jumping ship over broken promises?

[jnardone]

I guess you would rather have a buggy DVR than one that really works well.

Do you really think the VOOM DVR is going to work properly when released? Look at VOOM's track record. It took them a over a year to get the basic features of their box working properly. They introduced new firmware that was worse than previous versions and had to stop firmware upgrades at least twice after the firmware had already past all of their internal testing. They need to get the DVR out to customers now so that they can at least begin the process of correcting the DVR software problems.

 

[gutter]

How about we make sure we have a company that can provide a DVR first?

 

[Lobstah]

Not a bad idea

Lob

 

[salsadancer7]

Like I said before....if ya signed up for a DVR....you signed up for th wrong reasons...I signed up for HD...MORE HD than the other 2 combined....hell, if ya want....throw in a couple of cable companies in the that group and VOOM STILL has more! IF a DVR was gonna get throw in, that would have been 2 cherries on my sundae! I know that it has been promised for MONTHS, but common folks...so was DISH's famous 921...and like someone said earlier in this thread....an 'anchor'. So just enjoy the HD while we still have it...(THAT is for another thread and after a few beers...)....and when we get the DVR....we get the DVR....!

 

[kbohip]

Well I'm not currently a customer of Voom. I have E* and unless Voom comes out with an HD-DVR they are truly dead in the water. Just because some of you don't care about DVR's doesn't mean the other 90% of the people don't want them. They are pretty popular at D* and E* and the popularity of them increases daily.

While it's definitely true that E* has buggy DVR's, that's 100% better than having none at all. I might get some pixelating and audio issues with my 522 but I'll live with it until they can (hopefully) fix it. There are plenty of other people using 921's without problems too. The HD-Tivo from D* I've heard almost all good things from. Their SD Tivo's are almost perfect.

Bottom line is that I'd take regular SD with a DVR over HD without a DVR any day. I REALLY hope Voom can survive long enough to come out with one as I'm sure anyone with any sense knows who the best HD provider is. I'd be amazed if E* and D* didn't start losing HD customers fast once Voom comes out with a DVR.

 

[Voomin@720p]

Well I'm not currently a customer of Voom. I have E* and unless Voom comes out with an HD-DVR they are truly dead in the water. Just because some of you don't care about DVR's doesn't mean the other 90% of the people don't want them. They are pretty popular at D* and E* and the popularity of them increases daily.

While it's definitely true that E* has buggy DVR's, that's 100% better than having none at all.

So you would rather drive a busted YUGO instead of waiting an few extra months and get a functional Vett?

Bottom line is that I'd take regular SD with a DVR over HD without a DVR any day.

LOLOLOLOLOL....

 

[hoganlo]

I left Dish because of a year long broken promise to existing (longtime) customers regarding the 921. YES I love HD but I also love technology and I want to help VOOM. I can't convince new subscribers to sign up until they have certain standard programming (which they now have)...my latest problem in trying to get friends and family to switch is when they ask me if VOOM has a DVR and I answer "ummmm, no...not yet". DON'T be HD snobs...DVRs ARE important and you can talk all high and mighty about HD and Marketing needs, but if they don't offer what people (the majority) want...then "good luck with all that". VOOM - get the DVR released and I PROMISE I alone can get you at least 4 more subscribers (Anyone else care to make a promise to add subscribers...that is what they need, not idle chit-chat about HD and all of this wonderful business advice from all of us forum SPARES).

 

[kbohip]

I see I've found the fanboy forum . There's absolutely no proof that when, or even if Voom comes out with their DVR that it won't have it's fair share of problems. Voom waiting forever to release this thing doesn't mean they are perfecting it. It just means that it's another day D* and E* are using HD DVR's and Voom customers aren't.

Like I said before this all really doesn't matter to me yet. I'm still pulling for Voom to get this DVR out. If they do I'll switch over to them as fast as I can.

 

[Sean Mota]

I have been with VOOM since 11/03 and they openned for business on 10/03. Since 10/03, I have been hearing about the DVR, but I did not sign with VOOM on 11/03 because they were going to have DVR in 3 or 6 months or 12 months. They also did not have a lot of SD channels and did not have any RSN. I decided to sign up for one reason --- HD content not available anywhere else.

Heck, when I signed up there was no HBO, no Starz, no TMC no, no encore.

I said this and I will say it again. Right now there is no DVR on VOOM and there is no RSN on VOOM. Until such time if you are not happy, vote with your pocket if those are you main reason to watch TV. If you haven't signed up, wait until your entire package of channels are available or a DVR is available if that is what you want.

There's no point in saying, "I am leaving because I did not get my DVR". There was no DVR when you signed up and there was no RSN. The fact that they have been working on one and have been working on trying to get the RSN is not a guaranteed that will happen within anyone's time frame expectation.

Right now if you ask me which one would I like to have: (1) DVR (2) RSN (3) more channels (4) Voom survival.

I will take 4 and then worry about the other later. Not making excuses but as a consumer you need to look at what you buy into before you get caught in the promise game. If it is there, I'll buy. If not, don't buy. That seems to be the rule with any of these companies. This is why I will always say that Cable (if your local cable company does it), provides the best package deal with a DVR. This is where I will go if I needed one so desperately that it made me come here and cry about it. If not, go to the other DBS providers and buy the DVR and be happy. Sorry folks but we need to get off the crying bed.

 

[jnardone]

Do you VOOM fans think it is fair or acceptable that VOOM's FAQ for people researching a VOOM purchase has at the top of its list that the DVR is coming soon?

Why would VOOM have had this answer at or near the top of the list of frequently asked questions for 17 months if they were not trying to get people who wanted a DVR AND HD to sign up with VOOM?

There may not have been a DVR when I signed up 15 months ago but there certainly was a promise of one coming soon. A promise that VOOM has chosen to break.

 

[jbcheshire]

Question for you...

There may not have been a DVR when I signed up 15 months ago but there certainly was a promise of one coming soon. A promise that VOOM has chosen to break.

When you signed up for V* originally, did you give up a DVR from your previous provider to move over?

 

[nemisis633]

I think stuff like the DVR being the FAQ is the biggest problem. I think Vaporware is one of the worst things ever. I'm sure if we had NO idea voom was planning to come out with a DVR we'd be just thrilled when it randomly hit the shelves.

 

[aspanjer]

E*'s HD DVR

is not free, it costs 549. they do not lease it nor do they give it away. IT seems to me that $549 for 7 channels plus $10.95 a month to watch the 7 channels is really weak.

D*'s HD DVR is $999 .. for 7 channels and $10.95 a month for HD. - no lease options here.

I think I'll wait. Already went the D and E routes. Old technology, passe.

p.s. haven't we had these discussions before?

 

[Sean Mota]

Do you VOOM fans think it is fair or acceptable that VOOM's FAQ for people researching a VOOM purchase has at the top of its list that the DVR is coming soon?

Why would VOOM have had this answer at or near the top of the list of frequently asked questions for 17 months if they were not trying to get people who wanted a DVR AND HD to sign up with VOOM?

There may not have been a DVR when I signed up 15 months ago but there certainly was a promise of one coming soon. A promise that VOOM has chosen to break.

Coming soon could mean anything. Stop this nonsense. There is no DVR. If you are so pissed off, get it somewhere else. Spilling the same coffee over and over will not get us anywhere. THERE IS NO DVR NOW (PERIOD). Let's move on....

 

[jgantert]

There's no point in saying, "I am leaving because I did not get my DVR". There was no DVR when you signed up and there was no RSN.

Funny you mention that, I remember a lot of people leaving Voom last year because they didnt have XXX channel (insert your favorite like Lifetime or Sci-Fi).

Why would you even purchase a system knowing they don't offer something that you need? Seems silly to me.

-John

 

[HeavyC]

Why would you even purchase a system knowing they don't offer something that you need? Seems silly to me.
-John

To try it out perhaps? When my Dish contract ran out, I tried out VOOM because it was the only place I could get free HD equipment. That's why I signed up with them. I had 2 HDTV's at the time, and I could get 2 receivers installed for free. Don't get me wrong, I loved VOOM, and I was sad to have to cancel with them.

However, for me being able to watch the Bulls on Comcast SportsNet Chicago was more important then having the extra HD channels. The lack of DVR was frusturating but not a deal breaker. In the end, I cancelled out of necessity. About 50% of the TV I watch during basketball season is on Comcast SportsNet and WGN. Until VOOM can give me both of those I won't be back.

I'm going to re-evaluate my situation again this fall when my contract with Mediacom Cable runs out. I'm going to look at Dish, DirecTV, VOOM, and Mediacom. Whoever has the RSN's I need, the most HD, and the best deal on equipment (in that order) will get my business. If VOOM gets the RSN's and the DVR out, there's no question I'll sign back up with them. I love the company they just couldn't give me what I wanted.

However, they left me with a bad taste in my mouth. It took them almost 6 months to quit billing me, along with 4 cancelled unistallation appointments. Finally, I got them to send me empty boxes to mail the receivers back. That's something else I'd need to see fixed before I signed back up. The CSR's were always very sympathetic and nice, but their billing department flat out sucks.

 

[TheTimm]

The CSR's were always very sympathetic and nice, but their billing department flat out sucks.

I've had my fair of billing issues, so I understand where you're coming from. But now that you mention it, I haven't been seeing very many billing issues griped about around here lately -- certainly nothing like it used to be. Seems they've improved quite a bit in this area.

 

[HeavyC]

I've had my fair of billing issues, so I understand where you're coming from. But now that you mention it, I haven't been seeing very many billing issues griped about around here lately -- certainly nothing like it used to be. Seems they've improved quite a bit in this area.

Like I said, it eventually got worked out. Why they insisted on having someone come pick up the receivers when it was possible for me to mail them back the whole time I'll never understand.

It was annyoing that I kept getting billed, but they did eventually make good and got me my refund check (which was just about 400 dollars).

 

[SactoCal]

Well, I for one will not jump ship because of the delayed DVR. Heck. I would rather they focus on stabilizing the company so I can still use the DVR they are going to release sometime this year (hopefully) in 2010 to record any one of the 315 HD channels they will have by then. What I did in the intrum is build my own PVR/PC. I just put it together yestre and I am watching "Orange County Choppers" now and going to watch "Lost" in a bit, WOW. This is cool. I have to say, even though this PVR I build doesn't actually record in HD, the PQ is great. Really nice, but, as I have only had it up and running for a day, we will have to wait and see how it works in the long run.

PS
I plan to be recording Voom content tomorrow on 4/1/05.

 

[kbohip]

Well, I for one will not jump ship because of the delayed DVR. Heck. I would rather they focus on stabilizing the company so I can still use the DVR they are going to release sometime this year (hopefully) in 2010 to record any one of the 315 HD channels they will have by then. What I did in the intrum is build my own PVR/PC. I just put it together yestre and I am watching "Orange County Choppers" now and going to watch "Lost" in a bit, WOW. This is cool. I have to say, even though this PVR I build doesn't actually record in HD, the PQ is great. Really nice, but, as I have only had it up and running for a day, we will have to wait and see how it works in the long run.

PS
I plan to be recording Voom content tomorrow on 4/1/05.

I should just build one myself. What do you do for a program guide? Is it very reliable as far as recording shows?