This is for VOOM: Please read (stb PQ)

[DarrellP]

Voom, is there something inherently wrong with the Motorola stb? I have to ask this because I also have a Dish 6000 (which is ancient HD technology), yet the PQ from the Component outputs of my 6000 are superior to the DVI outputs of the Voom stb. Why is that?

Watching the NBA playoffs locally OTA has proven that the PQ of the Voom stb is not up to par. I can instantly switch between sources and see a big difference in PQ between the 2 boxes. The Voom stb has what appears to be compression artifacts that show up as "buzzing video noise" around smaller objects. I can see this on OTA and other channels such as DiscoveryHD & ESPNHD since I can do a direct comparison of the channels from 2 different providers. Closeups of players where there is no small, fine detail yeilds the same quality picture, the Voom box just doesn't seem able to resolve fine detail without noise.

I am using a 720p front projection system on a 110" diagonal screen, so the smallest flaws are easily seen. This "buzzing video noise" that I am talking about is easily seen on any Voom channel, yet when I tune in my Dish 6000 to the same channel on Dish, the noise is not there.

On the subject of PQ: The quality has come up on the Cinema10 channels since they were switched back to 1080i, but others have suffered: Case in point: I record Disney daily for my daughter and I have seen a drastic drop in PQ over the last week. A week ago the picture was about as good as a SD channel can be, today it is way downhill with major compression artifacts.

I would think as a company who is catering to people with HD sets, you would want your SD channels to be as pristine as possible. I eagerly await your transition to MPEG-4 or WM9 and hope PQ goes up across the board.

Thank you for your efforts.

 

[gutter]

I agree with you. I also think it is the STB. The PQ on OTA local Digital is not up to what my Sammy STB was and is. colors looked crushed and lack deep blacks. they were going to send out a new box but I don't have hope of a change. Never been impressed with Motoral back to by 4dtv.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

I also believe it is the STB. I am hoping that VOOM is looking for other hardware vendors. This Moterola stuff seems like it is already 2 or 3 generations behind what other companies have now.

 

[gutter]

This Moterola stuff seems like it is already 2 or 3 generations behind what other companies have now.

You hit the nail on the head. I know many here are very happy with PQ but unless you have had anothr source like you and I to compare, it is like taking a step backwards. Not all the way back to SD but maybe slightly better than DVD.

I think it is bad when component HD on another source looks better than VOOM on DVI. I plan to stick it out and hope they upgrade the box as well. I just wish they would address the issue and say what we can expect. I really think it is a video output issue of the box. Because the OTA llocal HD looks just as compressed and lifeless as the satellite HD

 

[DarrellP]

I was really cranked up about getting Voom, figuring since they are the new kid on the block they would have the latest and greatest equipment, but it's sad when a 4 year old dinosaur has better PQ than a brand new box. I'll stick it out too and see what the next generation brings, maybe the PVR will have better chipsets.

 

[Ken F]

The quality with OTA channels on the VOOM STB are not up to par with my standalone OTA STB, regardless of the connection used. Recalibration helped to reduce the difference, but I still see a noticeable PQ improvement with my standalone OTA STB on the same channels. The difference reminds me of output quality of the Pace HD cable box (excellent output quality) vs the SA3100HD or older software on the SA8000HD.

That's not to say VOOM PQ is bad -- HBO HD and Showtime HD on VOOM were noticeably better than those channels on DirecTV. That was several months ago when I first got VOOM; I haven't had DirecTV in awhile, so I can't say how these channels compare now. I have noticed some dropoff in VOOM's HD PQ since then.

I also agree that SD quality needs to improve with the move to MPEG-4. My cable company may be an exception, but it offers superior quality (much better detail) on its SD channels. Comparable or slightly better SD quality than Dish and DirecTV just isn't good enough for a provider that caters to HD viewers. Dish and DirecTV tailor their SD quality to 25-27" viewers, but we're using 40", 50", 60", and larger displays.

 

[Scott Greczkowski]

Please understand, I like my VOOM a lot (A lot more if the VOOMGUY head would stop showing up on my screen!)

Let me let know a bit about my history. I was one of the first (if not THE FIRST) customers in the United States with Digital Cable. In the area where I live TCI Cable selected my town to be the first to test Digital Cable.

After the initial employee tests were done, I was the first actual customer to get installed. Then they came to my house to put it in there were 6 cable trucks and 12 installers, plus people taking pictures. Now 2 guys actually did the install, while the other 10 watched and took notes. Each of them took a look at the signal meters to see what a good digital signal looked like, etc. All of them were shown how to properly install a phone line to the converter. The place was a madhouse.

When they left I had a brand new shiny DCT-1000 converter box. I had a bunch more PPV and music channels and about 20 or so channels in Digital (Much Music, The Discovery Digital Channels, and a few other channels which I never heard of (and those channels did not last long)

The box being the first generation of Digital Boxes had its moments, but it was new technology so the bugs didnt really bug you too much.

Now here in 2004 we have this VOOM Motorola DSR-500 receiver, playing with it, it reminds me of when I got my DCT-1000. Infact as I look back in someways the origional DCT-1000 had more stuff I liked about it then the current DSR-500 does, including a better guide.

The receiver leaves a lot to be desired, and at least in 1997 when I got my Digital Cable Box that had its quirk I was able to say "Hey its ok, it's new technology" I can't say that now. I do hope that future generations of VOOM receivers are more robust and friendly.

I do realize VOOM rushed to get to air, but now that they are online perhaps they should be working on VOOM 2.0. I believe a High Tech Company should offer a High Tech box.

 

[wbuffetta]

I Think The PQ Issue & The CLOUD Fade Issue are do in Part By the Motorola stb. I Don't Have E* But I Know People Who Do & They Never Have Had Rain Fade Issues With The 61.5 Sat.

 

[gutter]

Here here Scott. Ditto on everything. And like you, it drives me absolutely crazy. I am probably one of the few that really likes the choice of programming including the old movies. HD, even in a lower quality, does give them a new look and feel. And they are not edited for TV.

 

[Walter L.]

The new VOOM STB is coming soon, it's called DVR.

 

[gutter]

The new VOOM STB is coming soon, it's called DVR.

If it is made by Motorola, I still worry.

 

[FunkyBoss]

The new VOOM STB is coming soon, it's called DVR.

I hope it has improved PQ !

 

[barth2k]

Anyone knows who makes the DVR? Maybe worth getting just to get away from Motorola.

Darrell: have you tried component and see if that's better? some people say it actually improves the pq.

 

[babyj]

I was really cranked up about getting Voom, figuring since they are the new kid on the block they would have the latest and greatest equipment, but it's sad when a 4 year old dinosaur has better PQ than a brand new box. I'll stick it out too and see what the next generation brings, maybe the PVR will have better chipsets.

ya thats what i dont get. if you gonna be this brand new hd satellite company..have some high tech boxes that makes you go "dang..thats nice"

dont give me that crap bout "the best part bout voom is the ugly remote"

should have stayed away when i saw rainbow colors for the logo.

 

[ChetK]

Here's what Wilt told me about Voom PQ vs. other HD STB providers as well as hints to future hardware:

I have, as well as a lot of others--both related and independent, compared our HD videos to all others and have been at worst tied, and typically ahead so I'm surprised at your issues and comparison.

I will say that we're being more aggressive on the SD's than I really want and that will get better later this year but the HD's should be, and are typically very good in comparison to all.

We're currently using Motorola, will likely, when we move to MPEG 4 change to another vendor--I won't say right now--and they're performing pretty well overall.
We just went through a full upgrade on them and are still doing some tweaks for maximizing performance but things shouldn't be bad now.

I won't go into data rates other than to say that to carry programming we got tested by many of the program providers before they'd give us the content and, obviously, passed.

I have always said that Vooms PQ sucks compared to Dish Network on the 6000U. Nothing new here.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

Are we sure the STB is what's doing it and not Voom doing something on their end?

In two different threads:

I've been recording a lot of stuff for my daughter off Disney with my new Panny E85 and the SD PQ is quite nice and the PQ beats Dish hands down, it's not fuzzy anymore and I can actually watch it on my pj and it looks good. I've been scanning though a few of the SD channels just checking out PQ and it does seem to be improving, though there are still some turkeys out there that need a LOT of work (less compression).

I record Disney daily for my daughter and I have seen a drastic drop in PQ over the last week. A week ago the picture was about as good as a SD channel can be, today it is way downhill with major compression artifacts.

In less than 24 hours Disney went from good to bad. How can that be from an STB?

Just curious.

 

[gutter]

I have always said that Vooms PQ sucks compared to Dish Network on the 6000U. Nothing new here.

ChetK...I was counting on your to weigh in on this. Thanks for the Note from Wilt. At least he commented.

Just what we need another PQ thread. Someone should get the idea by now.

 

[occammd]

Aside from compression issues, I am getting a lot of white horizontal dashed lines on saturated color screens w/abcfamily, nicktoons, etc... in SD

 

[barth2k]

Just what we need another PQ thread. Someone should get the idea by now.

From reading Wilt's post, it seems like Voom's position is "problem, what problem? our pq is at least as good as everyone else's"

We need to keep fanning the flames

 

[VideoGrabber]

gutter wrote:
> I plan to stick it out and hope they upgrade the box as well. <

I may well be wrong, but my understanding was that not only will the new DVR box still be a Motorola product (DSR-580), but it will be almost identical to the old one in external appearance and internal architecture (though possibly [hopefully!] sporting some new VLSI). This seemed to be confirmed by the various demo showings of the DVR at the tradeshows, though perhaps that's all prototype hardware, and the real boxes will be completely different. I wouldn't count on it though.

This all sounds rather discouraging to someone eagerly anticipating some high PQ HiDef, while impatiently awaiting (and waiting, and waiting... for) installation. I've never been one to vote for quantity over quality, and frankly if that's the state of Voom I may well be better off with a handful of HD channels on cable.

- Tim