The Starz movie package should be free to all U-Verse customers for the month of July. If you're already paying for it, most likely, they will not give credit. (I'm not saying they should or shouldn't.) As a bonus, if you have a DVR and want to record something off Starz and watch it in August or later, you usually can. (I hear some providers "lock out" programs on channels that are "no longer paid for.")
I'm getting U-verse installed tomorrow. Basically, I just got tired of not having FSC on Wow. Telefutura, too. And access to ESPN360. The $225 rebate I'm getting for signing up helps, too. That, and as I was in Wisconsin for the past week, and when I left had no f-ing idea the US would get our of the group stage in South Africa, it would have been nice to have been able to set my DVR remotely with AT&T. Anyway, we'll see how the install goes. But I'm looking forward to playing with some new technology. By the way, the guys at Wow (who were very cool, friendly and professional when I called to disconnect) were VERY familiar with losing people due to no longer having FSC. The rep I talked to used to "sell MLS" (I think he was with Mitre back when they had the league ball). Nice guy. I don't have anything bad to say about Wow as a customer; I loved all the free-bee the movie channels, Sundance. But when they lost FSC it really just wasn't doing it for me anymore.
With AT&T, you get "locked in" to your current price level. However, if you upgrade (or downgrade) your package, then go back to your original package, you're forced to pay the new price. For example, i'm locked in at the U-200 level. I tried to get a one-month free upgrade to the U-300, but when I would have gone back to the U-200, i'd be "locked in" to the new 200 price, since the price of the 200 changed since I signed up. As good as U-Verse is, it should get better in a week or so when the ability to schedule and delete DVR recordings off additional set-top boxes finally arrives. (It's guessed that in about 9 months, the ability to control live TV off additional boxes will arrive.) And apparently this update will "kill multichannel audio out of the optical port", but it also fixes itself after a few days. (I can't elaborate on what that means as I just go straight from the DVR to the TV via HDMI.) Every once in a while, there'll be free previews of various AT&T programming. Check out utalk.att.com for more hints as to when those will be.
This is pretty normal, I think. DirecTV does the same thing; I hadn't changed my programming package in years, but I finally caved and added the Sports Pack (FSC) to my programming earlier this month... but I had to change my base package to do so, which cost me a few bucks a month. I'll probably drop it again after the Gold Cup (no more Crew games on FSC this year, I believe), but I'm stuck with the new, slightly higher price for essentially the same channel lineup (with 1 or 2 small changes).
So once again, cable does their own thing. They'll guarantee prices, but it's usually for a year and a half at most. Of course, if you call and raise grief over whatever, they can lock you in to another savings plan. Correct. No more Crew games scheduled for FSC at this time. The "one or two small changes" is different when compared to AT&T. If the U-whatever package has a channel and it gets upped to a higher package, you're hosed. A lot of U-200 people were honked when NASA-TV got bumped up. Their logic (not mine) was that since taxes pay for the channel, it shouldn't be on a high package.
Now i'm hearing that U-Verse subscribers are getting Showtime for free as well. Yippie. Who isn't up for free TV programming?
The following channels are FREE to all AT&T U-Verse subscribers in the month of July. All you have to do is simply tune to that channel. No phone calls or ordering needed. Showtime 852 Showtime West 853 Showtime Two 854 Showtime Two West 855 Showtime Showcase 856 Showtime Extra 858 Showtime Beyond 860 Showtime Family 862 Showtime Next 864 Showtime M 866 TMC 882 TMC West 883 TMC Xtra 884 Flix 890 Starz 902 Starz West 903 Showtime HD 1852 Showtime West HD 1853 Showtime Two HD 1854 Showtime Two West HD 1855 Showtime Showcase HD 1856 Showtime Showcase West HD 1857 Showtime Xtra HD 1858 Showtime Xtra HD 1859 TMC HD 1882 TMC HD 1883 TMC Xtra HD 1884
I got U-Verse installed on Monday. The installation took a while as the guy doing it had to call someone else to lay some cable. So far it looks great. I got the U-450 package so I have more movie channels than I need and don't benefit from the free channels. Got the 450 so I'd have HBO Hard Knocks with the Bengals. I'll probably drop to the U-300 with sports package and HD in September.
I'm liking U-300 thus far (a week in). Really liked how I was able to set up a bunch of DVR recordings on-line. Far, far better on-screen search mechanism than Wow had. Just a slicker technology, in general. The installer did say that he's heard of instances (like on his dad's TV) where people have run into HDMI compatibility issues; i.e., the DVR's HDMI output isn't compatible with the TV's HDMI input. This was news to me. He noted that, on my (1.5 year old) TV, when your turn on the DVR, a screen momentarily appears that says the TV's HDMI is not compatible with the DVR. Then is goes away and everything's fine. He said his dad's TV originally was working okay, but then he ended having to switch to component cables. Anyone else run into this?
I'd honestly recommend DirecTV. You'd have access to Setanta Xtra and Gol TV. Dish Network does not offer those channels. (I realize Setanta Xtra isn't much of a channel, but if I was paying for Setanta, Xtra would be a nice benefit.)
Yeah, with the T-W Explorer 4250HDC > Samsung circa late 2007. HDMI signal incompatible/missing.. or at least the tv said it was. Component worked fine, no sweat.
I have seen such a message, but haven't had any issues with the HDMI cable. I'm not running any fancy surround sound home theater system, so maybe i'm not experiencing whatever the "problem" is.
Here's the various offers for July. I'm not sure as to all the fine details, though. FREE HBO FOR 2 MOS. when you add HBO/Cinemax premium pkg. OR JUST HBO FREE HD FOR 1 MO. when you add HD service HSI--$20 back for upgrade to Elite or Pro--$10 back for SIX MOS. for upgrade to Max or Max18 FREE MO. SPORTS PKG. FREE MO. TV WITH UPGRADE to next highest TV Pkg. U-CONNECT WIDGET for Tiger/Vista uconnect.att.com/widget FREE MO. INTERNATIONAL PROGRAMMING FREE MO. THE MOVIE PKG. with sign up $149 HOME MANAGER GET THE AT&T MC, 10% SAVINGS ON AT&T SVCS. value.universalcard.com There's also a monthly magazine with information, offers and other interesting stuff. Some people get the magazine, others don't. Some people were getting it, then stopped. It's a true mystery as to why this is, but everyone can view it here: http://global.synapsegroup.com/att/uverse/ And finally, the ATT-2020 number is crap. Don't call it if you don't like voice recognition. Tech Support: 888-722-9337 or 866-912-8216 Main Number with NO voice recognition. 800-983-2811 (Much better than 800-ATT-2020.)
Yeah, I get the HDMI message too. I bought a couple of new TVs two weeks ago, a Panasonic plasma and a Samsung LED. With both TVs I get a message about the HDMI cable not recognizing the cable box, then it goes away and I don't have any problems watching stuff.
Potential U-verse problem: In general, I've really liked the service, picture quality, set-up, etc. One area I didn't expect problems from was audio. But a casual perusal of various websites implies that U-verse has experienced a lot of audio problems; audio dropping out periodically and syncing issues. I've noticed both, but to this point haven't spent any time trying to see how pervasive an issue this is for me. Nor have I called U-verse technical service. First, I noticed that the audio quality just wasn't what I expected when I was watching a recorded episode of Live From Abbey Road - an hour-long program of music recorded live in-studio, so audio quality is sort of important. In this instance, the audio volume appeared to fluctuate. Watching the Tour de France coverage on Verus this morning, the audio wasn't close to being in sync. Obviously, a bike race doesn't have a lot of lip synced audio to watch. But the commercials looked to be about a second off. Anyone else run into this? I have a fair amount of stuff recorded by this point, and so will take some time this weekend to see if this is a common problem or scattered and sporadic.
Are you using HDMI or component? There've been a few stories of HDMI not working right, but component working fine. You also may want to check your various settings to make sure those are good.
U-verse has mun2, so I get to watch US-Mexico in English (with whatever lowest bidder English announcers that Telemundo signs up for the match). And no espn2 ticker. And, yes, I am using HDMI cables.
I stopped getting the HDMI message even though I didn't change anything. U-Verse has about a bajillion more channels than my previous provider, WOW Digital. I've actually been putting the Spanish channels to use during the Gold Cup
But there's 0% chance of HD, although with the price that Telemundo wanted, that wouldn't have left much of a budget for an HD broadcast. BTW, RAI is now on U-Verse. (I think it's part of one of the language packs, since it's way up in the 3000's... Don't they show Italian soccer, or have they stopped?)
Update: I think they added a few new west coast feeds to a few premium channels. I rebooted my box and was greeted by several new premium channels. I didn't pay much attention, but I think some of them would have increased the number in the free preview. Also, I just called (866) 465-1496 for U-Verse and was instantly greeted by a live human. They had to transfer me to the correct person, but it was a hell of a lot easier than any menu or voice activation.
A friend just called me and wanted to know about Time Warner's availability in their area. They were looking at getting three DVRs, but it said something about a $16 price. (Extra box fee times two, plus DVR fee times three.) I made a strong pitch for U-Verse. The only real downside is that those secondary TVs don't have the ability to control live TV...yet. (Predictions indicate that in about 7-8 months, something a bit more concrete may be known.) The friend also has an iPhone, and I think there's a DVR app for the iPhone.
http://uverse.att.com/freehbo2 So far, not bad. Two U-400 free previews last year (one for Thanksgiving weekend, extended by a few days unannounced and another one later on.) Two months free HBO which ended last week. A month free Showtime/TMC and Starz which ends tomorrow. Finally, a DVR full of movies to occupy some time before 9/19. Edit -- I was able to get $10 credit, 1 month free movie package, and 1 month free sports pack by using the July offers.
Update: In today's Dispatch, page B3, there is a new channel lineup for Time Warner. Channels 2-75 will stay exactly the same, but a lot of channels are being duplicated above channel 101. According to TW Customer Service, if you're recording to a DVR, one hour of recording anything about channel 101 takes up less space than one hour of recording anything below channel 75. This also allows TW to make the channel lineup the same across the country. If one area gets channel 506 and another area doesn't, then that area won't have anything on channel 506. Even though a channel like FSC is now in the same genre as ESPN and ESPN2, you still must pay additional for FSC. (In other words, the same thing as now.) They're also taking a page from AT&T, as every HD channel is now apparently 1000 spots above the SD counterpart. IMO, they still need to make an entire "on demand channel" of channel number 1. AT&T, Comcast, and other providers have this.
