Posted on by andy

Mmmm…new toys…

So, we went ahead and switched from DISH Network to AT&T’s U-Verse service, which means that we still have AT&T DSL and phone service, but now our TV comes through the phone line, also… U-Verse is amongst the first (along with Verizon’s FiOS service) that uses fiber optic cabling to increase bandwidth along phone lines, thus allowing robust television signals to travel on there as well as digital data and analog phone signals. The benefits are as follows, from our perspective:

  • Two receivers (i.e. two TVs) rather than just one that can access cable programing
  • HD programming cheaper than DISH (w00t!)
  • More channels (including ones we’ll actually watch)
  • Four tuners for television viewing (i.e. we can watch programs on two separate TVs and record two other channels simultaneously, whereas we could only do two channels total under DISH)
  • We can set up recordings remotely…which is awesome… So yeah, through the internet, we can tell our DVR to record something even if we aren’t at home to do it through the DVR directly…w00t, indeed!

    • These three primary things for ~$10-$15 more a month than we were originally spending… So yeah, we’re spending a bit more…but we’re also getting more, and personally, getting more value per monetary increase in cost.

    Anyway, I do have a concern or two with this new service, primarily in that everything now goes through a cute little box sitting next to my computer. Meaning, our DSL modem and router are now combined…but not only that…the TV signal now goes through that same box. If that box decides it doesn’t want to work anymore, we will not have TV or internet until AT&T can come out and fix and/or replace it. I guess it’s my same argument against the iPhone, in that if my phone dies, then my iPod and organizer go with it… There are certain things I like to be separate, and this may be one of them. Then again, perhaps it’s the wave of the future, so I should just get used to it.

    So yeah, this will be an interesting experiment. Everything seems to work well so far, though!

    …now, they just need SciFi in HD and I’ll be happy… 🙂

    4 Replies to “Mmmm…new toys…”

    1. Once AT&T hits FIOS speeds (and there isn’t a better alternative available at that point in the future) I’d consider switching over. As it stands I’m still wary of DSL, since I’ve always seen cable out-perform it whenever visiting friends, etc.

      In related news, our cable internet connection was just upgraded to a whopping 10mbps down/ 1mbps up. I can’t describe how happy I was the first time (and every subsequent time, for that matter) my download speeds were over 1MB/s. Glorious, I tell you. But I see U-Verse offers a 10mbps option, so maybe you already have this luxury as well?

    2. Naw, I don’t have 10 mbps…I think I’ve got 3 mbps right now… Cable definitely out-performs DSL ‘net connections, but I DETEST Charter, so I’m willing to take the hit…

      One key difference between Verizon and AT&T in their systems, however, is that AT&T is only fiber up UNTIL the house, while Verizon is fiber INTO the house (so far as I know)…at least, Verizon has the option…

      Either way, we’re happy with it so far!

    3. happy with it until it rips out of your home because of an earthquake a hundred and thirty miles away.

      I hope the arch falls on your TV.

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