Considering VOOM

[alsie731]

Luv seeing pros & cons on D*& V

D* has a advantage in my area - driving around looking for a V* dish (wanted to ring a few doorbells and find out if they liked it) & found none. Got no feedback on the forums for my area for V*. I was amazed at the amount of D* dishes and the lack of the HD dishes. D* has maybe a 25 to 1 over Dish in what I saw riding around. Lucky I wasn't approaced by the boys in blue in what I was doing. In other words they have a good hold of the market in my area on digital service and how many HD sets are here who knows. I know a few that have Comcast HDcable and are satisfied with a few stations in HD but I wasn't impresed with the quality of the pic. I hope you guys continue with what you believe and let others see your input. It has helped me understand a little more than what I had thought yesterday and the day before.

 

[iceshark]

Thanks for the opinions. I do think I will continue to do research. My big stumbling block is VOOMS association with the cable industry, which I can't stand. I have been very happy with DTV and just wish they would stop moving at a snails pace. Again, thanks for the responses

Maybe Im nuts!. I thought Rupert Murdock had a controlling or minority interest in Cablevison. If true that would meen that D* owns part of Voom.
Thought I read that somewhere. Dont flame if mistaken.

 

[iceshark]

here some proof that cablevision has or had ties to Murdock

Cablevision (CVC ) is closing 26 of its 53 Nobody Beats the Wiz consumer-electronics stores in the New York City area, and the outfit said on Nov. 4 that it would unload its Bravo cable channel to NBC for $1.25 billion. But that's just the warm-up. In a few weeks, the Dolans will have a day of reckoning with the Jaws of the media world: Rupert Murdoch. And the result isn't likely to be pretty.

Murdoch's News Corp. (NWS ) and Cablevision have been partners since December, 1997, when they pooled their assets to create Rainbow Media Sports Holdings. Rainbow owns Madison Square Garden, the New York Knicks basketball and Rangers hockey teams, and, most important, regional cable-sports networks in Ohio, New England, San Francisco, and Florida. Now, just when the Dolans are at their most vulnerable, Murdoch wants to undo the deal -- and take $1 billion for his trouble.

STAND AND DELIVER. It has all the makings of an interesting negotiation. As part of that agreement, Murdoch has the right to "put" his 40% stake in Rainbow Media Sports back in the Dolans' hands by December 18, 2002. The Dolans can either buy out News Corp.'s 40% stake in the channels or initiate a public offering and allow Murdoch to get his money that way.

With cash dwindling, the Dolans aren't in any position to give Murdoch back the dough. Their recent deal passing Bravo to NBC provided Cablevision with stock in the network's parent, General Electric (GE ) and the return of some 53.2 million Cablevision shares that GE owned. What little cash pact entailed, around $250 million, went to Bravo's 20% owner, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer MGM ).

So where will the father-son team come up with the scratch? They could give the channels outright to Murdoch. Clearly, that's what the News Corp. CEO wants. "The regional-sports networks would certainly have to be part of the mix," Murdoch said in a conference call with investors on Nov. 5. "We've already had the beginnings of talks with them. But they have other things on their mind."

ON A ROLL. It all sounds very genteel, with Murdoch allowing that his company is "hoping we can come to some friendly arrangement with an exchange of assets, which would be beneficial to both parties." But anyone who knows Murdoch has to be aware of the iron will behind those soft-spoken comments.

And Murdoch has been on a roll lately. Buttressed by a stronger-than-anticipated advertising market, News Corp. on Nov. 6 reported $162 million in net profits, more than double last year's $73 million. That has helped him put together the cash stake of more than $3 billion he'll presumably use for another run at the DirecTV satellite service.

Whatever "friendly arrangement" Murdoch is contemplating with the Dolans will be a lot friendlier to the guys on the Australian mogul's side of the table. He's likely to end up with a lot more than $1 billion worth of assets for the $850 million he put into the venture back in 1997. Why? Because of the way the deal was structured, Cablevision contributed Madison Square Garden, the Knicks, Rangers, and all those cable channels for a 60% stake

 

[mini1]

they said that they will "double" or "tripple" their HD line-up by year end. they either have between 7-9 HD channels now, depending on how you look at it. 7 times two = 14, 7 times three = 21, 9 times two = 18. seems to be right within my forcasted figures? this is exactly what DirecTV stated in a letter to retailers earlier this year.

 

[mini1]

There has been no annoucement on INHD on directv. And that 15-20 HD stations on directv may only be about 10-12 for non O&O people. Those in affilate markets can subtract FOXHD, CBSHD, (NBCHD, ABCHD, PBSHD, WBHD, UPNHD) when they exist. If you want to not make a monitary investment then get VOom and wait and see what happens with Directv. If you live in the woods with no reception I would go with directv if they add all of the HD network feeds. If your in an O&O its a toss up because you probably can get a decent antenna signal as well.

just to mention it-if PBS HD ever made it up on any satellite service everyone would qualify for it, because PBS owns a part of every station. that is why there can be multiple PBS stations in one DMA, and anyone can get the PBS SD feed on Dish Network right now.

 

[vurbano]

This is total rubbish and nothing but conjecture and the promotion of unfounded rumors being spread. D* has said absolutlely nothing definitive other than to say it will increase it's HD offerings.

FYI mini1 is a D* infection that has spread from AVS over to sat guys.

 

[vurbano]

just to mention it-if PBS HD ever made it up on any satellite service everyone would qualify for it, because PBS owns a part of every station. that is why there can be multiple PBS stations in one DMA, and anyone can get the PBS SD feed on Dish Network right now.

BIG FKN DEAL?

 

[vurbano]

they said that they will "double" or "tripple" their HD line-up by year end. they either have between 7-9 HD channels now, depending on how you look at it. 7 times two = 14, 7 times three = 21, 9 times two = 18. seems to be right within my forcasted figures? this is exactly what DirecTV stated in a letter to retailers earlier this year.

wrong sparky

hdnet
hdnet movies
discoveryhd
espnhd

hbohd
shohd

thats six for most of us. and it will cost you an extra 11+12+11= 34 bucks to get those. DID D* also annouce the price increase?

 

[mini1]

FYI mini1 is a D* infection that has spread from AVS over to sat guys.

I wouldn't be talking Mr. Voom.

 

[mini1]

wrong sparky

hdnet
hdnet movies
discoveryhd
espnhd

hbohd
shohd

thats six for most of us. and it will cost you an extra 11+12+11= 34 bucks to get those. DID D* also annouce the price increase?

yea but you forgot HD SPECIAL EVENTS (which everyone qualifies for)
CBS HD
SPICE HD
HD PPV