HD VOOM ers

[kfried001]

Yup. All the channels rerun. VOOM is no different. HBO runs the same old stuff over and over. What else is new?

I use my 942 to record what I want from the VOOM channels and enjoy it when I'm ready. For $5 a month I couldn't be happier.

And, yes, it's reasonable to assume that the fall season will bring more new content on VOOM and most other channels as well.

Now, when the heck is SciFi Channel gonna go HD???????

Well, with that attitude Voom will never improve. I guess I was just used to the real Voom; not the new low budget version. This is never going to compete with E* if the rumors are true.

 

[Harry]

Well some are not happy with VOOM? Have you tried regular local TV this summer? We are still watching programing we recorded last season on TiVO since there is nothing on but reruns too, and many are not in HD.

That is true. However, network TV is producing more and more HD content and all top 100 DMA's should be broadcasting at a power level >= to their analog signals, meaning more people are now able to get the signal.

On the other hand, HD content on Satellite is very stagnant, reruns, shows from 30 years ago. I thought the Voom channels were a rip off when they were offered by E* and I am seeing a lot subscribers back that up.

But if you are happy with the Voom channels, by all means, go for it and enjoy. But don't expect a vast amount of new HD programming other than what TNT, HDNET or ESPn offers. The networks will progressively offer more HD programming and new programming.

On another note, I looked on the E* website and I see no mention of the HD pack for 1/2 off for existing subscribers. Is this fact or not?

 

[new_to_hdtv]

On another note, I looked on the E* website and I see no mention of the HD pack for 1/2 off for existing subscribers. Is this fact or not?

I've never seen anything in print from e* that says "1/2 off the HD pack for existing subscribers" but I called them back in March and the CSR first told me that it wasn't available to existing subs, but after explaining to them that was BS they did agree to give me the 1/2 off deal.

 

[Harry]

I've never seen anything in print from e* that says "1/2 off the HD pack for existing subscribers" but I called them back in March and the CSR first told me that it wasn't available to existing subs, but after explaining to them that was BS they did agree to give me the 1/2 off deal.

Kind of what I thought. Is similar to going to Juarez, Mexico and haggling for the best price! Come to think of it, E* has a center in either El Paso or Juarez. That explains it!

 

[philhu]

Yup. All the channels rerun. VOOM is no different. HBO runs the same old stuff over and over. What else is new?

I use my 942 to record what I want from the VOOM channels and enjoy it when I'm ready. For $5 a month I couldn't be happier.

And, yes, it's reasonable to assume that the fall season will bring more new content on VOOM and most other channels as well.

Now, when the heck is SciFi Channel gonna go HD???????

I just saw Stargate:Atlantis on the M-HD channel on Canadian BEV and it is AWESOME in HD! Clear, widescreen, so cool! Saturday's at 6pm

 

[Tweak]

Yeah...same here..couple of months and I've seen it all...again and again....I was forewarned that I would get tired of watching aerial shots of Italy, bugs, and the living dead, but I wouldn't listen...I had to have VOOM.....had to subscibe for a year of HD to get it...I stopped watching 3 weeks ago and I'm sure I haven't missed a thing....even the basic Dish HD package stinks...I don't care what you say ESPN, is NOT in HD...my vcr looks better than that..whats all that gray espn crap that takes up half my screen on each side? The best HD deal is still free...OTA.....unless you want to watch Texas Chainsaw Massacre every day for the rest of your life....forget about getting VOOM...... I would like to make VOOM go BOOM!!!

 

[gutter]

ESPN HD is a big dissappointment. Where is the HD? It shoudl be called ESPN partime HD. TNT the same

 

[rkrenicki]

Now, when the heck is SciFi Channel gonna go HD???????

Probably right after their east coast feed changes from Analog to Digital...

For some reason (unknown to everyone but those at MGM), they have not transitioned their primary feed for the East Coast to digital on Galaxy 12, while the West coast gets it in digital on Galaxy 1R

It really makes no sense to not have an HD channel, since most of the Sci-Fi programming is HD and/or Widescreen..

 

[kavula]

Maybe that means sometime early next year for SciFi junkies!

 

[rkrenicki]

Why do you say that? just because the source programming is available in HD (ala Stargate Atlantis on The Movie Network in Canada, or Stargate SG-1 and Battlestar Galactica on SkyOne in the UK), does not mean that MGM is any closer to making Sci-Fi an HD channel..

As I stated, there isnt even a digital feed of the channel for the East Coast.. only analog thusfar.

I mean, dont take me wrong, I would like a Sci-Fi HD channel, but there seems to be no intention of making one, at least in the short term.

 

[voomvoom]

When they changed the name from Bravo HD to Universal HD, they said they would be showing programs from SCI-FI channel in HD on Universal HD. Stargate SG1 and Stargate Atlantis as well as Battlestar Galactica were mentioned.... as well as other shows from the Universal Library...
I think the reason for this is cause they have no "near future" plans to make SCI-FI an HD channel....

 

[lilexecutioner]

But we dont have Universal HD so that wouldnt help us either way. I really want to watch Stargate Atlantis in HD.

 

[kavula]

I think the very reason for a channel called Universal HD is because not enough content exists in HD (yet) to have a Bravo HD, SciFi HD, USA HD, and others. Perhaps I should have been more clear that when I hoped for SciFi HD in the near future, I really meant I wanted the two Stargates and Galactica in HD. Hopefully on Universal HD or SciFi HD, whenever that is created. However, the two Stargates are produced by MGM, now part of Sony, and are not produced by NBC/Universal. Galactica is produced by NBC/Universal and it does appear in HD on Universal HD. Maybe that's why Stargate isn't on that channel, since it would take a slight more complicated transaction to air it (Yes, I know that SciFi is also NBC/Universal too).

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I've had the VOOM channels now for nearly 3 months and I'm still finding quite a bit of stuff to watch. I consider them to be a great bargain at $5/month. I watched probably 40-50 hours from them last month, so that's about 10 cents per hour for HD material.

I would love more new material, but am more than satisfied with what I'm getting considering what I'm paying for it.

I'm surprised that people are so dissatisfied with them that they won't pay a pittance monthly fee to keep them. That sends a very bad signal to Charlie about adding more HD channels. Of course, if one doesn't watch them at all, then they are a bad value even at a low price.

 

[kfried001]

I've had the VOOM channels now for nearly 3 months and I'm still finding quite a bit of stuff to watch. I consider them to be a great bargain at $5/month. I watched probably 40-50 hours from them last month, so that's about 10 cents per hour for HD material.

I would love more new material, but am more than satisfied with what I'm getting considering what I'm paying for it.

I'm surprised that people are so dissatisfied with them that they won't pay a pittance monthly fee to keep them. That sends a very bad signal to Charlie about adding more HD channels. Of course, if one doesn't watch them at all, then they are a bad value even at a low price.

Actually it should tell Charlie the opposite. Tell the Dolan's to start putting money into Voom and adding new content. What you are watching may seem new to you, but people that had Voom for 18 months have seen all that is on.

You vote with your pockets. If you are not happy you don't pay. This should send the message that 10 channels of HD are not worth $5.00. What does that tell you. People are not cheap, but they don't want to pay $5.00 for re-run after re-run.

What the ex-Voomer's want is the old Voom! Now that Charlie is 20% owner it will hit his bottom line if he looses Voom subs. What should he do? Add more content to make subs happy so they will pay.

My 2c,
Ken

 

[Tom Bombadil]

I don't think it will work that way. Charlie is putting a fair amount of money and resource into offering the VOOM channels. If he starts losing subs, after adding 10 exclusive HD channels, it is far more likely that he will doubt that HD is a priority right now. Perhaps he will wonder if he should bother to add the rest of the VOOM channels. Or make space for them on his primary satellites.

The subtlety of an argument that losing subs means they want more original VOOM content is likely to be lost in the noise.

 

[Tvlman]

KFRIED001:"What the ex-V0oomer's want is the old Voom!"

That's it in a nutshell. Why doesn't Charlie "get it?" The original VOOM is 21 Original channels of VOOM not 10. If I want a Mercedes I want the whole car not just the front half ,Charlie!!! Get it??

(Actually the original VOOM consisted of the Original 21 plus ENCORE HD, SHOWTIME HD, HBO HD, THE MOVIE CHANNEL HD, STARZ HD and CINEMAX HD. Also VOOM was the only satellite service that carried CNN World News. Try to find that on DirecTV or DISH! C'mon Charlie you can't give us a hot dog and call it a a sirloin.)

 

[Tom Bombadil]

Well, Charlie is in negotiations for the remaining 11.

And you have to give him credit for giving us 10 VOOM channels for only $5 a month.

No reason at all to be critical of him on this point.

Now criticizing him for not offering channels like CineMax HD, Universal HD, INHD, and other HD channels is fair game. Although there certainly is a bandwidth issue in play. Hopefully things will get much better after MPEG4 rolls out.

 

[rkrenicki]

I am not necessarily being critical of Charlie, but of the voom service..

When Echostar bought the rights to voom, it was for the whole shebang, not just half the channels.. they already have the rights to do it, but there is no content to broadcast as far as I know..

And therein lies the problem. Last I heard, the voom content people were never told to stop working, yet there has been a large void of new content.. I cannot jusify spending $5/mo for the same repeated crap, with the promise that more will come.. when the more comes, then I will consider it..

This brings me back to the reason why I canceled voom in the first place.. because of the lack of new, decent, and compelling programming.

 

[kfried001]

Well, Charlie is in negotiations for the remaining 11.

And you have to give him credit for giving us 10 VOOM channels for only $5 a month.

No reason at all to be critical of him on this point.

Now criticizing him for not offering channels like CineMax HD, Universal HD, INHD, and other HD channels is fair game. Although there certainly is a bandwidth issue in play. Hopefully things will get much better after MPEG4 rolls out.

Why negotiate the remaining 11. They are showing a lot of the other 11 on GuTV and WorldCinema such as FUHD, Gunslingers, ViceHD & Filmfest. The combined RushHD & WorldSport, Rave and LAB, Gallery and Auction. They are really showing about 17 or 18 of the 21 channels now. But they content is lacking. Why add more channels just to repeat different themes. They can accomplish different themes by having theme nights on each movie channel.