Following up from a previous thread (http://www.dvinfo.net/conf/showthread.php?s=&threadid=40827) about the Voom HD service....

Today Cablevision announced they were shutting down their "Rainbow Network" which operates Voom. This concludes a high profile power struggle between members of the Dolan family that owns Cablevision. Evidently customers will lose access to Voom on April 30. Too bad, since I know a few of our members here are subscribers. This certainly doesn't make it seem like consumers have that big of an appetite for HD content yet.

Not a lot of details yet on this story. See this link http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/050408/media_cablevision.html?.v=3

I just wish they would have learned the courtesy of allowing their subscribers to continue to access the programming listings on their web site for the final month of operation, instead of replacing all of voom.com with a "piss off" splash banner.

Ouch! Just looked at that. They don't even say they're sorry http://www.voom.com/index.shtml

Whoa...Guess I'm glad they didn't do an install last summer, because where they can put a dish on my condo faces west and their dishes need to go east.

heath

Just two weeks ago, I received an unsolicited phone solicitation, wanting to sell me a Voom installation and subscription. The way satellite services are marketed, you never know exactly with who you're dealing, unless you investigate carefully. Possibily, this call came from a Voom installation contractor, who was trying to grab a few last jobs, before the hammer officially fell. Suppose I hadn't known of the impending shutdown and had ordered an installation? Another example of why you should never buy anything from unsolicited calls, mail or SPAM.

Right! Never, never, never! (If for no other reason than to stop feeding the hand that bites you.)

On its final day of operation I made a point of watching VOOM until it went dark forever. The service shut down at 3:01 AM Eastern on May 1. Monsters HD cut off right in the middle of The Howling VI: The Freaks. I'll never know how it ends.

That seems kinda depressing, watching something come to an end...Oh well, glad they couldn't do an install. Took them 2 weeks to come out and tell me that...

heath

Just saw that Dish is offering BETTER deals than what I got, all for $20 a month for 3 months.

heath

Just saw that Dish is offering BETTER deals than what I got, all for $20 a month for 3 months.

heath
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So, is there any word about what happens to Voom receivers and dishes that are in the hands of their former subscribers? Do they get to keep them and is there any useful function they could perform? You could expect that the two "D" companies would offer a special discount for Voom customers.

The one thing I liked about Voom! was the free local HD dish. I have to watch my local channels in SD...

Maybe the dishes and receivers can be re-programmed to accept Dish signals??

heath

The dishes and receivers are now officially, permanently junk.

I've heard rumors that a postage-paid box will arrive in the mail, and we're to pack up the boxes and remotes and mail them back. I doubt this rumor, however, on the basis that it's going to cost VOOM's new owner more to ship, warehouse, and scuttle 30,000 receiver boxes than what they'd make in reclaiming parts.

As I'm just about to dive into HD satellite, any of you chaps have recommendations for one of the other, non-defunct services??

I have and like Dish Network.

heath

Yes, Dish Network seems to be offering the most attractive deals at the moment.

I bought my wife a hd plasma TV for her birthday (yeah right, for her b-day), and the Circuit City guy told me that Direct TV bought Voom.
I think that Direct TV won't be kind enough to give it's loyal subscribers those HD Channels for free. What do you think?

Did they actually BUY Voom! is the question...I haven't heard anything about that.

heath

It's actually Dish Network, which is who I went with after waiting for Voom! to do an install last summer (2 weeks, then I'm told their satellite is to the Southeast, which was the front of my condo--a big no-no to put a dish onto). Man, Dish has such a great deal, I WISH I had Voom! just for that deal!

www.dishnetwork.com

heath

I think the Circuit City guy may have been mixed up. It appears that DISH picked up VOOM's channels, not DirecTV. It isn't gonna be free...
See the following press release:

http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&u=/prweb/20050505/bs_prweb/prweb236294_1

Also this cryptic message on Voom's website: http://www.voom.com

Just called Dish Network, if you aren't a former Voom! customer, you need to pay $99 to get the special dish to actually watch the Voom! programming. And that's $99 upfront.

heath

What do you know, it is Dish Net. who bought Voom.
Not free anyway.
I wonder how much the want for the HD programing after those three months are up.
Might be worth the switch from Direct TV.