VOOM PVR/DVR Release Soon... Echostar/Rainbow information coming soon as well (???)

[DarrellP]

Today VOOM is the HD leader.

Only in number of channels. Dish is still the leader in HD PQ. Hopefully if there is a merger, Dish will chase away the Skeeters.

 

[Ilya]

Only in number of channels. Dish is still the leader in HD PQ.

I know many people disagree with you on this, but I am not the one to judge, since I don't have E*
But that's not the point. The point is that for E* to compete in HD domain (not with VOOM, but with D* and C* as well), E* needs a lot more HD channels. And V* could be the quickest way to get that...

 

[HeavyC]

If it's anything between the two of them, I have to be leaning towards a merger. Besides the satelites and content, it's very possible Dish could be interested in the Uccentric DVR technology as well. They could scoop up that tech without having done any of the R&D work.

If the VOOM set top boxes can be made to work with a Dish broadcast, then it would cost Dish hardly anything at all to gain 80-95% of the VOOM subscriber base. They also have to figure anyone subscribed to VOOM is highly likely to sign up for one of their larger packages so it isn't like us VOOM customers don't hold any value. We are some of the target subscribers they'd be after anyway. To gain 15,000 higher end customers would be attractive.

Beyond that it sounds like an adapter of some sort can be put on Dish Network customer's dishes that would allow them to receive the VOOM content without new boxes. To me this all sounds like a no brainer. But then again, it's still a "rumor".

 

[Dvlos]

Voom's Exclusive won't be worth half as much without FU HD... I'm telling you I got two people asking me every week "Dude where's teh KUNG FREAKING FU???"

 

[rock342]

Don't I remember reading that Ucentric is a Murdoch company?
Why would E* want to team up with Ucentric for DVR services if it lines the pockets of D*?

A merger could only be bad news for the Voom DVR...unless I'm completely off-base with the Ucentric thing.

 

[calikarim]

Merger would be end of Voom

I agree with Ilya. If you could get the same HD exclusive channels from E* that you could from voom , why would anyone subscribe to voom. Voom would cease to exist because of the loss of its competitive advantage. Dish would not invest in a new Ucentric DVR when they have their own 922 coming out soon. The whole compatability issue will come into play. Dish has 9 million subscribers and we are only 40 000. We will have no voice, our sounds will be drowned by the corporate winds of E*. E* will be the HD leader, but once voom is gone, trust me, the impetus to get HD new channels will be gone. We may get two new channels a year, unlike the current pace and vigor.

That is why all you guys that left voom, now cry when E* takes over, we will be screwed. All guys who love HD should have stayed voom subsribers should have stayed with voom, we wouldn't have to face this possiblity. I hope it is a rumour, I pray. I don't want to go back to E* for my HD.

 

[HeavyC]

Voom just isn't going to make it on its own. That's the simple fact here.

 

[Dvlos]

It depends on how it's done calikarim, there is risk in all business, however E* might not be getting all of Voom's exclusives, this is all rumor and conjecture maybe it turns into one company for DBS with Rainbow Media still keeping control over all it's channels?

At least this is one possibility that immediately screamed into my mind, imagine if Voom could use E*'s "dumbed" down boxes to offer cheap multiroom deals? What if E* people do get Voom's channels? It will probably mean a price increase for HD subscribers, $30 more a month? Meanwhile to be fair to Voom and for Voom to stay competitive, that will only include SOME of the HD Exclusives, while Voom is free to go to Mpeg4, use their new bird, and keep adding more channels and HD channels which will keep Voom at the leader in HD spot.

As has been said though, many people know that HD is not at its "peak" we are all climbing the mountain but can't see the top yet (where at least 70% of all programming is in HD, when HD is taken for granted not a special case) but we are moving forward. Voom making enough money on HD without relying on its slow subs pace maybe a good thing. They may be able to take that money and invest in means that could make thier products more marketable, desirable, and advertising.

In any case i think all this is waiting for the spinoff for one reason only, it will raise the value of Voom's stock, and that's not something they want to happen just yet.

 

[HeavyC]

Yeah, it's just too soon to know. However, this spin off can't happen fast enough now.

 

[wasch_24]

I am thinking that IF this were to occur, Voom as we know it is gone. In it's place is only the HD channels without SD counterparts, they would be covered on the existing E* Tp's. That way all of Voom's TP's could be used to maximize the bandwidth given to each HD channel. I know I would be more than willing to pay the base price for say, Americas Top 120 and then pay 29.99/month extra for the 'new' HD pack which would become the high bandwidth full resolution Voom HD. Instead of "HD Pak" they can call it the "Voom Pack" which would include what we have now plus the HDNets.

 

[dfergie]

I am thinking that IF this were to occur, Voom as we know it is gone. In it's place is only the HD channels without SD counterparts, they would be covered on the existing E* Tp's. That way all of Voom's TP's could be used to maximize the bandwidth given to each HD channel. I know I would be more than willing to pay the base price for say, Americas Top 120 and then pay 29.99/month extra for the 'new' HD pack which would become the high bandwidth full resolution Voom HD. Instead of "HD Pak" they can call it the "Voom Pack" which would include what we have now plus the HDNets.

This is what I'm thinking too, the Voom Pack is Hd, E*handles the hd....

 

[HeavyC]

This is something that I would fully get behind. I just wish we could hear something official soon.

 

[mkwillia]

This merger notion does make a lot of business sense and Voom would then get the eyes it deserves. BUT, I totally agree with calikarim. We (the Voom users) will get screwed. No DVR, No aggressive HD channel implementations....we would go back to the none responsive satellite company scenario and not be the force for change as we have come accustomed to. I do feel some sense of loss if the merger goes through. I hate to say it....But I hope this is just a rumor.

Mike

 

[1080iBeVuMin]

I sure as heck hope it is a false rumor. I don't like Dish. Keep Voom as Voom.

 

[Indy]

I was on the phone with a Dish Network person in the corporate office yesterday and he passed a few tidbits along. He said Dish was talking to Voom back in June about a merger slash acquisition but the talks either did not lead anywhere or the talks are on the back burner waiting to see where things go.
Dish has answered some of there transponder space issues with the new sat they are getting up and running. Dish plans to make the 3 major network feeds available in HD with the new transponder space. Dish does not see a problem with market infringements by offering national feeds due to the spotty reception nature of OTA HD signals due to trees and buildings. So how I read this Dish intends to offer the signals regardless of A and B areas because those area designations are for ANALOG TV signals and do not regulate digital OTA signals. Loophole in the old FCC regs maybe?
Anyway, back to Voom and Dish. Dish was not interested in Voom as a company or their programming, only in the transponder space at 61.5. So if Voom makes it in the business world with 29,000 customers it will be a miracle. If Dish buys them out they are only after the transponder space and nothing else. The issue of transponder space can always be fixed with additional satellites and money which Dish seems to have an abundance of.
So draw your own conclusions. Does Voom have what Dish wants and needs for the right price and terms? Or will Dish wait Voom out and buy the transponder rights from them at the fire sale? Stay tuned for the first quarter of '05 because I believe that is the time frame any of this will or will not take place.

 

[Dvlos]

I agree that if Dish swallows Voom it would be the worst case scenario, although if I am not mistaken doesn't Dish have a DVR and coming out maybe with a new DVR? Someone said that would be Bye Bye DVR for us.

Voom can make additional monies by coming up with an exclusive deal to market MonstersHD to other providers I think (then again someone people see that as the only reason to have Voom ironically).

I only want to have the most HD channels, if Voom goes under and my only choices become E* with more transponders or D* aka HD lite and Network HD I will be really sad.

 

[GregN]

Dish plans to make the 3 major network feeds available in HD with the new transponder space. Dish does not see a problem with market infringements by offering national feeds due to the spotty reception nature of OTA HD signals due to trees and buildings. So how I read this Dish intends to offer the signals regardless of A and B areas because those area designations are for ANALOG TV signals and do not regulate digital OTA signals. Loophole in the old FCC regs maybe?

So draw your own conclusions. Does Voom have what Dish wants and needs for the right price and terms? Or will Dish wait Voom out and buy the transponder rights from them at the fire sale? Stay tuned for the first quarter of '05 because I believe that is the time frame any of this will or will not take place.

Charlie is waiting for two things ...

1) The current SHVIRA vote in the Senate for HD national feeds.
2) To buy voom for pennys on the dollar in 2005 he can sit back until V* is crawling to him. (there is no bidding war for V*)

 

[andrzej]

Charlie is waiting for two things ...

1) The current SHVIRA vote in the Senate for HD national feeds.
2) To buy voom for pennys on the dollar in 2005 he can sit back until V* is crawling to him. (there is no bidding war for V*)

And what makes you think that V* desperately wants to be bought?

 

[DarrellP]

Voom's Exclusive won't be worth half as much without FU HD... I'm telling you I got two people asking me every week "Dude where's teh KUNG FREAKING FU???"

It' on HDNET. They've been showing a few lately.

With Cuban being so anti-voom, I find it interesting that many movies coming to Cinema10 were recently shown on HDNET first. Any connection? Probably not, just interesting.

 

[Bear]

And what makes you think that V* desperately wants to be bought?

Voom would need to add almost an order of magnitude more customers to remain viable. Barring some new way for Voom to attract and retain customers better than it has in the past, it is pretty much doomed to acquisition and/or liquidation.

One thing I find curious is why so many people are focused on Voom-the-service as being bought, versus the entirety of Rainbow Media. My understanding is that the analysts have the entirety of Rainbow Media being virtually worthless, which is mostly due to Voom. If Voom-as-you-know-it does not attract customers fast, then Voom will be folded into E* - there is no viable dual-branding life for Voom much beyond an acquisition, IMO.