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from ticker.tvbarn.com

Cablevision has decided to suspend its Voom satellite service, which
included several high-definition channels, but had only a modest
25,000 subscribers by the end of third qtr 2004. Voom was the
cornerstone of Cablevision's spinoff Rainbow Media Enterprises, which
also included IFC, WE: Women's Entertainment and AMC networks. The
new entity was originally slated to spin-of in 2003, delayed twice,
most recently to 4th qtr 2004. Voom was down by $75.3 million in
third qtr 2004, on revenues of just $5.9 million. Cablevision filed
this statement with the SEC regarding Voom: "The board of directors
has decided to suspend pursuing the spinoff of its Rainbow Media
Enterprises subsidiary, in its previously announced form, and instead
to pursue strategic alternatives for its Rainbow DBS business." The
news had a positive and immediate effect on the Cablevision stock,
which closed at $25.06 yesterday, up by 13.3%.

Richard wrote:
> from ticker.tvbarn.com
>
> Cablevision has decided to suspend its Voom satellite service, which
> included several high-definition channels, but had only a modest
> 25,000 subscribers by the end of third qtr 2004.

Umm, no. I have not followed Voom closely, but it appears to be a
start-up which was seriously undercapitalized and mis-managed the store
sales, installation and field support end. The stories conflict on
whether they are actually suspending the service or just suspending
their plans to try to sell it with other operations as a spin-off. Hard
to start up a new satellite system now that DirectTV and Dish are firmly
established and also offer HD, albeit much more limited.

I got a 42" HD plasma last week and the improvement in picture quality
and experience in just watching DVDs is just amazing, let alone the
dozen or so HD channels on Comcast.

Alan Figgatt

I don't think it's related to the lack of HDTV owners, I think it has
to do with them not wanting to pay $90 a month + a fee for equipment
rentals...

http://www.voom.com/get_it/offers.shtml

https://secure.voom.com/Controller/G...Y&isVaVavoom=Y

I had seen the Voom infomercials but when I looked into the pricing it
was just insane!

- Jordan

"Jordan" <> wrote in message
news: ups.com...
>I don't think it's related to the lack of HDTV owners, I think it has
> to do with them not wanting to pay $90 a month + a fee for equipment
> rentals...
>
> http://www.voom.com/get_it/offers.shtml
>
> https://secure.voom.com/Controller/G...Y&isVaVavoom=Y
>
> I had seen the Voom infomercials but when I looked into the pricing it
> was just insane!
>
> - Jordan
>

The pricing is not insane. The basic plus package is $49.95.

luminos, says...
>
> The pricing is not insane. The basic plus package is $49.95.

The pricing structure *was* insane. Sure the base package had 26 HD
channels, none of which was particularly good. You have to pay 89/month
to get HBO-HD. Thanks, but between 0ff-the-air HD and DirectTV, I get
all the HD I need or want for half the price. The fact that it failed
was all about a bad business model, not a lack of interest in HD.

In article < t>,
says...
> luminos, says...
> >
> > The pricing is not insane. The basic plus package is $49.95.
>
> The pricing structure *was* insane. Sure the base package had 26 HD
> channels, none of which was particularly good. You have to pay 89/month
> to get HBO-HD. Thanks, but between 0ff-the-air HD and DirectTV, I get
> all the HD I need or want for half the price. The fact that it failed
> was all about a bad business model, not a lack of interest in HD.
>

There is a SEVERE lack of interest in HD TV for guys like me.

reasons:

1. If it is on HBO HD its allready been on DVD (usually) and though DVD isnt
better than HD it IS better than HBO.

2. To generate interest in OTA HDTV the networks have to stop supplying
dreck, and actually produce some meaningfull programs. Crap in High Def is
STILL crap.

3. Lack of HD DVD content until some kind of agreement is reached, and I dont
mean six studios jumping on one format and a half dozen jumping on another.


When the product is there to watch, the interest in HD will go up.

There are some of us who DONT watch sports on TV or watch Hi Def just because
it is Hi Def.

When all new TVs on the shelf are HD, the prices will come down, THEN there
will be more interest generated by the general public.

I dont want to be miss-understood here.. I have a dish in the yard, and its
been working for a VERY long time. I have a digital-sidecar on the reciever
and most of the HD stuff out there is available to me, it just hasnt
generated any interest in my household.

The price of a HD TV is JUST TO HIGH to justify the purchase, as there are
only 3 to 5 hours a week of general programing that is watched by my family.


Wanna sell ME and HD TV??? Get the History Channel going in HD 24/7/365 and
you will have my attention.


--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.

Larry, says...
> When the product is there to watch, the interest in HD will go up.
SNIP
> The price of a HD TV is JUST TO HIGH to justify the purchase, as there are
> only 3 to 5 hours a week of general programing that is watched by my family.

Fair enough. HD doesn't appeal to you for your viewing habits. However,
it would be fair to point out that for people who watch regular network
TV, nearly every scripted show is produced in HD these days. Whether you
like West Wing, Desperate Housewives, Carnivale, ER, or dozens of other
shows, they are available in HD, and many look downright gorgeous.

In article < t>,
says...
> Fair enough. HD doesn't appeal to you for your viewing habits. However,
> it would be fair to point out that for people who watch regular network
> TV, nearly every scripted show is produced in HD these days. Whether you
> like West Wing, Desperate Housewives, Carnivale, ER, or dozens of other
> shows, they are available in HD, and many look downright gorgeous.
>
>

Thats exactly the problem!

I'll watch ER ('cause my wife got me addicted) and I have watched West Wing
twice this year, but the largest part of the Network schedule is CRAP, and
LOOKING GOOD is NOT reason enough to watch it.


--
Larry Lynch
Mystic, Ct.

Larry, says...
> I'll watch ER ('cause my wife got me addicted) and I have watched West Wing
> twice this year, but the largest part of the Network schedule is CRAP, and
> LOOKING GOOD is NOT reason enough to watch it.

Well, luckily most people don't agree with your assesment that the
network schedule is crap, and tens of millions of people are still
enthusiastically tuning in every night.

On Tue, 28 Dec 2004 07:07:59 GMT, Mark Spatny
<> wrote:

>Larry, says...
>> I'll watch ER ('cause my wife got me addicted) and I have watched West Wing
>> twice this year, but the largest part of the Network schedule is CRAP, and
>> LOOKING GOOD is NOT reason enough to watch it.
>
>Well, luckily most people don't agree with your assesment that the
>network schedule is crap, and tens of millions of people are still
>enthusiastically tuning in every night.

I have to side with you Mark. I also have DirecTV's HD package. And,
I get all of the local channels OTA digital broadcasts (7 in all).
Star Trek Enterprise looks fantastic in HD. I also think that Voom
is failing because it doesn't really offer anything that I already
wasn't getting with DirecTV, and the local OTA broadcasts.

- Rutgar