U-Verse vs. DishNet Commercial HD

TitoGT

I am currently locked into a DishNetwork commercial contract through my apartment complex and am completely fed up with the level of service I have received to this point. Let me clause that statement by mentioning that I had been a DishNetwork residential user for years and never had a problem until I was forced to switch to this commercial set up. Our local HD channels consistently drop out during prime time (ONLY during prime time) and DishNetwork seems incapable of fixing the problem.

As U-Verse is now available in my area (more importantly, for my phone number) I am considering testing it out for a month, and if it is comparable for HD service, using the $200 cash back option to pay off my DishNetwork ETF ($249 - Don't even get me started on the fact that they invalidated my residential contract and forced me to sign a new one at new rates).

I just want a few opinions on the quality of the U-Verse HD signal and the U-Verse DVR. I've done a few Google searched, but I haven't been able to find anything recent.

Thanks!

Edit: I am in the Midtown Atlanta area

rbinck

I'm somewhat suprised that you didn't find much on the U-verse system, but maybe there are some particular issues you were looking for.

First you may want to read this: U-Verse IPTV that will define the terms.

Also the national HD channels are listed here: Houston U-verse HD lineup

The service is comparable, imo, now. Recently the upped the bandwidth delivered to each RG in order to allow 2 HD and 2 SD streams. Since then the quality of the local stations has improved quite a bit.

From watching Dish HD at customer's houses for a short periods of time, I'd say the quality seems comparable. Perhaps a bit worse in some scenes and as good or better in others. Grass seems to blur a bit, but the players (golf and football) are clear. Sometimes there will be some "dancing pixels" in solid backgrounds, but those seem to be pretty well gone after the bandwidth was upped.

The SD quality is head and shoulders better than any I've seen other than upconverted OTA or DVD. It is near DVD quality, depending on the channel. Some channels are pretty bad.

The DVR I think is very good. Others will say different, but usually that is because it does not act like a TiVo or the DVR they are used to. I like the ability to program it over the internet from anywhere. Also you can record up to 4 shows at the same time, up to 4SD, 1HD+3HD or 2HD+2SD. They are rolling out the whole house DVR software area by area and is supposed to be completed for all areas by the end of the year. It will allow you to play programs recorded on the DVR on any other U-verse box in your house. It requires the recording to be scheduled at the DVR or internet though.

Another great feature for me with U-verse is the ability to load pictures to a website that can be shown as slide shows on any of your TVs in HD resolution of up to 1920x1080! This allow me to send the photos and my wife can view them on her TV. For more info see: U-verse Photos On Your HDTV

I have been quite pleased with U-verse, especially at the price!

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TitoGT

That was exactly what I was looking for, thanks for the help!

The most recent information I could find was still referencing the single HD stream receivers, and I was hoping for some insight into the quality of the upped-bandwidth system.

bunnyville

So how did it work out for you?