The Voom HDTV satellite service.

[Skaggs]

The Voom website is www.voom.com.

Does anyone in the Albany NY area have Voom?

The biggest drawback I can see is that you MUST have a landline phone. I use my mobile phone for all my calls, so I can't get this service. Also, it costs $499 to purchase the equipment, which includes the satellite dish, receiver, an OTA antenna, and installation. (There is an option to pay $0 upfront and $9.95 per month)

Please post your experiences with Voom in this area.

From the Voom website:

VOOM is the first and most complete provider of high definition programming for the rapidly expanding home entertainment market. Starting at $39.90 per month, VOOM offers more than 35 high definition channels to consumers across the continental United States, including 21 brand-new, exclusive, commercial-free HD channels delivering hundreds of hours of movies, sports, music and more every day.

VOOM is a satellite television service, provided by Rainbow DBS, a subsidiary of Cablevision Systems Corporation (NYSE: CVC). Consumers may acquire the VOOM equipment and sign up for the service by calling 1.800.GET.VOOM, visiting www.voom.com or at local Sears stores nationwide.

[Hankster]

The drawback for me is that they don't carry YES & my wife will miss having Food Network.

[MasterFX1]

I just moved, and there's no rooftop antenna on my new house. I'm going to go with VOOM because they are offering to install both the sat dish and the OTA antenna. And of course the 37 HD channels. My TV isn't set up yet, so I have not ordered yet, but I will inform of my experience.

My wife will miss Food Net, I'll miss Sci-Fi channel, but that's a small loss compared to the upside.

I noticed that the current offers expire 7/6/04, perhaps I'll wait and see if there's new offers or if they will just extend the deadline.

[MasterFX1]

Just signed up. Install scheduled for 7/19.

BTW, $0 upfront promotion was extended until 7/31/04.

[Skaggs]

MasterFX1 said:

Just signed up. Install scheduled for 7/19.

What premium channels did you sign up for and how much will your monthly bill be?

[MasterFX1]

VaVaVoom($80) + Playboy HD($15) + 1 STB Rental($10)+ Tax($7) = $112/Mo.

This will give me every single channel that Voom offers. I'll probably drop the Playboy HD after a month or so, but hey, I'm a guy... I have to check it out.

HD Channels I'll be getting: (38 From Voom plus the 4 local OTA's = 42 HD Channels)

HBO HD East
HBO HD West
Cinemax HD East
Cinemax HD West
Showtime HD East HD
Showtime HD West HD
TMC-HD
Starz HD East
Starz HD West
ESPN HD
Encore HD East
NFL HD
Bravo HD+
TNT-HD
Discovery HD Theater
Playboy HD
HDNews
HD Cinema10 (1)
HD WorldCinema
HD Cinema10 (2)
HD Cinema10 (3)
HD Cinema10 (4)
HD Cinema10 (5)
HD Cinema Classics
HD Cinema Epics
HD Cinema Gunslingers
Divine HD
Monsters HD
Epics HD
WorldSport HD
Rush HD
Rave HD
Ultra HD
Auction HD
Gallery HD
MOOV HD
Animania HD
Inside VOOM (This shouldn't count, it's just an info loop)

and of course: WRGB-DT, WNYT-DT, WMHT-DT and WEWB-DT. (Hopefully I'll see WTEN-DT and WXXA-DT by football season)

[MasterFX1]

Well- My installer mistakenly used a multi switch diplexor which does not pass voltage through to the antenna, so he's got to come back and fix that. Until then the rooftop OTA antenna gives me nothing. However, my indoor antenna gets all the channels anyway, it just looks silly. Other than that, the install went fine.

The box and interface is definately a little "Buggy." In fact, the first box wouldn't work at all, so the installer grabbed another one out of his van. When you change channels, often the screen pixelizes to form the image, but after a second it looks fine. The interface is not as friendly as my zenith Sat520, but still better than my first panasonic TU-HDS20.

PQ looks good. The OTA looks like it always did. The Sat channels also look good, but it's not max bandwidth, I do see pixelation, break-ups and posterization. But really not enough to be upset about, and certainly no more so than DirecTV, DISH or TWC... about the same actually. Due to the poor interface and buggy channel changing, surfing is a little awkward (after 1 day), but once your settled on a channel, it's very good.

To sum it up: The interface is a step backwards, the PQ is the same, the programming is a grand slam.

[MasterFX1]

Got the correct diplexer put on today... I get all 4 locals fine. Strangely my signal strength for 13-1/12 went down, but it's still looks the same.

[Skaggs]

On August 1, 2004, VOOM raised their rates.

$49.90 per month for VOOM Package (was $39.90)
Includes 21 VOOM Exclusive HD channels, more than 50 of cable's most watched channels, plus 18 music channels. For a limited time at no extra charge, also includes HD MarqueePack (featuring Bravo HD+, TNT in HD and Discovery HD Theater) and the VOOM SportsPack (featuring ESPN HD, Fox Sports World, The Tennis Channel, The Golf Channel and Fuel).


$89.90 per month for Va Va VOOM package (was $79.90)
Includes everything in the VOOM Package and all 36 PlusPack premium channels:
HBO® PlusPack -- 9 channels (7 SD and 2 HD).
SHOWTIME UNLIMITED® PlusPack -- 9 channels (6 SD and 3 HD), including The Movie Channel HDSM.
STARZ!® PlusPack -- 9 channels (6 SD and 3 HD), including Encore HDSM.
Cinemax® PlusPack -- 9 channels (7 SD and 2 HD).

Installation is now $199.90 (was FREE)

Equipment Offers:

Purchase Equipment[/b]
$499 purchase price for one receiver, $299 purchase for each additional receiver.
Covers cost of equipment and standard professional installation on the first visit.
Subsequent visits are $499 purchase price for one receiver, $299 purchase price for each additional receiver, including standard professional installation on same visit.
$5 per month program access fee for each additional receiver.
Maximum of 6 receivers allowed per customer.
One-year in-home service plan included for equipment malfunction only.

Monthly Charge Offer
$199 fee covering standard professional installation of one receiver on the first visit.
$50 fee covering standard professional installation for each receiver after the second receiver installed on the first visit.
Subsequent visit fee is $199 covering standard professional installation of first additional receiver and $50 for each additional receiver installed on the same visit.
$9.50 per month equipment fee each receiver.
$5 per month program access fee for each additional receiver.
Maximum of 6 receivers allowed per customer.

For new customers effective 8/1/04, billing for programming and equipment begins at activation. For customers prior to 8/1/04, existing rates are valid until 12/31/04. Customers will be billed upon activation for applicable equipment, installation and programming costs. Subsequent billings will occur approximately every month thereafter. Automatic recurring credit card charges may apply. Subject to credit approval. Additional installation charges may apply. Offers expire December 31, 2004. Subject to terms and conditions of the VOOM customer agreement. Prices, programming, terms and conditions subject to change without notice. Taxes may apply. Wired phone line required. To receive high-definition television programming, customers must provide their own high-definition compatible televisions. Image resolution and sound quality depend on the customer's own equipment. Equipment requirements may vary by location. Availability of local channels may vary by location. Pay-per-view and additional programming may cost extra, and be billed separately. Age restrictions may apply to pay-per-view and additional programming.

This information is available on the VOOM website.

[MasterFX1]

The Playboy HD channel was also increased from $14.95 to $19.95.

I'm glad I got in at the last minute. The old rates will still apply to me until the end of 2004. VOOM, like cable, does not have long-term commitments, so once the prices change for me, I'll have to reconsider all options.

Personally, I think VOOM is making a big mistake. They're stunting the momentum they were starting to garner. I was on the fence for months under the old rates.