Colorado Voomers

[x1hdtv]

I though we should get a Rocky Mountain thread going. I had voom installed last week with no problems. The installer knew what he was doing. I have had no problems with OTA channels. All channels came in great except channel 7 ( I do not live close to there parking lot, HA). Got the update the following night. The receiver has given me no problems. PQ looks good running through an X1 projector.

 

[The Stone Man]

Welcome X1HDTV. I've had Voom since the end of December with very few problems. My reception has been great. The house is in Centennial by the South Suburban golf course, so I have clear line of sight to Lookout Mountain, and OTA's come in fine. Just like you--channel 7 is weak. I pointed the OTA antenna a little bit more north, and it comes in better, but it's still not like the others. Suspect channel 7 doesn't have as much broadcasting juice, since the tower for channel 9 is the same direction and distance.

 

[x1hdtv]

Hi Stone Man, I am in southeast Aurora and from what I have read there is no way of getting channel 7 here. Get a great picture on all other locals. Have D* also with a Zenith 520 and it pulls all locals great. PQ between the two look pretty close together. I have read where PQ on voom has went down some since they first came on line, but I have only had a week to compare. I am using an X1 with 102" screen, which is not 100% HD but pretty close for my eyes. Still I am happy with it.

 

[The Stone Man]

A lot of people on the forum have projectors. I kind of wish I had done that, but maybe after the plasma gives out. I got a Pioneer PDP4340HD, and the picture is really nice, especially on HD content. My wife loves it and thinks I'm a genius for putting this system together. I've got her fooled.

Really lucked out by having the TV installation guy here at the same time the Voom installer was here. Dave Domingez is an independent contractor for Installs, Inc. and his company is called Davado. He did the Voom installation, and he did a very nice job. I used my existing wiring that I had with Dish Network, so the satellite line runs into the STB, and then out to a splitter giving me 5 additional possibilities for more TV's. I bought a little LG 17 inch LCD for our workout room, and the picture is good in there too. You have to watch the same thing on each TV, but there's just me and the wife, so that's not a big deal.

I've got the Pioneer running on HDMI. Got a DVI to HDMI cable that runs DVI from the STB into the Pioneer media box as HDMI. That made the picture quality higher than my original component hookup. In December when I started, the picture quality was good. Then there was a new software release in February (I think), and the picture quality got better. Lately, Voom has had some burps. Whenever that happens, you see a lot of posts about poor picture quality, and I'm quitting types of complaints. I plan to stick with it. I bought the STB, so I'm not going to throw that in the trash. Voom charged $749 for the box and the installation, but I've had free TV up till April 1. They also gave the 'charter member' a $300 rebate, so the monthly Va Va Voom charge is getting taken out of that $300 rebate. Bottom line--I still haven't paid anything for any programming. I think they'll get the bugs worked out.

It's good to have a local guy on board. I was beginning to think I was the only person in Colorado that subscribed to Voom. Oh yeah--one more thing. Voom swapped the original STB's for charter members, but they never offered me the swap. So I think Colorado may have been a beta site for the new generation of STB's. Mine hasn't ever locked up, and I have had zero problems with any of the functions. That channel 7 thing is a little annoying, but I can live without it. Again--welcome.

 

[quincy]

Hey guys I'll be joining you on May first. I live in City Park neighborhood in Denver so we'll see how this works. I have a question though are your dishes pointed more south than east? I don't have much room to spare for los so if you give me the right answer you;ll make me day hee-hee

Thanks,
Quincy

 

[The Stone Man]

The dish points east, and it has a very low elevation.

 

[quincy]

maybe i won't be joining you...

 

[x1hdtv]

Quincy
It should be about a 35 degree angle to the east from looking south. It does have a low elevation. Let them come out anyway and they will check your LOS. If it doesn't work you are not anything (except no voom). Good luck.

 

[The Stone Man]

Are there only two guys in the state that have subscribed to Voom? Need a few more posts from others who might not feel comfortable in the main Voom forum.

 

[shadow_keeper]

Hi y'all. I just registered with this forum and had my Voom installation this past Sunday. I'm overall pleased with the satellite signals so far, but I do miss sports, HDNet, and my local stations that Adelphia was giving me. I just heard Adelphia is getting inHD1/2 as well in the next few weeks. The OTA sucks in this area but supposedly I have another installer coming out to re-work the OTA portion as I can't get anything over the air.

I checked my signal numbers for satellite strength and I'm getting 54 for power and 95 for signal quality. My neighborhood is 'sunk' down so I know my number won't get any better, but I have no drop-outs so hopefully I won't complain

Cheers...

 

[The Stone Man]

Good luck with the OTA stuff. Many years ago, I did some student teaching in the Springs at Mitchell. I got to be an assistant coach for Varsity Basketball, and Mitchell won the State Championship (I think it was 1972).

This forum is good. A lot of the people that post here are pretty helpful. I think this is better than calling or e-mailing Voom customer service. Anyway--welcome, and I really hope the other installer can get your OTA squared away.

 

[Spacedghost]

Hello Fellow Colorado'ns
I currently have E* with 2 HD displays, my contract is up in Nov and am thinking of switching. However I have a few ?'s, from reading here it looks like locals are only OTA? Did any of you keep existing services for locals or whatever channels you like? Do you know what the outlook is for additional channels?

Thanks
Shaun

 

[x1hdtv]

Welcome Spacedghost and Shadow Keeper. All locals are OTA. Here in Aurora I get digital 2,4,6,9,12,31 with an outdoor antenna. They come in great. I still have D* with the TC package. I lost ESPN and HDnet, but hopefully voom will add soon. I would recommend voom as an add-on service as they still do not have some of the basic channels I get from D*. Hey with no money down, no contract, it is worth trying.

 

[The Stone Man]

And I completely switched. I had E* for 7 years, and had the Voom installer take down their dish while he put up the Voom dish. Lucky for me that Voom has worked fine since day 1 (Dec 31, 2003). I get the same locals as x1hdtv, but I'm also able to get channel 7. Reception on that channel is not too great, so I've thought about trying a different antenna, but I have a feeling I'd be wasting my money.

Voom includes the local channels in the on-screen guide. The next software release in May is supposed to support scanning of local signals, so that only the channels that you can actually watch will come up in the program guide. The only thing I gave up by dumping E* was ESPN, and it is coming sooner or later. If I want to see ESPN, I can always go to Fiore's and have a beer and watch their TV.

 

[twodutys]

Hi Guys
Getting Voom as a add-on Sat. I'll keep D* also for Sports and TechTV. Just got the basic D* package now with 3 receivers and will have one Voom with basic also. We don't watch too many movies anymore anyway. And there is always DVDs which in 480p are OK on a 55". Im pulling in channels 2,4,6,9,12,31 out here in Brighton I-76 and Bromley Ln. Using Winegard Square Shooter and Channel Master Amp. Hook to my Mitshu intergrated receiver. But I need MORE HD.

 

[The Stone Man]

Good to have another contributor, twodutys. I went with the Va Va Voom after my free period ran out on 4/1. With the $300 credit they gave to the early guys, I still have $212 toward programming, and I haven't paid anything for programming since my installation in December.

Channel 9 is unveiling the first HD helicopter in the country next week. That could be GREAT. Welcome aboard.

 

[Spacedghost]

Twodutys
That's good to know about the locals OTA at your location, I live in Loveland and am a bit concerned. I have heard that I may be able to get some kind of waiver to pick up Chyenne channels has anyone else heard of that?

Thanks
Shaun

 

[x1hdtv]

Spacedghost
You will not need any waivers for locals you can pick up. You only need a waiver if you want the national feeds from satellite. Voom does not send locals from the satellite.

 

[TheaterWizard]

Hello Colorado Voomers!

Anyone in here use the Voom OTA tuner in Northern Colorado?

I have an 811 now, works ok with a huge antenna, was hoping that the voom unit will preform as well or better than what I have already, before I make the switch. Not sure if I could live without ESPNHD though.

Any thoughts on the OTA tuner up here would be great, Thanks.

Stefan

 

[The Stone Man]

TheaterWizard--entries in the thread are just from a few people, mostly in the metro area and one from the Springs. Nobody yet from up north. There is a guy who posts in the main forum (Trouthead) who lives in Wyoming. You could always try Voom and see what you think. They will install for free, and if it doesn't work out for you, tell them to come and get their stuff back. ESPN is supposed to get here soon. No date yet, but they say that the contract is a 'done deal'.