A Sad Day

[arty100]

I am a retired broadcaster who attempted to champion HDTV and was a
member of the WHD-TV advisory committee. (National HDTV STATION
IN DC)

I saw STEAM SPLICING in 1998 and observed very early attempts
at HDTV delivery systems.

I subscribed to VOOM a year ago and have enjoyed EVERY SECOND!

I especially have enjoyed the OTA capabilities which challenge the
Cable systems around here (Madison, WI).

The DEATH of VOOM is most upsetting and represents the "distancing"
that most non- technical people assume.

I ran into this when Professional Broadcasters were faced with the
COST that HDTV would require in the late 1990's.

I appreciate the up to date data that this forum "posts"!

Since RAINBOW I seems to be in the hands of the DISH (EchoStar)
folks I have ordered the $49.95 HDTV package that is thankfully
advertised on this forum.

It WILL be a LONG TIME until something CLOSE to VOOM is offered by
ANYONE!

I am deeply saddened but will move on...

 

[Sean Mota]

arty,

thanks for posting. We share your thoughts. I was asked today by NewsDay reported today why were VOOMERS so pationate about VOOM. I told him that we were not about brand/company. We were pasionate about the delivery of HD to our home theaters. This is something that competition had stalled until VOOM provided 30+ HD national channels. It is really a sad day for HD but not much we can do. We did the best we could to support a product that deliver the most HD at this point and I believe we all will support anyone who could deliver the same today. It is just that no one is willing to step into the plate. My guess is that 1-2 years from now we all probably have 30+ national HD channels. I do not see it before that. I would like to be proven wrong about DirecTv, Dish Network, Verizon, Cable or whomever.

There's another technology that is coming along and that is HD DVD. With HD DVD it will be very difficult to sub to any premium channels and channels will have to be creative in order to sell their content. Why watch an HD Movie on a provider at low bitrates when you can watch at the highest bitrate on HD DVD. We'll see where everything moves and I guess will move along as well.

 

[Tvlman]

This is a sad time. But the really STUPID part is this: right now DirecTV & Dish COULD offer HBO-HD East & West, Showtime HD East & West, Starz HD East & West, Cinemax HD East & West and The Movie Channel HD. That's 9 movie HD channels. Add to that the 5 OTA network HD stations (including PBS) and you've got 14 HD channels. Then add the others that we get at VOOM (Wealth HD, Discovery HD, ESPN HD, Universal HD & TNT HD) and that's 19 HD channels. Throw in HDNET & HDNET Movies and you have 21 HD channels that Dish and DirecTV are technically capable of carrying but won't. VOOM offered a choice....an alternative which we will not see again for 5-10 years from now. Thanks a lot guys for your efforts.