VOOM & TIVO...???

[gonzalez6653]

I recently purchase a Panosonic PT-60LC13 LCD Projection HDTV Monitor to replace my Pro Scan 52" CRT. The reason I didn't buy an HDTV sooner was lack of HD programming by DirecTV or my local (Adelphia) cable co. which I get thru my HOA. Why have a HDTV if you can't watch much HDTV ???
VOOM was the answer and I am very pleased with it.

I purchased my TV at Brandsmart USA here in S. Florida. They offered free VOOM instalation ($149), free receiver ($500) + $500 rebate from VOOM on the purchase price of my TV, I have a 2 yr contract for the Va Va VOOM plan with VOOM that gives me all their programming, it has "all" the channels I normally watch + "all" the premium (east & west coast) channels and if I cancell in the 2 yrs I have to give the $500 rebate, fair enough. It also comes with the on air antena for local network...

Well, the picture & audio is "EXCELLENT" so far (3 weeks), it was installed within 3 days by a very professional installer that was very knowledgable and helpful. I only use my cable as back up and I have reduced my DirecTV to only local channels just to keep it. Although the picture quality is good with the DirecTV & cable, in comparison with the VOOM quality its hard to watch the others.
I am using using the DVI video & optical audio input with VOOM,
DirectV & my cable do not offer DVI input and the quality is evident.

All VOOM programming that is not HD is formatted to fit my widescreen without the distortion of JUST,FULL or FULL I have to use with cable or DTV.
The HDTV is as good or better than DVD and the audio is excellent The on air antenea gets both HD & non HD programming crisper & clearer than cable or DirecTV, non HD on air programing comes in at 4.3 and I don't believe it can be altered with Aspect change on the monitor at least but is great quality... am I wrong on this..???

Things that could be better are:
Channel line up menus could be more user freindly (use to TIVO), but does have favorites option & HDTV only screens. It takes about 5 to 6 seconds to switch channels, there is no "previous channel" button on remote and most frustrating is "NO TIVO" service available, but this too I'm sure will change as the company grows... other than that, I love it. The lack of TIVO is a big deal to me, although DirecTV is in bed with TIVO and now offer a HDTV DirecTV TIVO for $900+ DirecTV has very little HDTV programming and TIVO is as of now, not developing a cable/satalite compatible HDTV TIVO, think they are trying to squeese out the cable companies..??? I have heard that VOOM is working on a DVR reciever to be out by end of year.

OK, I read that a standard TIVO (like I have) will accept VOOM programing,
does anyone know if this is so, and if so, do I have to connect the VOOM box directly to the TIVO therefore losing my DVI connection, if so that sucks cause my picture is Great with the DVI....???

When TIVO first came out I bought stock because I liked the product and thought others would too, I was right & my TIVO stock has done very well by me. I feel the same about VOOM and plan on buying stock. They have the most up to date HDTV tech. available (way ahead of DirecTV) are ahead of the curve in the HDTV delivery business and although some of the negative experiece reviews I have read indicate, I am aware they are a new company going thru new company growing pains while trying to keep up with demand. These negative reviews are like the network news, its all bad, they don't broadcast good news, people tend to voice displeasure much more than satisfaction, that is why I am taking the time to write this review.

All in all, I would not of purchased a HDTV now if it wasn't for VOOM (would have waited for more availabe HD programming while HDTV prices went down)
buy I'm glad I did. I'm watching stuff I've never watched before because the picture & sound is so nice...!!!! Can anybody give me feedback ??? Thanx.

 

[squicken]

All your questions here.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=18719&highlight=tivo

 

[wasch_24]

You can use the 'back' button to go to your previous channel.

 

[Seanb61]

Have you checked your TIVO stock price? Not doing so well lately....Tivo is trying to stay alive but it's and going to be tough.

 

[gonzalez6653]

Thanx guys...

Thanx for the "back button" info, no "previous channel" was driving me nuts...

I've had TIVO stock since the inception, got it at a "great" price, over the years it goes up and down like a yoyo, if I were to sell at $4.00 I'd still be OK last weekend it was at $6 & change, three weekes before it was at $12 & change, its typical of TIVO, and in the long run TIVO will survive and do well... its like what Motorola is to cell phones, no longer the best or biggest but a major player... VOOM stock will also in the long run do well, only wish I bought it a few weeks ago when it was priced lower....

Thanx again & VIEW ON...!!!

 

[ConcreteEnema]

The Tivo name may survive and do well, but...

Tivo was a breakthrough company in the sense that they established the brand-name for digital video recorders. Nobody calls them 'DVR's, they call them 'Tivo's-- no matter what software is running under the hood.

However, now that satellite and cable companies realize that DVR capability is beoming a necessity for their customers, most all of them are developing DVR solutions that are integrated into their set-top boxes. In the next year, stand-alone DVR boxes (such as the series 2 Tivo) will become undesirable. It wouldn't make sense to most customers to purchase a standalone Tivo (and pay a monthly fee on top of that) in addition to renting a set-top decoder box from their cable provider (or renting/buying a satellite box), only to find out that they can't record HBO and Showtime at the same time because the signal is decrypted by the cable/satellite box and not the Tivo. In the single, integrated solution, you can have multiple tuners, and most importantly, multiple decoders/decrypters in the same box!

Now, before you comment about how DirecTV is in bed with Tivo and has already integrated the technology into their boxes, you should be aware of a few things. First, let me say that I own a Sony T60 DirecTV receiver with Tivo, and I LOVE it. Secondly, DirecTV's licensing agreement with Tivo is coming to an end. If you haven't noticed already, DirecTV has removed the Tivo branding from all of their new receivers and software. The 'Tivo' button on the remote has been replaced with a 'DirecTV' button. And DirecTV is also working on a DVR solution that does not involve Tivo at all! Why would they ditch Tivo? I can think of a couple reasons. First, licensing Tivo in each of their boxes is expensive- they're paying for the Tivo brand name! Secondly, as is stated in the first line of my rant, the customer simply wants a DVR-- it doesn't matter if it's called 'Tivo' or 'DirecTV-DVR', as long as it has the same functionality.

Tivo had a good run, but their days in the sun will come to an end unless they can work out some decent partnerships with big-name service providers. I'm not saying that Tivo will disappear, but they'll have to re-think their business strategy. Either way, the Tivo name will probably live on forever!

 

[gtsmith]

Concrete*, I must disagree to a degree.

I would never have bought a tivo until they started to get integrated with DVD burners. That made me make the jump from a cable supplied DVR (previously E* PVR) to Tivo. I can see the value in a DVR, but without the abilitiy to burn to DVD it is not that atractive to me.
I think this may be the move that Tivo needed, can you imagine cable companies or sat providers putting DVD burners in their STBs?

 

[red ufo]

Voom will force you to sign a 1 year contract before you get a DVR. Or they'll price you out of the service (if they aren't already). Then after you get sucked into the DVR they'll nickel and dime you to make up for lack of customers.

Just look at how they screwed all the chartermembers.