receive from Voom if they would just remove the duplicated channels. Now that would make me really happy.

 

[shanewalker]

Not if there's not enough bandwidth. Although, I'll agree that more HD options is a good thing, not at the expense of quality...I don't want HD just for the sake that I can say "I have HD". I want HD so I can say that I have enough high-quality content to watch at any given time...Fact is, E*, right now, doesn't have enough bandwidth to add one more HD channel so there's no reason to believe they have enough for 21 more. Maybe AFTER the sale goes through, but not until then.

Won't hear any argument from me on quality issues...but that's my gripe, E* and D* have packed so much SD crap into their lineup that they have no room for quality HD content. If it takes more birds for the sake of maintaining the status quo lineup, o.k., but subs shouldn't accept LIL and 50 shopping/music/blah-blah channels eating up the bandwidth required for PQ across the board and quality HD. I see the same people griping about Voom PQ but not lambasting their own providers for the same or more egregious misuse of their available bandwidth...that's what gets me, the hypocrisy. I hope when the new sats are up there we see things improve with D* and E*, I really do, but why should they when their subs are brainwashed into supporting them with words/dollars when they know better?

 

[r.jones1116]

I would put more faith in believing a miracle might happen to save Voom than I would E* or D* adding Voom's 21.

If no one is out their to pick up the programming on May 1, how long do you think they will continue to invest in the Voom 21?

 

[ChetK]

Won't hear any argument from me on quality issues...but that's my gripe, E* and D* have packed so much SD crap into their lineup that they have no room for quality HD content. If it takes more birds for the sake of maintaining the status quo lineup, o.k., but subs shouldn't accept LIL and 50 shopping/music/blah-blah channels eating up the bandwidth required for PQ across the board and quality HD. I see the same people griping about Voom PQ but not lambasting their own providers for the same or more egregious misuse of their available bandwidth...that's what gets me, the hypocrisy. I hope when the new sats are up there we see things improve with D* and E*, I really do, but why should they when their subs are brainwashed into supporting them with words/dollars when they know better?

I don't think it's that we're brainwashed. However, we do understand that companies like E* have to make money. If they have too many SD channels, likely, they had them before HD came into the mix. We also understand that HD isn't their only source of income. If it was, they'd probably end up like Voom. Give it time. This whole HD thing is still pretty new.

I think the frustration sets in that HD isn't moving as fast as we all believe it should be. We have been awaken to the advantages of HD, while the rest of the world hasn't. It's like we have the coolest toy on the block, but none of the other kids even know why the toy is cool to play with. So we're frustrated. If content providers saw a real monetary benefit to adding HD, they'd be all over it. Unfortunately, there aren't enough people with HDTVs yet. It's not ALL their fault. They have to worry about running a business too.