Voom...

[mhz40]

Jeff Baumgartner, CED

VOOM, Cablevision Systems Corp.'s HDTV-heavy DBS service, is about to get even heavier.

VOOM said it will expand its current lineup of 39 hi-def channels to more than 70 by March 2004 after eating up 16 transponders on the SES Americom AMC-6 satellite, also known as "Rainbow 2." VOOM also plans to simultaneously beef up its lineup with 200 standard-definition channels.

VOOM will use the new capacity to lure consumers hungry for more HDTV fare. So far, that strategy has only generated about 26,000 subscribers during VOOM's first year in operation.

The expansion to 70-plus HD channels "will allow us to continue to provide more high-definition video services than any other cable or satellite provider," said Tom Dolan, CEO of VOOM parent Rainbow Media Enterprises.

VOOM said it will be able to squeeze out more HD programming through the use of a new encoding system from Harmonic Inc. that takes advantage of advanced codecs. Harmonic's MV 100, initially configured to encode video in MPEG-2, is software-upgradeable to the more bandwidth efficient MPEG-4 codec. VOOM noted that its set-tops are already outfitted to handle MPEG-4 signals.

Separately, Rainbow Media said it has contracted Lockheed Martin to build five Ka-band satellites that will enable VOOM to boost its channel capacity to more than 5,000 HDTV channels when operating in "spot beam mode." Rainbow expects the first of those birds to launch in about 34 months.

VOOM's declaration only adds more pressure on cable operators to expand their own HDTV lineups.

In September, DirecTV said it would launch four satellites with enough capacity to deliver "hundreds" of HDTV channels.

The first two birds - Spaceway 1 and Spaceway 2, will go up in 2005. The final two, DirecTV 10 and DirecTV 11, are set to launch in early 2007.

[gparris]

Surprising that this information would come from you, mhz40.

Perhaps the heating up of the competition (satellite) will help us TWC HD-package subscribers get more HD channel offerings like Cinemax HD, Starz! HD and of course, the current forum "favourite", Universal HD Channel....

It couldn't hurt!;)

[kjnorman]

It will all be for nothing unless Voom provides us with a way to record their content.

[Gregg Lengling]

Of course if VOOM had something in HD worth watching they might get some customers......

[AndrewP]

Sorry, Gregg, but it is not fair...
Unless you disregard HBO HD East, West, Cimemax HD East, West, Stars HD East, West, Showtime HD East, West, Encore HD, MovieChannel HD plus much, much more.

Andrew