DISH Network drops 10 of 15 VOOM HD channels
Yesterday's DISH announcement was bittersweet for some DISH HD fans as they were enjoying the addition of 22 new HD channels, some noticed that 10 of their favorite -- well maybe not all 10 --Voom HD channels were MIA. A quick visit to the DISH Network website showed that the 10 in question were missing from the list there as well. The two that seems will be the most missed are HD News which evidently had more news in actual HD than any other news network, and Worldsport which is a favorite among soccer fans. Some DISH subscribers are understandably very upset about being forced to sacrifice the 10 for the new lot, but only time will tell if subscribers will end up with more new HD programming than before. Of course the biggest loser here is VOOM, as two thirds of its channels have lost their carriage on what was probably their biggest provider.[Thanks, Scott].
Read - DISH HD programming page 1
Read - DISH HD programming page 2
Read - Satellite Guys forum
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
TrentD @ May 13th 2008 8:56AM
Doesn't Dish own VOOM?
DustoMan @ May 13th 2008 10:21AM
No, DISH had a content deal with VOOM. Which VOOM didn't hold up their end of the deal and so some of their channels were cut.
man_rob @ May 13th 2008 9:17AM
And to boot Dish didn't really add 22 channels yesterday. It was more like 17. Now minus the 10 Voom channels, it seems Dish is playing games.
Iscariote @ May 13th 2008 9:20AM
I said when Cablevision announced they were moving Voom channels to SDV, and as a Tivo HD owner on Cablevision that should affect me, that nobody watches the Voom channels anyway. They're HD filler.
I'd be happy if Cablevision dropped Voom entirely and replaced all 15 of those channels with the HD feeds for their premium sports packages, and I think most other people would too.
rj @ May 19th 2008 1:31PM
The one thing that Voom supplied to SOME viewers was probably what SOME viewers couldn't understand because of their narrow world perspectives. Arrogance, complacency and narrow-mindedness has become an epidemic in our culture. It is much akin to ignorance. Yes, there are some of us out here who will deeply miss some of the CULTURE that the Voom programming provided, in exchange for the "Big Mac" mentality that has replaced it. But I am sure all of this is a bit over the heads of vieweres who the sentiment of Cablevision dropping Voom all together.
PeterB @ May 13th 2008 9:43AM
So thaaaaaaaaaaats where dish found all that extra bandwidth. The recently vacated old sky angel transponders could really only support 6 HD channels or so.
Ian @ May 13th 2008 9:53AM
DISH users upset?
Hmm well take heart as Cablevision took AWAY ALL VOOM channels from CV's CableCard users as well.
Rob @ May 13th 2008 10:17AM
@PeterB
The new channel launches and all 15 Voom networks were all kicking for 6 hours yesterday. They had the bandwidth before the adds.
Rob @ May 13th 2008 1:24PM
As a matter of fact, from looking at the uplink reports, they are probably still there right now, just not visible to the end users.
MHAithaca @ May 13th 2008 10:20AM
No one seems to have a list of which Voom channels are gone, and I no longer have DISH to check. A couple of their programs, including the travel features and concerts in HD, were some of the best stuff on DISH HD when I had it. I miss those now that I'm on cable.
DustoMan @ May 13th 2008 10:28AM
These are gone:
Gallery 9472
Treasure 9473
Aniamania 9474
Voom Movies 9475
World Sport 9477
ULTRA 9478
Film Fest 9480
Game Play 9485
Family Room 9486
These are left:
Monsters, Rush, Equator, Kung Fu, and Rave.
More info as to why they were taken down can be found here:
http://www.dbstalk.com/showthread.php?p=1583661&postcount=76
Johnny Venom @ May 13th 2008 10:46AM
Well this kinda sucks. I grant you that the Voom channels were not exactly the creme de la creme of channels, at least it was SOMETHING in high definition. Can you say that about many of the new add ons? I watched two of the "new" channels in HD and a good portion was in "stretch-o-vision." Perhaps if Voom actually bothered to add new content instead of just playing the same 3-4 moves over and over all day long (I'm looking at you Kung Fu and Monsters!) Dish would've kept them. Out of the Voom channels I watched, was actually that HD News (ok...not that much), the Kung Fu (but really only if a decent movie was on), one of those movie channels. Now that I think about it, can we really be angry at Dish? I would love to keep the channels only for the very least of having some thing in HD, but I guess a deal is a deal.
Johnny Venom @ May 13th 2008 10:49AM
Actually, looking at my DVR recordings, I seem to watch Equator as well. Perhaps this will change now that I have a travel channel in HD.
pianoman @ Jun 8th 2008 8:01AM
none of the whack ass new HD channels on dish are real HD! All of voom's channels were. I hope voom goes independent so we can get away from all of these whack big american companies. Dish is wrong, please your consumers.. Everything is stretch on dish now, they lied to us its not real HD. I have a sony bravia 46' 1080p tv that people envied before dish removed voom..
PM..
Shaun @ May 13th 2008 11:12AM
Oh man, for some I only noticed Voom Movies this weekend (have had Dish HD for almost 2 years.... not sure how I missed it). And I was actually looking forward to some of the movies, oh well...
mntwister @ May 13th 2008 11:14AM
Well I am going to really miss FilmFest and Voommovies. They were showing some big Hollywood movies like Exodus, shown nowhere else in high def. I am glad for the new additional channels effort, but why take away channels that have FULL HD 24 hours a day, and repetwork which I am sure doesn't have anything that is true high def. That doesen't please me. Although they did add a few movie channels like MGMHD, which I have been waiting for, I really will miss some of the Vooms. Dish had those exclusively over direct, surprised they would toy with those.
Johnny Venom @ May 13th 2008 11:43AM
I agree, it did make them unique.
Miggity @ May 13th 2008 11:14AM
Can I trade Rush and Equator for FilmFest and VoomMovies??
Yves creebs @ May 13th 2008 11:16AM
the only reason I'm still with dish is Rave. 'Later with Jools Holland' is the best music show on tv.
The Voom channels make Dish unique, without them Dish is just another provider with fewer hd channels than the competition.
Shaun @ May 13th 2008 11:32AM
Actually, I think their Dish HD package (where you only get teh HD channels) is pretty great, and is definately something that I play up when friends ask about which provider they should get.
Paul @ May 13th 2008 12:02PM
Dang I miss the world sports channel
img eL @ May 13th 2008 1:07PM
Man this is big bullsh*t
Scott Greczkowski @ May 13th 2008 1:32PM
Dish Network CEO Charlie Ergen just stated on the Dish Network Earning Conference Call that last night they got rid of 2/3rd of the VOOM channels, and that the additional VOOM channels would be removed SOON.
pahensley @ May 13th 2008 2:12PM
I hope Dish has something special planned in the next couple of months or I'm out after my 18 month commitment is up in July. Yea we got 22 new channels but only 5 at the most have a decent amount of HD programming. How can you call it a HD channel when the station ID's and adds are not even in HD. The rest of these "HD" channels are not even trying to be HD channels.
The Dish HD selection is no better than cable now that the VOOM content is gone.
they replaced voom family with abc family"HD". abc family is just a bunch if crappy 80's and 90's sitcoms that no one watched when they were originally on. they are not even in HD. I don't get it. voom family had some good shows on(thunderbirds, flipper) all in HD 24 hours a day. most of the stuff they gave us was crap.
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 13th 2008 2:27PM
10 down, 5 to go.
VOOM was an effort to cash-in on HD by producing cheap content in volume instead of quality content.
We need fewer of the type of channels that will just point an HD camera at anything that doesn't have to sign a waiver (typically nature shots).
mugatu @ May 13th 2008 7:16PM
Yeah, more up-converted fishing and stretched SD cartoons FTW. Don't forget the ABCfamily and Hallmark channels with the re-runs of Blossom. Freaking Yee-haw! I don't ever want to see Air Racing or BASE jumping in uncut/unedited 1080i ever again.
why not the LS2LS7? @ May 14th 2008 1:06AM
Upconverted or no, I'm not interested in fishing. Not interested in BASE jumping either for that matter.
As to the other shows being upconverted, well, don't watch them. I'd rather watch the market for high quality content grow than see junk like BASE jumping clog the airwaves.
Remember that HD won't be unusual for long. It'll be about as unusual as color video is today. Any channel that just makes its bones off of resolution alone is dooming the long run. In a few years, there will be no more market for HD air racing than there is for SD air racing today.
phatbuddha @ May 13th 2008 3:16PM
ummmmmm.....why in the hell did we lose worldsport to wfn? I would rather watch golf than some red neck baiting a hook. seems like most of the "new" hd content isnt full HD anyway...most programming i've seen is 3:4. WTF?
VinylVision @ May 13th 2008 4:24PM
Very sad to loose Gallery channel since it was the only Dish channel to regularly telecast BBC operas in HiDef. Discovery HD Theater used to broadcast BBC operas but Discovery HD Theater has stopped all BBC theatrical telecasts which is very disappointing given the Discovery/BBC relationship. It looks like performing arts programming on Dish and elsewhere is now limited to PBS. "Arts and Entertainment" channel programming is totally worthless. I doubt that I will even look at many of the "new" Dish HD channels.
jake18oly @ May 13th 2008 5:17PM
I never really watch these channels anyway although it is nice to have the HD channels available. I hope that Dish keeps adding HD channels because once they add the CW I think that we will opt for the HD only package.
pianoman @ Jun 8th 2008 4:02AM
you must don't have an hd 1080p tv..
PM..
mugatu @ May 13th 2008 7:20PM
To anyone even considering Dish Network over Direct TV, choose Direct TV. All Dish Network does is screw their customers with moves like this. The next thing they will do is degrade the picture quality of the remaining HD channels to squeeze in even more worthless channels like the World Fishing Network.
Dish Network does not care about you. There is no reason to choose Dish Network.
Dache @ May 13th 2008 11:57PM
Does anyone know if you can cancel your agreement with Dish due to these changes (ala Sprint's increase in text message fees)? I'm just about fed up with these jokers (not just because of the voom cancellation).
Shaun @ May 14th 2008 1:19AM
Looks like the other 5 were dropped.... good bye Voom
Nick @ May 14th 2008 2:17AM
My parents has Dishnetwork and the channels that they dropped are worthless. I'm glad they did to make room for new channels.
Newly added channels are much better.
But my three years old niece misses Aniamania 9474 though. But she now has Cartoon HD.
read this why they dropped some of Voom's channels.
http://www.tvpredictions.com/forum/comments.php?y=08&m=05&entry=entry080506-061502
pianoman @ Jun 8th 2008 4:00AM
they must don't have a 1080p tv either to experience the won der of vooms real hd channels, all of the new whack channeles that dish added are stretch hd, not real.. we all must drop dish for this..
pm
pete @ May 14th 2008 2:45AM
I'm dropping Dish Network now that they took both Monsters HD and Kung Fu HD off their line up. Those were my 2 favorite channels. They could've added 200 HD channels and it still wouldn't matter. I'm not happy at all right now. If I sound like a baby, that's fine, but there is no reason for me to use their service anymore.
tony @ May 14th 2008 2:49AM
Waiting to see whether they could make a deal with Dish or make a deal with another carrier.
They won't last long if they rely solely on Optimum.
If I can't get Monsters HD anywhere, then i'm not keeping Dish Network.
Chiller channel is NOWHERE NEAR as good as Monsters HD!!!
Johnny Venom @ May 14th 2008 4:04AM
Well, it looks like the rest of Voom is off the Dish system. Kung Fu and Monsters and Equator are not on my system here in Chicago. Anyone else?
p @ May 14th 2008 4:31AM
I'm in Jersey and their all gone for me as well.
mk @ May 14th 2008 4:54AM
most stuff on Dish I watched was GameplayHD/monstersHD and KungFu HD when I get the time. this is a huge loss. I can't beleive this!!!!!!!!!!!!
everyone needs to complain so they bring VOOM back!!!!!!!
Fred @ May 14th 2008 6:37AM
My mother and i have been gamers since i was just a kid but mom is older now and really cant handle a controller anymore. We loved watching Gameplay HD tourneys. It really made her feel like she was gaming again.
PS. yes!! i live in the basement. sue me :)
nathan @ May 14th 2008 1:49PM
Wow this is a BIG DRAG. I watched Film Fest and World Cinema all the time, and select stuff on Monsters and Kung Fu. In fact, Voom movie channels were second only to HDNET in terms of quality transfers and broadcasts of movies in HD in OAR. And those four Voom 24 hr/day/365 days per year HDTV OAR movie channels had the best selection of films in HD anywhere!
joe @ May 14th 2008 3:42PM
wow, seriously, the content on those channels was aging.. i LOVED RUSH when i first saw they had an actual HD channel dedicated to action sports but seeing as the latest programing is last summer and thats rare at that.. i will only miss RAVE and Monsters HD, but really not that much...
Josh @ May 14th 2008 9:55PM
Come on people...wake up... think quality over quantity. After all, we are speaking about HD content, right?
Who cares if someone has 500 "HD" channels. Very few of them are actually HD anyway.
quality over quantity
rallen @ May 15th 2008 12:49AM
Equator was our most watched channel, and World Cinema carried great foreign language films. From my view, Dish has replace filet with hamburger ... and the burger has a lot of additives in the form of commercials. I did not invest in HD for any of the 'new' channels, which often looked better in STDV in the first place. This requires a call and demand for compensation as this is not the HD package to which I subscribed. It's just a retread of existing programming.
FemmeFM @ May 15th 2008 11:17AM
You are So Right ...
This is a complete and utter DOWNGRADE.... apparently dish decided to cater to the mediocrity and under-educated.
I mean, are there really people who want the weather channel in hd? We already have cartoon network, is there that much a difference in drawings on hd?
The concert channel and equator channel with helicopter journeys around the world are great for babies and toddlers, as well as adults, especially since they're commercial free. Travel channel & MTV just don't cut it.
VOOM Network is far superior and if it lands somewhere else, I'll definitely be switching.
Ben @ May 15th 2008 5:16PM
Contact feedback@customermail.dishnetwork.com
And tell them you want the Voom Network channels back!
Voice your opinion! Also tell them what the hell is up with this BS Programming access for not having your receiver hooked up to your telephone line! It's Ridiculous, you don't need to have a line dedicated to your receiver to order pay per view or anything. You can just go on the site and order what you want.
Programming access fee: $5.00 (bs fee for not having your receiver hooked up to the phone).
Lance @ May 15th 2008 6:23PM
Voom is the only reason I subsribed to Dish. The repeats were annoying,
but overall the content was great, especially Rave, KungFu, Monsters and the other movie channels. I would pay a separate fee just for VOOM.
The added channels are worthless junk stretched out to 16:9. I'm going to look for a new provider.
Sherman @ May 17th 2008 7:07AM
Well Charlie,I'm going to get out of this "sat racket."I miss my Equator,Kung Fu, HD channels.This is America,I think.We have no say innothing anymore.