VOOM Satellite Service to Dramatically Increase to Over 70 HD channels by March 2005

[Ricknau]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ricknau
Almost all the SD channels look like they are 240 lines of resolution with blurring tricks used to fill everything in. If they now have more bandwidth how 'bout using it to make the SD look better.

SD is always 240 lines. It's called 480 Interlaced!

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480 interlaced is not 240 lines it's 480 lines. Yes, it's made from two (slightly different) 240 line fields but the result is 480 lines of resolution when they're combined. That's like saying 1080 interlaced is has only 540 lines of resolution.

With the SD I'm seeing, if I freeze the pic when there is a nice hard diagonal line, I can count the "stair steps". There are only 240 of them from top to bottom. I'm pretty sure my old NTSC analog TV produced better diagonals. Though I couldn't freeze the picture to count them. If there are really 480 lines of data why are the stair steps so huge? I think I'll put in a DVD that has 480 lines and see if the same number of stair steps occur on diagonals. What ever the reason, the SD picture sucks IMO.

 

[Eric_C]

Something must already be done....

I can bet that if Cablevision dumped another 740 million into Voom, and had lead times that far out that a E* deal might already be done.

It just doesn't make sense, bleeding like they are, no real long term projection if their new sub plan is going to work out or not, but they spend money like this?

The investors would go nuts, my guess is something is already done.

 

[Ilya]

480 interlaced is not 240 lines it's 480 lines. Yes, it's made from two (slightly different) 240 line fields but the result is 480 lines of resolution when they're combined. That's like saying 1080 interlaced is has only 540 lines of resolution.

Eeach frame in 1080i image has only 540 lines. And each frame in 480i image has 240 lines. Some TV sets will upconvert this to progressive, essentially doubling the number of lines, but some won't. I am not sure how freeze-frame works in your TV set, but it is possible that it simply freezes a single frame of the interlaced image and as a result you only see half of the lines.

I agree with you, that SD sucks! And not just on VOOM. In fact, on many other satellite and digital cable providers it sucks even more! I pretty much stopped watching SD programming since I've got HDTV and VOOM. Glad I have enough HD channels to watch.

 

[Ricknau]

Though I have firm grasp of interlaced vs progressive methods it becomes a bit hazy to me when things get up and down converted to non original formats like 480i to 720p, or 1080i to 720p, etc, where lines have to be filled in or left out. Some definite magic going on there! But that tech stuff isn't the point of this thread anyway. I only wanted to say, and I see you agree , that the SD could be better and I thought maybe more bandwidth might help. Then again maybe it wouldn't.

I'm almost with you on the "no more SD for me" thing. But sometimes I just gotta have my Speed Channel! And you are right about Voom's competitor's SD. As much as I wish it was better, IMO Voom SD is far superior to Dish SD which I previously had. I basically dropped Dish because their SD was so bad on my then new 51" 720p screen. If I ever drop Voom (which I don't think I will, now that the wife gets HGTV ) it will not be to return to Dish.

 

[Sean Mota]

A different spin to the same news

source

Lockheed Martin will construct five satellites for about $740 million for Rainbow Media Enterprises, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corp.

The work will be overseen by Jefferson County-based Lockheed Martin Space Systems Co. The satellites will be designed and developed in Newtown, Pa., and final integration will be done in Sunnyvale, Calif.

Lockheed also will provide tracking, telemetry and control equipment, satellite equipment, software and training.

"It's definitely good news for us," said Evan McCollum, a spokesman for Lockheed Martin Space Systems.

Lockheed will build the five satellites for Rainbow Media's VOOM satellite service.

VOOM has 39 high-definition channels, including ESPN HD, HBO HDTV, Cinemax HDTV and others. The satellites will allow VOOM to increase to more than 5,000 high-definition channels in a certain mode.


Advertisement

The first satellite is expected to be completed and launched in about 34 months. Subsequent satellites will be completed in three-month increments, according to Lockheed.

"With these satellites, VOOM will be operating with virtually no capacity constraints," according to Rainbow Media.

Lockheed said it does not disclose price information, although the Cablevision filing said the $740 million price tag does not include launch costs. Payments through the first year are expected to total $48 million. The Rainbow DBS subsidiary of Cablevision has not identified funding for payments due after the first year.

Lockheed's Space Systems designs and produces launch vehicles and satellites.

 

[rang1995]

Chuck in orbit--NY POST ARTICLE on VOOM

CHUCK IN ORBIT

By HOLLY M. SANDERS

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November 25, 2004 -- Despite a chorus of Wall Street naysayers, Chuck Dolan continues to gamble big on his startup satellite-television venture.
Voom — the offshoot of Dolan's Cablevision Systems empire — signed a $740 million deal to buy five satellites from defense contractor Lockheed Martin.

The plan is to expand Voom's current high-definition channel lineup of 39 channels to more than 70, and add almost 200 channels to its standard-definition lineup of 88 channels.

Earlier this week, Voom also said it would use satellite capacity it leases from SES Americom to expand its channel package.

"This means he's pretty damn serious about Voom — and you can quote me on that," said Jimmy Schaeffler, an analyst at the Carmel Group, a cable and satellite consulting firm.

Since launching Voom a year ago, Dolan has struggled to silence critics of the venture, which has been slow to sign up subscribers and has had its share of technical and marketing glitches.

The money-losing venture is trying to carve out a niche by emphasizing high-definition television, which is still in an infant stage, while battling far more entrenched cable and satellite providers.

"What will it take to get consumers to buy into that and can it be done?" asked Carmel's Schaeffler. "That's the real $740 million question."

Voom actually lost customers in the latest quarter. It had 26,000 as of Sept. 30, down from 28,700 a month earlier.

That figure seems paltry when compared to DirecTV and EchoStar's Dish network, which have a combined 24 million customers and 18 satellites circling the skies. News Corp. owns both DirecTV and The Post.



Voom also is competing with cable giants such as Comcast and Time Warner, and possibly telephone companies such as Verizon and SBC that have announced plans to deliver video over fiber optic lines.

Dolan plans to step down as Cablevision's CEO and chairman to head Voom, handing Cablevision's reins over to his son.

Meanwhile, analysts question whether the fledgling Voom can survive on its own. Cablevision plans to spin off the business by the end of this year, easing what many on Wall Street view as a major cash drain.

Analysts estimate Voom has about $650 million left out of $1.4 billion raised through bonds and bank loans, and will run out of money some time between 2006 and 2007.

"Management needs to put an end to the Voom 'money pit,' " Rich Greenfield, an analyst at Fulcrum Partners, opined in a report.

Until it turns a profit, Voom will rely on cash from three cable networks included in the spinoff — AMC, IFC and WE: Women's Entertainment.

Voom said it has enough cash on hand to make an estimated $48 million of payments under the Lockheed satellite contract through the first year, but it didn't say how it would pay down the line.

If Voom runs into trouble, there is one possible out: The company has the right to cancel the entire agreement or the purchase of individual satellites at any time, though it would be required to make an undisclosed termination payment, according to a regulatory filing.

Cablevision, based in Bethpage, Long Island, closed yesterday at $21.72, down 46 cents, or 2.1 percent.

 

[Dvlos]

SO in other words, don't worry about any more satellites for a LONG LONG time.

 

[VideoGrabber]

Ricknau wrote:
> With the SD I'm seeing, if I freeze the pic when there is a nice hard diagonal line, I can count the "stair steps". There are only 240 of them from top to bottom. <

That's because they're doing a "freeze field" display, to eliminate potential jitter from a "freeze frame" at 480 lines. Most DVD players will let you pick either option, and freeze field looks just as stair-steppy there as well.

- Tim

 

[videobruce]

"such forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance or results and involve risks and uncertainties"

Typical yuppie double talk..............

 

[stevesmall]

Ricknau wrote:
> With the SD I'm seeing, if I freeze the pic when there is a nice hard diagonal line, I can count the "stair steps". There are only 240 of them from top to bottom. <

That's because they're doing a "freeze field" display, to eliminate potential jitter from a "freeze frame" at 480 lines. Most DVD players will let you pick either option, and freeze field looks just as stair-steppy there as well.

- Tim

you my friend have way TOO MUCH time on your hands LOL

 

[davekendra]

I already get PBS HD. So why would they ad a channel I already get?

Because you aren't the only VOOM subscriber in the d*MN*d WORLD, that's why...

 

[davekendra]

What I'd like to see (and I don't think anybody ever talks about this) is better SD picture quality. I love my HD but sometimes (a lot of times) you have to watch SD. My set can freeze frame the picture which allows me to count the horizontal lines. Almost all the SD channels look like they are 240 lines of resolution with blurring tricks used to fill everything in. If they now have more bandwidth how 'bout using it to make the SD look better.

HEAR, HEAR...

Anyone know the cause of this?

 

[davekendra]

Apologies...

My previous two posts had already been replied to... my apologies.

 

[davekendra]

CHUCK IN ORBIT

By HOLLY M. SANDERS

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------



November 25, 2004 --

Dolan plans to step down as Cablevision's CEO and chairman to head Voom, handing Cablevision's reins over to his son.

I found this on Cablevision's website about Mr. Dolan's bio. He's going to personally run Voom the article says, but as you notice below he's in his late 70s! He may have had success in the past with Manhattan cable and HBO, but it's been while since he's had huge successes. I'm wondering if he's the right guy for the very tough job as head of Voom.

"Charles F. Dolan
Charles F. Dolan, 77, Director since 1985. Chairman of the Company since 1985. Chief Executive Officer of the Company from 1985 to October 1995. Founded and acted as the General Partner of the Company’s predecessor from 1973 until 1985. Established Manhattan Cable Television in 1961 and Home Box Office in 1971. Charles F. Dolan is the father of James L. Dolan, Patrick F. Dolan and Thomas C. Dolan." --Source is on Cablevision.com personnel bios.

Thoughtfully yours,

 

[KyInstaller]

Voom - Doom & Gloom?

All this talk about Voom going by the watside soon is really sounding repetative, listen guys & Gals, Voom has nowhere to go but up. As the LEADING HD provider in the world & HD TV's being sold faster than D* & E* are gaining customers, I would not count them out anytime soon. Most of the installs I have done with Voom are still there & they love the Pic that HD gives. Mr. Dolan is no idiot when it comes to business, He has a winner & He knows this. I'm wanting a Voom Myself, (i just bought a HD Monitor). I have seen many D* & E* systems, trust Me, they suck compared to the Pic & programing of Voom. Just a installers opinon.

 

[DarrellP]

Obviously you have not seen Dish HD & Voom HD on the same big screen system. I'll agree with you that Voom SD is MUCH better blown up than Dish is.

 

[KyInstaller]

Obviously you have not seen Dish HD & Voom HD on the same big screen system. I'll agree with you that Voom SD is MUCH better blown up than Dish is.

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Yes, Yes I have, I have installed Voom over Dish HD & vice versa, I also put Voom over DTV HD & vice versa, Voom has HD hands down. I have had installs where customer had Voom, switched to D* or E* then switched back to Voom. I do not work for Voom, just install them, (via sub-contracting), We also do D* & E*. Anyone asking Me for advice I point them to Voom for HD. I have installed 50" Plasmas, 30" LCD's, 34" inch CRT's & don't care what anyone says, D* & E* are second rate when it comes to HDTV. SD is differant.

 

[DarrellP]

Sure Voom had MORE HD, but who has the BEST picture quality? If Voom could make every channel look like HDNET (on Dish) I would be in heaven. Voom suffers from over compression and it causes mosquito noise in almost every single channel (Equator, Ultra, Gallery & Auction are the worst). They seem to be getting a bit better, but they need to allocate more bandwidth. Hopefully the new Harmonic encoders are going to do this. If not, I will probably drop them. Until you've seen skeeter noise on a 110" screen while trying to watch nice scenery, you don't know how bad it is. Check out the forest shots on Ambra or the aerial scenes from any of the Over series, it's enough to gag a maggot.

Guys, I am NOT whining, I am stating the facts, if you don't like it, don't read it.

 

[jclampit]

My parents' Comcast HD picture quality is fairly disappointing compared to Voom's HD at my place. (We both shoot an 8 foot wide picture from the exact same projector.)

Oddly enough, though, Comcast's SD picture quality was quite a bit better than Voom's is at my place.

 

[FrankJo]

my prediction for this thread by March 31, 2005...

2 more weeks!