Voom’s HD Shows Keep On Shooting
<HR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" width="100%" color=#0056a9 noShade SIZE=1>Courtesy of our friends at MultiChannelNews.COM
By Kent Gibbons 4/25/2005
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=160 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=table bgColor=#eeeeee></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Contributors: Steve Donohue, Linda Haugsted.
Voom’s HD Shows Keep On Shooting
While Cablevision Systems Corp.’s Voom unit is set to go dark on April 30, the company still reportedly plans to continue shooting programming for some of the original Voom channels after the plug is pulled on the HDTV satellite-TV service.
Scott Greczkowski, who runs the Web site SatelliteGuys.US (www.satelliteguys.us), said last week that an announcer on Voom’s HD soccer channel told him of plans to continue shooting games for WorldSport HD after April 30. Employees at Voom’s Auction HD channel are also scheduled to cover live auctions in May.
Cablevision won’t comment beyond an earlier statement it would “analyze whether its Voom 21 channels can be marketed to other satellite and cable providers as part of the company’s Rainbow programming operations.”
In the meantime, Voom’s 46,000 subs are weighing whether to buy an HD programming package from DirecTV Inc., EchoStar Communications Corp. or their local cable operator after Voom dies. And while some Voom subs are trying to sell their equipment on eBay, others still hope that their receivers, which can also decrypt over-the-air signals, will still allow them to get local broadcast HD channels. That would save them the cost of shelling out $500 for a broadcast receiver.
Cablevision spokeswoman Kim Kerns declined to comment when asked if Cablevision would send an electronic signal to the Voom receivers that would kill their ability to watch free broadcast HD channels with the boxes.
But some Voom customers have posted messages on Greczkowski’s site saying their receivers lost the ability to transmit broadcast signals after they canceled their Voom subscriptions.
Bronx, N.Y., Voom sub Sean Motta said he already receives HD programming from Cablevision and DirecTV.
Motta said he expects other Voom subs will jump to EchoStar, which charges less up-front for programming and equipment. EchoStar rolled out the welcome mat to Voom customers on Thursday, pitching six free months of HDTV programming and high-definition receivers in up to two rooms at no charge to Voom subscribers who sign up for Dish Network.
DirecTV is also wooing Voom subs with offers of a $99 DirecTV HD system, after a $200 rebate, plus three months of free HD programming.
<HR style="PADDING-BOTTOM: 10px" width="100%" color=#0056a9 noShade SIZE=1>Courtesy of our friends at MultiChannelNews.COM
By Kent Gibbons 4/25/2005
<TABLE cellSpacing=0 cellPadding=0 width=160 align=right border=0><TBODY><TR><TD bgColor=#cccccc><TABLE cellSpacing=1 cellPadding=4 width="100%" border=0><TBODY><TR><TD class=table bgColor=#eeeeee></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE></TD></TR></TBODY></TABLE>Contributors: Steve Donohue, Linda Haugsted.
Voom’s HD Shows Keep On Shooting
While Cablevision Systems Corp.’s Voom unit is set to go dark on April 30, the company still reportedly plans to continue shooting programming for some of the original Voom channels after the plug is pulled on the HDTV satellite-TV service.
Scott Greczkowski, who runs the Web site SatelliteGuys.US (www.satelliteguys.us), said last week that an announcer on Voom’s HD soccer channel told him of plans to continue shooting games for WorldSport HD after April 30. Employees at Voom’s Auction HD channel are also scheduled to cover live auctions in May.
Cablevision won’t comment beyond an earlier statement it would “analyze whether its Voom 21 channels can be marketed to other satellite and cable providers as part of the company’s Rainbow programming operations.”
In the meantime, Voom’s 46,000 subs are weighing whether to buy an HD programming package from DirecTV Inc., EchoStar Communications Corp. or their local cable operator after Voom dies. And while some Voom subs are trying to sell their equipment on eBay, others still hope that their receivers, which can also decrypt over-the-air signals, will still allow them to get local broadcast HD channels. That would save them the cost of shelling out $500 for a broadcast receiver.
Cablevision spokeswoman Kim Kerns declined to comment when asked if Cablevision would send an electronic signal to the Voom receivers that would kill their ability to watch free broadcast HD channels with the boxes.
But some Voom customers have posted messages on Greczkowski’s site saying their receivers lost the ability to transmit broadcast signals after they canceled their Voom subscriptions.
Bronx, N.Y., Voom sub Sean Motta said he already receives HD programming from Cablevision and DirecTV.
Motta said he expects other Voom subs will jump to EchoStar, which charges less up-front for programming and equipment. EchoStar rolled out the welcome mat to Voom customers on Thursday, pitching six free months of HDTV programming and high-definition receivers in up to two rooms at no charge to Voom subscribers who sign up for Dish Network.
DirecTV is also wooing Voom subs with offers of a $99 DirecTV HD system, after a $200 rebate, plus three months of free HD programming.
