Top THREE Pros and Cons of VOOM

[HD_Eric]

PROS:
1) Picture Quality
2) HD Quantity
3) Customer Service (The live service online is fabulous)

CONS:
1) No DVR (really odd to be behind on this - everyone else has had them for years)
2) Missing a lot of the "cable" favorites like WGN, Lifetime(for the wives), VH1 Classic
3) No sports packages like Extra Innings offered

 

[salsadancer7]

But when you pick VOOM over the others, it has alot more to do with watch common stations that the OTHER sat companies DON'T HAVE(STARZ, CINEMAX, etc...)

- by the way, from Rochester myself!

 

[Zookster]

Another con for me are the limited number of commercial-free audio-only music channels.

 

[salsadancer7]

funny...when I was wish D* or E*, never even paid attention to the music channels...I would LOVE WGN, but ONLY if it's their HD feed....

 

[FrankJo]

Rain fade

 

[salsadancer7]

what do you mean by rain fade?

 

[FrankJo]

meaning that if you get really intense rain, or even sometimes really bad cloud cover, you may lose the signal.

 

[truqui]

PROS:
1) Picture Quality
2) HD Quantity
3) Customer Service (The live service online is fabulous)

CONS:
1) No DVR (really odd to be behind on this - everyone else has had them for years)
2) Missing a lot of the "cable" favorites like WGN, Lifetime(for the wives), VH1 Classic
3) No sports packages like Extra Innings offered

These were added today:
289 - LMN (Lifetime Movie Network)
524 - LIFE (Lifetime)
525 - LRW (Lifetime Real Women)
618 - NGC (National Geographic Channel)
813 - CMT (Country Music Television)

 

[rvsixer]

meaning that if you get really intense rain, or even sometimes really bad cloud cover, you may lose the signal.

Rain fade is not specifically a VOOM problem, but a bigger dish is an easy fix if you are one of the few affected.

Rob (7 year 18" northwest USA dish user, 3 occurances of rain fade)

 

[uboatcmdr]

I would definitely have to add the install department to the cons list. In the two months I have had VoOm I have had more no-call no-show appointments than I care to relate (and yet another one today). If it weren't for the fact that I injuried my ankle back in January and have been laid up ever since with nothing but time on my hands, I would never have gotten VoOm installed.

 

[Vicki]

Sadly, I have to agree with you uboatcmdr. In my mind, that may be one of the most serious problems they need to tackle (after winning the battle they're currently in).

Think how many more subs they might have if installation horror stories were not so widespread. And all the cancellations due to no-shows or poor installs.

They need to get every part of the country under the kind of control we hear about from TYORK's area. Too bad we can't clone her!!! Vicki

 

[uboatcmdr]

Your right Vicki, we really need more installers like TYORK out there. She has good work ethics and makes customer satisfaction her primary goal. That is the way I try to handle my D* installs and that is the way I like to be treated.
Clone her and send me two, good installers are hard to find.

 

[DarrellP]

I would temporarily take PQ out of the Pros since the Harmonic encoders came online. If they get them tweaked properly and ALL HD and ALL SD channels look good, then I'd scream from the mountain tops for Voom, until then, I'll keep it zipped.

 

[HD_Eric]

and....

I haven't noticed a difference in PQ?

Another con would be the exhorbitant price of the premium channels...the 3 months for free helps...but still

I also read in another thread that INHD and INHD2 will ONLY be on cable. That really stinks if that is true, because those are great channels, and the absolute last thing VOOM needs is people not switching to them because they LACK HD channels....

 

[DarrellP]

PQ has been in the toilet since the new encoders went online. If you are looking at the big picture, it looks good, but try looking at the finer detail and the scene transitions and the SD channels.

 

[TheTimm]

Me likey:
1. 11 HD movie channels as part of my basic subscription
2. 14 other HD channels as part of my basic subscription
3. Value -- whole lotta HD for under fifty bucks a month

Me hatey:
1. Installations/service calls
2. billing department
3. lack of Fox Sports Detroit

 

[MichaelG]

I agree about the PQ ...... when my VoOm was installed in January, it was breathtaking. Now it is just average. Last night the pixelation, micro-stutter, etc was very irritating.

Now it has been over a week since the encoder changes...and frankly that is too long. I work in a technology field and my clients simply wouldn't stand for "tweaking" taking this long.

Not acceptable.

 

[ericl]

MichaelG,

What is micro-stutter, I noticed when I was using Component cables (during the dreaed DVI Conflict Days) I would see little blurry things in the background. Like the predator movie with Arnold S. when the preditor was in his stealth mode. Sorry for the crappy analogies.

 

[MichaelG]

My interpetation is when the image freezes for a split-second and then continues. In the case I saw earlier this week, we were watching a "League of Their Own" on TMCHD. Towards the end of the movie, the picture would freeze or skip for just a fraction of a second, then continue. Audio would also be a problem since it would take a few seconds for it to sync back with the picture.

This all occured with about 10 minutes left in the movie. Our weather at the time was mostly clear skies, with no rain anywhere in the area. Signal was at 97+

The problems that we are having now with the encoders sounds like what you are experiencing. If there is fast movement or quick changes from light to dark screens, I see the picture break up into blocks or as you say "blurry things".

None of this occured until after the new encoders were brought on line.

 

[gross67]

3 for 3 against

Pro:

1) Terrific PQ here in Indiana (Even better once I did an amateur Calibration of my Hitachi 51g500 RP)

2) The most HD offered.

3) Easy to use great looking user interface.

4) (If I may) THIS FORUM!!!

Con:

1) Not being able to rent a receiver if you own the first box.

2) No self installation.

3) No buying used equipment and then getting it activated.

I tried to keep my "Cons" limited to what now "exists" with the voom service. I know more HD and more Sports, and more Choice is on most everyone's list - that is a product of time and business deals that are not exactly in our hands.

Cheers,
James