Audio Video News

Those of us still mourning the imminent and unstoppable demise of VOOM, the ill-fated HD-centric satellite service, are being offered a reduced price on a second chance at HD nirvana from DIRECTV. Although it's small consolation to the thirty-some thousand VOOM devotees who are at this moment longingly stroking their VOOM remote controls and asking, "Why? Why me?", at least it's something.

In an effort to capture the subscription dollars of dismayed VOOM customers before they get snapped up by cable or satellite rival DISH Network, DIRECTV is dangling the enticing promise of a $200 mail-in rebate on DIRECTV HD equipment until June 30, 2005. In an unsurprisingly self-serving statement, Neal Tiles, the executive vice president of Marketing at DIRECTV said, "VOOM customers need not despair over the loss of their HD programming. Our offer provides VOOM customers with an easy way to join the DIRECTV HD family, and thanks to unprecedented HD programming growth, including the launch of new HD programming during the second half of this year, there's never been a better time to become a DIRECTV HD customer."

To take advantage of DIRECTV's offer, VOOM customers need to purchase a DIRECTV HD system before June 30, 2005, subscribe to any TOTAL CHOICE programming package for one year and activate the DIRECTV HD package. The activation includes three months of free DIRECTV HD programming. The $200 rebate nets the price of an installed DIRECTV HD system down to as low as $99, or the rebate can be applied toward the purchase of a DIRECTV HD DVR. (How can anyone not go with an HD DVR?) Once VOOM customers have accepted their lot in life, they need to download DIRECTV's mail-in rebate form and send it in with proof of a VOOM subscription (copious tears and sobbing does not count as proof) and a new DIRECTV HD system activation.

DIRECTV's HD offerings include HD feeds from all four major broadcast networks - ABC, CBS, NBC, and Fox (in select markets) - and an HD package (pitiful in comparison to VOOM's but, alas, at least it's still being broadcast) that includes ESPN HD, Discovery HD Theater, HDNet, HDNet Movies, and Universal HD. The HD subscription package is available for $10.99 per month. DIRECTV says that ESPN2 HD will be added later in the year at no additional charge. Premium package subscribers who have HD receivers can also watch HBO HDTV and SHO HD as part of the premium package subscription and are graciously allowed to fork over more cash by ordering HD Pay Per View movies for a mere $4.99 each (when ordered via remote control).

DIRECTV archenemy DISH Network, after purchasing VOOM's sole satellite (Rainbow 1) from Cablevision earlier this year and thereby helping to nail the lid on VOOM's coffin, surprisingly has not made an offer of its own to beleaguered VOOM devotees. Perhaps they know Charlie Ergen is not one of our favorite folks at the moment. (We'll get over it...)

Of course, while a $200 rebate offer is better than a poke in the eye with a stick, the best offer of all from any HD provider would be to provide the bulk of VOOM's 30-plus channels of HD programming that will now no longer be lighting up HDTV screens. DIRECTV says two new satellites planned for launch this year will give them the capability to broadcast more than 500 local HD channels. Two more satellites to be launched in 2007 are said to add more than 1,000 additional local HD channels as well as more than 150 national HD channels.

More HD content is coming. We just have to wait a bit longer...