Dates For ESPN-HD & TNT HD on VOOM?

[CKNA]

Once the contracts are in place, they need the capability of receiving ESPN 1 & 2 in SD analog via Galaxy 5, ESPN News & Classic in SD Digicipher 2 via Galaxy 11 and ESPN HD via Digicipher Megapipe via Galaxy 10.

In other words, once the contracts are in place they need a bunch of equipment to receive the signals and add them to the VOOM uplink. They may be waiting until the contracts are signed before buying the receiving equipment. They may have purchased the stuff already in anticipation.

Actually cable companies and satellite providers take ESPN 1 &2 from Galaxy 1 Digicipher 2 feeds and ESPN News and Classic from Galaxy 10R. Also ESPN HD feed on Galaxy 10 is not megapipe. It is regular Digicipher 2. They only use megapipe for backhaul feeds.

BTW, analog feeds of ESPN and ESPN2 on Galaxy 5 are only for BUD owners who have not switched to Digicipher 2 yet. They may go away at any time.

 

[VewDew]

Well my birthday is tomorrow. Why can't I get it on my birthday?

Well mine is May 22nd, and I will give up all my presents for ESPN-HD and OTA scanning.

 

[vurbano]

Does anyone know why Voom carries 2 channels of the EXACT same thing? ESPNHD and ESPN SD? HBOHD & HBO SD? etc.?

because the compainies demand that they take all the channels

 

[vurbano]

I'm currently getting ESPN HD trough my cable company in Concord, CA ( www.astound.net).
They don't have much in HD - I only saw few NHL games and 1 basebal game in 720p.Those few games had greater pricture quality then other HD channels that i have ( they all in 1080i)
The rest of ESPN content in SD which is hard to watch on 56' projection HDTV.
Is that something that my cable company doing to this channel or ESPN just doesn't have too many HD cameras?

ESPN #1 has stated that you will get more HD events when more HD sets are sold and #2 they think their customers will get "used" to the stretch and upconvert.They stretch and upconvert it its not your cable company. ESPN doesnt have HD cams they rent the HD trucks.

ESPNHD sucks

 

[kotto_bass]

Koto.... if soccer is what you want, World Sport HD has you covered. They show Spanish Premeire league all the time. It doesn't get any better than Real Madrid in High Def. Way better soccer than anything espn will show

Yeah, I've heard a lot about World Sport. But ESPN Deportes has the UEFA Champions League, which is the ultimate soccer tournament. If Voom gets the ESPN package (and I know ESPN is NOT cheap), they can put it on a separate tier, and I would still get it!
I'm going to my local SEARS this afternoon to find out about this. Va Va Voom (Go Go Voom)

 

[ZeitGeist]

ESPN Deportes would be smokin' cool if that's what happens. Part of the reason I decided to try out Voom was for the World Sport channel's coveredge of La Liga in HD (the unrealized at the time but very appreciated bonus has been all the UEFA cup matches that World Sport shows) but the absolute best club competition in Europe is the Champion's League. ESPN 2 shows one game during every champions cup game week but ESPN Deportes shows, it seems, at least 3 or more of the games. It's not in HD but I'd would have subscribed to ParaTodos to get the games if ParaTodos on Direct had included Deportes. Most non-soccer fans could care less but Voom has positioned themselves nicely for American soccer fans by caring FoxSportsWorld from the start and all the great coveredge on the World Sport Channel. Espn Deportes would be another notch in the belt for American soccer fans to have to seriously consider Voom over Direct and Dish.

dave

 

[vurbano]

ESPN Deportes would be smokin' cool if that's what happens. Part of the reason I decided to try out Voom was for the World Sport channel's coveredge of La Liga in HD (the unrealized at the time but very appreciated bonus has been all the UEFA cup matches that World Sport shows) but the absolute best club competition in Europe is the Champion's League. ESPN 2 shows one game during every champions cup game week but ESPN Deportes shows, it seems, at least 3 or more of the games. It's not in HD but I'd would have subscribed to ParaTodos to get the games if ParaTodos on Direct had included Deportes. Most non-soccer fans could care less but Voom has positioned themselves nicely for American soccer fans by caring FoxSportsWorld from the start and all the great coveredge on the World Sport Channel. Espn Deportes would be another notch in the belt for American soccer fans to have to seriously consider Voom over Direct and Dish.

dave

I wasnt a soccer fan before voom. But now I am amazed at real madrid, beckham, renaldo and raul. I watch it all the time now.

 

[vurbano]

Yeah, I've heard a lot about World Sport. But ESPN Deportes has the UEFA Champions League, which is the ultimate soccer tournament. If Voom gets the ESPN package (and I know ESPN is NOT cheap), they can put it on a separate tier, and I would still get it!
I'm going to my local SEARS this afternoon to find out about this. Va Va Voom (Go Go Voom)

Sears doesnt know squat about Voom. You have to call 1800getvoom to get the free install/rental deal.

 

[timfouts]

To clarify the whereabouts of ESPN suite: NEWS, Classic, and HD are all on Galaxy 10R. The HD feed is C-band DCII combo mode known as megapipe-not available on my 4DTV. NEWS and Classic are C-band DCII SD-available on 4DTV via subscription. The Deuce called ESPN2, and ESPN SD are on Galaxy 5 C-band analog VCII. ESPNOW is on Galaxy 4R via HITS subscription along with 5 ppv channels

 

[animal]

FWIW, I spoke to my installer (Installer's Inc) and he told me that it's going to happen within the next couple of weeks. He knew this through speaking with someone at his company.

Also, while on the phone this am with a VOOM rep, she told me that they intend on getting all 5 channels -- when? she couldn't say obviously.

I really don't see how Voom can make it without ESPN. I feel sports-deprived already only having the service 3 days now.

 

[kfried001]

Why does VOOM even carry the SD version of the HD version of channels since you can watch HD channels on SD and they look great?

 

[jimmykce1]

Cannot wait until ESPN package comes to Voom. I believe its been about a month since Cablevision signed a contract with ESPN. So I guess Cablevision and Voom will get ESPN the same time.

 

[Sean Mota]

Why does VOOM even carry the SD version of the HD version of channels since you can watch HD channels on SD and they look great?

Contract/agreement with programmers as it is required to carry them. Same applies for any satellite or cable provider.

 

[squicken]

A real big problem with dealing with ESPN is that they demand that their channels are included on basic packages. Cable companies are running into this with the Minnesota Twins' Victory Network, and New Yorkers surely remeber the YES mess. ESPN must be carried on basic cable, etc., b/c ESPN knows that there is a fringe minority of viewers who would choose to not watch ESPN if it were in a Sports pkg. This way, ESPN can negotiate better with advertisers. I think most of us would pay $6 (I think ESPN charged COX this price in their most recent deal) extra a month for ESPN, but does Voom want to stat advertising its monthly pakages starting at $46? I don't think Voom does. I think ESPN is a ways off the more I think about it.

 

[Walter L.]

$6 per subcriber/month??? That seems like a lot. I personally wouldn't pay an extra cent to get ESPN.

 

[squicken]

$6 per subcriber/month??? That seems like a lot. I personally wouldn't pay an extra cent to get ESPN.

It was either that or $8/month. ESPN is far and away the most expensive cable channel b/c of the NCAA, NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB contracts. I agree with the cable and DBSs on this. ESPN shouldn't force itself on customers who don't want their product. Most women and many men couldn't care less about sports. I want ESPN, but I am in favor of Voom holding a firm line with ESPN on this issue. But ESPN has never lost a negotiation before, and I doubt they'll start with Voom.

 

[Walter L.]

I'm a sport fan but paying extra for ESPN... no way!!! None of the cable companies charge extra for it (at least not directly ).

 

[squicken]

I'm a sport fan but paying extra for ESPN... no way!!! None of the cable companies charge extra for it (at least not directly ).

When I had Cox, I didn't have to pay extra for it either, but basic cable has gone up more than $10 in last year. Whatever I'm paying for Moov, 5 of the Cinema 10s, Nickelodeon, MTV, and many others, Voom can apply that number to ESPN and drop those channels from my account. Well, I guess I want to see MTV's coverage of the Olsen Twins 18th birthday party, but after that, then no MTV

 

[kotto_bass]

A real big problem with dealing with ESPN is that they demand that their channels are included on basic packages. Cable companies are running into this with the Minnesota Twins' Victory Network, and New Yorkers surely remeber the YES mess. ESPN must be carried on basic cable, etc., b/c ESPN knows that there is a fringe minority of viewers who would choose to not watch ESPN if it were in a Sports pkg. This way, ESPN can negotiate better with advertisers. I think most of us would pay $6 (I think ESPN charged COX this price in their most recent deal) extra a month for ESPN, but does Voom want to stat advertising its monthly pakages starting at $46? I don't think Voom does. I think ESPN is a ways off the more I think about it.

Interesting! But isn't it up to the networks to decide where to put ESPN on their packages? Shouldn't the FCC step in here?

 

[Ken F]

I'm a sport fan but paying extra for ESPN... no way!!! None of the cable companies charge extra for it (at least not directly ).

You do pay extra for it, by way of increased programming rates. The $6.00/mo quote is a bit high, but it's definitely in the $4.00 range with ESPN-HD. You've got ESPN at $2.25 to $2.40, ESPN-HD at ~$0.80, and the other ESPN channels at $0.20 to $0.30. This is all figured into your cable bill.

Interesting! But isn't it up to the networks to decide where to put ESPN on their packages? Shouldn't the FCC step in here?

Content providers are not regulated like that; they are not monopolies. If Disney wants to sell ABC, ABC Family, ESPN, ESPN-HD, ESPN2, ESPN News, and ESPN Classic in one big package bundle, that is their right. They also have the right to dictate the terms of carriage in their contract. In Disney's case, they require a clause in all their contracts that says ESPN, ESPN2, etc will be in the basic programming tier. They won't sell these channels any other way.

How can VOOM offset the extra $4.00+/mo cost to the basic package for these ESPN channels, without significantly increasing rates (or increasing rates at all)? One option is to eliminate the choice of a free premium package (HBO, Showtime, etc) in the $39.90/mo plan. Ooops, they already did that.