Sorry to say but I won't be Vooming anymore! (Edit: Totally Back)

[Sean Mota]

Sean,
In your message you stated, "there will be more improvements". Even though I don't plan on leaving Voom, what were you referring to? Anything special that we should be looking for? Updates...Programming????

Mike

Programming will get better. ESPN-HD is around the corner (I know I have been saying same for weeks now. It will be in VOOM.). TNT-HD is a given (I would think). MPEG-4 will give more bandwith. OAR will be coming to Cinema 10 (I really hope!). DVR is for later this summer (with FireWire hopefully, now that Dish Failed). Euro-2004 to WorldSport-HD is a possibility this coming summer. The new software release will give us the scanning feature (coming in May). There are a few more but you will read the press releases before I post. All in all VOOM is the best you can hope for. Not to say or star a disagreement battle against those that believe E*/D* is better for them. If you like E*/D* that's fine but I think VOOM in a year will be ahead of the competition by a very large margin.

 

[eschu97611]

pardon me, If you are in a CBS O&O you do not need a waiver. But if you are not the local affilaites 99.99% of the time will not give you a waiver unless you prove that you recieve less than a grade B signal I believe.

Correct-lucky to be in L.A. I guess-GO LAKERS(sorry, couldn't resist.)

 

[vurbano]

Ok, guys, you talked me into it.

I have been planning to a ground test with the an antenna before it goes up to see if it's even worth it. (e.g. to see if I can get signal strength on CBS and ABC). I can do a stand instead of a mast.

I will tell my wife that large antennas are now instyle. It also could be a statement, you know the bigger the antenna...

VOOOM if you are listening, ESPN please!

save yourself someheadaches. check the website i posted and determine what type of antenna you need after you go through the exercise finding the local digital stations with azmuth and distance. The different types on antennas are color coded and the site has a chart dechiphering all of that. I ended up just laying a medium directional antenna on the floor of the attic with a small box under one end..lmao. Never any problems. I actually got more HD channels OTA than D* offers if you buy everything! But luckily i am 20 miles from all towers and they are all at about 190 degrees from me so no turning is required.


the following usually apply:
omnidirectional is highly suceptable to multipathing and usually fails
bigger is better
directional is better
higher is better

I tried 3 antennas before i found the right one, employees at BB and CC no nothing about it. I was about convinced that digital OTA was a myth. lol. If all else fails contact the station engineer at your local affialiate thats who finally clued me in to the right antenna.

 

[vurbano]

Correct-lucky to be in L.A. I guess-GO LAKERS(sorry, couldn't resist.)

wow. you must get lots of network feeds. ANd cable offers more there too I think.

 

[eschu97611]

wow. you must get lots of network feeds. ANd cable offers more there too I think.

got the network feed of the Masters on day 1 and 2 of the tourney-only on local cbs on Sat and Sunday-that was nice!

 

[vurbano]

my local carried it thursday thru sunday. But they are really into providing what the sports fans want. And all of the station engineers participate in a local forum for this area on AVS.

 

[johnewhite]

The new software release will give us the scanning feature (coming in May).

Do you know if the new software will provide a program guide for the OTA channels along with the scanning feature, will it populate the guide with program data received from each digital OTA channel?

 

[Sean Mota]

Do you know if the new software will provide a program guide for the OTA channels along with the scanning feature? Will the new software have the ability to populate the guide with the program data received from each digital OTA channel?

Yes. But the PG will be coming from the Satellite.

 

[johnewhite]

Yes. But the PG will be coming from the Satellite.

Will this require mapping? If so, will we have the same problems we have now? How will the software detect which channels have been scanned in order to provide the guide? If each channel has a unique identifier will the software detect it? Will we again be relying on a complete and accurate database to be provided by Tribune/Zap2it/Voom?

 

[Sean Mota]

Will this require mapping? If so, will we have the same problems we have now? How will the software detect which channels have been scanned in order to provide the guide? If each channel has a unique identifier will the software detect it? Will we again be relying on a complete and accurate database to be provided by Tribune/Zap2it/Voom?

Do not know all the details and please correct me if I am wrong. The OTA scanning will allow you to scan your OTA stations without the mapping (and be able to tune them. Even if you do not have PG information and ability to scan more than one MDA). The mapping probably will be needed to get you OTA PG but it will be less of a problem and a bigger job at the same time.

My theory is that the MOTOROLA box will have some type of zipcode/dma/ota station database to match the PG. I could be wrong about this as I do not know all the details and they could be devicing another way of doing this. Let's way and see what happens. Anyone else can shed some light in this?

 

[johnewhite]

Do not know all the details and please correct me if I am wrong. The OTA scanning will allow you to scan your OTA stations without the mapping (and be able to tune them. Even if you do not have PG information and ability to scan more than one MDA). The mapping probably will be needed to get you OTA PG but it will be less of a problem and a bigger job at the same time.

My theory is that the MOTOROLA box will have some type of zipcode/dma/ota station database to match the PG. I could be wrong about this as I do not know all the details and they could be devicing another way of doing this. Let's way and see what happens. Anyone else can shed some light in this?

You may be right. Scanning is definitely a step in the right direction as the OTA stations will be received. The weak link is the complete and accurate database for the program guide. If each OTA station has its own program info and the software would use that info for the guide, there would be no need for a satellite database.

 

[Sean Mota]

You may be right. Scanning is definitely a step in the right direction as the OTA stations will be received. The weak link is the complete and accurate database for the program guide. If each OTA station has its own program info and the software would use that info for the guide, there would be no need for a satellite database.

That will be ideal but the OTA stations are not doing it and they will not do it.

 

[MrWhoa]

Ok, this thread was overly scary. The mod of the boards dumping Voom, just after I set up an apointment to have it installed. Im glad the story had a happy ending! Now if I could just get my tv working properly before the voom install I will be happy.

oh... and PS, Cox SuX

 

[mdanderson]

Glad you are back Sean. I've been enjoying Voom for only a week now and I have been quite satisfied overall. I still can't get one of my local OTA channels but Voom is going to come back out. By the way Sean, are you using the DVI cable that came with Voom? Just curious because I thought about getting a different brand just for comparison. Thanks for all the great info that you have posted.

Matt

 

[Sean Mota]

Glad you are back Sean. I've been enjoying Voom for only a week now and I have been quite satisfied overall. I still can't get one of my local OTA channels but Voom is going to come back out. By the way Sean, are you using the DVI cable that came with Voom? Just curious because I thought about getting a different brand just for comparison. Thanks for all the great info that you have posted.

Matt

DVI I am using came with my desktop. VOOM did not give us DVI cable initially.