AT&T U-verse

[1968SWTs]

WARNING - At&T Uverse High Speed Internet does not allow real email access - they block most ports outbound "for security reasons" but happily open them up if you agree to a $50 extortion charge (and 2 + hours on the phone)

I must add - they are VERY incompetent

___

[kach22i]

UPDATE: 11/29/13
Comcast has downgraded the quality of their signal and service for the last time. They are now providing a blurry 4:3 ratio image though a scrambler which interrupts the TV program every 20 minutes (for a few seconds to do some sort of check). They have yet to fix this condition after almost two weeks of complaints - I swear out loud every time it happens. I think they are trying to torture the low $27 a month customers into upgrading.

One option is AT&T U-Verse bundle (U-family TV + Internet + Voice = $79 mo).

The lower cost option; a roof top antenna, DSL phone line (currently have), keep watching shows off the computer hooked up to the TV, and keep going to the public library for DVD/Blu-Ray's.

Lots more programming with AT&T U-Verse, but I don't like hidden costs, initial fees, rising costs, and other costs which never go away.

Between our current phone/DSL and cable bills, a AT&T U-Verse bundle is maybe $10-20 more a month. However the yearly costs over the next decade or so really do give me pause.

Originally Posted by 1968SWTs

WARNING - At&T Uverse High Speed Internet does not allow real email access - they block most ports outbound "for security reasons" but happily open them up if you agree to a $50 extortion charge (and 2 + hours on the phone)

I must add - they are VERY incompetent

___

Anyone else have problems with e-mails?

[mattdavis11]

I've never had a problem with email. I don't use my email account with them though. Have had Uverse for 4 years and it sucks just like the rest of them. Rising bills, freezing picture, loss of sound. They can't fix it, so it's just a call and complain and the bill goes down again. Rinse and repeat.

They were nice enough to give me the direct number to customer retention.

[onewhippedpuppy]

I've had Uverse digital tv and Internet for a few months and am happy, currently saving about $80/mo over Cox and getting far better tv with DVR. Zero dropouts, my only complaint is that our top tier internet is only 15 Mbps where I was getting 25 with Cox. Phone is through Magicjack which is about $3/mo.

[thingmon]

Originally Posted by Scuba Steve

Boxes didn't last long. We went through 3 in two years.

Mine's been pretty reliable and they usually throw in a free set of movie channels on holiday weekends (we're getting everything, including HD, this weekend). When the boxes do go out you lose whatever you have saved on it unless you want to add the extra time to have them back up the data. For some strange reason, the techs I've had were reluctant to do this. Probably affects a performance metric or something.

[kach22i]

I've checked the 130 channels I would be getting (U family), not impressive at all.

AT&T U-verse Channels - Digital TV & HD Channel Listings

The next tier up 290 channels (U 200) not much better, but would get TBS (Conan O'Brien).

However, I can watch Conan on-line (see link below).

Conan O'Brien Presents: Team Coco @ TeamCoco.com

The wife said it's up to me, so I'm ordering the recommended by others "Made in USA", HD Stacker Antenna while it's still on sale.

HD Stacker Antenna

I took a friend out to the local sailplane/glider field today, one last run in the country with the Porsche, and while he was up in the air I had a chat with one of the members. The sailplane member confirmed the rate hikes and expected service issues, which pushed me over the edge.

I will be a free man by the first of the year.

[kach22i]

UPDATE: 01/05/14

I finally have the roof antenna up and running. Installed it with the help of a friend over a week ago, but until recently didn't have time to mess with the path inside of the house.

CBET-DT (Channel 9 - Canada) is 152 miles from my home in Ann Arbor, the farthest station of the 50 I'm picking up (almost double the stations I was getting with Comcast's basic package).

The Ch-9 station only comes in clear early in the morning before the airwaves become all cluttered up. I grew up watching CBC hockey, news, comedy and more so I'm a little disappointed on this one issue.

I recently read on the Internet that someone outside of Ann Arbor located at a high elevation was getting Channel 9 intermittently.

My home is in a very low area, and my HD Stacker antenna came with a pathetically short 5-foot post which barely clears the roof peak. Maybe in the spring I'll get a longer mast pole, but then I assume it will be more prone to wind sway.

However, I'm delighted with the improved image and especially the improved sound which this antenna set up provides.

Coincidentally, the signal meter on my FM tuner crapped out so I cannot example the reception other than saying it appears all of my stations come is as clear as before, if not more so.

Here is what I experienced and learned:

1. The weather proof rubber boot from the antenna to post mounted preamp is too short to be used with the long coaxial termination jacks which come with the HD Stacker kit. The connector busted out the tail of the boot, I had to use many layers of electrical tape to seal it up.

2. The cable ground connector is made of flimsey pot metal and will break if you try and relocate it more than once. ACE Hardware had a much better dual unit which I'm using, JB Weld was not to be trusted to fix the broken original which cracked into two.

3. At first I forgot to disconnect the Comcast scramblers, nothing was going to pass though those pieces of garbage.

4. I had to update my 4-way signal splitter, Radio Shack to rescue.

5. The power strip I first plugged my signal booster to had gone bad, this took me a while to figure out.

6. I strongly suggest you watch a Youtube video on how to make your coaxial terminations with the kit supplied tools before you attempt installation. It takes a while to get the hang of it, the supplied tool seems to have a break in period before it starts working right. I also suggest testing your runs prior to climbing up a ladder an installing them (a Multi-Meter will do). Had I done this first, I would have been more confident in my problem solving routine if they were a known to be good element. Thankfully my connections were not one of the problems, but I also know I could do them better now, and may do so in the spring if installing a new longer mast pole.

7. Overall, the self-made connections and Denny's supplied cables outperform the free cheap jumper cables supplied by Comcast. Those things are terrible on any signal, I'm clearing my house of them, giving them all back to Comcast along with their worthless scramblers and DTV Converter.

8. I need to Coax-Seal or Duct-Seal my exterior connections, will do this after our pending snow storm.

I am a free man!

FYI : I still need a TV digital to analog converter for my old CRT tube TV with built-in VCR in the basement. If anyone has an old one (with remote) they never plan to use again, please send me a PM or e-mail and I'll help you clear that old gear out of your house/garage. I'm giving Comcast all of their stuff back, I want no links of any kind with them.
The government issue (with coupon) HD Access D/A-TV converter (Model DTA1030D) I tried hooking up appears to be failing, otherwise I'd be all set. The other two units we had failed years ago, this one was our the last working one (or so I thought) - made in China, what do you expect?

[weseeeee]

We've had it about 3 years with no issues.

[pitargue]

NSFW. The First Honest Cable Company - YouTube