I just got Voomed- my experience

[dclark]

Well, I did the plunge. I have a feeling that I will have them take it back.
I did the Sears deal- I can't see spending $55 for basic with HBO, as I hear Voom won't honor the sears extra package free deal. STRIKE ONE!
No local channels! I have tried three OTA boxes and all have brought in two local HDTV channels. I have tried the reconfig stuff. Nothing. The installer even told me he had a customer cancel after a month because of this. Strangely, he said locals were recieved then Voom did a software "upgrade" that took them out. So, even if you were to get locals, I guess you'd lose them if you discontinued Voom or if they went belly up. STRIKE TWO!

The installer arrived on time. He hooked up both DVI and analog to the set. "Try the analog connection insted of the DVI for SD, it'll likely look better". He was right. He ran a single cable under my house from the other side. He did not charge me for this. BALL ONE!
I have had a few dropouts, but not too many. To me, VOOM is like a fine quality wine, served in a greasy, leaky styrofoam cup. The reciever is buggy, the program guide is horrible,etc. But, when a good HD movie (like Lord of the Rings Two Towers ) is on, it is easier to forget the quality of the equipment.
Do I have 30days for $ back guarantee, or 60 days? I am willing to give them time to make it right, but I don't want to end up with $400 in unused equipment. Would I recomend VOOM? Depends how desperate you are for HDTV. Maybe I'll look into DirectTV in a couple of months.
Oh, and thanks, Sean, for the advice you have given me on trying to get those ota up.As a provider, VOOM sucks, but good golly, I really do wish them good luck and hope they can improve. DISH and Direct could only dream of having this kind of picture quality... and the sound is great,too!

 

[Sean Mota]

dclark,

it looks like V* might have mapped the incorrect off-air map in your box. If you go to system settings and #7 ---> system status channel map what's the number on your "off air map". For my zipcode mine is 0001. I will send this to VOOM to see if it can be corrected but I need to know this last piece of information. Thanks.

 

[Mr. Biggles]

It certainly is your ultimate decision, and I'm sure as heck not going to give V* any excuses for the obvious defeciencies present with regards to the state of their STB and signal issues, but what keeps my faith is that they aren't pretending these issues don't exist and have been upfront saying the issues are being worked on and every effort resolving them is underway.

The content for the $$$ is the draw for me with the va va voom package. No other provider I can subscribe to comes even close.

With that thought at hand, I think V* deserve the chance (not unlimited mind you) to get things right in the near run.

Give them the 30 days and then go from there.

Bill

 

[dclark]

dclark,

it looks like V* might have mapped the incorrect off-air map in your box. If you go to system settings and #7 ---> system status channel map what's the number on your "off air map". For my zipcode mine is 0001. I will send this to VOOM to see if it can be corrected but I need to know this last piece of information. Thanks.

My off-air map number is 0114

Mr. Biggles- I'll give them 30 days. Unlike some other people on the net, I am not going go around bad mouthing VOOM. I have a feeling that average voom tech is over worked, under paid anyway
I am sure that VOOm is now signing up lots of people. If most of them cancel, then the cost of installing and deinstalling will kill off VOOM.
I'd gladly give up ALL of the VOOM "exclusive" channels just to have my local channels.

 

[rjbar]

local channel map

My off-air map number is 0114

Mr. Biggles- I'll give them 30 days. Unlike some other people on the net, I am not going go around bad mouthing VOOM. I have a feeling that average voom tech is over worked, under paid anyway
I am sure that VOOm is now signing up lots of people. If most of them cancel, then the cost of installing and deinstalling will kill off VOOM.
I'd gladly give up ALL of the VOOM "exclusive" channels just to have my local channels.

Hi how do you know what your off-air map number is? or where do you find out? ours are mapped wrong too several channels missing thanks Jeanie

 

[Sean Mota]

Hi how do you know what your off-air map number is? or where do you find out? ours are mapped wrong too several channels missing thanks Jeanie

If you go to system settings and #7 ---> system status channel map what's the number on your "off air map".

Also, read this thread it has information on how to check which local channels you should be getting.

http://www.satelliteguys.us/showthread.php?t=9741

 

[RickyMac]

I agree w/Mr. Biggles

Lets give them some time to get the bugs out (been installed since March 13). It is refreshing to hear the truth from Voom about their problems.

I have been (still am) with D* since 1995. There was a time when a live person answered the phone and gleefully helped you with your problems (the good old days).

Today D* engages in deception at the very least and out and out dishonesty at times.

If Voom can become stable and get me a HD recorder, I will drop D*.

I think the HD movie channels are GREAT! I do not see a problem with the SD channels (may it's my old eyes).

People are starting to drop by my house at night to watch a HD movie. This is fun, but I am being eat out of house and home.

I own a Jeep Wrangler and wear baseball caps all summer...I want a VOOM Hat!

 

[Ilya]

He ran a single cable under my house...

Sorry for stuppid questions: Is the Stealth antenna installed on your roof? How is it connected to the STB? Are you connected through a diplexer? Can you see a small square diplexer box attached to the back of your STB? Do you see your local channels listed in the on-screen program guide? Just trying to help...

 

[rjbar]

Sorry for stuppid questions: Is the Stealth antenna installed on your roof? How is it connected to the STB? Are you connected through a diplexer? Can you see a small square diplexer box attached to the back of your STB? Do you see your local channels listed in the on-screen program guide? Just trying to help...

Have stealth then square shooter, just tried channel master 4228 big 8 bay antenna, with amp and nothing no signal, I give up on local I guess I'm in too much of a valley , I have two separate lines no diplexer and 5 channels listed not all were listed how you have better luck Jeanie

 

[dclark]

Sorry for stuppid questions: Is the Stealth antenna installed on your roof? How is it connected to the STB? Are you connected through a diplexer? Can you see a small square diplexer box attached to the back of your STB? Do you see your local channels listed in the on-screen program guide? Just trying to help...

I have a stealth antenna mounted on the roof. It is conncted through a diplexor.

 

[Ilya]

I have a stealth antenna mounted on the roof. It is conncted through a diplexor.

Ok, assuming that the diplexer is properly connected to the back of your STB, are your local channels listed in the on-screen PG? What is the message that you get when you tune to them? What's the signal strength for each of these channels?

 

[dclark]

Message- "No signal recieved on local 0-8. Please try again later"


0 off-air signal power
18 for off -air signal quality

I called Voom CSR. He told me to unplug it and wait 15 seconds He has NO idea how many times I have done that and did factory reset. He mentioned something about maybe sending the installer back out here. Times a tick'in... 30 day $ back guarantee...27 'til I call up Voom and tell them to haul it all away.

 

[Ilya]

If you are seeing channels starting with zero - you don't have the correct map! This has nothing to do with your antenna!

 

[Ilya]

He told me to unplug it and wait 15 seconds He has NO idea how many times I have done that and did factory reset.

I am afraid, these are the only known ways to get the correct map. One advice though: after doing reboot or factory reset, do not switch channels for 5-10 minutes. It takes time for the map to load. You can press the VOOM button though and watch for the following events: the clock will appear at the top, but may show the wrong time/time zone - wait until it shows correct time; wait for the channel label (e.g. HDNEWS) to appear in the upper-right corner. This may take several minutes. Once you see the channel label, it should be "safe" to check other channels.

And you are doing the factory reset through the 9-8-8 hidden menu, correct? (Just checking...)

 

[dclark]

I have done sys resets, unplugged it, done this all again without touching the thing for 30 minutes, waved my magic rabbit ear antenna over it, etc. Bottom line- no ota stations!
Personally, I don't understand why all this "mapping" is necessary to get local ota HDTV. I can go out to Best Buy and buy a ota reciever that'll give me HDTV w/o "mapping".

 

[Ilya]

I have done sys resets, unplugged it...

dclark, sorry for assking the same question again, but I am still not positive that you've done the factory reset correctly. The only way to do the Factory Reset is through the hidden 9-8-8 menu. Is that what you did?

As for OTA mapping - this is how the current STB firmware works. A future firmware version expected in a couple of month will have OTA channel scanning. The map will not be required then.

 

[dclark]

dclark, sorry for assking the same question again, but I am still not positive that you've done the factory reset correctly. The only way to do the Factory Reset is through the hidden 9-8-8 menu. Is that what you did?


I did the factory reset through the 988 menu. This was the same menu that had authorization rest (which I never touched). I did the factory reset numerous times.

As for OTA mapping - this is how the current STB firmware works. A future firmware version expected in a couple of month will have OTA channel scanning. The map will not be required then.

If that's the case, then my VOOM setup will be long gone by then.

 

[Ilya]

dclark,

Either your STB is bad or it needs to be re-initialized by VOOM. In either case you need to contact VOOM and request the service.

... my VOOM setup will be long gone by then.

The installation process is painful sometimes. But the end-result is worth the effort. It's up to you of course...