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drice1234
Joined: 07 Oct 2006
Posts: 1309
Location: Allen, Texas
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| Posted: Fri Dec 04, 2009 11:04 pm Post subject: AT&T U-Verse Opinions |
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Well, they finally have U-Verse available in my neighborhood. Has anyone been using this and if so what do you think? It looks like I can get the best U-Verse package and still be paying quite a bit less than what I currently am for satellite, DSL internet and phone service. I also won't have to worry about losing the signal in bad weather conditions.
Thanks
Dan
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akajester
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 934
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:43 am Post subject: |
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I have all three services and it's working very well. I like that I can login online and change my package any time, without calling.
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Sat Dec 05, 2009 1:30 pm Post subject: |
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Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels. Assume they are using h.264 as the CODEC, but don't be surprised when you learn its below 7Mbps. Yes, they are abusing you, but then it is Ma Bell. And she's a mean b!tch.
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Trust no one. Absolutely no one. Advice of the board.
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 4899
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:40 pm Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: | | Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels. Assume they are using h.264 as the CODEC, but don't be surprised when you learn its below 7Mbps. Yes, they are abusing you, but then it is Ma Bell. And she's a mean b!tch. |
First, when you call, no one is going to know their data rate. Second, that doesn't tell you the whole story because it can include null packets.
Your best source of the info you are asking is actually AVS as ther are plenty of guys over there that measure these things for fun! 
I do believe you get a higher data rate from Verizon though. Verizon is certainly less limited as they are fiber-to-the-premises vs. AT&T's fiber-to-the-node, so Verizon has more bandwidth to play with. Now, is this bandwidth needed? Since AT&T is all IPTV one could argue no, but with the number of HD channels increasing and people watching them I'm think "yes".
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Dave
A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station....
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drice1234
Joined: 07 Oct 2006
Posts: 1309
Location: Allen, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:49 pm Post subject: |
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I am probably going to go with U-verse for phone and internet but hold off on the tv. I was reading on the AT&T U-verse forums and see that dependent on the distance that you are from the equipment you may only be able to receive 1 HD and 3 SD connections. If you are close enough the most that you can get is 2 HD and 2 SD which I could live with. The deal breaker is that you can utilize the pause and rewind live tv feature on only 1 TV at a time. I do like the ability to be able to record 4 shows at a time and being able to watch the recorded video on any of the 4 tv's but I will wait until you are able to control live tv on at least 2 tv's.
Dan
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 4899
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 9:53 pm Post subject: |
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| drice1234 wrote: | I am probably going to go with U-verse for phone and internet but hold off on the tv. I was reading on the AT&T U-verse forums and see that dependent on the distance that you are from the equipment you may only be able to receive 1 HD and 3 SD connections. If you are close enough the most that you can get is 2 HD and 2 SD which I could live with. The deal breaker is that you can utilize the pause and rewind live tv feature on only 1 TV at a time. I do like the ability to be able to record 4 shows at a time and being able to watch the recorded video on any of the 4 tv's but I will wait until you are able to control live tv on at least 2 tv's.
Dan |
You have Verizon FiOS in your area? You actual site the advantage of sending every channel to the home vs. IPTV in this comment, and that is what Verizon does. You can record as many HD channels as you have tuners. I've recorded 4 HD channels at the same time before without a second thought.
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Dave
A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station....
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drice1234
Joined: 07 Oct 2006
Posts: 1309
Location: Allen, Texas
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:16 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | You have Verizon FiOS in your area |
No FiOS and no plans for it in our neighborhood. My next door neighbor was recently laid off from Verizon and his job was installing FiOS in the Dallas area.
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 4899
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Wed Dec 09, 2009 10:37 pm Post subject: |
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| drice1234 wrote: | | Quote: | | You have Verizon FiOS in your area |
No FiOS and no plans for it in our neighborhood. My next door neighbor was recently laid off from Verizon and his job was installing FiOS in the Dallas area. |
Well that not good! That is the advantage of AT&T's approach, cheaper deployment.
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Dave
A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station....
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 11:02 am Post subject: |
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| Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: | | Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels. Assume they are using h.264 as the CODEC, but don't be surprised when you learn its below 7Mbps. Yes, they are abusing you, but then it is Ma Bell. And she's a mean b!tch. |
First, when you call, no one is going to know their data rate. Second, that doesn't tell you the whole story because it can include null packets.
Your best source of the info you are asking is actually AVS as ther are plenty of guys over there that measure these things for fun!
I do believe you get a higher data rate from Verizon though. Verizon is certainly less limited as they are fiber-to-the-premises vs. AT&T's fiber-to-the-node, so Verizon has more bandwidth to play with. Now, is this bandwidth needed? Since AT&T is all IPTV one could argue no, but with the number of HD channels increasing and people watching them I'm think "yes". |
You mean working for the company, talking to the U-verse engineers in the lab, and KNOWING they are over-compressing the video bitstream isn't good enough? Oh well, when the horse tells you to get off the saddle and you don't should you be surprised when it bucks you off?
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Trust no one. Absolutely no one. Advice of the board.
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Person99
Joined: 09 Mar 2006
Posts: 4899
Location: Flower Mound, TX
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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| WanMan wrote: | | Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: | | Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels. Assume they are using h.264 as the CODEC, but don't be surprised when you learn its below 7Mbps. Yes, they are abusing you, but then it is Ma Bell. And she's a mean b!tch. |
First, when you call, no one is going to know their data rate. Second, that doesn't tell you the whole story because it can include null packets.
Your best source of the info you are asking is actually AVS as ther are plenty of guys over there that measure these things for fun!
I do believe you get a higher data rate from Verizon though. Verizon is certainly less limited as they are fiber-to-the-premises vs. AT&T's fiber-to-the-node, so Verizon has more bandwidth to play with. Now, is this bandwidth needed? Since AT&T is all IPTV one could argue no, but with the number of HD channels increasing and people watching them I'm think "yes". |
You mean working for the company, talking to the U-verse engineers in the lab, and KNOWING they are over-compressing the video bitstream isn't good enough? Oh well, when the horse tells you to get off the saddle and you don't should you be surprised when it bucks you off? |
You said "Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels". That was YOUR advice. So, who is he going to ask? I was pointing out that this was just more of your stupid crap. Like it is even worth the (god knows how many hours) effort to try to get from a customer service rep to someone that can answer that question accurately when there are much more efficient ways to get the info.
And as far as your credibility, no I do not believe one thing you post without independent verification. Half of it is just ridiculous $hit and the other half is Bull$hit
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Dave
A train station is where the train stops. A bus station is where the bus stops. On my desk, I have a work station....
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Thu Dec 10, 2009 8:21 pm Post subject: |
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| Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: | | Person99 wrote: | | WanMan wrote: | | Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels. Assume they are using h.264 as the CODEC, but don't be surprised when you learn its below 7Mbps. Yes, they are abusing you, but then it is Ma Bell. And she's a mean b!tch. |
First, when you call, no one is going to know their data rate. Second, that doesn't tell you the whole story because it can include null packets.
Your best source of the info you are asking is actually AVS as ther are plenty of guys over there that measure these things for fun!
I do believe you get a higher data rate from Verizon though. Verizon is certainly less limited as they are fiber-to-the-premises vs. AT&T's fiber-to-the-node, so Verizon has more bandwidth to play with. Now, is this bandwidth needed? Since AT&T is all IPTV one could argue no, but with the number of HD channels increasing and people watching them I'm think "yes". |
You mean working for the company, talking to the U-verse engineers in the lab, and KNOWING they are over-compressing the video bitstream isn't good enough? Oh well, when the horse tells you to get off the saddle and you don't should you be surprised when it bucks you off? |
You said "Just ask them what the bit rate is for their HD channels". That was YOUR advice. So, who is he going to ask? I was pointing out that this was just more of your stupid crap. Like it is even worth the (god knows how many hours) effort to try to get from a customer service rep to someone that can answer that question accurately when there are much more efficient ways to get the info.
And as far as your credibility, no I do not believe one thing you post without independent verification. Half of it is just ridiculous $hit and the other half is Bull$hit |
And here I thought I was being the efficient way. Obviously I was lying, right? I get my ricks off by making up evil things my employer does to cowsumers. They are genuinely honest.
Just continue on and moo. Its what you do best.
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Trust no one. Absolutely no one. Advice of the board.
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dpowell
Joined: 10 May 2010
Posts: 5
Location: San Diego
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| Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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It's been an OK experiene for me. It took them a long time to work out all of the bugs but they kept sending techs out very quickly to try and keep me happy. Now that the initial low cost period is ending, I'll probably cancel.
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drice1234
Joined: 07 Oct 2006
Posts: 1309
Location: Allen, Texas
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| Posted: Mon May 10, 2010 10:20 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | evil things my employer does to cowsumers |
I bet the people who say "cowsumers" are the same annoying people who say "anywho"
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WanMan
Joined: 19 Mar 2006
Posts: 10270
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| Posted: Tue May 11, 2010 6:05 pm Post subject: |
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Anywho ...
I am not to blame. When I witness things inside the company that seek to abuse the customer base I react as a well adjusted individual would. When I learned they were going to increase compression to try to reach the 5-6 Mbps h.264 rate for high-definition I had to wonder.
But, I acknowledge that it if looks good to the ignorant eyes then who cares if the cowsumer is taken advantage of. And you should see what goes on in the "can you hear me now" division.
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Trust no one. Absolutely no one. Advice of the board.
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akajester
Joined: 09 Jul 2008
Posts: 934
Location: Wisconsin
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| Posted: Fri Jun 25, 2010 4:26 pm Post subject: |
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After having the service for 6 months now? My main gripe is the way they work out their programming packages. I currently have U200 which comes with a DVR. If I want to cut my channels down to U100 ($10 cheaper?) I have to add on $15 for the DVR, so I would actually pay $5 more than I am now but with half the channels! Ok that's just dumb. So, if I drop down to UFamily (75ish family channels?) I go down further but pay no fee for the DVR. So I call to make the changes and they give me some money off to keep my channels and add a second tuner. So, I got a price break, kept the same channel package and added another tuner. No big deal. It's just annoying that they work out these packages that don't make sense. very minor I know.
Also, if you want to add another box it's $55 for the "install fee" and they will not waive it. I told them to ship me the box and I'd install it but they can't do that. So a guy had to come out and plug the box into my network (already installed by me and ran to the uverse gateway) and turn it on, then left 5 minutes later. $55 for that! argh! at least I got an hdmi cable out of him.
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Spanky Ham
Joined: 22 Mar 2006
Posts: 5643
Location: Comedy Central
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| Posted: Sun Jun 27, 2010 10:59 pm Post subject: |
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I can't comment on ATT uverse for TV, but I did see this article on Extremetech regarding internet speeds.
http://www.extremetech.com/article2/0,2845,2365510,00.asp
Oh Dave, it looks like FIOS is about done. I guess if you are fortunate to live in an area served by FIOS then it is good. If not, then I guess you will have to live with the other options.
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