Should Voom Carry O&O HD Networks?

[Sean Mota]

Before you answer yes or no, think about this.

1 - HD Networks like CBS, ABC, UPN, PBS, Fox, NBC, & WB will be only carried in O&O (own & operated) areas.

2 - if you are not in an O&O area, you will need waivers from each network to get them.

3 - if you are in O&O area, is your signal compressed by your local affiliate and signal comes with a lot of artifacts. Will you benefit by having an HD feed of the networks via satellite.

4 - if you are in O&O area, you maybe in area that suffers from multipath, or located in Home association or coop or apartment where you cannot put up an over the air antenna.

5- if you are in O&O area, you may not be able to get some of the networks because the local affiliate is not transmitting digitally or transmitting at low power.

I think I cover some of the reasons why to get them. Besides I think VOOM needs to put themselves in the same plane as the competition and offer these. Please vote and comment.

 

[Ilya]

I guess as with any other "should VOOM carry this channel" question, the answer depends on the cost and consequences. If this can be simply added to the current line-up (say via the second satellite) and will not cost us extra - why not? On the other hand, if we have to sacrifice more than half a dozen of HD channels to get this, I would say NO!

 

[Dvlos]

It only makes sense to carry it on a seperate satellite for those in non-O&O markets who can't get it OTA. I'd rather have more HD channels not less because Voom did a D* and through on the same old Network HD MOST of us already get via OTA. Or Cablevision should offer digital HD locals to Voom customers for free.

 

[Augurr]

I vote NO for all the reasons stated. All my locals are affiliates, not O&O. I already have Fox listed in my guide for a local, but they are only broadcasting at 1kw, 1 believe that. I would never be able to receive locals again unless I got a basic package from Cox, and the wife would never go for another bill.

 

[Bruce]

I also posted this at the other thread about networks:

Even if you are O & O does not mean you can get the networks,I am O & O for CBS-Detroit but I am Grade B for Toledo,Ohio,guess who said no.

 

[vinnyv07]

Yes its a must. Its easy to answer no to this question. But I would hate to have the addition of local Ch's affect HD bandwidth. But with the new sat in Oct isn't there enough room for something like this? DirecTV could really destroy VOOM if they add IN HD 1 and 2 to their HD pack. NBCDT, CBSDT, and FOXDT will all be broadcast on DirecTV by October. I feel that ABC isn't going to be far behind. Voom has to compete. IF DirecTV adds those Ch's and it looks like they will.....VOOM is in trouble if it doesn't move to add the Ch's that DirecTV has. It isn't a question of should they add O&O networks...its the reality that they have to, to keep up with what DirecTV is going to be doing. Its a must...along with a DVR and all what DirecTV has.

 

[dankgus]

At first, I thought HELL YES! Carry them!

On second thought, though most of my locals are SD digital, they ARE going to go HD in the near future. At that time, I won't need Voom to carry them. Voom needs all of the transponder space they can get for other HD channels.

Final answer, NO, I would rather get other HD channels instead of NBC, CBS, etc..... They will come to me in time.

--Dan

 

[gutter]

I am not in an O&O area and the network affiliates broacast digitally but non of the HD from the networks. It won't help me unless the FCC treats the HD signal as a separate entity that allows the import of the HD network feeds on satellite.

 

[voomvoom]

Although I would be happy to get any HD, the more the merrier, I voted "No" because mainly I watch very little OTA "Network Programming" and would much rather see some of the other channels going to HD, which eventually they should, and winding up on Voom....

 

[barth2k]

who knows? I don't need it. Question is, how many people can benefit from it? Impossible to say by just asking the people here. This is a very skewed sample size. Just about everyone who is here either gets locals otherwise or just doesn't care about locals. We do know D* places a high priority on locals. Different business model, or just a good grasp on marketplace reality?

Btw, from what I hear, as long as you can get a waiver (not easy to do), you can get distant networks whether you're in an O&O area. This is the case on d* and e*.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

First I was for it.

After reading reasons here I was against it.

But thinking again... I think Voom will attract more customers by offering it --therefore better able to pay their bills and thrive to serve the rest of us.

So I am back for it again.

 

[wase4711]

why waste the bandiwdth???
This will never be a deal kiiler for folks wanting to sign up for Voom...

 

[techweb]

No way! A total waste of limited satellite bandwidth. One of the main reasons PQ on E* and D* has deteriorated over the years is the addition of locals in so many markets. Let's not do the same thing to HD.

 

[DarrellP]

3 - if you are in O&O area, is your signal compressed by your local affiliate and signal comes with a lot of artifacts. Will you benefit by having an HD feed of the networks via satellite.

As if Voom doesn't compress? Even my overcompressed OTA locals have a better picture than the best Voom channel.

 

[Dvlos]

CBS in S. Florida is the leader in HD picture, they are OTA of course, HD, O&O, and NO SUBCHANNELS. Their coverage of the US Open, CSI's, and movies in HD are the BEST. I know that even though OlympicsHD on Voom was better than OTA that is the exception rather than the norm. I seriously doubt that Voom would give the 19.5 or 15.7 mbps my local OTA stations give in HD, I use this to compare PQ with Voom. Even if Voom added it, I would so keep up my OTA antenna and use that feed instead... it's a total waste.. I'd rather see INHD 1/2 and WealthHD, even HGTV and DIY in SD on Voom before networks. Sorry folks who don't get network coverage, but even some of you that DO NOT get network coverage are saying you don't to waste HD bandwidth...

 

[barth2k]

total waste of bandwidth? where are all the people who were crying b/c they couldn't get NBC Olympics HD and/or SD?

like I said, skewed sample size.

 

[Sean Mota]

I guess there are 50% of the sample size that have problem(s) or have reservations getting locals over the air with the current model.


I agree that the sample is relative small and you would expect that the it will lean more towards not getting HD networks over satellite since this group here is more knowleagable about over the air reception. It does show, however, that 50% have reservations about getting HD Networks over the air.

 

[Walter L.]

Excellent thread!!! I think that yes, like Sean mentioined on post #1, VOOM needs to put themselves in the same plane as the competition and offer these services. But I think that should be priority #3. For me, priority #1 is increasing the bandwidth of existing HD channels (to become the undisputable leader in HD PQ) and priority #2 adding new HD channels such as inHD and NBA-TV HD.

 

[wbuffetta]

DarrellP If You Really Think Your OTA PQ Is Better Then Any Voom Channel The It Is Time To Dump Your LCD PJ For A Nice Infocus 4805 DLP. You Wil Be MUCH Happier & You Will Complain A Lot Less.

 

[bitwise]

My OTA works fine... Even in rain...

The thing I like about my OTA is that even in the most severe rain, I have never lost OTA signal.

Even if it is just lightly raining, I almost always lose my sat signal.

So, I prefer the OTAs - it gives me something to watch when it's crappy out...