Voom Issues, would like to hear what others think

[monetteboy]

Hi,

I signed up for Voom last week, they told me an install of 3/31 am. Later in the day I decided to add another reciever so my DLP tv could get it also. Voom called today and said that I didn't have an install date. They then called back to say b/c I added another reciever that it messed everything up. Now they are going to call me Tuesday to setup a new date. As you can imagine I was upset, but things happen.

When I signed up the lady told me that if I rented the recievers then when the PVR unit came out they would send me a free upgrade. The lady I spoke with today said she didn't know anything about that.

I also asked about adding a third unit down the line, first lady said no problem. The lady today said each unit cost 199.99 for the installer to bring down. This is where I got pissed. She said that you could not hook up the reciever itself, that an installer had to bring it down. To bring it down they charged 199.99. She told me they had to run another line from the sat dish to the each reciever. I have hooked up so many dish and directtv systems that I found that hard to believe. She then said it was b/c that they would have to run a drop in my house to the new reciever. I told her I had a degree in Computer Information Systems (which I do) and that I own a computer hardware/software company and I run drops for a living. Then it was she didn't want to argue about the price and that was just the way it was.

I told her all the things I have read on the forums about how they change their story. She said she was going to talk with the lady that signed me up to see what the deal is.

I hate to see this service go down, hopefully it won't. I know many big companies out their have horrible customer service, Voom should try not to be on that list. In my opinion, they are not off to a good start. The only reason I went ahead and signed up was the fact that I would get new PVR's and I could add up to 5 recievers for 9.50 a month. Now that seems to be untrue.

Can anyone else confirm or deny some of these points?
Would you guys really pay 200.00 bucks for someone to bring a reciever to you?

Thanks for any feedback.

 

[Gr8Reb8]

I think it is evident that Cablevision/Voom has a policy against hiring decision makers who display any signs of common sense. Think cable monopoly, then it makes more sense.

 

[rollerfink]

I think that is crap. You should be able to rent each receiver for $9.50 plus the $5 mirror fee for each. They shouldn't charge you $199 unless you ar buying it.

If I was you I'd call back and see if you can speak to someone else -- or just dump them for DirecTV.

 

[rollerfink]

But I think the first CSR was wrong about the free DVR upgrade. They haven't announced anything for that yet. I imagine we may have to pay more for it.

 

[monetteboy]

Thinks for the feedback. I was hoping I would not be the only one to get upset over the 199.99 charge. I will post anything new that I hear.

 

[Ken F]

It's been discussed on this forum several times. The first install is free (except any "extras" you may want), everything else you have to pay for.

Installs Inc. handles all interaction with the customer, as per their contract with VOOM, and they charge $$$ for every sort of house call not associated with initial installation. VOOM pays the cost for the initial setup and install, but the customer has to pay these Install Inc fees if they want something else. The cost may be more than might have been the case for DirecTV, as VOOM is a new service, and the terms had to be more favorable for Installs Inc to take them on.

For piracy reasons, VOOM has made it company policy not to ship receivers directly to customers. Many DirecTV customers abuse that policy (sharing of authorized receivers with friends and family), which is also why a box will be de-authorized if it is not connected to a phone line, starting in about six weeks. As it rents receivers, it is understandable that VOOM would not want to ship $500 receivers to an unverified address, with nothing more than a credit card number as insurance. In-person delivery of receivers to customers via Install Inc makes the installation company responsible for delivery of the receiver (if it gets lost, they're responsible), the customer's satisfaction with the new receiver, and collection in the event of cancellation.

VOOM has not made any announcement or decision (according to Wilt) as to how the DVR will be offered. I personally doubt the DVR will be rentable, but we shall see in 6-9 months.

 

[monetteboy]

I understand their viewpoint. I still don't agree with charging that much money for setting up a reciever. If a person was not comfortable with doing themselves then sure charge them, but not when you can do it yourself. The only reason I am not getting the third reciever is that the TV I have is not high def. I was going to get a fourth reciever for my TV room after I upgraded my Runco projector, but I am not going to pay 200.00 each time I want to hook something up or when I buy a new TV.

I really doubt many people will do it either, but thats just my opinion. I am not trying to start anything on here, I just love when you buy something then after you give your credit card information the story changes.

 

[Ken F]

monetteboy,

No one is going to disagree that $200 is a lot of money to add a receiver. My point is that the high cost isn't necessarily their fault, or at least, there's may not be much they can do about it for now.

 

[monetteboy]

Yeah thats true, hopefully when the time comes the policy will be changed. I was just so excited about getting it Weds . My roommate is going to be really mad when he gets home, he bought a samsung 50" DLP tv last night so he could use Voom on it. Don't know if I will tell him or not ;-)...

Don't get me wrong, I want this service. Where I live their is one OTA channel (NBC). I just hoped by bringing up these problems VOOM will address them.

 

[stevesc]

The person I spoke to when I ordered definitely said the PVR upgrade would be free, 3rd quarter this year. As for the extra box cost, I knew it ahead of time, so if I had wanted a second box I would have ordered it at that time. One of my favorite sayings is the 7 P's, Proper Prior Planning Prevents Piss Poor Performance.

 

[The Stone Man]

Something else to think about for monetteboy. You can backfeed the Voom programming to other TV's without having to use an additional STB. That limits you to having to watch the same thing on your secondary TV as what is playing on the 'main' TV, but doesn't require an additional receiver. I've got 3 TV's running on the same STB. Two are high def and one is SD, and this works for me.

 

[Trouthead]

????

Could you explain the "backfeed" for the average owner. Would it be possible to just run very long componet cables to another TV?

 

[monetteboy]

Yeah that is not a bad idea on the backfeed.

 

[coopertwist]

I backfeed as well. I have a Plasma in the living room and the bed room and I use a DVI distributor to get the DVI out to both plasmas. Then the distributor plugs into both DVI switchs which I plug my Comcast DCT6200 HD box to and just switch which one I want to watch.

 

[The Stone Man]

To Trouthead.....
By backfeed, we mean running a coax OUT of the STB to some sort of splitting device, and then running coax to a number of different locations. When I first switched to satellite reception 7 years ago, we had Dish Network with 2 receivers, so we had coax all over the place. When the Voom installer asked if I wanted to feed the signal to the existing coax, I said sure. So the signal comes from the satellite into the Voom STB, then it goes out through a component connection to the 'main tv', and 1 coax to a 'splitting station'. The splitter takes 1 input and splits it into two, and those lines go to a workout room, and our bedroom. Because there is only 1 STB, that limits you to having to watch the same channel on all TV's, but we only watch 1 TV at a time anyway.

Believe me--I am defintely an average owner. A lot of this stuff is way over my head, but I'm learning thanks to satellite guys, and I was lucky to have a good installer. On your question about running very long component cables--I think that is possible.

 

[fayrich]

I have 2 fairly long runs from the Voom box to the living room and bedroom via RF cable. Works just fine for me. SD quality of course on the secondary sets and as Stoneman says, can only watch one channel at a time.

 

[slick1ru2]

But I think the first CSR was wrong about the free DVR upgrade. They haven't announced anything for that yet. I imagine we may have to pay more for it.

I was told yesterday when I signed up that since I was leasing that when the DVRs came out (told end of summer) I make a call to Voom and they would and replace my current receiver for no charge and the lease rate is the same. Now, if more then one sales person is saying that then there must be an official policy somewhere. Also, I asked if there was any idea on ESPN and was told they have a goal of having it with-in 3 months.

 

[madpoet]

DLM (Voom service rep on the Yahoo list) said that they have absolutely zero information about the PVR, and certainly no pricing/lease info. Whatever you were told, they were making it up.

-MP

 

[Trouthead]

backfeeding???

Stone Man,

Ok. I have VOOM running in component to my HDTV, or for that matter DVI (it shouldn't make a difference should it?). On the back of my TV there should be a coax out. (I am at work so I can't look at my TV)

Is that what I run to another TV???? or to a splitter?

I still run a C-Band DISH for networks and ESPN, and the old C-Band had coax and component outputs so it has been no problem to run two TVs with one program at the same time. My previous TV did not have component imputs so I split the coaxial cable with a $5.00 radio shack splitter.

Backsplitting is a new one to me. Do I have it right???

Thanks for the help
Trouthead

 

[Trouthead]

I have 2 fairly long runs from the Voom box to the living room and bedroom via RF cable. Works just fine for me. SD quality of course on the secondary sets and as Stoneman says, can only watch one channel at a time.

I am at work and don't have my VOOM POS manual with me what is RF cable and what does it plug into on the back of the VOOM box. I am only trying to go 30 ft to one other TV.
Thanks