I had U-Verse installed about a month ago (trying to save a buck and to finally dump Comcast). But after the U-Verse installer spent 3 hours setting up things, I had him take it all away.

PQ is not as good as my Comcast cable (HD and SD)... and you can only have up to 2 HD sets in a house... Only one if you are on the periphery of the range of the local box that amplifies the signal. Well, I was at the very end of the U-Verse line..

Huge piece of crap system. Moreover the flimsy boxes (no matter HD DVD or regular box) only have one remote code... So no chance of having 2 boxes stacked and controlling one at a time..

I have 7 TVs in my house.. Not all are HD but these days you can't even buy a TV that is not HD capable. So, I'll have many HD TVs at some point.. So, U-verse wouldn't work.

U-verse is simply not ready for prime time. I went Directv an couldn't be happier. Compared to the Directv GUI, the U-verse is so pedestrian, too. It is like something you'd buy at The Dollar Store. It makes sense for people who haven't heard of Hi Def but not for anyone else...



(FWIW - I kept the U-verse internet and phone). Nice modem, includes batter back up. Very slick system.

I had U-Verse installed about a month ago...

PQ is not as good as my Comcast cable (HD and SD)... and you can only have up to 2 HD sets in a house...Common knowledge, and IIRC, you were told all this before.

Common knowledge, and IIRC, you were told all this before.

True Ken.. But I am not as much of a videophile as most.. I can deal with some artifacting and expected it to be somewhat worse tahn my current Comcast - I use Comcast analog... but this was really poor..

Jeff,

I have a similar situation to yours but I'm stuck with Comcast. I have no real complaints about the PQ or channel lineups. My issue with Comcast is they are thieves. $163.00 bucks a month for cable is ridiculous. I have DSL so the Comcast bill is without internet. Highway robbery!


Throughout the house, there are six HDTV's and a projector in the HT

I rent one Comcast Scientific Atlanta 4250HD cable box feeding a JVC 5U D-VHS deck via firewire.

I have one dual tuner S3 HD TiVo, which requires the rental of 2 cable cards + 2 addl. outlet charges (one per cbl. card).

I also have two dual tuner TiVo HD's, which require one M Card per TiVo and an addl. outlet charge per M-Card.

The TiVo's and the SA 4250HD Cbl. box are distributed via HDMI and can be selected for viewing on any TV or in the HT.

We can record 6 HD shows simultaneously on the TiVo's and a seventh HD show on the D-VHS. While 7 HD recordings at once is not likely to occur, Comcast provides the bandwidth to allow for this this.

U Verse's IPTV system does not offer cable card capability. Therefore, my investment in HD TiVo's would be wasted. If I'm correct, there is no firewire output on the U Verse box, so I would also lose the ability to record and archive programs on the D-VHS deck.

U Verse does not have the bandwidth or features to satisfy my HD viewing or recording requirements.

Satellite has no cable card capability, so that's not an option for me either.

If we only had Verizon FIOS in CT!

You do have a dilemma... And you are right, Comcast does plain and simple steal for what they provide.. I am not much of a TV watcher (I have 2 HD DVRs) but sleep better knowing I don't have to deal with Comcast anymore...

U-Verse uses VDSL which is a high speed DSL product with a very limited range for the maximum data rate. Like DSL, as the distance from the transmitter node increases the data rate decreases. The signal is transmitted over twisted pair cable like DSL and your telephone. It is a fiber to the Node product so the high speed part terminates in a pedestal somewhere in the neighborhood and is distributed over telephone lines to your house.

AT&T tried to do a rollout "on the cheap". They ended up w/ no real benefit and the worst of both worlds.

I remember articles when VZ began their Fios rollout and AT&T talking about w/ IPTV it wasn't necessary it roll fiber to the home and the increased cost would doom fios.

AT&T tried to be cheap. FTTN + VDSL costs about 25% as much as fiber right to the house. They figured they could wire 4x as many homes for same price. For what it costs VZ to wire 1 million homes FTTH they could wire 4 million homes FTTN.

The bad news is they didn't consider WHY anyone would want it.
What advantage does it offer the consumer compared to:
Sat TV
CATV
Fios

The answer is nothing. The limitations are due to the single benefit = cost only benefits AT&T.

AT&T has begun rolling out FTTH very similar to FiOS in other markets. Bad news is to avoid looking like idiots they are keeping FTTN in certain areas.

That will be great for the consumer. I product name but two radically different systems depending on where you live.

IPTV isn't necessarily bad. With FTTH, a whole house DVR, single M Card, quad tuner, and good software (Tivo license?) the consumer really would have no disadvantage using IPTV.

UVerse doesn't use mpeg4 which is another bad tech decision. 4 HD streams using mpeg4 could be done with 50. Throw in another 20mbps for internet (which can also handle peak bitrate load on 4 streams) and you have a usable solution.

AT&T tried to push too much on too small of a pipe. It didn't work. I give them 2-3 years before they kill off the FTTN version of UVerse and really goes after FTTH. Of course that then puts them about 4-5 years behind VZ.

AT&T tried to do a rollout "on the cheap". They ended up w/ no real benefit and the worst of both worlds.

I remember articles when VZ began their Fios rollout and AT&T talking about w/ IPTV it wasn't necessary it roll fiber to the home and the increased cost would doom fios.

AT&T tried to be cheap. FTTN + VDSL costs about 25% as much as fiber right to the house. They figured they could wire 4x as many homes for same price. For what it costs VZ to wire 1 million homes FTTH they could wire 4 million homes FTTN.

The bad news is they didn't consider WHY anyone would want it.
What advantage does it offer the consumer compared to:
Sat TV
CATV
Fios

The answer is nothing. The limitations are due to the single benefit = cost only benefits AT&T.

AT&T has begun rolling out FTTH very similar to FiOS in other markets. Bad news is to avoid looking like idiots they are keeping FTTN in certain areas.

That will be great for the consumer. I product name but two radically different systems depending on where you live.

IPTV isn't necessarily bad. With FTTH, a whole house DVR, single M Card, quad tuner, and good software (Tivo license?) the consumer really would have no disadvantage using IPTV.

UVerse doesn't use mpeg4 which is another bad tech decision. 4 HD streams using mpeg4 could be done with 50. Throw in another 20mbps for internet (which can also handle peak bitrate load on 4 streams) and you have a usable solution.

AT&T tried to push too much on too small of a pipe. It didn't work. I give them 2-3 years before they kill off the FTTN version of UVerse and really goes after FTTH. Of course that then puts them about 4-5 years behind VZ.


Good explanation!


"I give them 2-3 years before they kill off the FTTN version of UVerse and really goes after FTTH".

By that rtme, my JVC D-VHS deck will probably be dead and something I like better than TiVo may be on the market? U-Verse may be worth a look when AT&T runs fiber into my home. Until then, I'm stuck with Comcast.


Jeff,

I'm not a big TV watcher either. The wife and kids love the TiVo time shifting abilities for their HD shows. I'm sure in a year or two some ground breaking technology will change everything. Perhaps Kaleidescape will introduce a whole house HD DVR system with expandable tuner ports?

How do you like Satellite VS. Cable?

Are you going with a Sim 2 LUMIS?

You do have a dilemma... And you are right, Comcast does plain and simple steal for what they provide.. I am not much of a TV watcher (I have 2 HD DVRs) but sleep better knowing I don't have to deal with Comcast anymore...

Not quite as wonderful as the Comcast Town drones say it is, huh? If the ad series is running in your market, you'll see what I mean: The thing is a huge insult to their customers.

They'll keep on stealing until more people do just as you have done: Ditch 'em.

Good explanation!


"I give them 2-3 years before they kill off the FTTN version of UVerse and really goes after FTTH".

By that rtme, my JVC D-VHS deck will probably be dead and something I like better than TiVo may be on the market? U-Verse may be worth a look when AT&T runs fiber into my home. Until then, I'm stuck with Comcast.


Jeff,

I'm not a big TV watcher either. The wife and kids love the TiVo time shifting abilities for their HD shows. I'm sure in a year or two some ground breaking technology will change everything. Perhaps Kaleidescape will introduce a whole house HD DVR system with expandable tuner ports?

How do you like Satellite VS. Cable?

Are you going with a Sim 2 LUMIS?


Actually, I am waiting for Ash's review as he has the same throw and will use the T3 lens wide open (end of zoom) - just like I will... I want to see where his calibrated lumens add up to... He has a 12' wide screen and I have a 14' wide - about a 1/3 more viewing area. Hope he is good on low lamp mode... THen I'll likely be OK on hi lamp...

I like Satellite. The GUI is so much better, more channels and the mix channels are great!!! I am very pleased!

I moved to a new house and at the new location AT&T told me they didn't offer DSL. They said they offered U-verse but to get high speed internet I also had to get the TV service but I could cancel the TV service after 1 month. I got the high speed internet and the TV service and then canceled the TV service after one month. I have Dish Network and had no intention of giving up their 622 HD DVR and all their 150 something HD channels.

I never really tried the U-verse TV service because I got the cheapest available package at $44 per month which really wasn't what I watch. I considered this a high speed internet installation cost.

Rick R

I moved to a new house and at the new location AT&T told me they didn't offer DSL. They said they offered U-verse but to get high speed internet I also had to get the TV service but I could cancel the TV service after 1 month. I got the high speed internet and the TV service and then canceled the TV service after one month. I have Dish Network and had no intention of giving up their 622 HD DVR and all their 150 something HD channels.

I never really tried the U-verse TV service because I got the cheapest available package at $44 per month which really wasn't what I watch. I considered this a high speed internet installation cost.

Rick R


Wow! That's a real scam AT&T played on you. All utility companies are simply raking us over the coals these days and unless we're willing to "do without", there's not much that can be done about it. I'm not the kind of person who would have my land lines disconnected and use a cell phone or who would give up HBO and other premium TV channels in lieu of OTA reception or give up DSL and go back to Dial-UP. Therefore, my only outlet is to whine about it and co-commiserate with other like minded individuals here at AVS.

I guess my true complaint stems from the fact that there is no value in the the services we receive from the utility companies, especially the so called premium service providers. It would be nice to get something out of the deal that makes me think I'm getting a good value for my money. There's an old adage in sales, "If the customer doesn't complain about the price, then the price is too low". When purchasing goods, one can always opt to walk away from a purchase, but with utilities what can be done besides choosing to "live in the dark"?

due entirely to the cost issue vs. Comcast, and the seeming advantages of multi-room DVR watching, etc. I'm unsatisfied, and cursing myself for not perusing this forum and doing more pre-research. While I enjoy watching taped programs in other rooms of the house, and generally like the program guide and lineup, that is where the happiness ends. Huge disadvantage of not being able to watch one high def program while taping another in high def concurrently is just criminal. And the box is setup to output only in high def no matter the program material, unlike comcast where you can set the box separately for high def and non-high def channels. This results in having to use their box's "stretch" feature on non-high def content, which is inferior to my tv's (pioneer). Have noticed the PQ issue as well. Well, the $200 rebate will be nice, but that's it. sigh.

P.S. Does anyone know how to access the service menu on uverse motorola box? I've tried powering off and pressing menu but get nothing.

This is ironic for me since I just logged in to ask some of these same questions. Like some of you I just got on board with U-verse and I'm not happy. The picture quality is not as good as what I had with Comcast. The colors just look anemic. I have some slight flickering sometimes and the tearing is noticable when watching video with a lot of panning like basketball. I loved the concept of being able to choose my recordings from the web and only recording one item and being able to watch it on any TV. However, what they never mention is that you can only make the recording from the DVR itself?! I thought for sure there was a way to do this from one of the other terminals but obviously not.

I might keep it for my internet connection but I can't live with the picture degradation with TV. So this leaves me with one question. In regards to picture quality is DirectTV the best option out there?

In regards to picture quality is DirectTV the best option out there?After OTA and FIOS, yes.

Does anyone know if the Uverse rollout in Charlotte, NC is being done FTTN plus DSL OR FTTH????