High Def Forum - Your High Definition Community & High Definition Resource - View Single Post - Consolidated Communications: Digital TV via phone line?

Cap'n Preshoot · 07-08-2009, 08:28 PM

I finally had a chance to take a firsthand look into the Consolidated package. For Katy,TX there are approx. (tho not quite) 200 total all-digital channels. It's IPTV, similar to Uverse & FIOS, but any similarity stops there. The very-very- (horribly) bad news is that there are only 18 total HD channels and 6 of those (your locals) are included in the basic bundle. If you're looking for HD, Consolidated isn't it.

None of their premium movie channels are in HD either. They do offer VOD, but I saw no mention of it being HD either, so I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that it's not.

The DVR comes with 3 remotes to allow you to have NON-HD screens in 2 additional rooms plus your 1 HD TV. HD Output is via Component AND HDMI. SD output to the 2 adjacent rooms is via Coax (modulated RF). Looks like there's 3 tuners overall.

I did not explore the features of the DVR.

Their triple play deal (1) requires a 12-month contract, (2) provides you with a LEGACY analog (copper) phone line and (3) does NOT include US domestic LD. Overall I thought it to be kind of a bum deal, although legacy analog phone service is sure nice to have when the power goes out and/or your internet goes down. Oh by the way, their base internet speed in the triple play deal was 3 Mbps down and 512 up uncapped. They offer several email addresses (I forget exactly how many).

Rates for everything are as-published on their web site for each area served.

I made it a point to ask and was told that yes, IPTV watching HD source material *MAY* in some cases impact your internet speed if you're on a long, marginally qualified copper circuit. If Consolidated is on fiber in your neighborhood then there should be no impact.

Overall I was not favorably impressed.

On an unrelated note they finally did fix our internet service, though it took almost 5 months for their network folks to figure out why all their high speed customers in Katy (6 & 10 Mbps) were bitching because of extreme network congestion and actual performance below 1 Mbps with massive packet loss and QOS readings below 20%

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07-08-2009, 08:28 PM	#9
Cap'n Preshoot My plasma is High Def. Join Date: Apr 2009 Posts: 8	I finally had a chance to take a firsthand look into the Consolidated package. For Katy,TX there are approx. (tho not quite) 200 total all-digital channels. It's IPTV, similar to Uverse & FIOS, but any similarity stops there. The very-very- (horribly) bad news is that there are only 18 total HD channels and 6 of those (your locals) are included in the basic bundle. If you're looking for HD, Consolidated isn't it. None of their premium movie channels are in HD either. They do offer VOD, but I saw no mention of it being HD either, so I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume that it's not. The DVR comes with 3 remotes to allow you to have NON-HD screens in 2 additional rooms plus your 1 HD TV. HD Output is via Component AND HDMI. SD output to the 2 adjacent rooms is via Coax (modulated RF). Looks like there's 3 tuners overall. I did not explore the features of the DVR. Their triple play deal (1) requires a 12-month contract, (2) provides you with a LEGACY analog (copper) phone line and (3) does NOT include US domestic LD. Overall I thought it to be kind of a bum deal, although legacy analog phone service is sure nice to have when the power goes out and/or your internet goes down. Oh by the way, their base internet speed in the triple play deal was 3 Mbps down and 512 up uncapped. They offer several email addresses (I forget exactly how many). Rates for everything are as-published on their web site for each area served. I made it a point to ask and was told that yes, IPTV watching HD source material MAY in some cases impact your internet speed if you're on a long, marginally qualified copper circuit. If Consolidated is on fiber in your neighborhood then there should be no impact. Overall I was not favorably impressed. On an unrelated note they finally did fix our internet service, though it took almost 5 months for their network folks to figure out why all their high speed customers in Katy (6 & 10 Mbps) were bitching because of extreme network congestion and actual performance below 1 Mbps with massive packet loss and QOS readings below 20% . __________________ The Pay-TV industry may not hold the patent on alienating customers, but Comcast in particular has made an art form of it!