Rainbow Media May Have Financing Problems (VOOM)

[Bruce]

Thats funny,I'm Boo over at that site.

 

[Sean Mota]

Thats funny,I'm Boo over at that site.

That's quite funny... I am motjes2 at the other site...

 

[rtt2]

Don't forget the major reason satellite providers fought MVDSS was because the major potential to interfere with the signal. MVDSS uses the same frequency as DBS transmissions and Echostar kept fighting Northpoint for so long because they feared that they would disrupt the signal.
There is a lot of work that needs to go into this technology before it is ready to go. Transmissions for the signal can only be directionally broadcast from the tower so they don't hit the consumers reflector (dish) facing towards the southern sky. This presents a problem in cities and geography that has hills and what not.
In the beginning speculation was that Charlie was buying up the spectrum just to wharehouse it and not use it. This would protect his satellite transmissions. Who knows what Voom's plans are but mabey they will warehouse as well. For all we know there signal is more suseptible to interferience, especially considering how many people get rain fade with the slightest bit of drizzle with VOOM.
It is too soon to speculate on this new technology IMO.

 

[Sean Mota]

rtt2,

it could be but there is a company in Europe who has this technology in place already. They are even using it to transmit internet. Again, the implementation of this technology in the US is not quite clear.

 

[Bruce]

Don't forget the major reason satellite providers fought MVDSS was because the major potential to interfere with the signal. MVDSS uses the same frequency as DBS transmissions and Echostar kept fighting Northpoint for so long because they feared that they would disrupt the signal.
There is a lot of work that needs to go into this technology before it is ready to go. Transmissions for the signal can only be directionally broadcast from the tower so they don't hit the consumers reflector (dish) facing towards the southern sky. This presents a problem in cities and geography that has hills and what not.
In the beginning speculation was that Charlie was buying up the spectrum just to wharehouse it and not use it. This would protect his satellite transmissions. Who knows what Voom's plans are but mabey they will warehouse as well. For all we know there signal is more suseptible to interferience, especially considering how many people get rain fade with the slightest bit of drizzle with VOOM.
It is too soon to speculate on this new technology IMO.

The Fcc has rules in place that say they have to use the spectrum within 3 years or lose it.

 

[rtt2]

The Fcc has rules in place that say they have to use the spectrum within 3 years or lose it.

Exactly don't you find it odd that Dish Network bought the spectrum through minority stake (49% ownership) of a company that they exercise complete control over? Cablevision did the same thing.

This way when they lose the rights they can buy it up again under a different company. If they bought it under the Ecchostar or Cablevision name they would lose the right to buy again in subsequent auction.
I forget if they have to meet milestones on these frequencies or have to have commercial service by the date.

(PS I know Chalie bought it under the woman owned company to get the FCC discount but he was buying the frequncies in this fashion before the realization of the discount)

 

[vurbano]

The problem will be how motivated will someone who buys the satellite will be to put $$$ into an HDTV service. Many seem to think that if VOOM fails it will be a proud battle for E* and D*. Yes, it will be for E* and D*. I am not sure it will be for HDTV customers. Why is it that E* or D* today don't have more HD channels on their system and we all have to go and start with another satellite service to quench our thirst for HD programming? Do you really think that E* or D* are motivated to bring HD to the masses?

Fine by me, buy it and use it for locals, SD whatever and free up space on other sats for HD. Yes I think they are motivated and I think 2005 is going to be a big year for D*. E* may drop the ball though.

 

[vurbano]

That's quite funny... I am motjes2 at the other site...

Thats like twilight zone material almost.
O im vurbano at the other site. LMAO.

 

[Mr.Poindexter]

If AMC goes HD you can guarentee we will get it first since VOOM (Rainbow) owns AMC and VOOM will probably make the HD feed unattractive to other providers with an outragous price. Same if IFC-HD started.

Just because Voom/Rainbow owns AMC doesn't mean it is guaranteed to get it first. Voom has room at the moment for 39 channels of HD. If they fill up, we will have to wait until October to add more channels. In that interim, I seriously doubt that Rainbow Media would turn down a reasonable offer to pick up the channel.

Rainbow cannot charge a higher price for another provider than they charge Voom or else they get into some trouble with the feds, anti-trust issues and such.

 

[barth2k]

That's not a problem. One of the cinema10 would just miraculously morph into amchd overnight.

 

[Dvlos]

What are you talking about barth all of the Cinema10 channels can morph into AMC overnight.

 

[voomvoom]

Just because Voom/Rainbow owns AMC doesn't mean it is guaranteed to get it first. Voom has room at the moment for 39 channels of HD. If they fill up, we will have to wait until October to add more channels. In that interim, I seriously doubt that Rainbow Media would turn down a reasonable offer to pick up the channel.

Rainbow cannot charge a higher price for another provider than they charge Voom or else they get into some trouble with the feds, anti-trust issues and such.

If that's the case, then why don't we have INHD, INHD2, HDNET and HDNET movies...

 

[rang1995]

Voom better have alot in place by oct-nov because most HD sets (over 75%) will be sold for christmas-superbowl..so any new 2005 customers will come between dec-march..

 

[vurbano]

Voom better have alot in place by oct-nov because most HD sets (over 75%) will be sold for christmas-superbowl..so any new 2005 customers will come between dec-march..

And those sets will be sold from Best buy, circuit city where the buyers will be signed up with D* for a year so just forget about a voom Xmas rush.

 

[Dvlos]

Brandsmart is Vooms friend. You can get TV sets of the same ilk for $300-700 cheaper at Brandsmart and you can haggle with them. You just have to already know what kind of TV you want, because the sales people are not tech savvy.

 

[Mr.Poindexter]

If that's the case, then why don't we have INHD, INHD2, HDNET and HDNET movies...

Voomvoom, InHD and HDNET can charge wahtever they want because they are not service providers. At least that would apply to HDNET. InHD might fall into that category because of their affiliation with many cable co's, but from what I gather, they are not shutting the door on DBS providers.

Why isn't InHD available on sat? Well, look at each provider and ask why?

DirecTV - Are they able to put up two more HD channels right now? If they could, would they? Ask yourself the likelihood that they would choose to.

Dish Network - Same as DirecTV. Can they provide the channel and do they actually want to?

Voom - Same as above. They currently have only 2 more HD channel slots available and that has to hold them until October. InHD would be a great channel to add, but will something come out before then that is more important? They will need room for NFL Network HD, so that kind of limits them to one channel. It is likely that InHD would require carriage of both channels for all new carriers. Would Voom want to carry InHD? I would fathom a guess of absolutely, so I think it is just a matter of time or finances. How much will it cost Voom to pick up the channel and can they afford it? Voom may wait until their finances are looking better or perhaps waiting until October.

Mark Cuban can do what he wants with his network. I don't really care about HDNet Movies, since I have access to most of his films with Voom. I would like HDNet, but it is widely rumored that there is bad blood between Mark Cuban and the Dolan Family.