Search:  

 
 
   News
newer
story category Dual HD Stream U-Verse Expanding
No official word yet from AT&T on plans
04:24PM Monday May 19 2008 by Karl Bode
tags: dsl · competition · business · bandwidth · AT&T U-Verse
Though I've been unable to get official launch plans out of AT&T yet, our users are reporting that the telco is now offering dual-HD streams in a number of U-Verse markets. After seeing an initial launch in the St. Louis area, users in parts of Michigan and Georgia are also seeing the update. Providing dual HD streams is an important competitive milestone, because until users can record two HD streams at once, U-Verse TV simply isn't on par with cable & satellite HD. AT&T has been busy trying to fit 10Mbps VDSL data service, two HD channels, and two SD channels into the 25Mbps pipe most users (around 3k feet from the DSLAM) see.

Related:
  1. 10Mbps U-Verse
  2. U-Verse Hits Northeastern Illinois
  3. AT&T Offering Dual U-Verse HD Streams In St. Louis
  4. AT&T: Usage-Based Pricing 'Inevitable'
  5. Investors Review Positive U-Verse Developments
  6. Verizon: Offering FiOS In AT&T Turf 'Logical'
  7. Sorry Qwest, 'Next Generation' Broadband Isn't 896kbps Upstream
  8. U-Verse Hits South Florida
Forums » Dual HD Stream U-Verse Expanding

Comments
view: topics flat text 
Post a:

Neyland85

join:2003-02-04
North Augusta, SC

Not enough

I still want to be able to record two HD shows and watch another... it's the coming age ya'll

jjoshua
Premium
join:2001-06-01
Scotch Plains, NJ

Hooray....

Wow... 2 streams at once. BFD.

Great use of the wrong technology, AT&T.

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA
·AT&T U-Verse
·RoadRunner Cable
·Time Warner VOIP
·DSL EXTREME

Re: Hooray....

Yeah, I'm glad to hear they got two streams going, but for us, two isn't even enough. We have four HD tuners (two via Media Center, two via TW's DVR) and we sometimes find 3 way conflicts.

It's not a matter of us watching that much TV, it's just there are four major networks that insist on airing their best shows in a handful of timeslots.

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

Re: Hooray....

I have no issue with CBS, NBC or ABC HD OTA
I'll have to wait for Fox and my13 until Feb 2009 for cutover back to VHF.
--
Canada = Hollywood North

djrobx

join:2000-05-31
Valencia, CA

Re: Hooray....

Interesting, my friend in Woodlands had no trouble with Fox at its current location. ABC was the only network he had intermittent troubles with.

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

Re: Hooray....

The site »www.tvfool.com shows a graph on whats available where (uses google earth or static map).
--
Canada = Hollywood North

CarterStClai
X-Out The W

join:2002-04-17
Sugar Land, TX

edit:
May 19th, @05:12PM

Is there really *anything* worth watching on the four major networks?
radougherty

join:1999-07-23
Austin, TX
·AT&T Southwest

Let me know when there isn't a limit

I have 3 HD DVR's which each can record two channels, so that's 6 streams there. Plus I have 4 HDTV's each with ATSC tuners so now I'm at 13 streams that I could want at one time. So two itsy bitsy streams that AT&T wants to offer me just isn't going to cut it, dump the copper, go to FTTP and then give me a call.
Enlightener

join:2006-01-28
Cedar Park, TX

Re: Let me know when there isn't a limit

Sadly having AT&T FTTP doesn't help. They don't differentiate the service based on delivery so you are constrained to whatever they can push over copper.

icp1
Premium
join:2000-10-13
Saint Louis, MO
clubs:

Hobbies

Many of you need new hobbies besides just recording HD TV that you rarely go back and watch

en102
Canadian, eh?

join:2001-01-26
Valencia, CA

Re: Hobbies

Seriously.

Jwobot

join:2002-08-14
Utica, MI
·WOW Internet and C..

said by icp1 See Profile :

Many of you need new hobbies besides just recording HD TV that you rarely go back and watch
In Michigan people are watching the Detroit Red Wings playoff games when they are on, Detroit Pistons playoff games when they are on and the Detroit Tigers games when they are on. Sometimes even watching all three sports teams in one day. Recording multiple tv shows is something that is needed here.
mikedz4

join:2003-04-14
Weirton, WV
·Comcast Digital Vo..

Re: Hobbies

what happened to joe louis arena? It was a shame watching the last two rounds and seeing empty seats. Heck tickets went onsale for the penguins series 2 days ago and it's still not sold out!!! Meanwhile unless I get tickets in 5 minutes after the on-sale today, the only way I will be able to be at mellon arena come next wednesday is to get there at 630 for the 8pm game and watch it outside gate 1 on the big screen!!!
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·ViaTalk


edit:
May 19th, @05:40PM

Sheesh...

Things I didn't know about Uverse until I started evaluating them:

1. Only 1 DVR per household, and it's not networked with the other $5/month boxes in your house. Comcast's DVRs are hella-expensive but at least you can put as many as you want wherever you want, picture quality be damned.

2. Only 1 or 2 HD streams per household, depending on where you are in the transition. VOD is reported to be limited.

3. Apparently no Comcast Sports Net subscription is available, only a problem when the Cubs aren't on WGN. This is the death knell on the W.A.F. for my household.

4. Internet speeds are nice but reports of high latency.

5. None of this is really explained on the website during ordering (not that I'd expect them to list the limitations) but if they're paying for a truck roll and installation labor and then the customer gives them the heave the first week once they realize all that's missing, Uverse is going to go over with a big thud.

I was really looking forward to giving them a try

ztmike
Premium
join:2001-08-02
·Comcast
·AT&T Midwest

Re: Sheesh...

U-Verse internet speeds are Crap. They seriously need to bump their top tier up to at least 30/5, but then you have distance limitations..lol Atat made a wrong choice going with dsl technology. It WILL bite them in the ass in the future sooner or later.
--
www.youtube.com/watch?v=mdYueIC1pjM

a333
A hot cup of integrals please

join:2007-06-12
Corona, NY
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: Sheesh...

hell, even if they DO go to FTTP in future, it'll be a helluva more expensive to maintain, with all that active cabinet equipment to keep powered up and serviced. IMHO, VZ took the best approach, in using a passive network. Expensive, yes, but a LOT cheaper to maintain. Also, fridge-size boxes on customer lawns not included...

arealdsltech
Premium
join:2007-02-27
Oklahoma City, OK

Re: Sheesh...

AT&T FTTP is BPON and can be software upgraded to GPON.

a333
A hot cup of integrals please

join:2007-06-12
Corona, NY
·Verizon Online DSL


edit:
May 19th, @09:46PM

Re: Sheesh...

I'm not talking about the Greenfield installs. I mean that areas with pre-existing FTTN (aka cheap 99cent VDSL Re-Verse) will be a lot more expensive to maintain if and ever they are upgraded to FTTP, and have more aspects that can go kooka-dooka. (i.e. power, active equipment, waterproofing, more expensive repairs after calamities, etc...) As to the BPON installs, I pray that they offer something more than 6 Mbit/sec over the new fiber. The least they can do is match existing cableco offers. Also, to add insult to injury, the greenfield developments don't get DHCP, but are instead routed over the existing old and crappy DSL backbone. Sad........
cwh

join:2006-05-14
San Antonio, TX

Re: Sheesh...

said by a333 See Profile :

I'm not talking about the Greenfield installs. I mean that areas with pre-existing FTTN (aka cheap 99cent VDSL Re-Verse) will be a lot more expensive to maintain if and ever they are upgraded to FTTP, and have more aspects that can go kooka-dooka. (i.e. power, active equipment, waterproofing, more expensive repairs after calamities, etc...) As to the BPON installs, I pray that they offer something more than 6 Mbit/sec over the new fiber. The least they can do is match existing cableco offers. Also, to add insult to injury, the greenfield developments don't get DHCP, but are instead routed over the existing old and crappy DSL backbone. Sad........
currently uverse vdsl and uverse fttp have 10/1.5 for the max tier. Legacy fttp is still on pppoe and atm, but uverse fttp is on dhcp.
bogey780

join:2004-03-19
Covington, LA

Huh? Why would they need to power a cabinet if they go to FTTP? They'd go PON. At that point the cabinet just becomes a major aggregation point.

And you only have one fridge sized box per neighborhood and really less boxes overall as crossconnect cabinets would be pulled.

You're talking a lot of points but you don't know the engineering.

a333
A hot cup of integrals please

join:2007-06-12
Corona, NY
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: Sheesh...

Ehhh, anyone with half a brain knows that AT&T decided to first invest in FTTN, then extend the fiber to homes, using active FTTP tech. To get PON, they'd have to remove all the expensive VDSL DSLAM's, and all the active electronics, and sell it in a market where few would be interested in buying, I.e., at the point that AT&T decides to go FTTP, their copper active electronics will be WORTHLESS. Also, to install the PON splitters, they have to make sure the existing fiber is compatible. Also, they have to replace the equipment at the CO, since it'll have to transmit to an entire neighbourhood simultaneously. Not to mention the cost and hassle of replacing the existing RG's and CPE with ONT's. AND paying for the splicing and whatnot labor that goes into setting up the PON. Verizon? They'll be milking their fiber by that time, while AT&T has to handle copper Re-Verse cancellations, and get people to switch to the 'revolutionary' PON infrastructure. Considering the hard time Verizon is having, even after doing it right the FIRST time, I seriously doubt people will switch to U-Verse, especially by the time Comcast starts rolling out DOCSIS 3.0.
Now, if you expect AT&T to just chuck the old stuff into the junk yard, that's a whole new point, but I doubt that's happening. They're likely going to go active FTTP, not PON. Except the greenfield installs, of course.
And I probably know a lot more than you do in your dizziest daydreams, so I'll take that for a (sarcastic) compliment.
ILpt4U

join:2006-11-12
Crystal Lake, IL
·AT&T Yahoo

As far as the boxes not being networked, that is incorrect. They are networked. However, at present, the DVR is not shared. This WILL CHANGE before the end of the year. WH-DVR(Whole Home DVR) is due out before 2008 is over, at which point every TV that has a U-Verse STB will have access to the recordings on the DVR.

You have mis-information as far as Comcast SportsNet Chicago not being on U-Verse. It is on the U200 and higher packages.

It is Channel 741 in the Chicago TV market. Channel 742 is Comcast Sportsnet "Plus" (the games that are bumped to CLTV on Comcast cable when both the Cubs and Sox are scheduled to be on Comcast SportsNet at the same time).

The HD version of CSN-Chi is presently not available on U-Verse, but I would suspect that will change soon.

Latency is slightly increased. I don't know if I would call it "high" -- it adds about 15-20 ms of latency over fast-path DSL. Basically the only people this really affects is hard-core First Person Shooter online gamers, where 15 milliseconds really matters...

If you have any more questions, feel free to message me.
jester121

join:2003-08-09
Lake Zurich, IL
·ViaTalk

Re: Sheesh...

joe, thanks for clearing this up -- I'll probably give Uverse a try in 2009 if they get these issues taken care of.
I hope they increase the storage capacity of their DVRs as well... 24 hrs of HD content for a household isn't very much if there is fast turnover.

Not sure what pull you have, but it would be great if AT&T would address some of these (probably) common questions on their website, and train their online chat personnel as well.
travanx

join:2002-01-15
Glendale, CA

Re: Sheesh...

There is definitely some issues about calling AT&T and getting straight answers for anything regarding the service. But I am at the very end of where DSL can go in our area and am so extremely happy that I actually get the full 10/1.5 speed with 23ms ping using speedtest. Also the quality of the HD and SD compared to DISHtv is just amazing. And its cheaper too. I can understand the complaints, but this service is still pretty new right?

rich802943

@rcn.com

hahah

its a joke how uverse is stilll not up to par with satellite and cable.

orion940
A PITA for over 50 years
Premium
join:2001-12-23
Windsor, CT
·AT&T Yahoo


edit:
May 19th, @09:50PM

For once I agree with Comcast

In our area, Comcast is the competing cable service. They advertise showing AT&T's "Advanced TV", then go on to saying AT&T will soon be offering advanced shoes, and show a pair of wooden shoes.

It is funny.

O.
--
In Windsor CT, Home of The Decorative Zamboni

jgkolt
Premium
join:2004-02-21
Lakewood, OH
clubs:

not here

The dual hd streams in the cleveland/akron market are not live but I hear it will within a month from now.
--
Learning how to invest? Sign up to get 3 free trades for you and me each. ME me

heat84

join:2004-03-11
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Perspective

Just for perspective,how many HD streams does FIOS support?
flashcore

join:2007-01-23
Lutherville Timonium, MD

Re: Perspective

FIOS uses QAM for TV, its the same standard as all the major cable company's use so the amount of HD streams is only limited to the amount of HD boxes or cable cards they will lease you which I think is currently 9 but that is only due to there billing systems. Each HD box has dual tuners.
mapper

join:2008-04-07
Fairfax, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Perspective

Well currently, the FiOS ONT supports only 7 QAM/IP devices on its TV provision. It can support 3 CableCARDs after that. So in theory, Verizon could be sending 2 HD streams to 7 QIP HD-DVR boxes(14 streams so far), plus 3 HD streams through each CableCARD(no M-Cards yet), making a total of 17 HD streams. Correct me if i'm wrong.
Forums » Dual HD Stream U-Verse Expanding

Thursday, 24-Jul
05:45:37
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Hosting by www.nac.net - DSL,Hosting & Co-lo | feedback | contact
8th year online! © 1999-2008 dslreports.com.