Used Uverse for 3 weeks..thinking of Dish now

[maverick22]

Is Dish's PQ better than Uverse? If not I guess there's not much reason to switch.

I'm getting a little tired of my Internet getting slowed down since Internet is tied to TV with Uverse.

 

[boba]

How do you measure the picture quality?

 

[JM42]

It's been a few years, but I had Uverse TV installed just to avoid the install fee for internet and to get the rebates. Cancelled TV after a month.

I'd give the edge to Dish. Uverse seemed sharper for the more static content, but once things started moving blocking was more noticeable. It still seems the same when at a neighbors, but I can't do the side by side, rewind and compare again routine anymore.

Of course that could well be market dependent.

There are a few nice features with the UVerse receiver, but overall Hopper blows it away.

 

[gdarwin]

I also give the edge to Dish.

 

[mitchflorida]

Dish has better HD, Uverse has better SD. You also get more HD channels with Uverse, a lot more.

 

[Bobby]

Dish has better HD, Uverse has better SD. You also get more HD channels with Uverse, a lot more.

Would you be so kind as to list all the extra HD channels you get with Uverse..... Even if they don't look as good as Dish....

 

[Hall]

http://uverse.com/uverse/premium-package-hd

 

[KazooGuy]

Dish has better HD, Uverse has better SD. You also get more HD channels with Uverse, a lot more.

Do not ever toss down that gauntlet, the one thing that is more upsetting to many DISH customers is to have to admit that someone else has more HD!

 

[KAB]

Do not ever toss down that gauntlet, the one thing that is more upsetting to many DISH customers is to have to admit that someone else has more HD!

Perhaps. But at last look, nothing I would watch. Mostly just more spin-off channels, particularly Showtime, that recycles the same stuff. But back to original subject. A neighbor, who has the same Uverse "distribution" station/hub or whatever it's called, that I would have, has terrible HD. She is considering Dish after seeing mine. But I did tell her D* is a bit better.

 

[maverick22]

I'm pretty close to the "node, station" whatever it's called, so I good a pretty good picture. It's not as clear/sharp as Direct for sure.

I'm really curious if Dish is closer to Uverse or Direct. If it's closer to Uverse, I guess I'll just stick with Uverse. Now if it's quite a bit better than Uverse and closer to Direct, it would probably be worth the switch to Dish.

How does the Hopper blow Uverse's DVR system away? I know about the PrimeTime feature, and that it can record 2 more with the Super Joey. How else is it that much better than what Uverse offers?

 

[KAB]

How does the Hopper blow Uverse's DVR system away? I know about the PrimeTime feature, and that it can record 2 more with the Super Joey. How else is it that much better than what Uverse offers?

The equipment is Jurrasic. Whole home is under several conditions, and don't even think about their wireless clients. Dish is MUCH closer in PQ to Directv.

 

[mitchflorida]

FXM HD, Ovation HD, lots of Encore HD, 2 The Movie Channel HD , Smithsonian HD. Military History SD, BBC News HD
I think there are also more Showtime HDs and Starz HD. These are just the top of my head there may be others.U Verse doesn't have Hallmark Channels at all.
Uverse HD is 10+ percent worse than Dish, but Uverse may be slightly better SD.

 

[Yespage]

Do not ever toss down that gauntlet, the one thing that is more upsetting to many DISH customers is to have to admit that someone else has more HD!

Actually the claim was that UVerse had "a lot more" HD channels. Which isn't true. It should also be noted to get those "a lot more" HD channels, you have to get out the bigger money shovel.

UVerse, the leader in hD.

 

[Tampa8]

Perhaps. But at last look, nothing I would watch. Mostly just more spin-off channels, particularly Showtime, that recycles the same stuff.

That's about what I see, and I do see a couple of channels like TV Land. Their claim is more than Cable, they side step Satellite.
BUT.... lets see what DISH has that is not in that Uverse list. I do not know if the Uverse list is complete in that chart. Some may be available in their add on tier that are not in that list? And it may depend on location.
Zliving
HDNMV
Hallmar
Blaze
MAVTV
CTRC
Logo
PLDIA
INDIE
RETRO
EPIX 1
EPIX 2
EPIX 3
MGM
SONY
PIXL
SEC


DDL

 

[KAB]

I would not be surprised, in 4 or 5 years, and IF the Directv deal goes through, that they fold Uverse TV. The business model is just not working. And if it does stay, it would be because they tie programming contracts with the D* side. Otherwise, in the best case scenario, they drop several channels . They've already started, with Hallmark. Others would likely follow.

 

[am7crew]

I would not be surprised, in 4 or 5 years, and IF the Directv deal goes through, that they fold Uverse TV. The business model is just not working. And if it does stay, it would be because they tie programming contracts with the D* side. Otherwise, in the best case scenario, they drop several channels . They've already started, with Hallmark. Others would likely follow.

Although they did drop Hallmark a few years ago, since then they haven't dropped anything. If anything they have added even more than any other provider I've seen. Epix, Encore spin offs (Action, Romance, Classics, etc) Aljazeera, Long Horn Network HD, Pac 12 HD, Nick Toon HD, etc. Don't really have a dog in the fight since U-Verse isn't for everyone but there's really no rational argument to dispute they offer the most HD channels than anyone else.

With that out of the way the OP If U-Verse PQ is (in my area at least) a 7.0 Dish is 7.5. Dish has a better user interface in my opinion (I really like the X1ish 'flat' new hopper interface thats coming out) but their joey's have been extremely sluggish and slow lately. They (Dish) offer more storage space,and prime time anytime is really nice if you watch a lot of network shows. On U-Verse's end their receivers are pretty snappy, more HD channels, and real on demand. It all comes down to what benefits your watching needs the most. I would never get U-Verse internet and TV bundle as TV's take away internet speeds, unless of course you can get the new 75meg plan or gigapower.

 

[mitchflorida]

I have Uverse Internet and TV service and I pay for 12 Mbps but get 14.5 Mbps. If anything they overcompensate for the TV portion. So I would have to disagree with you about bad Internet service. Uverse is incredible with online access to TV Channels and if you buy the optional Slingbox it is better for me than Dish.

Why the OP would cancel after three weeks makes little sense. Isn't there a contract? AT&T is getting very aggresive and gave me $250 in gift cards and $35 off a month for a year.

 

[KAB]

Why the OP would cancel after three weeks makes little sense. Isn't there a contract?

From AT&T:
A contract is not required to purchase U-verse services. A contract term may be offered in some instances, however, in order to qualify for additional promotional discounts.

 

[maverick22]

I have Uverse Internet and TV service and I pay for 12 Mbps but get 14.5 Mbps. If anything they overcompensate for the TV portion. So I would have to disagree with you about bad Internet service. Uverse is incredible with online access to TV Channels and if you buy the optional Slingbox it is better for me than Dish.

Why the OP would cancel after three weeks makes little sense. Isn't there a contract? AT&T is getting very aggresive and gave me $250 in gift cards and $35 off a month for a year.

I had Uverse Internet first. A few months later I was interested in TV, so I called them up to inquire. They said I will NOT be under contract (month to month) with TV, and I have 30 days to cancel if I'm not satisfied. I am actually on the 18mbps speed, and I get 22 when no internet is being used (meaning also no TV is being recorded/watched). That part is great when no one is watching TV/using Internet.

However, once I turn on the TV to watch HD, my internet drops 6mb. If I turn on a 2nd TV and watch HD, my internet drops another 6mb. If I try to record something, it goes down another 6mb roughly. Each HD stream running drops my speed by 6mb! Now I am down to 6! If I/someone else wants to watch Netflix that uses about 4-5. Now I am left with 1-2!

I keep going back and forth on whether or not to try out Dish. The inconsistent signal with Dish worries me (cloud cover someone mentioned in another forum and rain fade). I was getting annoyed with Direct when it rained, and if Dish is even worse than Direct, I'm not sure if I want to fool with it. I heard Sling works off of upload speed, which I did not know. With AT&T I get like 1-2 mbps only. If Dish has about the same PQ as Dish, I don't know if I should even worry about trying out Dish.

Please keep the input coming though! I'm still considering Dish.

 

[mitchflorida]

I think the upload speed matters when you are away from home using Sling. When you are home you are just using your LAN.

Have you told AT&T about the Internet problem? My speeds don't change when the TV service is working.