Has the "Chip Away" Begun???

[fredfa]

re Dvlos:
"You're right and only available to a select few or with waivers, I think they planning on rolling out CBS E/W for everyone though."

Actually CBS HD is available to more than 33% of the nation's households in the CBS O&O areas (which cover 39.6% of the nation;s households, but some have overlaps with non O&O markets).
There is another 5-7% of the nation's households scattered in so-called "white areas".
So, CBS HD is currently available (from D* or E*) to about 40% of the households in the country.
That's almost 45 million households, hardly a "select few".
But as far as rolling it out to everyone: it would be very difficult for CBS to get affiliates to go along with that.
It simply is not Viacom's decision whether or not to sell a CBS HD signal in an area covered by a non O&O affiliate.

 

[Alan Gordon]

BravoHD was pretty much set for after the Olympics, curious to see how long for NBCHD, ABCHD, FOXHD, CBSHD take to launch on D* and how many people will see this as a must have product.

Well, I have CBS HD, and proud of it as I can't receive it OTA except for maybe a few hours a week depending on the weather, and I'm also anxiously awaiting ABC-HD as I can't receive it OTA except for about an hour a week depending on the weather... and even my closest ABC affiliate's engineer was surprised that I could pick it up! I would never be eligible to receive NBC-HD and FOX-HD, but I'm happy for those who can as I'm currently trying to get a antenna that can (hopefully) pick up my NBC affiliate and my FOX affiliate's HD signal.

Even though the HD programming is sparse, I do look forward to having TNT-HD and though I don't currently subscribe to the package, I look forward to Starz HD showing up, but I'm honestly not that impressed with any other channel currently out there that DirecTV does not offer me.

As far as the topic of this post, I'm impressed by VOOM's goals and some of their technology (WM9, MPEG4, etc..), but not impressed by what VOOM offers so much, and simply do not see VOOM lasting more than a year or two at most. I also don't see DirecTV adding BravoHD+ to be "chipping" away at VOOM, and don't really see how you could compare the two, but as long as VOOM'ers enjoy their programming, and us DirecTV'ers enjoy ours and hope for more, I don't see why it matters!

~Alan

 

[Seawaves]

I can't believe this....D* adds "1" HD channel that we already have and someone wants to call it the beginning of the fall of Voom. Give me a break. Let me know when D* stops playing catch up and adds something worth while, for all to see (referring to the ABC, CBS....etc national HD broadcasts).

The real questions are: Why is there so much Voom hate on this board? and Why do people waste time on forums geared toward a product that they don't like and/or haven't/will not purchase??

WHY????

12 million subs to 25 is what you call catchup? LMAO

 

[vurbano]

re Dvlos:
"You're right and only available to a select few or with waivers, I think they planning on rolling out CBS E/W for everyone though."

Actually CBS HD is available to more than 33% of the nation's households in the CBS O&O areas (which cover 39.6% of the nation;s households, but some have overlaps with non O&O markets).
There is another 5-7% of the nation's households scattered in so-called "white areas".
So, CBS HD is currently available (from D* or E*) to about 40% of the households in the country.
That's almost 45 million households, hardly a "select few".
But as far as rolling it out to everyone: it would be very difficult for CBS to get affiliates to go along with that.
It simply is not Viacom's decision whether or not to sell a CBS HD signal in an area covered by a non O&O affiliate.

40% is the minority, the select few. The majority cant even qualify for it.

 

[deArgila]

I can't believe this....D* adds "1" HD channel that we already have and someone wants to call it the beginning of the fall of Voom. Give me a break. Let me know when D* stops playing catch up and adds something worth while, for all to see (referring to the ABC, CBS....etc national HD broadcasts).

The real questions are: Why is there so much Voom hate on this board? and Why do people waste time on forums geared toward a product that they don't like and/or haven't/will not purchase??

WHY????

Before I say what I'm about to say - let me first say that I've been a HAPPY voom subscriber for about 4 months. I haven't had any installation, STB, or other issues. It's simply been great.

Having said that, when TNT-Hd gets added to D*, I'll probably switch.

Why?

1. HDTivo!! HDTivo!! HDTivo!! I'm simply DYING for an HD-DVR - a good one.
2. HDNet and HDNet Movies compensate for the Voom exclusives that I watch
3. Sunday Ticket. With over 100 HD games on the schedule, my multiple HD set-up will be in heaven.

BravoHD, TNT-HD, and WorldsportHD were the only things holding me back from D* (and, of course, the $1000 for the Tivo). (BravoHD because of the US Open, TNT-Hd because of NBA and programs like The Grid, and Worldsport because of soccer).

Now, it's down to TNT-HD and Worldsport. If they add TNT-HD, the 3 reasons I gave above should be enough to compensate for the loss of worldsport.

PS - There's also rumor that INHD will be added soon - if TNT-HD gets added by the end of Sept (as the rumor states), I'm going to start believing in these D* rumors.

 

[gutter]

I seriously doubt that CBS E/W HD will be rolled out to everyone as that would be duplication of signal in most markets and violates the current FCC rules. (bad rules because not all markets have network HD)

 

[Dvlos]

1) I know that the rebroadcast of HD is a bill that is up in the Senate.. will they address it right now? Who knows.

2) When I said "it benefits the select few" I should clarify. I meant those that could not get the channel OTA, at a higher and better bandwidth (most likely) than over the Sat. if Voom came to my door tomorrow and said "MR. Dvlos we can give you east and west distant HD feeds of your major networks, or you can keep your OTA" I'd say hmm.. thanks but I'll keep my OTA, now that it's working, they are the clearest signals I get to my house.

3) Most people that have D* or E* and wanted all their networks in HD or digital to their house already HAVE installed an OTA antenna to do so. Hence adding these channels means nothing to them either.

So who are the select "Few" people like Eschu who lives on Smokey mountain in a log cabin. People who cannot get OTA local signal, IMO. Also with HDTivo why provide any East and WEst feeds, just record and forget, total waste of bandwidth, I get the feeling these HD network feeds will not be anywhere near as nice as HDNet nor OTA HD.

 

[eschu97611]

Well, I have CBS HD, and proud of it as I can't receive it OTA except for maybe a few hours a week depending on the weather, and I'm also anxiously awaiting ABC-HD as I can't receive it OTA except for about an hour a week depending on the weather... and even my closest ABC affiliate's engineer was surprised that I could pick it up! I would never be eligible to receive NBC-HD and FOX-HD, but I'm happy for those who can as I'm currently trying to get a antenna that can (hopefully) pick up my NBC affiliate and my FOX affiliate's HD signal.

Even though the HD programming is sparse, I do look forward to having TNT-HD and though I don't currently subscribe to the package, I look forward to Starz HD showing up, but I'm honestly not that impressed with any other channel currently out there that DirecTV does not offer me.

As far as the topic of this post, I'm impressed by VOOM's goals and some of their technology (WM9, MPEG4, etc..), but not impressed by what VOOM offers so much, and simply do not see VOOM lasting more than a year or two at most. I also don't see DirecTV adding BravoHD+ to be "chipping" away at VOOM, and don't really see how you could compare the two, but as long as VOOM'ers enjoy their programming, and us DirecTV'ers enjoy ours and hope for more, I don't see why it matters!

~Alan

Right now. there is NO comparrison-Voom has more HD channel offerings by far and that is what is meant by the "chipping away" mentioned. It is probably true that D* could care less about V* and its 35,000 sub base, but when it comes to the service needed at this time to pick-up the max number of hd offerings, one must acknowledge V* dominace in that area-Is that hd channel offering dominance about to be "chipped away" at by mighty D*?-starting to look like it in these last days of summer with the addition of Bravo HD-that is all I meant by the "chipping away" in the title.


Anywhoo-Boooyakacha!!!

 

[Dvlos]

D* shouldn't be "chipping away" at HD. They should be swinging the mighty war hammer and dumping SD or using resources to increase HD. They do so unwillingly, trying to get cable subs (and the handful of Voom subs) to go with them. If Voom drops off the face of the planet, and D* can snag back some of its customers from cable, it's "HD Push" will draw to a close.

 

[Sean Mota]

I believe the local HD provided in O&O market (and white areas and those that can get waivers) is more an individual case than a general one. Right now, I get CBS-HD through E* as well but I have not interest of tuning to it. I get CBS-HD through OTA and voom provides the PG information for CBS-HD through OTA. This on Dish is a big pain to see what's on the PG for CBS-HD (even with the 921). I do not know how it is on Tivo (HD PVR) since I do not own one.

So I think in my case CBS, ABC, NBC, WB, Fox, PBS, is not a big deal. In my area we don't get UPN-HD but hopefully this fall since Fox owns it, it will go HD as well with Fox. Again this only applies to me. Others will differ because they are not in the area I am.

 

[eschu97611]

D* shouldn't be "chipping away" at HD. They should be swinging the mighty war hammer and dumping SD or using resources to increase HD. They do so unwillingly, trying to get cable subs (and the handful of Voom subs) to go with them. If Voom drops off the face of the planet, and D* can snag back some of its customers from cable, it's "HD Push" will draw to a close.

Gotta start somewhere I guess-Don't see the "HD Push" drawing to any kind of a close though-too much money invested in the 7's by D* to do that.

Will V* go the way of DIVDVD) or will it become a playa in the dbs hd market????-That is the question that time(not the magazine-lol) will have to reveal the answer to.

 

[FredOh]

BravoHD is hardly a big leap. I rarely watch it.

TNTHD is getting better, and I love MonsterHD, expecially the cheesy Japanese stuff.

 

[Dvlos]

Tonights MonstersHD was a blast, never seen ReAnimator (Jeffrey Combs from STS9) and Bride of ReAnimator.. but good horror flics in HD.