 WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3
1 edit | WOW! Introduces Ultra TV! With all the buzz going around about Ultra TV, I thought I might make a formal introduction, and highlight some of the new features that Ultra TV has.
Ultra TV Highlights
•Watch your recorded shows in any room
•Stop a show in one room, and pick it up where you left off in another room
•Record up to 6 shows at once
•Have up to 5 TVs connected
•Manage recordings online through the WOW! Customer portal page
•500GB internal hard disk drive with an eSATA port on back for optional storage expansion
•Set up your own personal DVR recording defaults to make setting up shows quick and easy
•New enhanced menu allows you to quickly find shows
•Menu cards for showing specific content such as HD, Sports, News, Kids, etc
•Integrated VOD which is now searchable
•uPnP/DLNA support allows you to view media content from your network on your TV
•Access to Flickr built in
•Customizable ticker that allows you to see news, sports scores, weather, stock information, etc
•Games on your TV
•More in depth parental controls
•Ability to hide channels you don't want to see, or don't subscribe to
•Integrated 802.11n router
•Integrated DOCSIS 3.0 modem
•Caller ID to TV service for WOW! Phone subscribers
I may have missed some stuff in there, so I will add more if I find anything I missed. I will field questions in this thread as well, so feel free to ask here, and if I can answer it, I will.
We want to make sure we can deliver the kind of experience our customers expect from WOW! so we're proceeding carefully with Ultra TV, making it available on a very limited basis to customers on a wait list. As soon as our employees and customers tell us it's ready, we'll be making Ultra TV available to anyone that can get WOW! service. If you are interested in being added to the wait list, please contact our customer service department at 1-866-496-9669, and you will be contacted once Ultra TV is available to you.
Check out some videos displaying many of the features of Ultra TV - »www.wowway.com/UltraTV-Tutorials/#
Edit - Added link to video tutorials.
--
Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center |
|
 BM
@wideopenwest.com | I have no clue how this works, but the only red flag for me is the integrated router. I am perfectly happy with my own networking equipment at home. Is the router optional or is it integral for making everything else work? |
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
Dan, I'm liking Ultra TV a lot so far. Many of the new features are very useful. I've posted my initital comments / observations in the big Ultra TV thread.
I'll ask a question here that relates to one of my little critiques in the other thread. While there is a lot more information in the new channel list, and the ability to switch between the old grid format and the new channel list format is really nice, in both formats there are some really small fonts, and worse yet, a lot of the information is 'grayed out' until it is directly accessed. I understand that some of the grayed out titles activate sub-menus so they need to be highlighted in some way when accessed, but it does make a lot of the titles very hard to read. On the grid, all the show titles are grayed out except the show I am watching. (Adding a note that the channel logos are also very small and hard to read, and in some cases, missing.)
Maybe there is already a fix for this that I am missing, but if not, do you think it might be possible to add some customization to the fonts used in the channel list and grid at some point? Short of getting a bigger TV (I'm limited to the space available on my wall) or using binoculars to see upcoming shows, that would be a great option.
Certainly don't want to imply that I'm not overall very happy with Ultra TV so far. It really is a huge upgrade! Thanks as always for your help. |
|
BM
@wideopenwest.com | reply to BM
Some more questions, sorry these are coming to me in spurts instead of all at once.
In my house we have 6 televisions. 3 of them are flat panel sets - 2 of them have a straight cable hookup and receive QAM channels. The other is the main TV which has a HD-DVR. 3 of my TVs are analog TVs - one of them has a standard def DVR box, the other 2 have the smaller DTA boxes.
One of these TVs would be the odd man out in the Ultra TV package. (It'll be on of the analog TVs) Can that TV still receive programming through the DTA box while the other 5 TVs are on the Ultra package?
I looked into DirecTVs whole-home DVR solution about a year or so ago and I was told, for it to work, every single TV needed to be a hi-def digital capable TV. Is that the case with Ultra TV? Can we mix and match analog and digital TVs under Ultra TV?
Does everything work straight through the cable lines? Or does each TV need an additional piece of equipment? I have one TV - a flat panel 19" mounted in the corner of my office and the cables all run through the walls. |
|
|
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
Do we have to use the internal modem? I mean right now WOW lets us use our own modem which saves on the fees. Isn't it illegal or something when you don't offer us an option to use our own modem with this new service?
You also missed the part about access content on our home computer(s). |
|
WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3 | reply to BM
said by BM :I have no clue how this works, but the only red flag for me is the integrated router. I am perfectly happy with my own networking equipment at home. Is the router optional or is it integral for making everything else work?
The router is required for everything to work. |
|
WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3 | reply to BM
said by BM :One of these TVs would be the odd man out in the Ultra TV package. (It'll be on of the analog TVs) Can that TV still receive programming through the DTA box while the other 5 TVs are on the Ultra package? You can keep the DTA or clearQAM televisions. All SA/Cisco boxes must be removed.
said by BM :I looked into DirecTVs whole-home DVR solution about a year or so ago and I was told, for it to work, every single TV needed to be a hi-def digital capable TV. Is that the case with Ultra TV? Can we mix and match analog and digital TVs under Ultra TV? You can mix and match HD and SD, as long as the TV has at least a composite video input (Yellow RCA adapter). If your TV has only coaxial input, you would need to purchase your own RF modulator, and you should be able to use it.
said by BM :Does everything work straight through the cable lines? Or does each TV need an additional piece of equipment? I have one TV - a flat panel 19" mounted in the corner of my office and the cables all run through the walls.
Each TV would require a media player, which is smaller than a standard cable box, and can probably be hidden behind a TV. It just needs the cable input and power input. You would need line of sight to control it with the remote though.
--
Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center |
|
WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3 | reply to Body Count
said by Body Count:Do we have to use the internal modem? I mean right now WOW lets us use our own modem which saves on the fees. Isn't it illegal or something when you don't offer us an option to use our own modem with this new service?
With Ultra TV, everything is integrated into the gateway unit (modem/DVR/router/phone modem). You will be required to use it as your cable modem and router, as those features of it are crucial to the functionality of the devices. There is no additional modem rental fee on top of the Ultra TV pricing though.
--
Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center |
|
WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3 | reply to prospector00
said by prospector00:Maybe there is already a fix for this that I am missing, but if not, do you think it might be possible to add some customization to the fonts used in the channel list and grid at some point? Short of getting a bigger TV (I'm limited to the space available on my wall) or using binoculars to see upcoming shows, that would be a great option.
Certainly don't want to imply that I'm not overall very happy with Ultra TV so far. It really is a huge upgrade! Thanks as always for your help.
I do not believe there's any way currently to change that. I will pass your feedback a long. Thanks for the input!
--
Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center |
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
Is there any indication of pricing yet? |
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
said by WOW_Dan  With Ultra TV, everything is integrated into the gateway unit (modem/DVR/router/phone modem). You will be required to use it as your cable modem and router, as those features of it are crucial to the functionality of the devices. There is no additional modem rental fee on top of the Ultra TV pricing though.
|
|
NWOhio
join:2011-10-25
Toledo, OH | reply to Body Count
it is NOT illegal to ban you from using your own modem. The same applies with Digital Phone. You are required to use their modem.
IF you want the service; you use what is required. And their modem is required. |
|
| reply to Body Count
said by Body Count:Well there is additional pricing but WOW just bumped up the base price for it... meaning even if you don't use it you still pay for it.
What exactly do you mean by this? Are you referring to the new packages/service that debuted a few months ago?
AFAICT other than paying $25 for Ultra TV nothing has changed since last week. |
|
WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3 | reply to josephtrembl
said by josephtrembl:Is there any indication of pricing yet?
The pricing is $25 for the Gateway and 2 Media Players (meaning 2 TVs). This is in addition to your normal rate of service. |
|
BM
@wideopenwest.com | Would adding this affect my package price? I just negotiated a new deal last December with customer service that's supposed to be in effect for the next 12 months.
Could I negotiate a new deal with them? If I take Ultra TV, I would not need my HD-DVR, Standard Def DVR, or my Cable Modem, and I could probably ditch 1 DTA box. All of these equipment fees were negotiated into my 12-month bundle deal.
Would they negotiate a new deal with me? I'm not even sure what my base package price is and if I would actually save money by trading all of this equipment in for Ultra TV.
Also, you said that its $25 for the main gateway and 2 media boxes. How much extra for each additional box?
And last question, where does the main Gateway connect to since its got the cable modem and router built into it? I have a main PC in my office that has my cable modem and my own router hooked to it. My main TV which has my HD-DVR sits in another room. I do not have wireless connectivity to my main PC and my cable modem box connects to it through ethernet, which is my preferred method since I do a lot of online gaming. If the Gateway has to sit next to the TV, would this require me to get some type of wireless adapter for my main PC ? |
|
WOW_Dan
join:2011-03-24
Naperville, IL
kudos:3 | said by BM :Would adding this affect my package price? I just negotiated a new deal last December with customer service that's supposed to be in effect for the next 12 months.
Could I negotiate a new deal with them? If I take Ultra TV, I would not need my HD-DVR, Standard Def DVR, or my Cable Modem, and I could probably ditch 1 DTA box. All of these equipment fees were negotiated into my 12-month bundle deal.
Would they negotiate a new deal with me? I'm not even sure what my base package price is and if I would actually save money by trading all of this equipment in for Ultra TV. We are not currently offering any discounts with Ultra TV. If you have a discount in place, it would need to be removed. If not, you can just subtract what you're currently paying for any receivers you have, and add $25 for the gateway and up to two media players.
said by BM :Also, you said that its $25 for the main gateway and 2 media boxes. How much extra for each additional box? $15 each per month after two.
said by BM :And last question, where does the main Gateway connect to since its got the cable modem and router built into it? I have a main PC in my office that has my cable modem and my own router hooked to it. My main TV which has my HD-DVR sits in another room. I do not have wireless connectivity to my main PC and my cable modem box connects to it through ethernet, which is my preferred method since I do a lot of online gaming. If the Gateway has to sit next to the TV, would this require me to get some type of wireless adapter for my main PC ?
You would put the gateway where you modem is, as it has the router built into it, and would probably work best in your office. The media players work over the existing coax lines in your home, so no re-wiring should be required (unless the cable is worn or bad). The gateway itself has no video output.
--
Dan Della Terza
WOW! Internet, Cable & Phone
Network Operations Center |
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
It has been a few years since I last posted here in the WOW Forums. I remember have fun discussions with many people here. I used to have the WOW triple bundle, but currently only have WOW for internet and phone. I have been debating on switching back to WOW for TV as well. I am intrigued by the Ultra TV concept. The one thing that is holding me back though is WOW not carrying the NFL Network. This is sort of the one channel that I NEED to have and can't live without when football season is in full force. From my understanding the NFL Network's asking price was too high to carry the channel? Any news on if and when the NFL Network will come back to WOW? |
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
When will it be available in Michigan? I put my name on the waiting list. |
|
| reply to WOW_Dan
Just so we're clear, the pricing is $25/month which includes the gateway and two "boxes" (the media players); let me see if this breakdown is correct:
Before:
$7 modem for internet/phone
$13 HD DVR
$7 HD receiver
Total: $27
After:
$25 total for UltraTV
In my home there's the cost for the advanced modem (for phone and internet service), plus an HD DVR and extra cable box, and this seems like a way to shave off $2 from the bill AND add a lot more functionality overall, not to mention add in a router.
I'd also like to clarify that this isn't a class of TV service, just extra equipment. So regardless of which TV package you have, this takes the place of your cable modem and DVR/receiver boxes. |
|
timf
join:2012-01-09
Plymouth, MI | reply to WOW_Dan
said by WOW_Dan:You can keep the DTA or clearQAM televisions. All SA/Cisco boxes must be removed. Does this include cable cards for customer supplied equipment? |
|
