My Voom Anniversary

[subdude212]

They said it wouldn't last a year but I've just celebrated a solid year's worth of service from VOOM. I can't recall how many industry pundits and experts said that VOOM was doomed and wouldn't last a year but alas facts are facts and the real truth is that there are a lot of professional idiots and morons writing about television.

When I signed up for VOOM there were a handful of people posting here and in Yahoo. I see a number of familiar names still posting - and some of them are actually friendly . So many people would come into the forums not ready to "commit" to VOOM (even though no commitment was necessary back then - heck I got free programming for almost 8 months by being a charter subrscriber). I wonder how many have spent the past year in SD malaise when they could have been in HD bliss? I'm quite glad I made the jump to HD and VOOM when I did.

I'm not about to tell you, however, that everything is perfect in VOOMdom but I can't honestly tell you that anybody else could have offered half the HD experience that I have received from VOOM over the past year. Disappointments, yes, a few: no DVR yet, PQ on a few channels is lousy and they still seem to insist that the models on Ultra wear clothes - what a waste!

The positives are many such as variety of programming choices has increased (Since I signed up they've added Showtime, HBO, Encore, Bravo, HGTV, FOOD, Sci-Fi, Equator, CNN, ESPN, etc.). I'm completely hooked on La Liga soccer games and I actually like some of those quirky old movies on the VOOM exclusives (like URGH! for instance). The software for the STB has added features like channel scanning and has fixed a few bugs.

So a year has gone by, I'm happy to have had VOOM and if I could do it over again I would have only signed up for a few more STB's at the beginning rather than waiting until now.

How about a few of you other "old timers" out there? Reflections on your first year of VOOM service?

 

[GJetson]

Just a first week VOOM newbie jumping in to say may we all be happy VOOMers for many years to come...congrats, subdude212-you were ahead of the pack!

 

[andrzej]

Congratulations subdude212 on your anniversary!
I have to wait about 2 months for mine. I admit I was not brave enough to jump in when it started, but I was watching you guys from the sidelines.

 

[JaydeeD]

Congrats TOO, my anniversary was November 29th

Couldn't be happier.......well maybe LESS Compression

I came from C-Band, I expect perfection, but still love my VOOM!!!

 

[The Stone Man]

One year anniversary is 1/2/2005. Looking back at events, I sometimes wonder what I was thinking at the start. If some of the newer subscribers were told that to subscribe to Voom, here are the facts:
1. Pay $749 for 1 STB, dish+LNB, and installation
2. Free programming of VaVaVoom for 3 months
3. Get Voom exclusives, but no HBO, no Showtime, no ESPN, no FOOD, no HGTV
I'll bet that not too many would sign up.

Voom has come a long way in a year, and admittedly has a long way to go. I know JaydeeD still owns his STB, and so do I. I'm wondering how many others are still box owners instead of renters?

 

[davekendra]

another Charter member

I signed up with VOOM after seeing a poster in a Sears in October of 2003. I called for service in mid-November and the guy actually showed. He'd never installed a VOOM system before, but he perfected placed my dish and put it on the roof (not mounted to the side of the house). He placed the antenna as best as he could. He wasn't very talkative, but was still finishing up in the dark on the roof after 9 PM. He was here for a total of about 5 hours. He spent quite awhile on the phone with VOOM tech support to get the box working. When he left, I was getting OTA channels AND I was getting what VOOM offered back then on the satellite. The channels changed sluggishly, with a noticeable pause. The HDNews channel was only showing weather maps. No ESPN (HD or otherwise). No non-VOOM movie channels. I got to know the customer service folks in Spokane on a first name basis, because I called so often early on. I wanted them (& I continue to want them) to succeed and I had a lot of OTA issues and channel mapping problems, but all in all I was thrilled with a customer service group who really seemed not to want to lose me! They listened to my ramblings about the stealthAntenna and software issues. I was such a newbie to satellite, I didn't know what was reasonable to expect so I was happy with the HD channels that I received. EVEN BACK THEN, VOOM HAD MORE HD channels than anybody else can manage today!

They have added many channels in the last 13 months. They need to keep working on some things. Their SD channels need upconverted from the lousy 480i that makes them look bad on my 16:9 screen. They need to get national feeds for ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, PBS, WB, UPN, and maybe a Miami Univision channel for Spanish speakers. Latinos would rush to VOOM if there were a couple of digital HD Spanish channels. More subscribers is a good thing for all of us. Don't forget to keep using word-of-mouth to your buddies who are looking into HDTVs for X'mas.

I'm now a two season veteran fan of La Liga in Spain. I try to avoid missing a game and love Monday night futbol for game portions I miss. We need a special La Liga forum in here or somewhere. It looks like there will be more channels coming and likely more HD ones too. Nothing else comes close in HD programming for those HDTVs we all bought back when there wasn't hardly programming for them. My wife almost killed me when she finally figured out that I was ahead of the HD programming game. VOOM was a life-saver in saving my reputation--I became a visionary!

Japan's been HDTV-ing since the late 1980s and it's about time people here come around. The main channels are beginning to offer all or most of their sports programming in HD and this time next year should bring tons more HDTV owners and likely VOOM subscribers. VOOM has wisely put in exclusive channels that cater to a wide variety of interests. This will bring in niche market people who like fashion, extreme sports, collectors, art-lovers, etc. We aren't all going to like everything they provide, but others will. More subscribers is good for all of us.

I eagerly await hearing from more of us old-timers...

13 months and counting,

 

[jimmykce1]

My one year mark will be at the end of March. Voom has kept me happy so far and hope they continue to improve their quality and get more HD channels in 2005.

 

[Sean Mota]

I am another with over a year. I signed up in November 2003 and took advantage of the special opportunity with the Money Back Guarantee. As a customer, I have been mostly happy with HD experience through VOOM. There is room for improvement but otherwise like the original poster said, I would have missed a lot of good programming that I have watched on VOOM originals plus Starz, Cinemax, Encore, TNT, Playboy, TMC, BravoHD+ etc. I still have other satellite and cable to compliment what VOOM does not deliever such as HDnet and INHD.

With VOOM there are choices. Without VOOM the Choices are limited. I for one do not get stuck into watching an specific set of programs. I want the liberty to choose what I want to watch when it is available. So given this VOOM offers me this since the HD library is more extensive than any other provider. I do not regret paying my bill every month.

 

[voomvoom]

Voom has come a long way in a year, and admittedly has a long way to go. I know JaydeeD still owns his STB, and so do I. I'm wondering how many others are still box owners instead of renters?

Happy Birthday subdude212.

I still own my STB Stone Man. I had read about Voom somewhere on the internet, I believe it was HDTV Magazine. It was supposed to be available on October 15 exclusively at Sears, I think. Well, I went to Sears on the 20th and bought my "starter kit". Actually I went a couple of times prior and they didn't have it. They still didn't have Voom yet, but they were getting it the next week. So, this idiot got it without ever seeing it. They said Voom would be contacting me and not to lose the ID # in the kit. Well, after 3 days, I called Voom, they didn't know what I was talking about. I gave them the ID # and they said the installer would be contacting me in a week to 10 days. That same night the installer called me and asked if I'd be available the next evening. You bet I was. It was his first Voom install, but he said he installs D*. He was supposed to had installed one at a Sears, but something was missing or something, so he couldn't do that install. It wasn't the same store I got my kit at. He finished the install in about 3 hours, including calling Voom for authorization and waiting for the download (30 minutes). Then there it was, I had Voom. It was Friday October 24, 2004 almost dark outside. While he was showing me how to operate it (he was trying to figure it out himself) with the remote, we were both in awe. Then suddenly, I don't know if it was something he did or what, we lost it. He messed with it for a few minutes, then called Voom, they messed with it for a few minutes. They decided to replace the STB. He said it would probably be next week before another STB came in, but he'd be back in the morning (Saturday the 25th Oct.) to see if he could get it to work. After he left, I played with it a few times and nothing. He called Saturday and said he couldn't make it then, but he'd be back Monday (the 27th). I played with it some more and nothing. Then on Sunday (the 26th) I was going to play with it again, and it was on. Wow... , I couldn't believe it. This was great. The installer called on Monday evening (I had forgotten about him) and said if I'd be there he was on his way. I told him not to bother, it's working. That box had it's problems. I eventually had to exchange it in February. I know I've gotten my moneys worth and still getting my moneys worth. Happy Vooming to All and to All a Good HDTV Future.....

 

[SeattleVoomer1]

Hey, subdude, thanks for starting this thread!

We have 5 days until our 1 year anniversary and still love VOOM. Yep, we had our problems (see my post on getting an upgraded 24") but we're still with VOOM and remain in awe of all the HD programming. We got started with a Samsung STB and a rat shack indoor antenna a year and a half ago and couldn't believe our eyes! Still remember the first PBS HD broadcast we saw. Stunning!

And then came that fateful mailer (subscribed to a couple of A/V mags) from VOOM. Believe it was on a Friday. We scoured 3 Sears stores--a joke but decided by Monday to go ahead anyway. Won't bother you with all the install problems and followup service calls. Yes, we got to know the CSRs on a first name basis as well.

But VOOM has always come through in the end for us. We enjoy the current lineup and look forward to more new programming in HD. We're not holding our breath for the whole house/recording device as we have more than enough to watch and not enough time to watch it as it is.

Still VOOMing (I hope as haven't been home yet and it's raining cats and dogs) in Seattle, Gill

 

[Rick214]

I was installed on 11/25/03. I was the 1st VOOM install the local company in my area did. I had an OTA attic antenna so no problem hooking into it - received all my locals (I'm about 2 miles from the antennas).

I paid the $750+tax but I STILL have not been charged since. I got the basic VOOM + 1 free plus pack. I should get a bill next month.

It's been a wild ride but I NEVER have seen so much HD. I love VOOM. I can't wait until March when the HD line up is expanded. I just hope they have the HD DVR by then so I can drop cable. VOOM=HD.