Save me from the darkside ;)

[madpoet]

You know, I like HD. Really, I do. But there's only so much I can watch, especially without *ahem* an HD PVR. So when I got my flyer from my local Cox today, I knew I was in trouble. They are releasing the 6412 in my area. Dual tuner HD PVR. Sure, they've only got about 9 HD channels. But a PVR!

So I decided to make a little log of my TV viewing habits just to see if Voom was worth enduring without the PVR, and was fairly surprised. I don't watch much HD. Sure, I like having it. Every chance I get I watch it. But those chances aren't as often as I would have dreamed. Is it because of a derth of HD programming? A lot of times, yes. But I just tend to watch a whole lot of SD.

I took a serious look at Cox and the HD PVR. Dual tuner, 30 hours of HD recording, active firewire (yes, with 5c but tht's what a JVC deck is for). I'm going to try it for a month. And if my viewing habits don't change, I expect I might have 2 absolutely wasted Voom receivers lying around. 6 months and a lot of money ago I never would have thought I might consider abanding Voom. But there's been a lot of promises made and discarded since then.

 

[Bruce]

With a new TV season upon us Comcast here has the same thing,and since I have to work 3 nights a week til 8 and with a lot of shows on at the same time I want to watch(and in HD)the good news is here they offer all the movie channels that are in HD,InHD 1 & 2,Discovery,ESPN(worth it just for Football),Bravo(yech),all locals except UPN and WB(must watch Smallville and Enterprise in HD but I have a Sammy T-165 off air for that if I have too)in HD,and they keep calling me at my house with offer after offer-I am close.

 

[vurbano]

You know, I like HD. Really, I do. But there's only so much I can watch, especially without *ahem* an HD PVR. So when I got my flyer from my local Cox today, I knew I was in trouble. They are releasing the 6412 in my area. Dual tuner HD PVR. Sure, they've only got about 9 HD channels. But a PVR!

So I decided to make a little log of my TV viewing habits just to see if Voom was worth enduring without the PVR, and was fairly surprised. I don't watch much HD. Sure, I like having it. Every chance I get I watch it. But those chances aren't as often as I would have dreamed. Is it because of a derth of HD programming? A lot of times, yes. But I just tend to watch a whole lot of SD.

I took a serious look at Cox and the HD PVR. Dual tuner, 30 hours of HD recording, active firewire (yes, with 5c but tht's what a JVC deck is for). I'm going to try it for a month. And if my viewing habits don't change, I expect I might have 2 absolutely wasted Voom receivers lying around. 6 months and a lot of money ago I never would have thought I might consider abanding Voom. But there's been a lot of promises made and discarded since then.

can it tune in or record OTA HD?

 

[madpoet]

Nope, but I have a MyHD card that can.

 

[vurbano]

Nope, but I have a MyHD card that can.

OTA HD channels are what really keeps me from COX in my area. They cant negotiate the contracts with the affiliates. They dont want to carry the subchannels from what the affiliates say. Maybe I need to invest in a myhd card, but it seems like a lot of hassle not to be able to tune and record both with one device. Makes it difficult for others in the house to operate everything.

 

[techweb]

If PQ is of paramount importance to you, you might want to ask your cable company how many HD channels they are encoding on each RF channel. A 256-QAM system is capable of 38Mbps per 6MHz RF channel, so they shouldn't be encoding more than two HD channels per RF channel. Witness what DirecTV is now doing encoding three HD or up to 13 SD channels per QPSK transponder, which is limited to a total of about 29Mbps. I have no experience with digital cable, but I've read reports that range from terrible to terrific picture quality.

 

[madpoet]

True. I had their HD before, and I would say it's reasonably sharp but perhaps not quite as sharp as Voom. Vurbano, I have the same locals issue. They carry 2 of the 4 (NBC and CBS) as well as PBS, InHDs, ESPN, Discovery, and HBO/Showtime. I agree, using 2 different devices would be a bit of a pain for recording. On the other hand it beats no recording at all...

 

[slick1ru2]

I have no experience with digital cable, but I've read reports that range from terrible to terrific picture quality.

Digital cable (SD) is why I went to Dish about 3 years ago. It varies by area and mine is overbuilt. It was pixilated, and some non-digital channels looked like bad OTA. The last straw was when I got home one day and the digital was totally out. Used to have cable internet from the same company and when it was first put in I had dial-up speed. It was down all the time. Now I have DSL and its never down. Of course they now do telephone service over the same maxed out cable system. I can only imagine how bad the HD is.

 

[Kentstater72]

I am in the same dark place.
I was very disappointed with the news from Indianapolis, so I talked to my former cable company that is really top notch, except all their profits go to the evil "Toledo Blade".
They are testing the 6412 unit and say that it will be ready to roll out in mid October. and I shamefully put myself on "the List"
Voom, if you are listening, please, no PLEASE deliver me from this temptation.

PS: they do have all the locals HD

 

[weagle]

there are other options pickup a jvc d-vhs last years refurbished for half the price $300u.s also another option is people are turning their computers into htpc (home theatre pc's) get a hdtv video card then you can capture stuff on it exactly like a pvr.

 

[occammd]

I went from voom to cable, but cable still does not have many of the OTA channels available and, stupidly I think, they don;t have an OTA tuner on the HD box. They do have an HD PVR rolling out.
I have a MyHD 'cause I like to get all of our local OTA content and sub's when available.

Although I wish they would shut the subs down during true HD broadcast on the main feed.

 

[acer007]

I'm about to try the switch to cable TWC services my area and they are discounting their service to current satellite customers. For the same monthly cost as Voom I can get: a) HD DVR; b) locals in HD (I can't get CBS from my OTA no matter what -- 90+ signal strength and still no picture or constant lock ups); c) 9 HD channels (INHD, INHD2, HD Net, HDNet Movies, ESPN HD, TNT HD, Discovery HD, including HBO HD and Showtime HD (includes the entire HB0 and Showtime premium suite of channels as well as Max, Starz, TMC premium suites and their on demand channels). Monthly price will be locked for 18 months. I've only watched one movie on Voom's original movie channels and am getting tired of the repeating concerts on RAVE. So, I only will miss Bravo HD. If I don't want the full package of premiums, I can choose 2 premium suites and save $$ over Voom. VOOM -- what's wrong with this picture? Why can't you get out your DVR? Why have I had 4 service calls just to try to get the service delivery as promised without loss of signal when clouds come over?

 

[r.jones1116]

My god people can you show a little patience. Go ahead and switch providers for a PVR and a few months down the road when you visit this forum and read about Voom's PVR and Home networking capabilities, your gonna scramble back to Voom. Now how much money do you think a bonehead move like this is gonna cost you. Give this 'I want the world and I want it now' attitude a rest. My eight year old exercises more restraint than some of the members in this forum.

 

[txcruiser]

Today is my 1 month anniversary since I ditched Voom and moved to cable for alot of these same reasons already mentioned.

Look's like several other used-to-be hardcore Voomers are softening up and are "starting to see the light as well". I wouldn't call it the darkside, you are just going to where you get the most for your money.

 

[r.jones1116]

Today is my 1 month anniversary since I ditched Voom and moved to cable for alot of these same reasons already mentioned.

Look's like several other used-to-be hardcore Voomers are softening up and are "starting to see the light as well". I wouldn't call it the darkside, you are just going to where you get the most for your money.

And you can live without Voom so much that you have to visit the Voom forum on a regular basis to muster support for your decision to leave Voom.
I wouldn't call it the darkside either, more like the dumbside.

 

[Dvlos]

Seems a bit idiotic to trade up for a PVR now, when it seems in the next few months Voom's DVR/WHS will be pretty impressive. Also BravoHD sucks right now, but supposedly, it's going to get better with shows like Stargate Atlantis and MOnk in HD on that channel soon. You are dropping 5 premium movie channels (HBO, Showtime, TMC, Starz, Encore) for 2 (HBO Showtime), you are dropping 21 free HD channels. Sorry I don't see the bargain in grabbing a DVR from cable now as a smart choice, if you like Voom except lack of PVR is nagging you, when Voom has theirs are you going to run back and lose your "grandfathered" status?

Voom should also consider this, when they do release their DVR, they should drop all the west coast feeds, (That's 3 HD channels saved) and go after another HD channel instead. Also, according to Ilya MPEG4/WM9 will also be incorporated soon, what that means exactly I think no one's sure in terms of PQ and bitrate, but if you already feel that Voom's image is better than cable, which has some problems and needs more b/w, what's the point? Yay! I got a PVR to record substandard HD!!! Woohooo!!! I'm glad I jumped the gun!!

 

[DarrellP]

there are other options pickup a jvc d-vhs last years refurbished for half the price $300u.s also another option is people are turning their computers into htpc (home theatre pc's) get a hdtv video card then you can capture stuff on it exactly like a pvr.

I bit on one of these and love it, but the BIG drawback is lack of a stb to record from. I have the Dish 6000 and Voom stb and neither have Firewire. I'm half tempted to pickup a Samsung OTA box just so I can record some HD with it.

 

[txcruiser]

And you can live without Voom so much that you have to visit the Voom forum on a regular basis to muster support for your decision to leave Voom.
I wouldn't call it the darkside either, more like the dumbside.

Watching Voom's demise is like watching a train wreck in motion.
I know I should probably avert my eyes but I just can't help it.

And what better place to watch this "train wreck" then at
"The Internet's Largest VOOM Forum!"

 

[Kentstater72]

there are other options pickup a jvc d-vhs last years refurbished for half the price $300u.s also another option is people are turning their computers into htpc (home theatre pc's) get a hdtv video card then you can capture stuff on it exactly like a pvr.

OK you all make good points, but give me some truth. I believe Voom is is trying to make the PVR right the first time, but talk to us.
My disappointment in what I heard from Indianapolis wasn't that it is not ready, it was that there was no clear vision of when or what to expect.

Weagle, I have Media Center XP, but it is in a separate room. If I knew how to hook up the PC to my TV, and have a functional remote I could live with SD PVR till Voom comes through. Any suggestions

Also, in my case Buckeye Cable IS the darkside

 

[Dvlos]

Watching Voom's demise is like watching a train wreck in motion.
I know I should probably avert my eyes but I just can't help it.

And what better place to watch this "train wreck" then at
"The Internet's Largest VOOM Forum!"

Here you go...