Minneapolis/St.Paul Voomers

[svx94]

Just in case you don't know that... the HDNet is on location channel 45, and the PQ is as good as other HD channels.

 

[raptorctr]

I had my install on Tuesday, he arrived at 1:30 and was done by 3:30. Never did receive a call from the installer, just showed up, even though i made several calls to voom.

Couple of questions if anybody local can help with. After spending a half hour last night w/ VOOM trying to get Bravo/Dsc HD programmed, i was too tired to fight anymore. My OTA reception has been horrible. I rarely get in CBS/ABC or WB in, whats the best solution. Is there a bigger antenna or a booster, that i keep hearing about, will that help? Do i call VOOM or Installs inc back?

There are also a lot of OTA channels that are mapped that i don't think i can get, can you delete channels from the listing, so you don't have to scan through them?

Also, my program guide hasn't been working and my 1 receiver crashed 3 times in 24 hrs (with very limited use). The CSR said the receivers don't come with the new software, you have to wait 7-10 days for the download. I'm a very patient person, but even this was more than i expected. Hard to get too excited about the service at this point.

 

[PSB]

Did they use the amp in the OTA antenna? Did you see them swap a small circuit board in the OTA antenna before they mounted it . If you dont know call the installer and ask him, they "sometimes" leave a contact name and number, I would be interested in the company name also, I am sure things will work out in the end after the new download, and the OTA problems are seen to!

 

[MNHTUG]

Our first spring thunderstorm in Minneapolis and Voom is out of commision. Can't see the sat thru the distant rain showers I assume. Dish Network is still coming in just fine. Not a fair comparison really, due to the difference in location of each satellite I suppose. IE: 110/119 vs 61.5.

Is nice to have local OTA even though their is no link to the sat. This is probably documented somewhere but I had not read it. Seems to me that with my Dish 6000, if it could not see the sat we could not watch locals. That was bogus.

 

[PSB]

Finnally got the certificate in writing! Thanks I.Inc.!

 

[Diver]

I just received all my paperwork. I will soon be selling and installing VOOM in southern Minnesota and Northern Iowa. I already have the SBCA certificate, low voltage contractors license, etc... I have been selling and installing DISH and DirecTV for a few years now. Finally something new for me.

 

[raptorctr]

On 45.2 is that really HDNet? I've flipped by it a couple of times and the programming is horrible. I mean, who serisously wants to watch Ivy League basketball and football? Am i missing something, but i don't know what all the fuss is over HDNet?

 

[wakebrder]

Getting vOOm installed on 5/28 in Owatonna, MN. I receive all Shoreview locals OTA with the exception of the WB. I'm hoping for a lot more HD than D* for less money.

 

[hch]

Hey gang, nice to hear from some locals. I'm in Champlin (think Anoka) and have been tuning in to in to the HD thing for a couple of years now. I have had VOOM for a couple of months, and there is no going back for me. Go HD or go home, I say. Installs are installs, be it cable, dish, direct, or voom. "Installs are like a box of chocolates,...". Like birth itself, unpleasant and often traumatic, but necessary to get past and on to the real fun. I prepped everyting ahead of time. I sank a 1.25" pole mount, copper grounding rod, had phone and a/v cables connected to my components, etc. I even had the Voom category prepped in my master remote. I did let them supply me with a DVI cable (I'm crazy, not stupid). Voom initially set up my install with Allcom Digital. That was a complete disaster. After scheduling with Voom and waiting a week, Allcom called me, actually laughed at me when I told them the date I had set up with Voom a week ago, and began to schedule the "real" install date a couple more weeks down the road at Allcom's convenience. I pushed the "bite me" button, made a few calls to Voom, and Installs Inc. was at my door the following Saturday. All went well. The installer wisely tapped in to my existing $25 Radio Shack OTA antenna, thereby avoiding the Stealth antenna blues. Life has been wonderful ever since. Even with the recent weather, I haven't seen the signal "fade" yet. Sheryl Crow on Rave, Evil Dead on Monsters, etc. Voom is a very new company so I do expect some ups and downs. However, right now they seem to be the best HD game in town. I have a feeling that the winters will seem shorter from now on.

 

[PSB]

I hope the ground rod you sank is bonded to the service ground also! (I am sure you did) If not its unlawful, I was just at the MN board of electricity this week, they asked me up to their St Paul office to give them some advice and hands on about dish grounding issues, they are getting serious and there is some big changes in the near future for the NEC code!
Happy VoOOming!

 

[hch]

"Keep your laws of my dish" (Kidding). Electricity is not a toy. PSB, please keep us informed on code changes.

 

[gsand4play]

Install

Hi everyone, great forums...Thank you all for all the good info about VOOM.
I live in Champlin, and next Thursday is my install for VOOM. I called VOOM today
and they said I have White Glove Communications Inc. doing my install next week.
Is there anything good or bad I should know about them, or watch out for during my install?

I have DirecTV now, so I think I know how the install should go. I'm looking forward to using my HDTV the way it should be.

Hey wakebrder, nice boat....What is it? I have a 2001Moomba Outback.
Yellow like yours. I love it. Now we need some good weather...so we can get out
sometime...

Good to see Minneapolis/St.Paul Voomers!
Have a good day!!!
gsand4play in Champlin

 

[wakebrder]

Hey wakebrder, nice boat....What is it? I have a 2001Moomba Outback. Yellow like yours. I love it.

Heh, It's my brother-in-law's white/black '99 Supra Launch, but I usually ride with him anyway. I've got a POS '87 MasterCraft Pro Star 190 that's on it's last leg. (1800 hrs) :shocked

I've been looking at the Mobius V as a replacement. Do you have a tower on yours?

Now we need some good weather...so we can get out sometime...

We actually went on 5/18 w/o a drysuit. After everything went numb, it wasn't that bad I'm gettin' too old for that April crap.

I'll report back to let you guys know how the VOOM install went.

 

[gsand4play]

Heh, It's my brother-in-law's white/black '99 Supra Launch, but I usually ride with him anyway. I've got a POS '87 MasterCraft Pro Star 190 that's on it's last leg. (1800 hrs) :shocked

I've been looking at the Mobius V as a replacement. Do you have a tower on yours?



We actually went on 5/18 w/o a drysuit. After everything went numb, it wasn't that bad I'm gettin' too old for that April crap.

I'll report back to let you guys know how the VOOM install went.

Good afternoon on this soggy Sat.....

My Moomba does not have a tower yet. That's about all I haven't done yet. I put in a killer sound system instead last year.
My kids, (2 girls 8 & 5yrs. old) won't use that yet, and I haven't tried wake boarding
yet. I do everything else except for that. I will try sometime......When the time comes, I'll either put a tower on, or trade the boat in. But I do know, that I'm really happy with my Moomba (Skiers Choice) as a whole company, with the product and the support from them. I would definitely
go with them again. (Supra or Moomba.)

I hope I'm happy with VOOM as much as I like my boat.
I will touch base later.... Looking forward to my VOOM install.
Later, stay warm and dry...gsand4play

 

[scottie_h]

Anyone have Voom southwest of The Cities? I am currently in Plymouth, but bought a house in Cologne (just South of Waconia or West of Chaska on 212). I currently have Comcast HD, but the only cable option in Cologne is analog cable with about 30 channels. Now that I've had HD, I sure can't live without it.

One other snag, it is an NRTC area, so I can't buy DirectTV at any of the local retailers. The prices through the provider seem about the same, but one negative is that they only HD box they have available is some RCA box for $699. I'd assume I could buy one of their packages, but buy just the HD receiver elsewhere, and just plug it in myself to my existing wiring. They don't do anything with OTA antennas either, so that would be another thing I'd have to worry about myself. Regardless of what I did, it would take some out of pocket money that I'd just as soon hold off on spending for a few months.

Anyway, considering this is our first house, and we'll be spending plenty of money elsewhere, I figure the free install + equipment is perfect for our situation. I think we'll still get cable so we can watch on TVs in other rooms of the house (bedrooms, etc). Only $25/mo for that, so I can live with that. If we aren't happy with Voom or cable, we can always spend the money later to get DirectTV.

Anyway, anyone out in that area have Voom to comment on the quality? I guess I'm mostly curious about the OTA quality that far away, and if it requires the updated antenna.

While I'm at it, anyone get a second receiver for an SD TV? Is the second receiver installed free also? We currently have HBO, and don't want to give up the programming, so it would be nice to be able to watch it on more than just the RPTV. I figure if the install is free, it's easier to get rid of the second receiver later if we don't use it much than it is to pay to add it (which would require a second installation). Then on that TV, we could watch those channels from Voom, but I wouldn't really need to split the OTA signal to that TV, because we could watch those channels from cable.

Does that seem like a logical thing to do?

I think I've talked myself into this - I really don't have anything to lose. If we really hate it, we can always get DirectTV in a few months...

Thanks for any input!

Scott

 

[Crete]

This one is for GSAND4PLAY....Hi, just wondering if all went well with your install. I live in Cambridge, MN and my VOOM installation is scheduled for 06-05, also via White Glove Comm. I was curious if they had your equipment or if they have it on backorder. Did the tech appear knowledgeable? I expect were all going to have to be patient while VOOM gets all the "bugs" worked out... I'm just nervous about possible installation/equip. problems.
I hope yours went as planned and your enjoying it right now.

 

[asftin]

Okay, so I was supposed to have Voom installed today between 12pm-5pm. Noone showed. No call... nothing. I placed the order on May 23rd. I called Voom 4 times after 5pm and I kept getting "...due to the enormous amount of incoming calls, Voom cannot respond to your call at this time. Please press '1' if you want a Voom representative to call you back within 24-48 hours." I did that each of the 4 times I called - like it's going to help. I live in Coon Rapids and I'm not sure who does the installs in this area. I should have got the name of the installer. <insert sound of beating my own head> Either way, I'm off to a bad start with my Voom experience (or lack thereof). Not happy. Must control "fist of death".

 

[asftin]

I was able to get through Voom around 10pm last night (6/1/01). Apprently when I placed the order on May 22, the installation process was placed in "stand-by" mode as was explained by Voom customer service. Basically they blamed it on a computer glitch and that it has happened to several potential Voom customers. Now because of the back-log of equipment, the earliest an installer (White Glove Communications) can come to my house is June 16th, two dang weeks from now! I guess I'll have to reactivate my DirecTV in the meantime. D* did offer me their high-def receivers for $150 each when I told them I was going to cancel D* and try out Voom for a couple of months. Hmmm....

 

[PSB]

I do not understand why there are not more companies in the area doing VoOM when I went to the certification class there must have been 100 people there, and some of them took away bags of VoOM hats?

 

[MNHTUG]

Any body else having problems with rain fade? Every time, and I mean EVERY time it rains we lose signal and cannot watch Voom. It's gotten to the point we no longer even watch Voom this past few weeks with all the rain.

Wife says it's gotta go. I sent an email to Voom, an email to Mitch at White Glove and plan to call Voom on monday. If it's not resolved quickly, the wife says its gone.