A message to VOOM

[Skyhi]

Consolidate your programming into 2-3 channels. Then maybe more carriers will add them.


I wonder if they are considering this plan that has been talked about here for many months.

 

[tigerfan33]

Consolidate your programming into 2-3 channels. Then maybe more carriers will add them.


I wonder if they are considering this plan that has been talked about here for many months.

If Dish has no use for VOOM, I would love for Direct to pick 6 or 7 of these up!!!

 

[kennya]

If Voom would have added the programming (spent the money) like they agreed to, this would have never happened. I say good riddance, even though 3 of the channels were watched in our house.

 

[M Sparks]

I'm kind of torn...

Voom was asking for it. Their programming quality had been sliding.

And as of yesterday, I didn't really care. I watched Film Fest once or twice a month, the other nine they took down I never watched. (Though I'm sure my wife will notice Ultra is gone eventually.)

Now they've taken down the few that I DO watch, so now I'm mad...even though I knew it was coming. But it was a business decision, and probably a good one.

However, what I'm really mad about is their advertising. They are promoting this big time. Fact is, there are only TWO more HD channels available to me than there were last week- not 22. (Sorry, RSNs don't count if I can't get them, and 3 of them have been there for a while.)

And since most of these channels aren't ALL HD, there is LESS HD programming overall.

And since most of the "replacement" channels are duplications...there is LESS programming ALTOGETHER!

Really, I have 12 LESS channels to watch now. This is not something they should be promoting!

But, most people are idiots, and they'll fall for it. And to be honest, if they manage to turn on another round in the next few weeks, I'll probably stop caring about it. It is REALLY nice to scroll through those 100-360 channels and see SO MANY with HD, even if it's only part time. And now that Turner seems to have stopped with the Stretch-O-Vision, I can even deal with fake HD.

 

[Weezknight]

If Dish has no use for VOOM, I would love for Direct to pick 6 or 7 of these up!!!

That would be funny since it was D* who was referring directly to the VOOM channels, in a negative fashion, as the "HD channels you've never heard of" in their National ads. I guess E* could just recycle the same ad against D*.

 

[NOHDjunkie]

And now that Turner seems to have stopped with the Stretch-O-Vision, I can even deal with fake HD.

WOW when did this happen?

 

[mrsdrgn]

That would be funny since it was D* who was referring directly to the VOOM channels, in a negative fashion, as the "HD channels you've never heard of" in their National ads. I guess E* could just recycle the same ad against D*.

I like the way you guys make ups stuff. D* never intentioned to add Voom to their line up. I don't think they ever will. So I guess the add will not run.
Another reason to switch to D*.

 

[Weezknight]

I like the way you guys make ups stuff. D* never intentioned to add Voom to their line up. I don't think they ever will. So I guess the add will not run.
Another reason to switch to D*.

Who made stuff up? I was merely mentioning that why would D* pick up channels that they already used as fodder against E*?

 

[M Sparks]

WOW when did this happen?

Very recently, I think. The programming is stretched, but not "Stretch-O-Vision". It' can be corrected simply by changing the pixel aspect ratio on the TV. "Stretch-O-Vision" does irreparable damage to the picture.

When the new HD channels were first turned on, I was in my office, so I was looking at them on a 4:3 monitor fed from a 622 on the other side of the house. I was surprised that Cartoon Network looked totally normal. Cartoon Network was simply changing the pixel aspect ratio, and my monitor was changing it back.

The next day, I flipped to TBS and was surprised to see Family Guy stretched the same way. Also, last night I turned on The Office on TBS, which has been shown in 4:3 Stretch-O-Vision in the past...however, it was in true HD last night. During the commercial breaks, most of the commercials were also in HD, and those that weren't were stretched evenly.

I just turned on TNT...there was one commercial that appeared to be in Stretch-O-Vision, but it's possible that they may have "pre-stretched" their commercials and haven't corrected them all yet.

TBS is showing Home Improvement. It looks pretty normal when unstretched. I almost seem to be catching some slight distortion right on the edges, but it might be the monitor I'm watching on.

IF they are using Stretch-O-Vision still, they have dialed it way down to a level that's acceptable to me personally. In the past, I could tell within seconds that it was unevenly stretched, and I simply couldn't watch it.

I went through last night and locked out the SD versions of channels that I don't plan on ever watching again. I left up the Scripps channels and a few others that still use Stretch-O-Vision, but I killed the SD versions of the Turner channels. I've been very vocal about the poor quality of the Turner channels. I would now rank them right in the middle...a solid C+.

I would now rank the Scripps channels worst, since they actually lowered in quality. Many people rank A&E channels as one of the worst, but I have seen true HD on all three the past few days when sampling, and those programs that weren't in HD were stretched evenly.

Bottom line, as long as the picture is stretched evenly, your TV can fix it and it looks GREAT in comparison to the SD version. If Stretch-O-Vision is used, it is simply unwatchable.

 

[kvnfl]

But, most people are idiots, and they'll fall for it. And to be honest, if they manage to turn on another round in the next few weeks, I'll probably stop caring about it. It is REALLY nice to scroll through those 100-360 channels and see SO MANY with HD, even if it's only part time. And now that Turner seems to have stopped with the Stretch-O-Vision, I can even deal with fake HD.

Charlie said that E* will be adding more HD channels...soon.

 

[Cyclone]

Well, they have room for more HD now that Voom is gone, but what would that "more" be? I can only think of FOX or Viacom as significant "more". Otherwise is might just been a RSN here, or a Premium there, which doesn't really contribute to countering the loss of Voom.

 

[chrisb83]

If Voom would have added the programming (spent the money) like they agreed to, this would have never happened. I say good riddance, even though 3 of the channels were watched in our house.

I agree. I do not like the way E* handled it but is that such a surprise to everyone? Not me because I've been a customer 15 + years. I've been through a lot of crap during that time span. I remember E* lost CBS for about 2 weeks because Charlie said" it was to much money." Maybe Charlie should stop getting into lawsuits. Or maybe he should just leave and find someone who knows what he or she is doing.

 

[socalpanman]

Who made stuff up? I was merely mentioning that why would D* pick up channels that they already used as fodder against E*?

Because they have a great PR department. Enemy had it - ridicule it. Now that you can get it - exploit it. Take Voom and use their uniqueness to their Dtv advantage. High end programming for the upscale audience niche.

 

[shanewalker]

Voom dropped the ball on this one, certainly. I've wrung my hands the past year as the repeats got comically consistent.

But it's still tragic. They were HD 24/7, had variety and my wife and I watched the channels quite a bit (when there was something we hadn't seen before ). It was eclectic and of good quality--our cup of proverbial tea.

So far I'm none too impressed by the half-ass HD offerings on a number of the new channels that Dish just added. On some, the only HD you're likely to see is the corner station ID graphic bug...which I find tragic/frustrating.

I'm hoping we get a reborn Voom channel subset out of this with the heat turned up on them so they get some new content consistently rolling in. That'd be a sweet end to the roller-coaster ride many of us have been on w/ V* for the past few years.

Just my 2 cents.

 

[tomcrown1]

Direct tv will never pick up voom because Liberty and rainbow will never be in the same place at the same time.

 

[rogerpl]

With the removal of VOOM Charlie has taken a very large step towards mediocrity. Consider that regarding the satellite services, neither one really has anything the other doesn't have and is unlikely ever to ever have any significant exclusive programming. That said, it seems only sensible to go with the service with the best terms.

Despite those critics, you know the self centered ones, if they don't like something it should be eliminate to make way for what they want, the VOOM suite of channels defined /Dish as it was something nowhere else to be found.

Now, with VOOM gone, Dish doesn't seem like Dish anymore. I'll wager if somehow, VOOM showed up on/ Direct, Charlie would be a very unhappy fellow.

I consider myself fairly typical in that I'm uncomfortable with change and was content to remain with /dish while they played catch-up to Direct but I think this is the final blow. I'm already looking into what Direct has to offer with respect to the usual (plans, equipment, commitments, etc.) .

Yes, I have some content on my external storage that will be lost but if the truth be known, there isn't anything I have that can't be re-recorded.

After all. Now, one service is no different than the other, is it?

There will be those that will tell me to be sure to not let the door hit me in the ass when I leave. Don't worry, it won't.

It does not please me to do this, it just seems necessary.

i don't care that you are switching but i am annoyed you started another Voom thread

 

[tomcrown1]

Can we merge this tread with other voom treads?????

 

[kstuart]

I need someone to design a bot to look for new threads with the word "Voom" in the title and post the following message:

DirecTV will not add Voom because they won't have space for ANY channels until September.

 

[airphotos]

I need someone to design a bot to look for new threads with the word "Voom" in the title and post the following message:

DirecTV will not add Voom because they won't have space for ANY channels until September.

Most would be willing to wait...It would give Voom time to get their act together. Plus, it may give people more time for their contracts to expire.

 

[Bradp56]

My advice to VOOM SUE DISH!!! Get the 5 channels back atleast and spend all the money on them.