VOOM Adds more HDTV (in January) Channels and new equipment

[Scott Greczkowski]

VOOMsm EXTENDS ITS CONSIDERABLE LEAD IN HIGH-DEFINITION CONTENT AND TECHNOLOGY

VOOM Now Totals 30 HD Channels With Addition of NFL Network and Playboy TV in HD; Significantly More HD Offerings Than Any Other Satellite or Cable Provider

Introduces Ground-Breaking Whole House Solution Built Specifically For HD Programming


LAS VEGAS, N.V., January 8, 2004 – Rainbow DBS, Cablevision Systems Corporation’s satellite division, today announced four additions to VOOM’s HD lineup – NFL Network, Playboy TV, STARZ! HD East and STARZ! HD West – bringing its total to 30 HD channels, far more HD programming than any other satellite or cable provider. In addition, Rainbow DBS introduces the VOOM HD Home Media Network, a groundbreaking whole house solution designed specifically for HD programming, which is expected to roll out this summer.

To read the entire press release click the attachment below.

 

[Innova]

Cool, nice to see the HD DVR is officially announced. The question left is what will the "upgrade" policy be.....

 

[Sean Mota]

DVR ----> not until the Summer! Good that it was annnounced but dissapointed that I have to wait until the summer. By summer, the 921 could be solid and E* could have the same streamline HD channels.

Nice about Playboy-HD! We all knew, from the 10/15/03, press conference that it was going to be PPV. The question now is are we going to get a taste of it while in the free mode or is it only going to show up after the free period is over.

 

[Harrypr]

Tivo, after annoucing the Stand Alone HD Tivo in their Press conference in January 2003, stunned everyone by totally omitting any mention of it at all in their Press Confernece today. Over at the Tivo Community Forum, their are several miffed Tivo users asking "what happened" to the SA HD Tivo? The DirectTV model is supposedly scheduled for spring (March-Apr) release, while the companion SA model seems to be abandoned. Tivo has made a serious blunder. The competitors will get the last laugh. The Dish's has its newly added 921 pvr, so the upcoming Voom PVR (announced either for this summer or 3rd quarter) is even more essential since a SA HD Tivo is no longer a option for either Voom or Dish Users.

 

[Sean Mota]

VOOM HD Home Media Network’s networking capabilities, which will
allow customers to link televisions, computers and other entertainment devices so that
programming, music and photos can be enjoyed throughout the house.
Rainbow DBS will be using embedded software from Ucentric Systems, a leading provider of
home media networking software and service for the new digital home, in the development of
this product.

Source--->Ucentric Web Site

Solution Features
Ucentric is the clear technology leader for Multi-TV DVR, providing the industry's state-of-the-art solution for delivering DVR to TVs throughout the home. Multi-TV DVR from Ucentric combines a feature-rich DVR application with the power of all-digital, broadcast quality and fully secure media distribution in the home. With Ucentric's Multi-TV DVR software solution powering their devices, cable and satellite network operators as well as device manufacturers now have a way to help drive digital products and services more broadly throughout the home - a vital effort given today's highly competitive environment.
Solution features include:

For Consumers

• DVR functionality available on all connected TVs
  Single, in-home library of recorded programs
  Single, whole-home list of parental controls and other user preferences
  Multiple, independent sessions among connected TVs
  Follow-Me TVTM: Pause-and-play seamless viewing from TV to TV
  For Network Operators and Manufacturers
  Low-cost whole-home environment for all TV-based services
  Electronic Program Guide
  VOD
  PPV
  Digital TV
  Analog TV
  Interactive TV
  Ability to share hard drives and tuners among connected TVs
  Integration with electronic program guide, middleware and conditional access
  Robust content protection
  Consistent user interface
  Branding control [/list:u]
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Application Features
  Ucentric DVR is a feature-rich application, providing all of the functionality of advanced DVR. Driven by its business-to-business relationships with its network operator and manufacturer partners, Ucentric provides a DVR application that is highly customizable by individual partners. Features include:
  • Support for multiple tuners
    All live and pre-recorded video control options - rewind, FF, slow motion, instant replay, jump, pause
    Automatic recurring recording options
    Robust alerting and conflict management capabilities
    Branding control
    Support for analog, digital, and high definition TV
    Support for VOD and PPV
    Integration with electronic program guide, middleware and conditional access
    Persistent content protection [/list:u]
    
    
    
    
    
    Multi-Screen Caller ID Application
    Multi-Screen Caller ID from Ucentric delivers Caller ID information to TV and PC screens throughout the home. While viewers benefit from conveniently seeing caller info anywhere in the home, network operators and device manufacturers extend their reach into the home and further leverage the in-home network with a revenue-generating application that is highly valued by subscribers.
    Solution Features
    • Multi-Screen Caller ID from Ucentric extends all of the features of Caller ID to connected screens throughout the home. Application features include:
      For Consumers
      Pop-up of Caller ID information (name and phone number) presented as call is received
      Pop-up presentation on multiple TV and PC screens simultaneously
      Option to turn pop-up on/off
      On-screen logs with name and phone number, with deletion options
      Non-recording of pop-ups in DVR [/list:u]
      
      Ucentric Whole-Home Music
      Utilizing Ucentric Whole-Home Music 1.0, consumers can easily access and play their digital music collection in any room in their home through a user-friendly point and click interface that can be accessed from any screen including a TV, PC, PDA and even a cell phone in the future. This software solution was designed to be integrated into set-top boxes and consumer electronic devices.
      Ucentric Whole Home Music 1.0 is designed specifically for in-home storage, access and playback of digital music files and is the only in-home music application that automatically discovers and aggregates all the digital music files stored on networked appliances like media centers, set-top boxes and/or personal computers.
      
      Through this software application, network operators and manufacturers will enable their consumers to have whole-home access to all the music resources in their home including their own CDs that they can rip onto a Ucentric Whole Home Music 1.0 enabled media center and CDs they can burn based upon playlists assembled from their private collection of stored music files. To provide metadata for ripped CDs, Ucentric has partnered with Gracenote, the industry standard in music recognition technology and related content delivery.
      
      
      Solution Features
      • Auto-discover all MP3s on in-home network
        Stream MP3 to any and all connected speakers
        Copy music and playlist from PC to media center
        UI is on TV screen for consumer convenience and ease of use
        View music by albums, artists, genres, playlists, directories
        Identification within UI, of songs on PC versus on media center
        Rip and burn CDs [/list:u]

 

[Sean Mota]

I am reading this press release and I cannot get 30 channels:

21 exclusive + 241 Showtime HD East HD + 242 Showtime HD West HD + 251 TMC-HD + 261 Starz HD East + 262 Starz HD West + 311 NFL HD + 601 Discovery HD Theater + Playboy-HD = 29 channels.

Where is the one I am missing?

 

[Sean Mota]

Good News:

VOOM Extends Its Lead in High-Definition Content and Technology
News Bytes HD – Current news headlines, weather and sports, all in HD, plus compelling feature stories and video essays.

No mention of firewire upgrade for current stb and no mention for firewire feature on DVR. No mention of cost.

 

[Lucky]

I am reading this press release and I cannot get 30 channels:

21 exclusive + 241 Showtime HD East HD + 242 Showtime HD West HD + 251 TMC-HD + 261 Starz HD East + 262 Starz HD West + 311 NFL HD + 601 Discovery HD Theater + Playboy-HD = 29 channels.

Where is the one I am missing?

As ridiculous as it seems they count "Inside VOOM" channel 999 as an HD channel.

 

[Sean Mota]

I was afraid of that. Those screens are similar or look alike of the dish 721. It looks like this software from Ucentric is a version of Linux (like the 721 OS).

 

[Sean Mota]

Here's a bit more of information regarding the DSR-580

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=348883

DVR has 240GB. Existing VOOM boxes and PCs can be used as thin clients.

 

[Sean Mota]

Another picture... The Search function...

 

[lizard20022000]

that's bad.

The 'keyboard' is an alpha listing not a keyboard. Most people, even kids, now expect to find keys in keyboard locations

 

[Stargazer]

It probably does not matter much seeing how you have to select each letter individually.

 

[slffl]

I hope VOOM announces if they plan on leasing their PVR before the HDTIVO is widely available, or I'll have a hard time not switching.

 

[vurbano]

VOOMsm EXTENDS ITS CONSIDERABLE LEAD IN HIGH-DEFINITION CONTENT AND TECHNOLOGY

VOOM Now Totals 30 HD Channels With Addition of NFL Network and Playboy TV in HD; Significantly More HD Offerings Than Any Other Satellite or Cable Provider

Introduces Ground-Breaking Whole House Solution Built Specifically For HD Programming


LAS VEGAS, N.V., January 8, 2004 – Rainbow DBS, Cablevision Systems Corporation’s satellite division, today announced four additions to VOOM’s HD lineup – NFL Network, Playboy TV, STARZ! HD East and STARZ! HD West – bringing its total to 30 HD channels, far more HD programming than any other satellite or cable provider. In addition, Rainbow DBS introduces the VOOM HD Home Media Network, a groundbreaking whole house solution designed specifically for HD programming, which is expected to roll out this summer.

To read the entire press release click the attachment below.

the name of this thread is misleading, it made me want to go look for new channels

 

[DarrellP]

If the guy above you had not posted in this thread, it would not have caught your attention. IMHO, that post did not belong here. Look at the dates of the previous posts and it makes sense.