EXCLUSIVE: AT&T HomeZone First Look

**Poke** · 07-21-2006 03:40 PM

Originally Posted by jhaifley

I live in Ohio and called to order it today and was told they are only offering the SD version right now. Has anyone in Ohio managed to get a HD version?

You might check and see if you can get on the "HomeZone" which comes with Dish Service and you can get HD. AT&T "U-Verse" is their IPTV which is diffrent you would be getting your TV Service from AT&T over your net connection. It will probally be a little awhile before they start pushing HD Feeds over it. Overall in the long run Dish will probally still offer more HD like they do now. So even when AT&T gets their U-Verse up and fully runing it still probally wont offer as much HD as Dish. Due to you half to put in the Voom channels Dish has plus by the time the U-Verse gets going Dish will have even more HD Channels added. They have 29 now plus your 4 locals that makes 33 then when they add FoodHD that will make 34. No telling how many they will have the time U-Verse just gets a few going.

**GaryPen** · 07-21-2006 06:29 PM

Originally Posted by andrewe77

Not having an OTA antenna will blow it for me as well. I lost my sweet Comcast deal when I moved last month and I want to get some other service before the end of the year. Looks like it may be back to E* for me with the $199 fee to get the 622.

Actually, I just checked the full user manual. It does indeed have OTA tuners. For some reason, the OTA antenna connections are completely omitted from the QuickStar guide. But, not from the User Manual. Plus, in addition to the physical connections, in the chapter on watching Live TV via the program guide, the screen shot shows the guide filled with local OTA digital stations. (for my DMA, as well! Must be because 2Wire is located around the corner from my house.)

Well, I'm psyched. I was just comparing the channel lineup of DishHD Silver to my current Comcast Digital Silver with HD. And, even though I have quite a few more SD channels with Comcast, Dish has way more HD, and I'll have the OTA tuners as well. (I can narrow the gap of SD channels with DishHD Gold. But, it ain't really worth the extra $10.)

**GaryPen** · 07-21-2006 06:32 PM

Originally Posted by Poke

You might check and see if you can get on the "HomeZone" which comes with Dish Service and you can get HD. AT&T "U-Verse" is their IPTV which is diffrent you would be getting your TV Service from AT&T over your net connection. It will probally be a little awhile before they start pushing HD Feeds over it. Overall in the long run Dish will probally still offer more HD like they do now. So even when AT&T gets their U-Verse up and fully runing it still probally wont offer as much HD as Dish. Due to you half to put in the Voom channels Dish has plus by the time the U-Verse gets going Dish will have even more HD Channels added. They have 29 now plus your 4 locals that makes 33 then when they add FoodHD that will make 34. No telling how many they will have the time U-Verse just gets a few going.

Apparently, HomeZone comes in SD and HD versions. I was looking through the users manual, and it shows both types of receivers. The SD version doesn't have any OTA tuners, which is probably why the quickstart guide didn't have them. Maybe they are only distributing SD receivers for now.

**Mike0616** · 07-22-2006 12:01 AM

Originally Posted by Scott Greczkowski

Probably nothing except a long term commitment to AT&T.

The REAL upfront cost of this unit is that ATT will lay claim to any and all info they can garner about you in any way possible and they will in turn, sell or give this info to anyone and everyone they desire.

This unit should be called the "Big Brother Zone." Nothing like ATT wanting to get back "in control of your life" again.

**GaryPen** · 07-22-2006 12:13 AM

Originally Posted by Mike0616

The REAL upfront cost of this unit is that ATT will lay claim to any and all info they can garner about you in any way possible and they will in turn, sell or give this info to anyone and everyone they desire.

This unit should be called the "Big Brother Zone." Nothing like ATT wanting to get back "in control of your life" again.

Don't be stupid.

**jhaifley** · 07-22-2006 10:15 AM

It was Homezone that I tried to order here in Ohio through the 800# posted on the Homezone page. They said that even though they will have HD later, for the pilot in Ohio, only SD is being offered. Could that be why there is no OTA tuner mentioned? It seems right that the SD version would not include one.

**jhaifley** · 07-22-2006 01:49 PM

Decided that I could live without HD and ordered the Homezone service. The order went smoothly. I am bummed that I had to pay $79 for the wireless gateway since I already have better equipment, but oh well. Now I just have to wait a week and a half to get it installed.

**Neutron** · 07-23-2006 01:34 PM

I was activating our AT&T DSL service this morning and one of the options on the activation screen was Homezone w/DSL.

**Jim "Spot" Beam** · 07-24-2006 11:51 AM

2Wire lists DVD RW as an option.

I asked the CSR about this feature and the reply was that there were issues/problems with that option. I heard that as "The MPAA threatened to sue us."

Does anyone have one of these yet with the DVD RW and do you have any problems?

Are the USB ports enabled to add a DVD RW?

What about Dish's sharing of the stored files and the Pocket Dish?

I'm in Ohio considering getting one of these. $10 for the mediaportal fee, $5 for the Dish DVR fee, Dish programming charge, second receiver $5, and cost for DSL about $18 for 3 megs. Hesitant in the dictionary had my picture next to the entry.

Luckily I was not a Dish subscriber before otherwise this would not have been an option (from what CSR told me).

**andrewe77** · 07-24-2006 12:06 PM

Can the Homezone box browse your computer on your home network and play music directly off of it or does the box have to transfer the music to its own internal HDD before it can play it?