Voom Fund Raiser : Let's help save HDTV!

[Dvlos]

Voom Fund Raiser : Let's help save Voom!

Ok this battle cry is a bit early but I think $200 install fee is craptacular, and would really put potential customers off when they see the costs of getting DirectTV or Cable in their homes. The other thing is multiroom systems, it's cheaper to have more than 3 TVs with DirectTV and cable than with Voom at the moment. I really don't think most people have 2-3 HDTVs in their homes to really justify paying so much for Sat. service.

My folks have Dish, they really want HDTV but they will not change to Voom and pay $200 for the install, plus more money for their service even without a contract (there's 1 potential customer lost). Also all the people who call up to quit because Voom took to long with an upgrade have hurt us all now.

As has been mentioned before, I feel as others do, if Voom fails, HDTV fails. This high-risk venture aimed at capturing everyone's interest in HDTV is pushing D*, and E*, and cable to add more HDTV something they were/are very complacent about in the past. If Voom crashes and dies, doesn't that mean that the public just didn't care about HDTV so why push it?

Let's think of ideas for Voom to lower costs for the end user, and still generate enough revenue to upgrade everyone to WM9 and elliptical dishes that can only help boost revenue in the future.. here's some of my ideas.. but if you chose other.. please post it here.

 

[riffjim4069]

Dvlos,

I agree with much of your posting, but HDTV will survive and thrive with or without VOOM. As much as I like VOOM, they are barely on the HD radar map with 35k subs. I also don't think D* or E* are against expanding their HD lineup (that would be economic suicide), but HD is a costly upgrade across their huge networks - they would prefer the HD transition to occur over the natural lifecycle of their SD equipment. Way too slow for us Voomers!!!

 

[dankgus]

Save voom? By the time HDTV catches on big, Voom will be so far ahead of the competition that they will be king. Thats my theory anyway.

As far as HDTV failing, there is just no way, it just isn't going to happen. I have had voom a week and I don't even want to watch SD content anymore.

--Dan

 

[Dvlos]

Ok, I admitted to exaggerating a bit, definately Voom is a catalyst to pushing HDTV which no one is doing that right now, proof is in their own in-house produced exclusive channels all in HD. Also, what KIND of HDTV will be around in the future, with channels like ABC slicing away into subchannels and cutting HD bandwidth down what will it be like in the future?

CBS OTA quality HDTV? Or PBS HDTV?

I also think if Voom succeeds, then when a channel pops up on the radar offering HD feed that Voom will be the first to get it. This is important to me, if Voom gets 1.5 million subscribers that means there are 1.5 million people out there that have realized they want more HD, better HD, and that Voom has to keep delivering.

EDIT: Also consider this if their Churn rate was up to 40% because of whatever reason (hopefully already addressed) how many people does that mean Voom could have kept?

We'd be at 70-80k people by now! Or nearing 100k, but their no-contract vague deadlines have put people off and they ran over to DTV or Dish and got suckered into a contract! Although DTV is now saying they will add more HD channels who knows when that will happen. I was under the impression they were already b/w capped. The only thing they can do is make their SD look Dish Crap quality and shove in some HD channels.

Although a 1-2 year contract is scary, BUT, a 6 month one is not, if there was a 6 month contract in place I would have tried Voom anyway. After 1 month of Voom service I went to VaVaVoom and currently enjoy the most HD anyone can get from a single provider. In the future, I can invest more money into getting a Voom PVR (if it's available) or expanding to cable HD as an auxiliary way of getting a couple of other HD channels iNHD and HDNet (if Voom hasn't added INHD by then).


EDIT 2: I changed the title..

 

[zubinh]

Nobody needs Voom for the HD Revolution to prosper. We've gotten this far without em. 12 million HDTV sets have been sold and Voom has 30,000 subs and you think saving them will help !?!

The HD revolution is alive and well. And Directv will lead you to the promised land......eventually

 

[vurbano]

I voted for contract commitments. I think self installs is a great idea but with OTA I dont think the majority of newbies could get it done right (not to say that installs inc is doing a good job). If it werent for OTA the self installs would be a great idea, but I think we need select the idea that will bring in the most subs.

 

[vurbano]

Nobody needs Voom for the HD Revolution to prosper. We've gotten this far without em. 12 million HDTV sets have been sold and Voom has 30,000 subs and you think saving them will help !?!

The HD revolution is alive and well. And Directv will lead you to the promised land......eventually

Before we die or after?

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

I voted for everything *EXCEPT* commercial spots!! :down

Please! Let's keep Voom exclusives commercial free. I personally am willing to pay more to keep it that way. I hate commercials. I will take bad PQ, microstutters, mosquito noise, even SD..... ANYTHING but commercials.

Well... I take that back, once the DVR comes out! I can skip 'em then!

 

[rkr0923]

Only Voom can save Voom

 

[Dvlos]

1080i I'm not talking about commercials that interrupt the movie but between movies, and shows... less disruptive and they can generate some $$$ out of it.

 

[Dvlos]

The HD revolution is alive and well. And Directv will lead you to the promised land......eventually

Yeah I remember pre-Voom how DirectTV was all like "We are ultra committed to HD, we are going to start replacing SD channels with HD ones"

Then Voom came along and DirectTV was like "Voom's too late we already have the most HD"...

 

[r.jones1116]

Nobody needs Voom for the HD Revolution to prosper. We've gotten this far without em. 12 million HDTV sets have been sold and Voom has 30,000 subs and you think saving them will help !?!

The HD revolution is alive and well. And Directv will lead you to the promised land......eventually

Not in our lifetime! You honestly think Direct TV or Dishnetwork are gonna have their own exclusives. Without exclusives you will have less than a dozen choices.

 

[thaxxx]

Those exclusives are worthless to most. Once DTV gets more of the premium channels in HD, Voom will have to lower start up and monthly rates to compete. I really think one of the two, (probably DTV) will end up buying Voom out.

 

[zubinh]

What does Voom Have that D* doesnt? Right now they have a few Movie channels in HD such as StarzHD, Cinemax HD and playboy. That for them is their competitive advantage. BUT this is an advantage whose days are numbered. Soon D* will have those channels and then what will Voom Have? Nothing.

Everytime I say this some Voomer brings up the 21 "Exclusive HD Channels".

Well lets say that at some point D* offers all the Channels Voom does except for the 21 "Exclusive" HD channels. Would you still pay extra to be a Voom subscriber?

I think not.

 

[voomvoom]

What does Voom Have that D* doesnt? Right now they have a few Movie channels in HD such as StarzHD, Cinemax HD and playboy. That for them is their competitive advantage. BUT this is an advantage whose days are numbered. Soon D* will have those channels and then what will Voom Have? Nothing.

Everytime I say this some Voomer brings up the 21 "Exclusive HD Channels".

Well lets say that at some point D* offers all the Channels Voom does except for the 21 "Exclusive" HD channels. Would you still pay extra to be a Voom subscriber?

I think not.

And you'll be thinking wrong zubinh... you can keep all your SD crap and DTV... Long Live Voom... I Love My HDTV...

 

[z71tahoe193]

They should go with contracts and get into retail stores like Best Buy, Circuit City, and Ultimate Electronics.

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

1080i I'm not talking about commercials that interrupt the movie but between movies, and shows... less disruptive and they can generate some $$$ out of it.

Gotcha. But that is the proverbial camel's nose in the tent, isn't it? Then they edit the movies to fit the commercials in at the beginning and/or end. And then...... Anyway, I appreciate the suggestion, but my vote is to raise the price and keep commercials out!

Well lets say that at some point D* offers all the Channels Voom does except for the 21 "Exclusive" HD channels. Would you still pay extra to be a Voom subscriber?

I think not.

You betcha! The Voom Exclusives and premium channels are all I watch. Forget those commercial-stuffed SD channels and broadcast networks. Voom finally has TV worth watching, and it's even in HD, and it's even commercial-free!

Gotta love my VaVaVum!

 

[kawdog]

The way to sell VOOM is to get it in Wal-Mart. My local store just put in a large display of HDTV's (plasma, lcd, crt, projection). They now have an HD loop on them apparently made by Wal-Mart. I know it would never happen but I guarantee it would sell alot of TV's for Wal-Mart and add a bunch of subscribers for VOOM. Just my opinion on the subject.

kaw

 

[Dvlos]

I didn't know Wal-Mart was selling HDTVs last I checked (like 2 months ago) they still had an array of CRT TVs only... that's a good idea kawdog... Also to the guy who's raving about DTV go to the DTV forum and pay them for HDTV ok? Enjoy your 7-10 HD Choices.

Another thing Voom could do, if it still HAD to charge $200, is to provide more incentive for people that want multiple rooms. Right now only cable has the best multiroom deals around..

 

[vurbano]

What does Voom Have that D* doesnt? Right now they have a few Movie channels in HD such as StarzHD, Cinemax HD and playboy. That for them is their competitive advantage. BUT this is an advantage whose days are numbered. Soon D* will have those channels and then what will Voom Have? Nothing.

Everytime I say this some Voomer brings up the 21 "Exclusive HD Channels".

Well lets say that at some point D* offers all the Channels Voom does except for the 21 "Exclusive" HD channels. Would you still pay extra to be a Voom subscriber?

I think not.

I think D* is missing:

encorehd
shotime westhd
hbowesthd
tmchd
tnthd
bravohd
cinemaxeasthd
cinemaxwesthd
starzeasthd
starswesthd
playboyhd

and no theres no way im forking out 1200 bucks for an HDPVR.