Just got voom installed!! Brand new software??
- Thread starter lostcause
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Well, I've only had Voom one day so I don't have the frustration level of those who have been waiting a long time for certain features. Actually, I'm pretty happy with it so far.
A couple of features I would like to see though (based on my current software) are caller ID, stretch modes for HD, more than one fav list, ability to only show subbed channels, and a remote that's more compatible with universals. These are features that are on numerous older receivers from other companies.
Of course, Voom is brand new and they are bound to have growing pains, but I would really expect these features to be added within a few months if Voom wants to be a true competitor.
(oh...and of course sci-fi channel) =)
A couple of features I would like to see though (based on my current software) are caller ID, stretch modes for HD, more than one fav list, ability to only show subbed channels, and a remote that's more compatible with universals. These are features that are on numerous older receivers from other companies.
Of course, Voom is brand new and they are bound to have growing pains, but I would really expect these features to be added within a few months if Voom wants to be a true competitor.
(oh...and of course sci-fi channel) =)
At least to me, the move to current channel function is useless if it doesn't work on favorites. I haven't used the all channels list more than a few times in the past month, because it lists channels I can't receive (some locals), channels I don't watch (some locals and satellite channels), and channels I don't subscribe (some satellite channels). Most importantly, I can't display it with a single button press.
Thanks lostcause for the feedback. I appreciate you keeping us in the loop. At least it looks like we'll have the OTA mapping issue fixed - that's really all we were promised. Now where's my software download??? 
Can you take screen shots of manually adding DMA maps and local channels that were not mapped or picked-up on the scan?
After having Voom for a couple of days, I have a couple of other things Voom can add.....
Translucent menus
More descriptive guide. I'm used to dtv's guide that tell you "Movie, year, main actors(voom just gives one actor), description(voom's leaves a lot to be desired), type of content(dtv lists for example, violence, nudity, language, etc..)
I am starting to see the frustration of the fav button not bringing up the current channel..Voom+all brings it up, but the fav button really needs to bring it up too.
Need more than one Fav list.
Add Sci-Fi channel, Science channel, National Geographic channel, History International channel, Discovery Wings (basically add more of the educational type channels..yes I know Voom is geared towards HD, but the channels I mentioned are only a few more and they have some very good programming that might get more people to switch..basically have the best of both worlds...lots of HD, and most of the good SD channels).
Group channels more closely by type of programming...for example, on dtv most of the Discovery type channels, like Disc, Hist, NGC, Discovery Wings, TLC, A&E, etc...are mostly grouped in the 260's-270's. On Voom they are scattered all over the place...gets a little confusing
Overall I'm very happy...good PQ, love Monsters channel, etc... But, they could definitely use some improvement like I mentioned above.
Translucent menus
More descriptive guide. I'm used to dtv's guide that tell you "Movie, year, main actors(voom just gives one actor), description(voom's leaves a lot to be desired), type of content(dtv lists for example, violence, nudity, language, etc..)
I am starting to see the frustration of the fav button not bringing up the current channel..Voom+all brings it up, but the fav button really needs to bring it up too.
Need more than one Fav list.
Add Sci-Fi channel, Science channel, National Geographic channel, History International channel, Discovery Wings (basically add more of the educational type channels..yes I know Voom is geared towards HD, but the channels I mentioned are only a few more and they have some very good programming that might get more people to switch..basically have the best of both worlds...lots of HD, and most of the good SD channels).
Group channels more closely by type of programming...for example, on dtv most of the Discovery type channels, like Disc, Hist, NGC, Discovery Wings, TLC, A&E, etc...are mostly grouped in the 260's-270's. On Voom they are scattered all over the place...gets a little confusing
Overall I'm very happy...good PQ, love Monsters channel, etc... But, they could definitely use some improvement like I mentioned above.
I agree the STB needs translucent menus, or at least an option to make it translucent.
Bring back the Closed Caption on Mute function. CC does work on Version 5.68 as I have been using it on the SD channels, but it appears that there isn't in CC on the exclusive channels.
Everything is grouped together by type of programming As with any service it takes a week or too to get used to it.
100s-VOOM Exclusives
200s-Premimums
300s-Sports
400s-News/Info
500s-General Entertainment
600s-Family/Education
700s-Porn/PPV? (odd place for this at the end of Family and before Music?)
800s-Music
900s-aparently reserved for something
The Discovery channels are grouped together except for Travel Channel:
601-DSC HD
602-DSC
603-TLC
604-AP
605-Health
Since 605 is Cartoon it doesn't look like they will be adding anymore Discovery Networks. I really didn't miss the Science Channel until you mentioned it
The only other things that looks out of place is History which would logically be with A&E and Biography and Court TV which would logically go in the News info area.
VOOM doesn't do the guide descriptions or listings they are done by Tribune. Sometimes the movies will have dates and more than one actor. D* wasn't very accurate when it came to dates. Most of the time I would push the Info on say NBC Nightly News and it would come up with dates like Jan.14,1986. Our local newspaper gets listings from Tribune and is rather bad all the time (well, useless really).
Bring back the Closed Caption on Mute function. CC does work on Version 5.68 as I have been using it on the SD channels, but it appears that there isn't in CC on the exclusive channels.
Everything is grouped together by type of programming
As with any service it takes a week or too to get used to it.100s-VOOM Exclusives
200s-Premimums
300s-Sports
400s-News/Info
500s-General Entertainment
600s-Family/Education
700s-Porn/PPV? (odd place for this at the end of Family and before Music?)
800s-Music
900s-aparently reserved for something
The Discovery channels are grouped together except for Travel Channel:
601-DSC HD
602-DSC
603-TLC
604-AP
605-Health
Since 605 is Cartoon it doesn't look like they will be adding anymore Discovery Networks. I really didn't miss the Science Channel until you mentioned it
The only other things that looks out of place is History which would logically be with A&E and Biography and Court TV which would logically go in the News info area.
VOOM doesn't do the guide descriptions or listings they are done by Tribune. Sometimes the movies will have dates and more than one actor. D* wasn't very accurate when it came to dates. Most of the time I would push the Info on say NBC Nightly News and it would come up with dates like Jan.14,1986. Our local newspaper gets listings from Tribune and is rather bad all the time (well, useless really).
hrmmm...I see some channels grouped together, but for example,
Travel is on 503, A&E and Biography are on 510 and 511, Discoverys are between 601 and 605, then you have a bunch of the cartoon channels, then History all by itself on 613.
Looks pretty scattered to me........I guess this may be a matter of opinion but all those channels should really be together.
Also like you mentioned, Court TV is out of place....
Travel is on 503, A&E and Biography are on 510 and 511, Discoverys are between 601 and 605, then you have a bunch of the cartoon channels, then History all by itself on 613.
Looks pretty scattered to me........I guess this may be a matter of opinion but all those channels should really be together.
Also like you mentioned, Court TV is out of place....
It's kind of a different way of thinking.
The Discoveries and the cartoons are grouped as "Family Programming" the 600's. Which makes some sort of sense. Travel would go better with the Discovery Nets (as it is one). History with the A&E Nets and Court TV moved to news. Other than that things are grouped okay. History seems to be an after thought. Sort of like "oops, we forgot a channel."
D* had some weird placements like shopping channels all over the place.
It is still better than what cable does. Cable placement really seems helter-skelter
What VOOM should have done is put all channels on the even numbers then if one was added in that group later place the new one on an odd channel. The worst thing they did was place Playboy HD between Family and Music. When I see PBHD in the guide I think I'm at the end and don't look at the music channels.
The Discoveries and the cartoons are grouped as "Family Programming" the 600's. Which makes some sort of sense. Travel would go better with the Discovery Nets (as it is one). History with the A&E Nets and Court TV moved to news. Other than that things are grouped okay. History seems to be an after thought. Sort of like "oops, we forgot a channel."
D* had some weird placements like shopping channels all over the place.
It is still better than what cable does. Cable placement really seems helter-skelter
What VOOM should have done is put all channels on the even numbers then if one was added in that group later place the new one on an odd channel. The worst thing they did was place Playboy HD between Family and Music. When I see PBHD in the guide I think I'm at the end and don't look at the music channels.
Since the DVR isn't even built yet it would most likely have the most current software.
The "in two weeks" expired on Sunday the 27th. Today is the 30th, if it doesn't come today or tonight there will be 22,000+ pissed subs tomorrow morning.
I will be doubly pissed as "by Thursday" was when I was "supposed" to get my locals correctly maped. So if there is no new software or channel map change when I wake up in the morning I'll be spitting nails.
The "in two weeks" expired on Sunday the 27th. Today is the 30th, if it doesn't come today or tonight there will be 22,000+ pissed subs tomorrow morning.
I will be doubly pissed as "by Thursday" was when I was "supposed" to get my locals correctly maped. So if there is no new software or channel map change when I wake up in the morning I'll be spitting nails.
