NEW HD RUMOR; 24 HD Channels for DirecTV..Bye bye Voom

[pradike]

Well - D*TV has to spend the $2.6 Billion they just got for PanAmSat on something - I'm sure they could get Voom for 50 cents on the dollar right now, especially since it's losing hundreds of millions each quarter.

My guess is that if D*TV was interested in buying Voom, they have more interest in adding the sat and equipment (not to mention more bandwidth) in quick manner, than worrying about the 25-30,000 subscribers. They've gained that many any given week in 2004.

Since E* is in the same orbit, you'd think THEY would want it - only thing is, THEY don't have that kind of $$$.

One has to wonder, with the new debt Cablevision just secured - why would they continue the financial bleeding for 30,000 subscribers?

 

[HeavyC]

There are worse things that could happen I suppose. As long as DirecTV would grandfather us all in on a nice deal I'd survive.

 

[Dvlos]

I don't understand they are talking about adding more HD and the crux of this is NBC-HD East and West, what the hell is that? Is that not the same thing we get OTA? I doubt Voom is going to get bought out at the moment when they got investors to clear out the debt and now have money to invest. However, if DirectTV says we got 22 HD channels the layman might just look at the numbers so Voom would hurry up and say, Oh yeah we just added WealthHD, AMC-HD, IFC-HD, and WE-HD for 44 HD channels or something like that.

However if VOom sells it would be the sale of a lifetime most likely, and if DirectTV takes Voom and starts offering 40+ HD channels I guess we all know which forum we would be at in the future. HD Tivo would be nice, but something tells me that once Voom goes under all HD channel upgrades would just stall.

 

[riffjim4069]

VOOM is not going public! Currently, VOOM will only be sold if VOOM wants to be sold! Anyway, I think it's funny how the HD starved D*trites are clamoring about all the HD they are getting...like NBC, FOX, ABC, and CBS east and west coast feeds. Wow! Don't they realize all they have to do is install a friggin antenna? Really! This technology has been with us for over 60 years! "Oh, thank you D* for providing me with free over-the-air network TV that I could easily be receiving with a simple indoor/outdoor antenna."

Gee, if I were to include all the OTA HD channels I am receiving with my antenna, then I would have to say that VOOM is providing me with almost 60 HD channels!!! :haha

 

[steverobertson]

VOOM is not going public! Currently, VOOM will only be sold if VOOM wants to be sold! Anyway, I think it's funny how the HD starved D*trites are clamoring about all the HD they are getting...like NBC, FOX, ABC, and CBS east and west coast feeds. Wow! Don't they realize all they have to do is install a friggin antenna? Really! This technology has been with us for over 60 years! "Oh, thank you D* for providing me with free over-the-air network TV that I could easily be receiving with a simple indoor/outdoor antenna."

Gee, if I were to include all the OTA HD channels I am receiving with my antenna, then I would have to say that VOOM is providing me with almost 60 HD channels!!! :haha

Yes the networks being offered by D* are redundent for a lot of people but keep in there is an awful lot of people out there that don't have access to OTA signals and I am sure those folks are pretty excited. I do getmine OTA so this really is no big deal for me. I don't know why people with VOOM have to rip D* and their subs why don't you just enjoy what you have and let us D* people worry about D*

 

[dgordo]

The irony is that most likely only people in O&O areas will be eligible for the HD network feed and we can get them ota with no problems.

 

[Darin]

Don't they realize all they have to do is install a friggin antenna?

There are many people that can't receive HD OTA with a friggin antenna. There are many others who just don't want a friggin antenna.

I'd be willing to bet that given the choice, there are more people who would choose getting the major networks in HD via satellite than those who would choose geting Voom's 21 exclusive channels. Maybe not you, and maybe not even me (since I've already gone through the pain to get my locals OTA). But we don't represent the bulk of the market.

 

[Darin]

but than again I thought they moved so many locals because they were bringing a bird "home."

I'm not even sure what that's supposed to mean. By my last count, the moving of locals from CONUS slots to spots on 7s should free up roughly 7 transponders (give or take). That's before counting what Fox E/W, NBC E/W, and Bravo will take up. So that means once those channels are up, they'd still have enough freed space for close to 10 additional HD channels. BUT, that assumes they want to spend all their "new" bandwidth on HD, which I highly doubt they do. In fact, we already know they are also wanting to expand their international offerings.

 

[vinnyv07]

Not everyone could receive every local ch OTA. I'm in NY and I still no matter what I have tried can not pull in NBCDT or WNET. And I tried. Thanks to DirecTV I might be watching NBCDT by the end of Sept. I sub to both and like having both but if DirecTV adds alot of HD Ch's I would leave VOOM. The exclusives wouldn't keep me a VOOM customer. I watch Monsters HD alot...and enjoy it more than any VOOM exclusive. I'm very happy that DirecTV has made the local Ch's a priority. Voom might not be going public but if I were DirecTV or Dish I would be interested in buying VOOM out just for the Sat space....because the customer base isn't worth it. DirecTV deals in large customer base and VOOM's 35,000 isn't what they are after. We will see.....a rumor is a rumor...and this is a rumor until we see what DirecTV has up their sleeve.

 

[riffjim4069]

I don't know why people with VOOM have to rip D* and their subs why don't you just enjoy what you have and let us D* people worry about D*

You're absolutely correct! I guess listening to the VOOM bashers day-in and day-out in this Forum brings out my bad side. My apologies to all the faithful D* subs!

 

[Sean Mota]

Let's see today it's Tuesday August 24th, 2004 (mark it in your book folks!). I am going to bookmark this thread in my browser because by September 30th I want to see actions [22 HD channels (non-NFL ticket crap) plus the buy out]. If nothing happens, I will call up the same thread and mention how foolish this has all become. If it happens, I'll be the first one to embrace D* because I could save tons of money and dump E* (are you listening). Now two things need to happen -- D* bring me more HD than I have right now (buy VOOM).

If nothing happens, I'll be the first to make fun of all D* rumor spreaders. Again people mark your calendars Sept 30th is the new deadline and it looks like a very strong deadline. Don't give me NFL crap HD channels (only available through sunday ticket). I want real substance channels that D* does not have and at the same time I want them to buy out VOOM so I could get rid of multiple satellite providers and multiple satellites on my roof. I would be more than happy to consolidate all of this. So in September 30th, 2004, I'll be happy and with more money in my pocket... Thank you all rumor spreaders, you just made my life a lot easier. So I am in the waiting mode and waiting to be baptised by the D* crowd (hopefully I will be accepted with open arms). Thank you all I'll be saving lots of money by switching to D* by September 30th, 2004.

P.S. Topics merged...

 

[steverobertson]

You're absolutely correct! I guess listening to the VOOM bashers day-in and day-out in this Forum brings out my bad side. My apologies to all the faithful D* subs!

Apology excepted. I find it funny how people are so loyal to their satellite provider I have been with D* for 8 years now and would never switch for a variety of reasons. The biggest reason is the investment in equipment and Sunday Ticket. I look at as a good thing that we have 3 providers there is nothing like good competityion to keep you on your toes and believe D* is trying to play a little catch up now because they do have the competition. In the end it is only TV and the grand scheme of life it really isn't all that important when you think about it.

 

[Dvlos]

To those that can't get local HD OTA that sucks, but I wonder how compressed all the HD feeds will be, here in South Florida CBS and NBC come in at a full 19.xx mbps, ABC at 15, and PBS.. who the hell knows, but overcompressed HD if you had the option of getting it OTA anyway for MOST people, it doesn't matter if your D* or V* isn't a boon. However DirectTV pushing for TNTHD and BravoHD is good for everyone in the sense that HD is getting a push. I can't wait for the day when I flick the TV on and see a morning news show in HD, come home from work and enjoy everything from my locals news, to damn annoying infomercials at 1am in HD.

 

[Seawaves]

They will sure have a transponder crunch. When information comes from mutiple souces it tends to be less of of a rumour.

 

[Dvlos]

Is there other places saying this besides dbstalk and this forum?

 

[Alan Gordon]

Yes the networks being offered by D* are redundent for a lot of people but keep in there is an awful lot of people out there that don't have access to OTA signals and I am sure those folks are pretty excited. I do getmine OTA so this really is no big deal for me. I don't know why people with VOOM have to rip D* and their subs why don't you just enjoy what you have and let us D* people worry about D*

Yeah, I'm one of those people. I'm currently fixing to put up a Channel Master 4228 antenna to try and pick up my two local stations (NBC and FOX), I now currently have CBS HD E&W through DirecTV and I'm looking EXTREMELY forward to having access to ABC HD E&W as I can only pick up my closest ABC affiliate's digital signal maybe once a week during the hours between 10:30 P.M. - 1:00 A.M. as they're broadcasting at LP and I'm actually BEHIND their directional antenna. I would never qualify for NBC HD E&W or FOX HD E&W, but I'm glad for those who do!

As far as VOOM goes, I'm not going to put them down because I'm happy for the people who enjoy VOOM, but it holds no interest for me and I wouldn't pay five dollars for the VOOM exclusives, but different strokes for different folks. I don't see DirecTV buying out VOOM unless it was to get access to their satellite, but even then, I'm not sure that if I was DirecTV I wouldn't just wait until VOOM could be bought for a quarter!


~Alan<~~~~~~~~~~~Who would be willing to put up a second dish, but isn't looking forward to installing one...

 

[vinnyv07]

To those that can't get local HD OTA that sucks, but I wonder how compressed all the HD feeds will be, here in South Florida CBS and NBC come in at a full 19.xx mbps, ABC at 15, and PBS.. who the hell knows, but overcompressed HD if you had the option of getting it OTA anyway for MOST people, it doesn't matter if your D* or V* isn't a boon.

I agree...in my opinion the OTA feed always is better than the feed that will come via Directv...Dish or VOOM.

 

[Seanb61]

VOOM is not going public!

WRONG! Voom is going public, it is being spun off from CVC and will trade under the NYSE symbol RM - this will happen before the end of Q3

 

[fredfa]

And, Sean Mota, be sure to go back and check all those VOOM posts about how V* was going to have 40,000 or 75,000 or some incredible number of subs at the end of June.
I am sure you will be the first to criticize them.
VOOM is a great product that is being all but ignored by a very, very niche market at the moment.
That is most apparent by the incredibly high interest rate it had to agree to for its bonds.
And by the time it isn't a niche market any more, the folks with the marketing pizazz and the big pockets will be ready.
And sadly for VOOM, those folks don't work for VOOM.

 

[slacker9876]

I agree...in my opinion the OTA feed always is better than the feed that will come via Directv...Dish or VOOM.

I am currently receiving the Olympic coverage on channels 84 & 16 (9-1) and I cannot tell the difference between the OTA and SAT feeds. I think at 1080i things just look amazing!

Now I know I am going out on a HUGE limb here, but the video coverage by NBC is comparable to anything I have watched on HDNet, and I have viewed mostly the NHL & MLS coverage they offer. The audio coverage, however, well some journalists should have been born with ball gags in their mouths

V* D* E* Can't we all just get along ... we ALL have our own edge!