HDTV Magazine - Special Program Provider Announcement

[David Farber <dave () farber net>]

Begin forwarded message:

From: Dale Cripps <hdtvmagazine () ilovehdtv com>
Date: November 23, 2004 4:59:54 AM EST
To: hdtvmagazine_subscribers () ilovehdtv com
Subject: HDTV Magazine - Special Program Provider Announcement
Reply-To: hdtvmagazine_subscribers () ilovehdtv com

HDTVMagazine
November 23, 2004
 
Last week I ask for your opinion on the VOOM services. Did you have it? 
If so, how satisfying is it?  If not, why not? Would their failure trip 
up the HDTV movement? etc. For the most part your answers were listing 
to the negative with poor lookup, shaky service, limited sales 
knowledge from disinterested outlets, lack of suitable PVR, no channels 
for the wife, and old movie programming endlessly repeated topping the 
list of complaints. This announcement (below) just came in (thanks to 
SkyReport) and now I ask you:
 
1. Does this announcement convince you that HDTV is the BIG thing for 
the 21st century?
  
2. Will this announcement cause you to order VOOM now?  Later?  Never?
 
3. Does this announcement remove all doubts concerning VOOMs survival?
 
Let me hear from you and I will see to it that your comments reach 
VOOM's top  management.
  
 

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VOOM Plans Big Expansion

Cablevision subsidiary Rainbow Media Enterprises said Monday its VOOM 
satellite TV service will dramatically expand its services next March, 
growing from its current 39 high-def channels to more than 70 HDTV 
channels covering the continental United States.

 The increase in VOOM's HD channels slate from 39 to more than 70 "will 
allow us to continue to provide more high-definition video services 
than any other cable or satellite provider," said Tom Dolan, CEO of 
Rainbow Media Enterprises. In addition to expanding the HD slate, Dolan 
said VOOM also plans to simultaneously add nearly 200 
standard-definition channels.

 To facilitate the expansion, the VOOM service will utilize 16 
transponders on the SES Americom AMC-6 satellite, which VOOM refers to 
as "Rainbow 2." Programming transmitted by both the Rainbow 1 satellite 
already in orbit and Rainbow 2 will utilize a new encoding system from 
Harmonic, initially configured to run in MPEG-2 and software 
upgradeable to MPEG-4.

 In addition to the AMC-6 announcement, Rainbow Media said it filed 
with the Federal Communications Commission a recently completed 
contract with satellite manufacturer Lockheed Martin for construction 
of five Ka-Band satellites for VOOM. The satellites, the first of which 
is set for completion and launch in about 34 months, will enable VOOM 
to increase its channel capacity to more than 5,000 high-definition 
channels when operating in spot beam mode, the company said.

 Rainbow said the Ka-Band capacity will enable VOOM to have spot beams 
covering the entire United States including Alaska and Hawaii. And the 
satellites will be operated at the company's orbital locations at 62 
degrees, 71 degrees, 77 degrees, 119 degrees and 129 degrees.
 HDTVMagazine
753 East Fall Creek Road
Alsea, Oregon 97324
1 800 LOV-HDTV

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