Thinking about leaving Voom- Here are 7 reasons

[slacker9876]

Seawaves: I don't have the sony so I don't know. My Hughes e86 is not exactly a speed demon.

The lockup is a pain, definitely. It's embarrassing having to tell people not to change channel too fast. Between that and Auction and Moov and missing favorite SD channels, I'm tired of hearing "how much are we paying for this again?"

Barth - Do your self a favor and get the HTL-HD, it blows the E86 away, it is very nice. I had an E86 and almost hated HDTV because it was so red and so slow. The new box is far superior. Plus it won't cook an egg if you happen to leave on on top of it.

Seawaves and I have chatted quite a bit, it looks like he is set on the LSS-3200A which is quite nice. I keep try to push him to the Hughes HTL-HD since it is the same, but he wants what he wants.

I already jumped ship, but do not blame anyone for staying with Voom, if they are meeting your needs ... why change!?

 

[Ken F]

My VOOM receiver changes HD channels noticeably faster than my Comcast HD box. I never had a Dish 811, but the VOOM receiver also changes HDTV channels faster than my old 6000. If you add the time for the pixelization on the VOOM STB, they are about the same. The VOOM STB may be a little slower with SD channels--it's very close--when allowing time for the pixelization to clear.

If Seawaves gets the LG LSS-3200A or Hughes HTL-HD DirecTV receiver, I would like to see his comments on the relative speed in changing HD channels.

 

[slacker9876]

If Seawaves gets the LG LSS-3200A or Hughes HTL-HD DirecTV receiver, I would like to see his comments on the relative speed in changing HD channels.

Having had the Voom STB, Hughes E86, used a ?Dish 721? and now owning a Hughes HTL-HD I can answer that for you, it is lightening quick by comparison.

There is about a .5 second delay when changing from HD to HD and SD to SD. When switching from HD to SD and vice versa it is about 2 seconds. Mine is slower than need be because I use native resolution mode, I hate up-converted SD programming it looks like crap to me ... on all receivers that I have seen.

 

[DarrellP]

You know what's funny about the Voom stb though, is if you go from a channel to another that is the same resolution, sometimes the channel change is instant, just like analog. It must catch the frame at just the right moment or something.

 

[Seawaves]

Barth - Do your self a favor and get the HTL-HD, it blows the E86 away, it is very nice. I had an E86 and almost hated HDTV because it was so red and so slow. The new box is far superior. Plus it won't cook an egg if you happen to leave on on top of it.

Seawaves and I have chatted quite a bit, it looks like he is set on the LSS-3200A which is quite nice. I keep try to push him to the Hughes HTL-HD since it is the same, but he wants what he wants.

I already jumped ship, but do not blame anyone for staying with Voom, if they are meeting your needs ... why change!?

Hey Slack,

It always about money ya know. I have a credit at my local Video store, and they ran out of the Sony, don't carry the Hughes- so it's the LG at this point.

 

[barth2k]

Barth - Do your self a favor and get the HTL-HD, it blows the E86 away, it is very nice. I had an E86 and almost hated HDTV because it was so red and so slow. The new box is far superior. Plus it won't cook an egg if you happen to leave on on top of it.

I'm sure the HTL-HD is nicer. But I paid $400 for the e86 a year ago. I'm not shelling out another $400! especially when I can't get more than $150, if that, for the e86 now.

 

[Scotty]

The VOOM STB changes channels faster than a lot of other receivers.

Time to change channel + time of picture breakup = ~time to change channels on other boxes

the Voom STB is slow to change channels compared to my 25 year old 26 inch mitsubishi tv. I've never found anything that changes channels (including tuning in the full picture) than that tv. It was the first thing I complained to AT&T about when I got digital cable with them. When I got comcast digital cable, the box was a lot faster but still way slower than that mitsu. You'd think technology would have gotten better in 25 years!

I still use that tv in the bedroom. It's nothing more than a monitor now with voom hooked up to it. I think I will finally retire it soon for a $699 30" HDTV. I've got a 38" tube in the media room for my main tv. It's really slow at changing digital stations with its built in receiver.

 

[Ilya]

the Voom STB is slow to change channels compared to my 25 year old 26 inch mitsubishi tv.

You can't compare switching digital channels to switching analog channels! Digital channels are always much slower. I believe this is due to the nature of MPEG-2 encoding: it takes many frames to recreate the entire picture...

 

[Seawaves]

You can't compare switching digital channels to switching analog channels! Digital channels are always much slower. I believe this is due to the nature of MPEG-2 encoding: it takes many frames to recreate the entire picture...

It's the breakup and the freezing that are a pain- far more than the speed of channel changing.

 

[Bruce]

Why?
I think as a add on service it would atract more to people that do not what to lose their RSN or other fav SD channel if you get them via cable or sat.,yes people would need two services but me as a consumer would rather have that then paying twice for the same channel(FoxNews for one)then losing out of them if you select one service or another.
I think it is win-win for consumers and Voom(opens up bandwidth with no SD channels so whatever compression they are using will get better and gives them a great business model as the "Premium HD Service" and when they switch to WM9 or whatever compression system it gives them more bandwidth to add even more HD channels to us like our RSN's when they go Hd and maybe Locals in HD to complete with cable.)
Remember the reasons he was thinking of leaving Voom.
1.) Volume variation.
2.) Picture breakup when changing channels.(maybe get better with no SD channels-compression)
3.) STB that locks up- alot!(same answer)
4.) Lack of SD channels (more kids stuff to start with)(two services,no problem)
5.) STB cannot tune local cable TV (D* can))(two services,no problem)

6.) No Sunday Ticket (but I knew this))(two services,no problem)

7.) Lousy install- not fixed yet (except for what I had to fix myself)(based on my own almost install for Voom(two times)I do not have a good answer,I put my own E* dish up at 61.5 and i run a furniture store,what problems do these installers have I just do not get.

Thanks to DarrellP for the link
Here is what I posted translated in Redneck(And I am from Pikeville,Kentucky)

Whuffo'?
ah reckon as a add on service it'd atrack mo'e t'varmints thet does not whut t'lose their RSN o' other fav SD channel eff'n yo' git them via cable o' sat.,yes varmints'd need two services but me as a cornsoomr'd rather haf thet then payin' twice fo' th' same channel(FoxNoos fo' one)then losin' outta them eff'n yo' seleck one service o' t'other. ah reckon it is win-win fo' cornsoomrs an' Voom(opens up ban'width wif no SD channels so whutevah compresshun they is usin' will git better an' gives them a great business model as th' "Premium HD Service" an' when they switch t'WM9 o' whutevah compresshun system it gives them mo'e ban'width t'add even mo'e HD channels t'us like our RSN's when they hoof it Hd an' mebbe Locals in HD t'complete wif cable.) Remember th' reasons he was reckonin' of leavin' Voom, dawgone it.
1.) Voloom variashun.
2.) Pitcher bustup when changin' channels.(mebbe git better wif no SD channels-compresshun)
3.) STB thet locks up- alot! Fry mah hide!(same answer)
4.) Lack of SD channels (mo'e kids stuff t'start wif)(two services,no problem) 5.) STB kinnot tune local cable TV (D* kin))(two services,no problem)
6.) No Sunday Ticket (but ah knowed this))(two services,no problem)
7.) Lousy install- not fixed yet ('cept fo' whut ah had t'fix mahse'f)(based on mah own almost install fo' Voom(two times)ah do not haf a fine answer,ah put mah own E* dish up at 61.5 an' i helter-skelter a furniture sto'e,whut problems does these installers haf ah jest does not git.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

lol... that sounds almost like my hillbilly talk down here in Alabama. Of course it should as I proudly admit I'm a country redneck hillbilly.

Maybe "them" should be "em'" and "need two services" should be "two of dem-dare services". You could a add a bunch of "dem-dare's"

 

[Seawaves]

Now- Voom wants to give me a credit until they get things right- I'd like to see what the update may change for the better on the STB.

I guess I'll do what a lot of others here are doing and have two SAT services and see how things go down. I'm starting to think more and more about Sunday ticket. Maybe the 'Skins won't stink this year. I know the Giants will.

 

[Sonnie Parker]

What kind of credit?

Free service maybe?

 

[Seawaves]

What kind of credit?

Free service maybe?

Credit-but I'd rather pay and have good SD PQ, a non-locking freaking STB and a program guide with the correct information!

 

[vurbano]

hold out for cash

 

[Seawaves]

hold out for cash

You mean like a "paid beta tester" versus a "beta tester who pays" like all of us?