Malone Voices Skepticism About Voom's Chances

[vurbano]

At Costco, it is under $500.00, but to call it 1/2 of a DVR, but what else is out there for a HD-DVR except the HD-TIVO to compare it to, and then we have the 6412, which is a dual-tuner, but not OTA, just cable.

At the moment D* has the only complete HD DVR IMO. E* has 1/2 of one thus the price difference.

 

[Bruce]

Does not D*'s HD DVR have 2 OTA tuners?

yep, 4 Total Tuners: (2) Satellite Receiver Inputs (2) Off-Air ATSC HD Tuners.

At the moment D* has the only complete HD DVR IMO

Well for $1000.00 it better be, but I like my 6412 for $10.00 a month just fine, thank You.

 

[vurbano]

yep, 4 Total Tuners: (2) Satellite Receiver Inputs (2) Off-Air ATSC HD Tuners.



Well for $1000.00 it better be, but I like my 6412 for $10.00 bucks a month just fine, thank You.

LMAO for $1000.00 its already obsolete!!!!!!!! Mpeg4 is coming.

 

[Spike]

I am concerned about what the Dolan's say. Malone is only giving his opinion. Yes, he has a strong voice in the industry, and yes, he is a good friend of Charles', but he doesn't have the lions heart! When the Dolans say we are done, we will be done.

***I just wonder if the Dolans have ever considered getting really creative with VOOM. For example, go to someone like Disney and say, "We would like to do an exclusive HD channel for all Disney Movies in their original intended format. Let's sign a contract for three years."

Then you go to some of the other standard definition providers of the other two sat. providers. And you say, "We want to allow you to continue with what you are doing with E* and D*. But we want to offer you something more, something better, a unique and wonderful opportunity to provide your customers with HD content. We invite you to beam your HD 16X9 content directly to our satellite. And we will distribute it to the US. IF the other current sat. services would like to get this, the three of us can enter into negotiations."

In my honest opinion.. if VOOM is going to bust.. let's bust BIG!

 

[Bruce]

I am concerned about what the Dolan's say. Malone is only giving his opinion. Yes, he has a strong voice in the industry, and yes, he is a good friend of Charles', but he doesn't have the lions heart! When the Dolans say we are done, we will be done.

***I just wonder if the Dolans have ever considered getting really creative with VOOM. For example, go to someone like Disney and say, "We would like to do an exclusive HD channel for all Disney Movies in their original intended format. Let's sign a contract for three years."

Then you go to some of the other standard definition providers of the other two sat. providers. And you say, "We want to allow you to continue with what you are doing with E* and D*. But we want to offer you something more, something better, a unique and wonderful opportunity to provide your customers with HD content. We invite you to beam your HD 16X9 content directly to our satellite. And we will distribute it to the US. IF the other current sat. services would like to get this, the three of us can enter into negotiations."

In my honest opinion.. if VOOM is going to bust.. let's bust BIG!

Again, if D* or E* wanted to have more HD channels for their subs they could, but each is adding what they think makes them the most money ( E* for the example with the international channels, D* with adding SD locals)
If Disney wanted to have a HD Disney Channel they would, they would not need Voom's help if they wanted to.
It is going to take many more years to get HD out to the masses, more years then they thought it would.
Around this time frame we would hear rumours about what cable channels are going HD this year, but it is pretty quiet out there.

 

[vurbano]

The idiot weighs in (basically copying the work of others)

News Analysis
Voom Gets a Reality Check
Media mogul John Malone expresses doubt that a third U.S. satellite TV service can survive.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (March 14) -- Maybe now Charles Dolan will wake up from his dream. A dream that has been a nightmare for his company, Cablevision.

In recent weeks, the Cablevision chairman has turned his company upside down in an effort to continue its satellite TV service, Voom. Dolan persuaded Cablevision to launch Voom in October 2003, but it has failed to generate more than 50,000 subscribers despite a lineup of approximately 40 High-Definition TV channels.

Cablevision's board has tried to close the struggling service, but Dolan removed three members and replaced them with his allies. He is asking the newly formed board to sell Voom to a private group which he is heading. Dolan has even suggested he will sell his sizable stake in Cablevision to raise money for the deal.

John Malone, chairman of Liberty Media, and one of the three people just named to the Cablevision board by Dolan, has reportedly been interested in partnering with Dolan on Voom. However, in an interview today with Reuters, Malone expressed doubt that a third satellite TV service can succeed in the United States.

Voom is now competing with satellite mainstays, DIRECTV and EchoStar.

"We were offered on a number of occasions an opportunity to participate in a third satellite competitor and we declined because we didn't think the risks were warranted by the potential returns," Malone told Reuters, referring to proposals to Liberty Media to launch or partner with a third satellite TV service.

Malone wouldn't completely rule out the possibility that Voom could succeed, but he said the "window is closing for them. They may be able to squeak through it. They may find an existence as a subset of one of the two major distribution systems."

Malone is suggesting that EchoStar or DIRECTV could buy Voom and make the service part of its overall operation. I agree with Malone that is the only way that Voom can survive.

As I stated in October 2003, when Voom was first launched, there is simply not enough room for three satellite TV services in the United States. DIRECTV and EchoStar have built well-oiled marketing machines that will gobble up nine out of every 10 potential satellite customers, if not all 10.

Some Voom enthusiasts have said recently that new management and funding could change that scenario. However, it's an absurd argument.

Cablevision has already spent more than $1 billion on Voom. It's hard to envision that Dolan and even the incredibly wealthy Malone could spend more than that. And, even if they did, why would the results be any different? As Cablevision's chairman, Dolan has already been, in effect, the head of the satellite service. Voom won't suddenly generate more subscribers just because he starts a new company to run it. It's the irrational thinking of someone who just won't let go.

In the Reuters interview, Malone appears to be telling his old friend that it's time to pack up and call it a day.

"It seemed like I might be helpful in terms of settling things down for him," Malone said when asked why he agreed to Dolan's request to sit on Cablevision's board.

 

[mdonnelly]

... "It seemed like I might be helpful in terms of settling things down for him," Malone said when asked why he agreed to Dolan's request to sit on Cablevision's board.

e.g. Pull Chuck's hands off James' throat.

 

[Bruce]

News Analysis
Voom Gets a Reality Check
Media mogul John
The idiot weighs in (basically copying the work of others)
News Analysis
Voom Gets a Reality Check
Media mogul John Malone expresses doubt that a third U.S. satellite TV service can survive.
By Phillip Swann
Malone expresses doubt that a third U.S. satellite TV service can survive.
By Phillip Swann

Washington, D.C. (March 14) -- Maybe now Charles Dolan will wake up from his dream. A dream that has been a nightmare for his company, Cablevision.

You are a little late, go to post 14 and 15 of this thread, already talked about, but you are right, very plain he is copying other news stories.

 

[vurbano]

e.g. Pull Chuck's hands off James' throat.

Thats funny.

 

[gutter]

Just spoke to a representative to NEXSTAR TV. They are concerned that the 2006 analog go bye bye has not been changed or extended. It seems the Bush administration and most of congress want those analog channels back and fast to collect the billions through of the spectrum. The relevance is clear here. HD whether the public likes it or not is going to be forced down sooner rather than later. An extension will probably be granted but not before the Bush administration gets certain concessions from the broadcast industry the quickening to digital. Whether VOOM can make it or not, Chucky D. will eventually be right.

 

[Jamey K]

[/color][/size]

So vurbano, let's say you get your way. Which provider will you go after next? Whose customers will you taunt? E*? D*? Who is your horse in the Sat Radio?

It must be such a happy day for you. Malone may have killed the company....how will you celebrate? How long will you tell you were right? How many posts will you use to do so.

You are wearing me out Dude. I've never seen someone so happy to see a service die.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

Just spoke to a representative to NEXSTAR TV. They are concerned that the 2006 analog go bye bye has not been changed or extended. It seems the Bush administration and most of congress want those analog channels back and fast to collect the billions through of the spectrum. The relevance is clear here. HD whether the public likes it or not is going to be forced down sooner rather than later. An extension will probably be granted but not before the Bush administration gets certain concessions from the broadcast industry the quickening to digital. Whether VOOM can make it or not, Chucky D. will eventually be right.

Could you be confusing "digital" with "HD"?

They could go "all digital" but still remain SD. Just like "digital cable" (woopee).

Getting off of analog doesn't have to mean getting off of SD. Am I right?

 

[gutter]

All stations have to go digital but are not required currently to broadcast HD. You are right ..getting of analog has nothing to do with getting of SD on digital. However, the marketplace is also at work. How many stations do you know that still just broadcast black and white? The growth of color TV actually took longer than digitital or HD will. From the first network colorcast to the the 100% converstion to color by the networks took slightly over 10 years. HD is at a faster pace but the digital side of it is also government mandated.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

So vurbano, let's say you get your way. Which provider will you go after next? Whose customers will you taunt? E*? D*? Who is your horse in the Sat Radio?

It must be such a happy day for you. Malone may have killed the company....how will you celebrate? How long will you tell you were right? How many posts will you use to do so.

You are wearing me out Dude. I've never seen someone so happy to see a service die.

It's been one helluva roller coaster, and the ride continues. Would somebody please start a thread called "The Voom Roller Coaster" and describe all the moments of elation and depression? One day the Board "folds" Voom, the website comes down, and we are all bummed. A week later, Chuck Dolan rides in on a white horse, and we all cheer! Now Malone takes the punch bowl away again.

Never imagined a satellite service would be like this. I wish I had a few extra billion in my pocket to throw at this project.

 

[tanis]

I've dealt with voom customer or former voom customers ,they all seem to have the same complaint no locals.Wondering if just va problem or is it everywhere.I feel this is where vooms downfall lays

 

[dragon002]

the government said digital , not hd

and dolan rode in on a horse and im sure she was white

and he can go scr## him AND the HORSE he rode in on

ergen, murdock and malone are going to take from chuck sr EVERYTHING he ever worked for. he made a deal with the devils and now he will lie with them.

he should have listened to his son

 

[mdonnelly]

the government said digital , not hd

and dolan rode in on a horse and im sure she was white

and he can go scr## him AND the HORSE he rode in on

ergen, murdock and malone are going to take from chuck sr EVERYTHING he ever worked for. he made a deal with the devils and now he will lie with them.

he should have listened to his son

Boy, that shift key works at the strangest times.

 

[gutter]

Dragon002....didn't know you knew so much to be a billionaire. I will agree. Malone is a big voice in the industry and it will have an affect on Chuck if the financing is not already arranged. According to the earlier reports. Money was not the problem. Just sit back and watch the movie and go back to your old "nag."

 

[yanks2402]

..."I wouldn't do it with my money," Malone said ..

While this statement is probably true, it does not rule out that the company that Malone heads (Liberty Media) would not have some part in Voom.

I know it is streching, but I am still holding hope!

 

[richard_rd]

All stations have to go digital but are not required currently to broadcast HD. You are right ..getting of analog has nothing to do with getting of SD on digital. However, the marketplace is also at work. How many stations do you know that still just broadcast black and white? The growth of color TV actually took longer than digitital or HD will. From the first network colorcast to the the 100% converstion to color by the networks took slightly over 10 years. HD is at a faster pace but the digital side of it is also government mandated.

Technically, the SD will change to ED (Enhanced Definition) at that time, the 480i signal now becomes 480p, which removes alot of motion artifacts from the frame (2 sub-frames are no longer interleaved). But you are correct, the 2006 ruling does not mandate 720p/1080i HD, only 480p ED in digital format. I have the pblm where i live, Fox and ABC are digital and support HD (720p/1080i ). CBS and NBC are digital but only broadcast 480p ED (no HD )