Only Voom's OTA Antenna??

[polksda]

I'm doing research into getting Voom when my Dish contract expires on the 18th of January. Two questions:

1. According to the Voom CSR I spoke with, I *HAVE* to use the OTA antenna that Voom supplies. I cannot use my own. I already have a Winegard antenna with rotor on my roof, and I'm thrilled with its reception. Why the hell do I have to install another one?

2. I've seen entirely too many different reports on this: Do you or do you not have to have a land line in order to get Voom? I ditched my land line 2 years ago and have been cell-only ever since. According to the reports from supposed Voom employees here on the forum, you not only have to have a land line, but your service may cut off if you do not. Yet elsewhere on the forum (a poll thread if I recall correctly), a good 30%+ of the respondants have never had a land line connected to the receiver. So what's the deal here? Someone must be wrong.

Thanks in advance.

 

[BigTVSteve]

Voom Install Questions/Answers

My Voom installation was completed about 6 weeks ago. These are facts of the installation, not necessarily answers on Voom's policies

1. The installer was glad to re-use my existing UHF antenna on a rotator for one of my two sets. For the other set, the Voom-supplied Wineguard square shooter allowed me to receive all OTA stations without the need to rotate the antenna. It is also a much smaller antenna, but gets the job done.

2. There was no mention of installing or connecting a phone line to either of my two receivers. I do have wired phone service, however.

I have been very happy with the Voom service, picture quality, and installation experience. My wife is extremely happy with the service.

Do yourself a couple of favors:
Specify that you require a 24 inch dish at the time you order the installation. Call the installer a day or two before the installation and go over what he will bring/do. Make sure the installer shows you how to measure the signal strength to the receiver. Make certain that the measured strength is 96 or better. Make sure that he instructs you how to receive the 7.26 software update. The software download will arrive automatically via the Voom dish sometime on the first evening/early morning. Good luck!

 

[Ilya]

Welcome to the forum, polksda!

1. They probably don't want to troubleshoot any problems with your existing antenna. Nothing will prevent you from connecting it instead of the supplied one, perhaps even the installer will agree to do that. Voom just doesn't want to support something that they have not supplied, which is understandable.

2. The phone line is formally required in the agreement, however technically this requirement is not yet enforced. No one has been deactivated yet just because the box is not plugged in. Do you have a high speed Internet? If so, VoIP is always an option.

 

[polksda]

Specify that you require a 24 inch dish at the time you order the installation.

Well, I asked the CSR about the different dish sizes, and he said that the larger dish sizes were only for customers residing in California or Texas. Otherwise I just get the small dish...

Let me guess: wrong again?

 

[Ilya]

I wouldn't be too concerned about the dish size now, since you will be upgrading to the new elliptical dish within a few months, most likely. At least, I wouldn't make it a deal-breaker.

 

[jeffdan]

hello, what's the elliptical dish? can i use my existing superdish from echo*?

 

[SatinstallerhatesVOOM]

In most cases your antenna with rotor will pick up better than the winegard they supply. As an installer i would be more than happy to use your antenna knowing i would probably have a better shot of receiving all of your local digital/HD channels. We normally end up upgrading most customers to the channel master 4228 antenna and rotor anyway.