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I have a 46" 1080p Sharp TV. My Uverse set top is hooked up via HDMI. Uverse HD quality is noticeably worse than Time Warner HD, especially sports. I have had it for a year and reliability wise, its been rock solid. Just wish they increased their bitrates for their HD programming. I've been mulling switching back, but the unresponsive STB software used on TWC was unbearable when I left.
I found this thread really interesting. AT&T recently ran fiberoptic to our neighborhood and have been soliciting folks to change to U-Verse. I am considering it b/c it appears the price is about 20 -25% lower than equivalent TWC service (and that's the reduced price I currently have after arguing w/several different TWC reps about their price-switching tactics).
The HD picture quality sounds like a significant concern. I have a nice 55" Sammy on one wall and a 40" Sammy in another room. I doubt it'd be a problem on the 40" tv, but I may not be happy with the picture on the 55" one. Hmm.
Also, if you get the bundle with phone and internet service, do those devices count in the "4 at a time" issue? I presume not, but, if so, that could be a deal killer for me.
Phone and internet DO NOT count toward the 4 feeds. That is TV only.
HD Quality is only a concern for high movement programs like sports. Even then, it's mostly good except when the camera is panning quickly across a large area.
Literally minutes ago, my wife signed us up to switch from TWC/TiVo to U-Verse (U200/Max) after an AT&T guy came door-to-door. Deal seemed to cut our TV/Internet bundle from $125/mo to $100/mo, but now that I'm looking over the info it doesn't look so good:
- That $100 is before taxes. The $125 for TWC is after taxes.
- The U-verse plan is for "Max" Internet of "up to 12 Mbps". From what I've read, that's about what you get...people seem to report speed tests coming in just under that advertised rate. We're currently on TWC standard, which should be giving about 10 Mbps, but we're getting 24 Mbps. So my Internet speed will be sliced in half. To get back up to 24 Mbps on U-verse, it looks like it'd be another $15/month.
- HD not included on U-verse. It's an extra $10/month on all but the highest packages. HD is included on TWC.
- The $100 promo pricing for U-verse seems to only be good for 6 months, after which it goes up to $128 (plus taxes). My wife said she was told pricing was good for two years, but I suspect that's the base $128 pricing that's locked in. The promo expires in six months.
- $36 activation fee for U-verse. The door-to-door guy touted free installation, but apparently failed to mention the activation fee.
- No Netflix streaming. We stream Netflix all the time to our two TVs from our TiVo boxes. I've got an Apple TV that can stream to one TV if we switch, but we'd have to pick up some other box or a Netflix-ready DVD/Blu-ray player for the other one I guess.
One TiVo is on a yearly plan and just about up, but our other one is halfway through a three-year plan. So we'd be eating the rest of that. It's a sunk cost that my wife thought would be okay given that we'd be saving $25/month by switching to U-verse with DVR included. So on the anti-TWC side we do have to consider future TiVo service costs. With long-term subscriptions, those come out to around a total of $15/month.
- No Netflix streaming. We stream Netflix all the time to our two TVs from our TiVo boxes. I've got an Apple TV that can stream to one TV if we switch, but we'd have to pick up some other box or a Netflix-ready DVD/Blu-ray player for the other one I guess.
I can't stand TWC so I recently switched to DirecTv and AT&T DSL. I did not know about the exclusion of Netflix on U-Verse.
I will always be with DirecTv because of the NFL package and the NFL Network, but I was considering a move to U-Verse for internet access when available. The infrastructure to my neighborhood currently only allows 6 mb/s DSL but AT&T is working to upgrade for U-Verse. Hearing your informative post I will now either stay with AT&T or switch back to TWC for Internet only.
A provider shouldn't be able to block content based on what it feels is competition. Net Neutrality should win out here.
I can't stand TWC so I recently switched to DirecTv and AT&T DSL. I did not know about the exclusion of Netflix on U-Verse.
I will always be with DirecTv because of the NFL package and the NFL Network, but I was considering a move to U-Verse for internet access when available. The infrastructure to my neighborhood currently only allows 6 mb/s DSL but AT&T is working to upgrade for U-Verse. Hearing your informative post I will now either stay with AT&T or switch back to TWC for Internet only.
A provider shouldn't be able to block content based on what it feels is competition. Net Neutrality should win out here.
I *think* SFS is noting the lack of a Netflix app on the ATT set top box and not a prohibition of using Netflix in conjunction with the ISP service.
That can be fixed with a relatively cheap box as he notes.
The pricing does seem off - the TWC triple play appears to be cheaper over 12 months. Although the Uverse DVRs get much better reviews than the TWC junk.
I *think* SFS is noting the lack of a Netflix app on the ATT set top box and not a prohibition of using Netflix in conjunction with the ISP service.
That can be fixed with a relatively cheap box as he notes.
The pricing does seem off - the TWC triple play appears to be cheaper over 12 months. Although the Uverse DVRs get much better reviews than the TWC junk.
Frank
Thanks for the clarification. In that case bring on the U-Verse. We stream from our iPhones, PS3, and embedded applications from devices such as the TV.
I've used AT&T Uverse for just over a year. I just moved and now have it at my new home. I am very happy with it. I have NEVER had to call them for any sort of issue. It's been trouble free. No problem with connection, speed, quality, etc. Prior to this I used TWC for years. Those folks drove me nuts with tech issue which took months to resolve. I was forever rebooting the modem, losing signal, etc. Now, thanks to AT&T that is a distant memory
I *think* SFS is noting the lack of a Netflix app on the ATT set top box and not a prohibition of using Netflix in conjunction with the ISP service.
That can be fixed with a relatively cheap box as he notes.
Correct...I was simply noting that there's no Netflix streaming built into the U-verse box as there is with my TiVo box. Not a huge cost to pick up something that can substitute, but it's another hurdle that eats into the cost savings.
My wife informs me that she was told that the $100 rate she was quoted will be good for two years, even though it's written up on the work order and in the online order confirmation as being for six months. She says we just have to call a retention number she was given in order to have it continued beyond the 6-month period.
Of course, nowhere is that "promise" in writing, so should I just believe the sales guy?
Correct...I was simply noting that there's no Netflix streaming built into the U-verse box as there is with my TiVo box. Not a huge cost to pick up something that can substitute, but it's another hurdle that eats into the cost savings.
My wife informs me that she was told that the $100 rate she was quoted will be good for two years, even though it's written up on the work order and in the online order confirmation as being for six months. She says we just have to call a retention number she was given in order to have it continued beyond the 6-month period.
Of course, nowhere is that "promise" in writing, so should I just believe the sales guy?
LOL .... were his lips moving?
That said, they need to be competitive or you can exercise your freedom of choice.
Frank
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