April 7, 200917 yr I just got a flyer in the mail that the townhome I am moving into in 2 weeks now has the option to get AT&T's Uverse TV service. Does anyoone have it? If so, like it? dislike it? Thoughts, comments, observations.
April 7, 200917 yr I have it. The HD isn't quite as good because they do a compression that makes the HD somewhat pixelly on basketball in particular, I've noticed. It's weird because football, baseball, hockey I don't notice it but basketball, every game I've watched it pixelates. (I hope those are words, ) The service is pretty good from my experience, but others have had some problems from those who I have talked to. Not huge problems, but problems that took a bit to resolve. The internet - they give you a gateway - I figured out how to put a router behind theirs - which everyone but me seems to have issues with that. It was a b**** but I figured it out because I have wireless N and I wasn't about to go back to wireless G. It took me hours to get it to work right. I've streamed netflix and all that, it does pretty well. Their channel selection has been getting a lot better as they've gotten bigger.
April 7, 200917 yr Funny you should ask. My parents had U-Verse installed at our house last week. Initially, I was against it because I was used to Comcast and hate anything which disrupts my comfort, but it is superior to Comcast. For around the same price my parents were paying for a monthly Comcast subscription (~$100), we receive an AT&T cable box in about every room with a TV, internet connection, and whatever phone service is attached. Now, I don't have HBO, but in its place have Showtime, Flix, TMC, and several of the other networks (Starz, Encore) that were available before with Comcast. All the regular cable channels are included as well. Oh, but the benefits don't stop there. Included in the subscription is a DVR recorder (you can only record with one box, but can watch it anywhere in this house), a nice user interface (ie, when flipping through channels there's a small PIP), and the ability when watching movies on the OnDemand service to quickly fast forward. Everyone who has Comcast probably knows how much of a pain in the ass it is to fast forward movies. It crawls through. With U-Verse there are several steadily increasing options that allow you to quickly get to a certain point. Disadvantages: - Channels are thrown all about the place. Atleast with Comcast they're somewhat isolated around 100 channels. With U-Verse these same channels (ie, AMC, FX,TNT) are thrown about 800 channels. Although, it's probably more around 400 since it skips around numbers. It's a f***ing chore trying to browse through the complete listing, and for the first week you'll never let their channel guide out of your site. -They don't have a reminder feature. It's not a significant problem, the DVR makes up for it, but when there are 800+ channels and you're interested in different shows over different times across different channels, you'll probably have to write it down. I already have had to. -The OnDemand features for UVerse are nowhere near that of Comcast. Personally, the most disappointing feature for me is the lack of a "Free Movies" section. Overall, if I were you I'd consider it. Their internet connection is fairly quick too.
April 7, 200917 yr Author Question on the install, do they just use the existing telephone lines to connect up all the set-top boxes? Or do you need ethernet cable run?
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 10:09 PM) Question on the install, do they just use the existing telephone lines to connect up all the set-top boxes? Or do you need ethernet cable run? You will need to run ethernet - if you don't have it they will do what they need to... for video you can use regular tv cable.
April 7, 200917 yr Author QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 10:11 PM) You will need to run ethernet - if you don't have it they will do what they need to... for video you can use regular tv cable. hmmm.. ok. interesting. i dont really have the option to run ethernet from our family room to the office. that may be a problem.
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 10:16 PM) hmmm.. ok. interesting. i dont really have the option to run ethernet from our family room to the office. that may be a problem. well, let me clarify that. Do you currently run cable? If so, then you could set the gateway up where you have your office, and they can reroute back to the box where your tv is. I will say this for your FYI. One of the things that ATT Uverse is rumoring is that you can actually ftp into your settop box... which of course would probably require ethernet (but I'm not entirely sure). I would LOVE to be able to ftp into my set top box... .
April 7, 200917 yr Author QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 10:33 PM) Do you currently run cable? If so, then you could set the gateway up where you have your office, and they can reroute back to the box where your tv is. I will say this for your FYI. One of the things that ATT Uverse is rumoring is that you can actually ftp into your settop box... which of course would probably require ethernet (but I'm not entirely sure). I would LOVE to be able to ftp into my set top box... . Basically, the whole townhome ifs pre-wired for phone. but there is no ethernet or coax. There is SOME coax that was installed by the previous owners who used Dish. So, I might be able to reuse some of it.
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 10:48 PM) Basically, the whole townhome ifs pre-wired for phone. but there is no ethernet or coax. There is SOME coax that was installed by the previous owners who used Dish. So, I might be able to reuse some of it. They'll run what you need. I would suggest ethernet if they will run it just in case the whole ftp settop box prediction comes true because that's major sweet if they really do that.
April 7, 200917 yr Author QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 10:53 PM) They'll run what you need. I would suggest ethernet if they will run it just in case the whole ftp settop box prediction comes true because that's major sweet if they really do that. well, i know at least in my family room, i will have an apple airport express. So, they can just hook up to that for the ethernet. The more I read, i dont think the coax run from our office (where the gateway would be loacated) to the family room will be a problem.
April 7, 200917 yr Author FYI: I've been ding some more searching. Uverse uses HomePNA which is basically IP (ethernet) over coax. So, in reality, as long as all the componants are connected with coax, you dont need to run ethernet.
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Athomeboy_2000 @ Apr 6, 2009 -> 11:04 PM) FYI: I've been ding some more searching. Uverse uses HomePNA which is basically IP (ethernet) over coax. So, in reality, as long as all the componants are connected with coax, you dont need to run ethernet. That makes sense. But I think if you run ethernet from the gateway to the set top box, then that's the ftp thing I keep talking about. As far as getting to the gateway, you're exactly right.
April 7, 200917 yr I love my U-Verse. I get more than I did with Comcast and it's cheaper. Only thing I don't like is no MLB channel or Extra Innings...yet.
April 7, 200917 yr Well, I just found another disadvantage -- I can't watch the f***ing Sox game on CSN. It's strange, because before I clicked on the channel it came up at the bottom as a PIP with what appeared to be an ESPN bar at the top of the screen. When I clicked, it just went completely black. I have no problem with CSN when there isn't a game on. I just know this is going to be a pain in the ass problem to resolve. I should have no issues regarding blackouts, yet here I have this crap.
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Apr 7, 2009 -> 02:01 PM) Well, I just found another disadvantage -- I can't watch the f***ing Sox game on CSN. It's strange, because before I clicked on the channel it came up at the bottom as a PIP with what appeared to be an ESPN bar at the top of the screen. When I clicked, it just went completely black. I have no problem with CSN when there isn't a game on. I just know this is going to be a pain in the ass problem to resolve. I should have no issues regarding blackouts, yet here I have this crap. It shouldn't be blacked out, right? Or is this the MLB bulls***? I thought local games weren't blacked out?
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (kapkomet @ Apr 7, 2009 -> 02:05 PM) It shouldn't be blacked out, right? Or is this the MLB bulls***? I thought local games weren't blacked out? It came on about 10 minutes after my post.
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Apr 7, 2009 -> 03:46 PM) It came on about 10 minutes after my post. That's good. I think if I were paying for that up there I'd have blown a gasket.
April 7, 200917 yr QUOTE (Flash Tizzle @ Apr 7, 2009 -> 03:46 PM) It came on about 10 minutes after my post. I was one of the hundreds of people that were calling them. Ha First guy gave me some BS excuse then called back and got someone else who gave me another bad excuse. Called a third time and got a recorded message saying they were working on getting the game on. I would had been sooooo pissed.
April 8, 200917 yr QUOTE (RockRaines @ Apr 8, 2009 -> 11:11 AM) Why no HBO though? They have it in their highest teir. You can get it separate if you want it though.
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