Voom HD Networks

Infobox_Company
company_name = Voom HD Networks
company_
company_type = Private company
country = USA
foundation = 2004
key_people = Greg Moyer, General Manager
location = Jericho, New York
num_employees =
industry = Media, High-definition television
products = Broadcasting, Television Production
revenue =
owner = Rainbow Media
homepage = [http://www.voom.tv/ www.voom.tv]

Voom HD Networks are a group of 15 original high-definition television channels that are owned by Rainbow Media, a subsidiary of Cablevision. The channels are produced in true High Definition with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound and are the largest suite of HD channels in the world. As of June 25, 2007 these channels were available through Dish Network and Cablevision in New York, New Jersey and Connecticut. Without any warning to its subscribers, Dish Network removed [cite news|title = Dish Network: No Room For Voom|url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6560688.html|publisher = Multichannel News|date = 2008-05-13] 10 of the channels from their lineup on May 12, 2008 and the remaining 5 were removed [cite news|title = Dish Lowers Boom On Rest Of Voom|url = http://www.multichannel.com/article/CA6561003.html|publisher = Multichannel News|date = 2008-05-14] the next day.

History

The Voom HD Networks were originally part of the Voom DTH satellite platform launched by Cablevision. Its goal was to become the first television provider with a lineup consisting mainly of High Definition TV networks, in addition to regular Standard definition channels. As part of this endeavour, Voom launched 21 original channels that were completely in HD.

The original Voom HD was a competitor to the established DirecTV and Dish Network systems. Voom was operated by Rainbow DBS Company, a subsidiary of Cablevision. In 2004, the organization promoted itself by advertising that it had more high-definition television channels available than its competitors.

Service was broadcast via the Rainbow-1 communications satellite, which was built by Lockheed Martin and launched on July 17, 2003. The satellite is currently still in orbit, and has been made part of the Dish Network fleet and rebranded as Echostar XII. It operates from the 61.5°W orbital location, over the Atlantic Ocean. As the sole transmission path for Voom, however, the satellite's low position in the sky on the west coast often made the service more difficult to receive than those of its competitors.

In early 2005, Voom's parent company Cablevision announced it would seek "strategic alternatives" for Rainbow Media Enterprises, the business unit that contains its Voom satellite service, leaving the future of Voom questionable. After a bitter dispute in the boardroom, Charles Dolan (the founder of Cablevision) ousted three board members who pushed for the extinction of Voom.

Dolan had until March 31 to arrange for Voom's assets to be purchased. When that deadline passed, Cablevision's board proceeded to shut Voom down. The service was shut off on April 30, 2005. Rainbow-1 and VOOM's spectrum allocations were sold to EchoStar. The day before, Dish Network announced that they would be adding ten of Voom's Original 21 channels to their lineup starting May 1. The remaining channels would be added by 2006.

Unlike most discontinued direct broadcast satellite systems in the United States such as PrimeStar and AlphaStar, the Voom set-top boxes are still useful even though the service is gone; they can be used to receive ATSC off-air signals. Voom set-top boxes have commanded prices upwards of $100 on websites such as eBay as people seek a less expensive way to receive digital off-air broadcasts.

After the failure and shutdown of the Voom service, Rainbow Media kept the HD channels going and relaunched them under the name "Voom HD Networks." Due to issues surrounding the formatting of the channels, fifteen of the 21 original channels were initially retained, with improved programming as the goal of the consolidation. Meanwhile, the five remaining channels that Dish Network did not initially carry were added to their lineup on February 1, 2006.

Voom's HD collection was added to Cablevision's cable TV HD-lineup in late June 2007, in addition to continuing to run on Dish Network. On May 14, 2008, Dish Network discontinued VOOM HD channels.

Channels

*Animania HD †
*Equator HD ‡
*Family Room HD †
*Film Fest HD †
*Gallery HD †
*GamePlay HD †
*HD News †
*Kung Fu HD ‡
*Monsters HD ‡
*Rave HD ‡
*Rush HD ‡
*Treasure HD †
*UltraHD †
*VOOM HD Movies †
*World Sport HD †

† Removed by Dish May 12, 2008‡ Removed by Dish May 13, 2008

Voom programming in Canada

In 2005, Rainbow Media signed a licensing and programming deal with Canadian company High Fidelity HDTV allowing them to air programming from the Voom HD Networks on their own channels and use of the Voom brand and branding of several of their channels. Thus far High Fidelity HDTV has launched 4 channels with three having the same names as their Voom counterparts:

*Equator HD (Canada)
*Oasis HD
*Rush HD (Canada)
*Treasure HD (Canada)

Voom programming in Europe

UK and Ireland

In 2008, Rainbow Media launched a Voom HD channel in the United Kingdom on Sky Digital. They are also planning to have further channels launched sometime in the next two years:

*Rush HD

Coming Soon:

*UltraHD

Mainland Europe

Rainbow Media also offers a channel called Voom HD in Scandinavia, the Netherlands and Belgium. This channel carries HD content from the different channels in the USA.

References

External links

* [http://www.voom.tv Official Voom HD Networks website]