AT&T U-Verse

[TUalum0982]

I know there has been a thread or two about this topic, but I am looking for an unbiased opinion or review per se.  

Long story short, I have had Directv ever since Feb 08 when we moved into our house.  For some reason, they can't seem to align the dish right.  I get "searching for satellite signal" every time it rains.  On two occasions, the wind knocked my dish out of alignment and it took them 5 days before they could come fix it.  

I am looking into U-verse.  I can't stand Cox, and I am just seeing if anyone out there other then Tim Huntzinger has had any luck with it.  

Uverse has some features that are interesting to me and I am thinking about making the switch. Directv just isn't cutting it.


Thanks

[sgrizzle]

I have noticed since our last discussion that you can now record two HD streams and also watch recorded shows from one room in other rooms.

Still haven't tried it, but just wanted to pass that on.

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I have noticed since our last discussion that you can now record two HD streams and also watch recorded shows from one room in other rooms.

Still haven't tried it, but just wanted to pass that on.

thanks for the info.  I went into an AT&T store but as usual, he told me info that was diff then their own website.  My neighbor had it installed a few weeks ago, but he must do an awful lot of traveling, because I can never seem to catch him when he is home.

[DolfanBob]

Hey Alum I am sorry that you have had such a bad time with your DirecTV. I have been in the Satellite business over 17 years and I have DirecTV at my home. I also have their slimline hd dish and their hd service with dvr. Your problem is not equipment related it is directly related with your install. The dish was not properly aimed and was not secured down with the furnished stabilizer legs or your dish would have not moved in the wind. My KA/KU dish did not even lose signal during the last big hale storm that we had, But I will say this, I have the smaller 3 LNB dish at the other end of my house for my master bedroom and it lost signal during the same storm. At this time DirecTV does not have local installers for Oklahoma because Premier closed their doors in OKC and Tulsa. So if you had a service call done I am sure that it took several day's to get someone out because we are being serviced out of Texas and Kansas. That is why my boss/owner always say's to go with a local retailer because we have our own installers who only work for us. Again Im sorry for all the trouble you are having.

[groundhog]

TUAlum:

I've had Uverse for about 3 weeks now and absolutely love it.  There is no lag as there is with Dish when changing channels or using any of the interactive (ie. search) functions.  The system is unaffected by storms, and I've never lost signal. VERY easy to use remote control and GUI.  

Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by DolfanBob

Hey Alum I am sorry that you have had such a bad time with your DirecTV. I have been in the Satellite business over 17 years and I have DirecTV at my home. I also have their slimline hd dish and their hd service with dvr. Your problem is not equipment related it is directly related with your install. The dish was not properly aimed and was not secured down with the furnished stabilizer legs or your dish would have not moved in the wind. My KA/KU dish did not even lose signal during the last big hale storm that we had, But I will say this, I have the smaller 3 LNB dish at the other end of my house for my master bedroom and it lost signal during the same storm. At this time DirecTV does not have local installers for Oklahoma because Premier closed their doors in OKC and Tulsa. So if you had a service call done I am sure that it took several day's to get someone out because we are being serviced out of Texas and Kansas. That is why my boss/owner always say's to go with a local retailer because we have our own installers who only work for us. Again Im sorry for all the trouble you are having.

you are exactly right.  I waited and waited and waited, and no one showed up for my first appt.  I called, severly pissed off and they said they didnt show me down for a service call.  After several more calls over several hours, then informed me that premier was no longer doing business in the OK area.  (You are correct, the install was horrible).  I have had 3 service calls since Feb and each time they said the dish was loose, had to realign it and they each one said "it ain't going nowhere now".  My parents have had directv for years (atleast 10) and I can count on one hand how many times their service has gone out due to rain/storms.  Once the storm passed, it was back on.  Unfortunately for me, I haven't had the same luck.  It just gets really old, if you have a show you want to watch or an "important game" you have been looking forward to all week, and come to find out, you see "searching for satellite signal".  And add insult to injury, they can't come out for a week to correct the problem.  Directv was high on my list but could never get it because we lived in an apt, but once we built a house, I said the hell with cox.  Now Cox actually looks pretty nice.  Atleast when it rains, I still have a tv to watch!

Thanks for the info

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by groundhog

TUAlum:

I've had Uverse for about 3 weeks now and absolutely love it.  There is no lag as there is with Dish when changing channels or using any of the interactive (ie. search) functions.  The system is unaffected by storms, and I've never lost signal. VERY easy to use remote control and GUI.  

Two enthusiastic thumbs up.

Thank you for the review.  If you could answer a couple of questions for me...

1.  Are you able to record two shows at once?

2.  Are you able to watch recorded shows on diff tv's?

3.  Which package do you have? Do you have their internet bundle as well?

I have been told a few diff things by diff people.  I don't really want/need their AT&T internet as I am happy with Cox thus far.  I am just wanting a diff cable provider.  

Thanks again

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982


Thank you for the review.  If you could answer a couple of questions for me...

1.  Are you able to record two shows at once?

2.  Are you able to watch recorded shows on diff tv's?

3.  Which package do you have? Do you have their internet bundle as well?

I have been told a few diff things by diff people.  I don't really want/need their AT&T internet as I am happy with Cox thus far.  I am just wanting a diff cable provider.  

Thanks again

1. Up to FOUR DVR streams.
2. Each set has a box and the DVR content recorded from that box stays with that set.
3. Think we have the 400 w/the internet.  Awesome clarity, faster web, no contract, no activation fees.

I am biased sure but this stuff makes Cox Digital look like an eight-track player.  I love the Picture-in-Picture preview and the ability to hide channels I do not watch so that my surfing is a lot more enjoyable.

The 2x HD streams are available if one is close enough to the 'node.'

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982


Thank you for the review.  If you could answer a couple of questions for me...

1.  Are you able to record two shows at once?

2.  Are you able to watch recorded shows on diff tv's?

3.  Which package do you have? Do you have their internet bundle as well?

I have been told a few diff things by diff people.  I don't really want/need their AT&T internet as I am happy with Cox thus far.  I am just wanting a diff cable provider.  

Thanks again

1. Up to FOUR DVR streams.
2. Each set has a box and the DVR content recorded from that box stays with that set.
3. Think we have the 400 w/the internet.  Awesome clarity, faster web, no contract, no activation fees.

I am biased sure but this stuff makes Cox Digital look like an eight-track player.  I love the Picture-in-Picture preview and the ability to hide channels I do not watch so that my surfing is a lot more enjoyable.

The 2x HD streams are available if one is close enough to the 'node.'

I have been told by a reputable source or two....that in the coming months they will have the ability to have 1 box, and watch a recorded show on either tv. I am not familiar how that would work, but they are saying it should be here in Nov.

[patric]

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982

I have been told by a reputable source or two....that in the coming months they will have the ability to have 1 box, and watch a recorded show on either tv. I am not familiar how that would work, but they are saying it should be here in Nov.

That may be an option where you are not actually recording on your DVR's hard drive, but rather streaming content from the provider's server.
In that instance, insted of "recording" a program you are merely indexing it to summon it later on any machine on your account.

I concur with the DirecTV comments earlier.  The problem you are describing is bad installation rather than a bad product.  When I was traveling with my 18" DirecTV dish I could prop it up with a couple of sandbags and my picture would blow away cable... People in RV's do that routinely.

U-Verse was buried in my neighborhood last winter so im looking at that as a possible upgrade from DSL.  Cable Modem is just one big open network.

[Hoss]

quote:Originally posted by tim huntzinger

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982


Thank you for the review.  If you could answer a couple of questions for me...

1.  Are you able to record two shows at once?

2.  Are you able to watch recorded shows on diff tv's?

3.  Which package do you have? Do you have their internet bundle as well?

I have been told a few diff things by diff people.  I don't really want/need their AT&T internet as I am happy with Cox thus far.  I am just wanting a diff cable provider.  

Thanks again

1. Up to FOUR DVR streams.
2. Each set has a box and the DVR content recorded from that box stays with that set.
3. Think we have the 400 w/the internet.  Awesome clarity, faster web, no contract, no activation fees.

I am biased sure but this stuff makes Cox Digital look like an eight-track player.  I love the Picture-in-Picture preview and the ability to hide channels I do not watch so that my surfing is a lot more enjoyable.

The 2x HD streams are available if one is close enough to the 'node.'

We know you're biased.

More than half the people I've talked to say it's not available to them.  Neither is it available to me.

And Cox has the same ability to hide channels you do not watch on all their digital boxes.

Guess what?  My dl with Cox is about 22 down with no contract.  Never have had one with Cox.

AT&T didn't have any problems forcing me to carry one when I had DSL though.

I'm guessing that Cox will do better since AT&T's mantra is 'get it to the people who can afford it faster according to the area of the city you live in'.

AT&T can quit mailing me stuff about getting Uverse now, since I can't.

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by TUalum0982



I have been told by a reputable source or two....that in the coming months they will have the ability to have 1 box, and watch a recorded show on either tv. I am not familiar how that would work, but they are saying it should be here in Nov.

That is correct.

[sgrizzle]

I've been trying all morning to price it but either the server timed out or told me it was not in my area (despite the fact I had AT&T employees on my porch telling me it was and I'm almost within eyesight of the box)

[TUalum0982]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I've been trying all morning to price it but either the server timed out or told me it was not in my area (despite the fact I had AT&T employees on my porch telling me it was and I'm almost within eyesight of the box)

That is/was my issue too.  Our house is served by Jenks (ie water, sewer, schools, fire, police) but our address says sapulpa.  So it throws the website for a loop.  I go into the store, and they say it is in my neighborhood, and my neighbor has it.  I am like well that is good to know.

I am just trying to get a clear understanding of what the box is able to do right now.  AT&T needs to get their **** together!

[tim huntzinger]

quote:Originally posted by sgrizzle

I've been trying all morning to price it but either the server timed out or told me it was not in my area (despite the fact I had AT&T employees on my porch telling me it was and I'm almost within eyesight of the box)

You are in like flynn, Grizz! And Alum if you PM me your street address I have a tool that I can check with.