Initial Impressions of Uverse vs. TWC

[Mrtanner]

After four days of ATT Uverse (U400 package and internet),  here are my initial impressions compared to Time Warner Cable.  (Digipack 2000 plus roadrunner with one SA-8300 HD DVR.)

Advantages of Uverse compared to Time Warner (TWC):

Quick, friendly customer service.  (I’ve never been on hold for more than a minute, and when I called with a problem, there was a tech at my house within an hour.  I was also offered a $15 credit for my inconvenience.)

More HD channels. (Lots more)

More SD channels for the price.

Cheaper (Free for the first two months with no contract or obligation) After the two months it is still cheaper than my TWC bill.

Base system includes three converter boxes (1 HD, 2 SD) at no charge.  This allows me to get the premium channels on my second and third televisions at no charge.  (With TWC, I only received up to channel 99 on these sets.)

Better picture than TWC’s analog channels (2-99).

I can program my DVR from the internet.

Free wireless router and USB wireless adapters give great internet access.


Disadvantages of Uverse compared to Time Warner:

Only one HD stream at a time.  You can’t watch one HD program while recording another.

I don’t like the interface on the DVR as much as on my Time Warner DVR.  (But I can program this via the web.)  There is a delay for the box to respond to a command.  It took me awhile to stop hitting the buttons a second time because I initially thought it didn’t register.

The audio and video have gotten out of sync on HD channels several times.  I’ve always been able to clear it up by pausing and restarting the program or rebooting the box, but it is annoying.

It could be my imagination, but the HD picture seems a little darker on my LCD projector.  (It appears I’ve lost some shadow detail.)

The picture on the SD sets has frozen momentarily a couple of times.  It corrects itself within a few seconds.

No local forecasts on the weather channel.  (My wife got used to “Local forecast on the 8s” and she no longer has this ready-access to the local forecast.)

No FUSE channel.

When changing channels the number and program name appear immediately, but it takes a full second for the picture to switch.

Summary after the first 100 hours:
I’ve returned my cable box and roadrunner to TWC.  My plan is to live exclusively with Uverse for the next two months before making my decision on which service I will use beyond that.  Uverse is obviously in its start-up phase and there will be growing pains.  If ATT adds  the features they’re touting for “mid-year” such as doubling the bandwidth to allow multiple HD streams and DVR service on all TVs, TWC will have a hard time getting my business back.

The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of management.  ymmv

[oz]

Great write-up. I didn't know about the ability to program the DVR from the internet. That is cool. You'd think TWC would have that same option considering they own a little service called RoadRunner.

Can you watch something you recorded in HD while recording something new in HD?

[Mrtanner]

Can you watch something you recorded in HD while recording something new in HD?

Yes you can.

[hormy_83]

Great write-up!  Thanks a lot for doing that - it is great to see some good honest feedback about the switch since it is something I'll be considering when U-Verse is available for me.

[gparris]

Mrtanner:
Thanks for the great write up.
The AT&T tech/installer I talked to originally a few threads and posts ago (and weeks ago) seemed very knowledgeable and kind.

Hope all stays good and you keep the business away from uncaring TWC once and for all.:rock:

I thought he said you could watch one HD recording while recording another HD channel at the very least...I am waiting for 2 at once for recording with my household's recording/watching schedules.

[Jon.Zickermann]

Thanks Mrtanner.  Encouraging news for us

[Mrtanner]

I thought he said you could watch one HD recording while recording another HD channel at the very least...

Yes, that is correct.  You are limited to one HD stream coming into your house from the outside at a time.  e.g. On Sunday I couldn't watch basketball live in HD while recording the NASCAR race in HD at the same time.  

However, I could record the race in HD and watch it later while recording Discovery HD.

[gparris]

AT&T's selection of over two DOZEN HD channels means I would hope for repeats (or west coast showtimes) as more HD channels means more to record (and watch) with that one-HD-channel at a time scenario.
I can hardly wait for the 2-HD channels at a time setups coming soon.

Thanks for the input!:wave:

[tencom]

It could be my imagination, but the HD picture seems a little darker on my LCD projector. (It appears I’ve lost some shadow detail.)

It sounds like it could be a compression artifact. As I understand the data rate that UVERSE is using is no more then 10 megabits per twisted pair and  according to other websites,  to get multiple services, you must need, as many as three lines coming into the home, and is a big reason they have a limit of one HDTV channel, at a  time unless you have another 10 megabit line installed.  it is also claimed that the lines for standard definition or for data services, won't have a capacity of 10 megabits.
As for the price remember they could be low-balling it to get subscribers signed up like cable, did in the esrly days. When I first got cable in 1979 the price for basic service ,was only eight dollars, a month,a far cry from today. Of course then they only had a few channels that had, any programs

[Gregg Lengling]

It sounds like it could be a compression artifact. As I understand the data rate that UVERSE is using is no more then 10 megabits per twisted pair and  according to other websites,  to get multiple services, you must need, as many as three lines coming into the home, and is a big reason they have a limit of one HDTV channel, at a  time unless you have another 10 megabit line installed.  it is also claimed that the lines for standard definition or for data services, won't have a capacity of 10 megabits.
As for the price remember they could be low-balling it to get subscribers signed up like cable, did in the esrly days. When I first got cable in 1979 the price for basic service ,was only eight dollars, a month,a far cry from today. Of course then they only had a few channels that had, any programs

Actually AT&T minimums are  20 to 25 mbs to the house to provide the current service...which is 1 hd and 3 sd plus 6mbs IP service.  HD streams on AT&T are 8mbs and SD are 2mbs..these are approx.

Rumors have it that upgrades will happen late in the second quarter of this year to improve that to provide 2 hd streams at a time, but still limited to 4 total streams (2hd, 2sd).

[Matt Heebner]

I have signed up for service as soon as it becomes available, which should literally be any day now. I see the new boxes going up all over my neighborhood on a daily basis.
This report is encouraging, and I did not know about the upgrade to include 2 HD streams later this year.

Can't wait for the call....

Thanks for the report MrTanner......

[kermtfrg]

This post makes me want to switch today to get away from TWC.  Any word on if/when it will be launched in Kenosha?

[Gregg Lengling]

You have to keep checking their site and use their tools.  Because it is FTTN (Fiber to the Node) they need to have a DSLAM in your neighborhood so the line length of copper at this time has to be less than 2300 feet from the node.

[gparris]

This post makes me want to switch today to get away from TWC.  Any word on if/when it will be launched in Kenosha?

A neighbour friend of mine just got done talking directly with the mayor of Kenosha about just this.
It seems Kenosha is "deciding" on what they "want" from AT&T to get it here.

You will notice that currently, Milwaukee (area) is listed separately and Racine has its own pdf file for channel listings, though I cannot detect a difference.
Kenosha has none because the city is supposedly "working on it".:confused:

Be patient, just because TWC (locally) doesn't have anything to do with HD channel additions, you need a big antenna for CBS58HD with D* in Kenosha and Dish is not available for HD locals at all, it doesn't mean the city will leave you without AT&T eventually for HD delivery...think 2008 (assumption).:rolleyes:

[Mrtanner]

Now that I've had Uverse for a couple of weeks I feel even more like a beta tester.  There are several ongoing issues that I expect will be fixed but they are an irritant at this point.

1. Several of the longer programs I record to the DVR are getting split into two sections.  A movie scheduled from 8:00 to 10:00 will record from 8:00 to 9:22 and then 9:24 to 10:00 as if the box reboots midway through.

2. Two of the Brewer games I've recorded didn't record properly at all.  When I go to watch, it appears they recorded three hours of silent, blank screen.

3. It takes about 20 seconds to erase a show.  The response time is very slow.

4. I have parental lock set for TV-MA and R-rated movies.  It often kicks in when turning to a show with a TV-G rating.  I turn on Andy Griffith and I get the parental lock screen.  I can get around this by simply turning the channel and then coming back.  It's a minor thing, but it is annoying.

All of these things together with the disadvantages in my first post of the thread still aren't enough to get me to cancel yet, but when the bill comes, TWC has an opportunity to win my business back if they offer me proper incentives.