MarkyD
Premium
join:2002-08-20
Oklahoma City, OK
clubs:
 ·Cox HSI
1 edit | interesting.
I was not expecting my experience to hit the front page. I've been tagged as an "AT&T hater" around here on a few occasions. I want to add that this is not the case. I've been critical of every company's shortcomings that I've had service from. All services have their advantages and disadvantages, for certain. U-Verse was no different. There were some things I liked better than Dish, such as the SD picture quality. However, between my wife and I, there were too many things we did NOT like. Either way, I had to give it a shot.
My install experience was pretty horrible. This was no problem from the Techs, rather problems in the NOC. Apparently I was the first FTTP UVERSE install in Oklahoma, and it wasn't even all set up in the NOC when the installers showed up. This is why it took 2 days for them to get me running. The technicians that came out were, however, top notch and did a great job with the resources they were provided. I did find it a little disturbing that the techs have to go up the chain of command just like the customers, though. They call into tier 1, then get passed to tier 2, etc etc.
I thought that going from 12/1 (Cox) to 6/1 (U-VERSE) would not be a big problem. However, the page loads were slower, latency was higher, and download speeds were so much slower that it really did cause an adverse change in my usage. I didn't think I'd ever miss 12mbps, but as it turns out, I did.
My suggestions to AT&T to make this a successful product:
-Put an OTA tuner in future STB's. There is NO reason not to have this. It's an easy way for them to add an extra HD stream. I wonder if they're afraid of people seeing how much better OTA looks?
-Improve the HD quality. With the streams being compressed down to 6mbps, something has to change. There is way too much compression on the streams, especially in scenes heavy in blacks. It's painfully obvious.
-Whole home DVR. I know this is in the works...it can't come soon enough.
-15/2 or better internet speeds. I mean, this is becoming fairly commonplace from Cable. AT&T needs to compete on more than just PRICE.
-Fix "quick skip" to jump in 30 second increments, not to "scan" in 7 second increments.
There's a lot more that I'm forgetting, I'm certain. I'll add to this later.
EDIT: one more thing to add. In terms of DVR interface and usability, UVERSE DESTROYS Cox Cable. I mean, obliterates them. The Scientific Atlanta boxes with the HORRIBLE 1980's era software on Cox's STB's disqualifies them from usage in my house. I DO feel like U-Verse would be an upgrade to someone using Cable. However, I feel like they have a ways to go to catch up to satellite.
One last note. I wish I could have given them a chance to fix things. However, my family was NOT happy with the changes, and I had them breathing down my neck to "bring back Dish." Luckily, I never canceled it. Once they've done a lot more FTTP installs in OKC, and they bring on the changes (faster speeds, more HD streams, etc) I will definitely give them another shot. |
|
jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs:
| the quick skip on mine actually does 30 seconds on mine. I agree the install guys were very good and knowledgeable. They answered all my questions and i asked a lot of technical ones. it seems the sales guys, UVERSE tech support, and installers know the product well. very nice.
--
3 free for you/3 free for me: Free Stock Trades : PM Me |
|
cwh
join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX | reply to MarkyD
They dont include a tuner because it makes the STBs more expensive. This is one of the reasons they are providing 3 boxes as part of the deal. |
|
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL
1 edit | reply to MarkyD
said by MarkyD  :-Put an OTA tuner in future STB's. There is NO reason not to have this. It's an easy way for them to add an extra HD stream. I wonder if they're afraid of people seeing how much better OTA looks? Hate to tell you this, but along the lines cwh's post of the OTA tuner costing more money, DirecTV is also NOT putting OTA tuners in their 2 latest HD boxes - neither the HD DVR (HR21) or the HD non-DVR box (H21) have them anymore. Unless you happen to live in an HD LIL market, you ain't going to be getting your locals in HD with these boxes. 
Luckily, I was able to get 2 new HR20's w/the OTA tuners before they disappeared for the most part.
-Improve the HD quality. With the streams being compressed down to 6mbps, something has to change. There is way too much compression on the streams, especially in scenes heavy in blacks. It's painfully obvious. You also forgot to add that ONE HD stream for an entire household is NOT going to cut it for long - hell, you can't even record & watch 2 different HD streams now!  |
|
cableguy619
join:2003-06-24
Chula Vista, CA
| reply to MarkyD
Software is software just to foloow your comments on the Sa boxes or any boxes. When in timw they load a new one uverse, Cox, whomever I am sure it will accomadte what they are using or plan to use at the time.
Tell you this a digital picture is a digital picture as a Hd pic is a Hd pic. How it is delivered is the only difference.
now for companies that are public and as Big as ATT, they have to do what is best and right for them to keep their stock holders happy(money in their pockets)
Why do you think Cox was the most recent to fo Private. Companies want to do what is best for the company not what everyone esle wants them to do. |
|
rahvin112
join:2002-05-24
Sandy, UT
| reply to dishrich
The HR-21 is a rack mount serial controllable receiver. It's targeted at the home automation, fully integrated system crowd who wouldn't be attaching the OTA to the satellite box anyway. For the market it's targeted at OTA support on the HR-21 would be a complete waste as they are going to have a system that controls the signals and processing and don't need the set-top box to do it. The current consumer oriented DVR has OTA and always will. I don't know much about the H-21, but I wager it's probably the same deal, a box targeted at the high end fully integrated system crowd. DirecTV isn't going to ditch OTA tuners on the consumer versions, it would be suicide as not all markets have available locals, nor will they ever. Not only that but they probably have a significant portion of their subscriber base in areas where locals aren't available on the satellite and won't ever be available (simply because of the number of localities).
Don't think because they droped the OTA on a product targeted at a very specific high end installation that it means they are dropping the support on all their receivers. |
|
dishrich
join:2006-05-12
Springfield, IL
2 edits | Sorry, but you're confused with the HR21 PRO, which is as you say it is:
»technabob.com/blog/2007/08/31/di···-leaked/
The HR21, which other than being black, looks EXACTLY like the HR20, sans OTA antenna input & IS being installed in lieu of HR20's. It is just like any other of the "consumer grade" receivers D* routinely installs - NO rack mounts. I KNOW this for a fact, since I was shipped one incorrectly, as well as I have several D* HD clients that were given HR21's, instead of the HR20's they asked for. Walk into your local Best Buy & you'll see plenty of HR21's & H21 receivers sitting on the shelves. 
Go over to satguys.us & you can see the D* folks bitching about their "upgraded" receivers.
»www.satelliteguys.us/directv-dvr···r21.html |
|
en102
Canadian, eh?
join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA
·RoadRunner Cable
 ·DSL EXTREME
1 edit | reply to MarkyD
I've been waiting for a few reasons to switch (once my DirecTv contract is up) to Uverse... so far I'm still waiting.
I wouldn't mind trying out the service, however, I don't think I'd like to lose a few days of outage to have the service installed.
Upside:
Bundling is cheaper than current situation (assuming I go VoIP).
Increased speed (I'm on a 3008/512kbps DSL @ 12,000' - AT&T won't let me sign up for anything other than 1538/384kbps now  )
Downside:
Increased latency (10ms isn't horrible to increase).
Can't order internet + VoIP + cell service as a product... any 'Uverse' service comes with TV. I currently have no issues with DTV.
I have to pretty much decide between cable (voip+hsi+digital tv), Uverse (HSI+digital tv) + POTS or DSL + POTS + DirecTv.
Issues:
I'm still waiting on Uverse to deploy VoIP.
Extra HD streams
I'm hoping that AT&T will increase bandwidth and latency (20ms 1st hop is pretty poor)
AT&T becoming big brother on multiple fronts.
--
Canada = Hollywood North |
|
