Why voom is failing

[VegasVoomer]

I totally agree with the above posts about not being available in C.C. or B.B. If they had an area with an HD tv setup with Voom and the picture setting were correct and had a pile of STB's sitting next to it so people could see it in person, pick it up and buy it then and there, take it home and install it themselves if they wanted to, Voom would be VOOMIN.

 

[jame_g]

Voom did make several missteps. I wasn't initially interested due to the cost and channel offerings despite having a HDTV only hooked up to a DVD player and SD and hating it.

They are finally close to being on the right track with their install offer, recent channel additions, and March announcement about new channels and elliptical dish.

We're also at a turning point with respect to HDTV. There are more sets being offered at better prices, and most mid-size and larger markets now have most network TV available in digital. More people can now see a reason to go HDTV, and it will only increase in the coming months as the HDTV monitors/receivers decrease in price and more programming is offered in HDTV.

Voom needs to get their name out there more and do more to improve service and counter bad publicity. Plus I think they do need to improve their package offerings, and maybe this will occur once they implement the additional channels in March (and get the DVR in production).

 

[TuxCoder]

How much is PQ and a widescreen format worth to you?

Add to that Dolby Digital 5.1 sound (when available) and you've got almost all my reasons for enjoying HD without actually owning an HDTV display yet. My other reasons don't matter much to other people.

I took my Hisense receiver to my parents' house Wednesday to watch Lost and they liked the picture quality and widescreen display. This was on a 48" Mitsubishi SD television. I just keep repeating to them, without it being an HDTV display, this is basically the best picture quality they will see on their "old-fashioned" TV screen. They don't have a digital audio capable stereo system, but the Dolby Pro Logic track in Lost was very good.

Edit: On a slightly related, marginally on-topic note, I just thought of another plus for HD on a SD screen: at least in my area, the digital HD local stations do not scrunch up the screen with snow closings / polls / whatever bulletin info at the bottom. It's gone entirely, leaving the display untouched so you can watch your show the way it was meant to be. That scrunching info bulletin stuff is left for the analog channel and the SD digital multicast subchannel. :up

 

[malexgreen]

the main reason I think that voom is failing so badly is since they dont offer standard def only packages, most people dont have hdtv. If voom offered sd they would do much better.

Why VOOM is failing and why I switched to Cox

1. No HD DVR. DirecTV has one. Comcast has one. Cox Communications has one. What's so hard about getting one? Oh you're waiting for Ucentric? They're still trying to hire people to create the whole home solution.
2. No reliable way to get locals. OTA sucks if you live out in the boonies or behind a mountain. Transmit locals over the satellite, or at least regional locals. You say you've got the bandwidth, so get to it!!!
3. Cinema 10 sucks. Replace this either with more interesting programming or modify the marketing to say the most (boring) HD channels than any other.
4. The boxes suck. I'd have to reset my box at least 3-4 times a week. If this was a DVR box I'd never be able to reliably record my shows. Also the program guide was never accurate--another DVR show stopper.
5. PPV choices are very limited. How about being able to PPV stuff you can go to Hollywood Video or Blockbuster at a cheaper price? VOOM needs a HD video on demand service.

VOOM does have very nice HD channels (RAVE, ULTRA HD, etc), but this doesn't make up for the problems above. If VOOM can fix the above and keep a good price I might think about coming back. But Cox is cutting me a package deal on my internet and phone access along with the HD cable, so VOOM is going to have to get competitive with price too in order to win me back.

 

[DarrellP]

- PPV choices are very limited. How about being able to PPV stuff you can go to Hollywood Video or Blockbuster at a cheaper price?

What provider do you know who offers PPV movies (in SD mind your) that are cheaper than a DVD rental? Dish charges $3.99 and rarely offers widescreen or DD with it. It would be nice if we could get HD PPV for $2.99.