Uverse TV Topping the Charts

I think most of us can agree that having more instead of less choices is better. When we have the ability to search and compare, we make better purchase decisions. When it comes to technology though, the options can seem overwhelming. Take choosing a cell phone carrier and then having to choose an actual cell phone. One company offers unlimited data, the other unlimited talk and text. Then you have to choose between a phone with a better camera and one with more memory. There are too many things to consider to actually make an informed decision on what is best for us. Luckily, there are organizations that do a lot of the hard work and research for us. Take for example JD Power and Associates; they named ATT Uverse TV service the best TV service in the nation. That’s saying a lot coming from them and it also says a lot because U-verse TV service is relatively new in comparison to other TV service companies that have been around for many many years. So what merits AT&T Uverse TV to win this prestigious honor?

Believe it or not, 2008 is the launch date of AT&T Uverse services. Being less than 4 years old to date, it’s amazing how quickly this service topped the charts beating out long established and well known satellite and cable companies. As with any new product though, the service had it’s drawbacks. Luckily, since U-verse TV is provided on an advanced fiber optic network, there was few complaints about service quality and reliability but it did lack some important features. When it first launched, there were few HD channels available, video-on-demand and the advanced DVR service were not available. In just a year’s time though, AT&T was able to add the missing puzzle pieces. In 2009, video on demand was made available to customers, many HD channels were added, the the DVR was upgraded to what we now know as the Total Home DVR. Being the only multi – room DVR at the time, customers were awe stricken at the functionality. Recording on multiple TVs using one DVR and playing back recorded shows on every TV in the home was, and still is, absolutely fabulous. One of the best features in my opinion is the ability to surf the web on your digital TV using the functionality on the Total Home DVR. The features of the DVR were only matched by the superior quality of Uverse HD channels. If you have an HD TV, and you have Uverse service available in your area, then you have access to the absolute best picture quality available!

For those fortunate enough to have Uverse TV available to them, all I can ask is that you get your money’s worth by taking advantage of all its features and appreciating the quality of the digital programming. As for the rest of us, we may have to settle for the next best TV service provider but we can always hope the Uverse TV will come to our area soon.

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From HD to 3D

Since it’s launch in the beginning of the millenia, HD has been popular with all technology enthusiasts and couch potatoes alike. It has a evolved from a 720p format all the way up to a 1080i format (check my post about HD & ATT Uverse for more about this). Well, there is only so much fine tuning you can do to HD before we start seeing the cellular structure of people, and I don’t see that as being appealing to anyone but biologist. So where do we go next?…. Along with eye popping color, why not an eye popping picture all together?…. 3D TV of course.  Most people have seen at least one 3D movie, I mean every movie theater features at least 2 3D films at any given time these days. Few people though, have seen a 3D TV in action.

Did you know that the first 3D movie debuted in 1922? 3D is not a new technology although it has, like other technologies, evolved tremendously. The technology behind 3D has all to do with light. In essence, that is how we are able to see anything at all. Light enters your eyes and bounces off of the rods and cons which creates a picture in your mind. When an object is still, the light from it reaches each eye at the same time.When an object is moving, the light no longer reaches each eye at the same time. This is what creates the three dimensional picture that is real life. On a TV, the screen itself never moves therefor, the light from the screen always reaches your each eye at the same time which your brain interprets as a flat or or two-dimensional moving picture. For a 3D TV to create a 3D picture, it has to show you the same image in two slightly different locations to try and somewhat mimic how light reflects off of a real object ultimately creating depth. In order to create this double image that will be properly interpreted by your brain, special lenses are needed. Many people are familiar with 3D glasses which use special lenses. The two identical images that a 3D TV produces are filtered by 3D glasses so that your brain can interpret it as one three dimensional image. 3D glasses will either use passive lenses which use the red and blue color scheme to unify the double picture or they may use the more advanced active lenses which rely on fast flashing double images and infrared technology. Either way, you need 3D glasses to view 3D movie as it is meant to be seen. Without 3D glasses, you will see a somewhat blurry double image which will soon give you a headache.  Just as an HD TV needs the assistance of an HD receiver in order to broadcast HD channels, so does a 3D TV need 3D glasses to properly display a 3D picture. This has probably been the biggest obstacle to the mainstream popularity of 3D TVs. Although they have been available for a couple of years now, the idea of having to put on special glasses to view movies is not appealing to many. Another obstacle is the availability of live 3D programming. TV providers have few options for individuals who want to view 3D channels. For example, AT&T Uverse TV offers one 3D channel, ESPN 3D but I’ve heard that they may be dropping it until 3D picks up a little more popularity. Watching the same 3D DVDs over and over again is far from what we are used to today with all the variety of programs available on the hundreds of channels at out finger tips. Until more networks begin to make shows and movies in a 3D format, 3D TVs will remain far behind HD TVs.

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Mobile TV with Uverse

We have already discussed how infectious Internet TV is. That being said, it is not surprise that TV providers who care about the needs of thier customers would find a way to make internet TV accessible to all their customers. TV providers that haven’t adapted to this phenomenon are going to be quickly phased out of the larger market of cable TV service. AT&T is not going to be one of those providers. They were actually the first to offer their existing Uverse TV customers a way to access the programming they are already subscribed to from any compatible mobile device.

All U-verse TV customers can get the Uverse TV app free of charge and use it endlessly without any extra fees. With this app, you are able to manage the recordings that are saved on your advanced Total Home DVR. Remember, the Total Home DVR allows you to record from any TV in the home (with a receiver) and everything is stored in your network for easy access of any recorded programs from any TV. You are able to access those recordings anywhere that you have a wi-fi signal with your mobile device. You can watch your recordings or delete them. You can even schedule new recordings right from your smartphone or tablet. This app provides access to a TV Guide that allows you to browse through all the channels you are subscribed to and select anything that you would like to record. Customers with the Uverse 300 package or the Uverse 450 package,will have the ability to watch many shows and movies through their mobile device even though it is not a recording from their DVR. This feature is similar to On Demand. As a customer subscribing to the U-300 or higher, you will have a library of shows and movies that you can download onto your mobile device. You can watch the show/ movie immediately or you can watch it later since it is temporarily stored in your phone. It will usually stay downloaded on your device for about 2 weeks after which it will delete itself to avoid copyright infringement. At anytime, you can delete the file from your device if you find it is using up too much of your storage space. What better way to take full control of yur viewing experience than with Uverse TV and the Uverse TV app?

Bundles, Bundles, Bundles

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The advancements in technology are going up and up and up. The same can be said for the cost of just about anything. I heard on the radio just this morning that the government is considering doing away with the penny because it costs to much money to make them. Even the government is (considering ) cutting some corners.

As digital age babies, the only possible way for us to afford everything that we need is to cut unnecessary things out of our weekly or monthly spending and to take advantage of the discounts. Coincidentally, bundles provide just the type of discounts that people need. Even rich people bundle. You don’t stay rich by giving your money away but that is a good way to stay broke. When referring to your home entertainment services, bundling can include any two products or can include all three. The best savings is in getting the triple bundle with the TV, internet, and phone service. It is easy for companies to sell their internet and TV service because people like to watch TV and they use the internet, a lot! Phone service is a different story. With cell phone service taking hold of almost every aspect of our lives, including phone calls, a home phone seems useless. Those of us who were not weaned on cell phones, know that a phone call is not the only thing that a home phone can provide. Aside from the security that a home phone provides, it can also provide savings through bundling. If you really can’t justify having a home phone, then double bundles still offer great discounts.  People are so fond of these bundles that companies had to find a way to make them better. Low and behold, the Quad bundle is born. Companies like AT&T can offer Quad bundles becuase they also have their our cell phone service branch. In addition to the three home services, you can now bundle in your cell phone service.  Everything is on one bill and you get huge savings from bundling.

The next step in bundling will probably involve outside companies taking all of your bills and putting them in one place. There are companies that are developing billing systems that will allow you to put all of your accounts in one place and pay them all at once. You would never have to go to ten different websites to get all of your accounts paid becuase they would all  be bundled on one billing site. Hopefully, the service will be free because profits for these companies will come from the other companies clamoring to be part of their billing program. This is similar to how Google offers free search and information to consumers for free. Google makes their money from the hundreds of thousands of companies that want to be featured in their search results. Wherever bundling takes us in the future, we can be sure that that path involves saving money.

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AT&T Home Phone Service

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Cell phones have been at the forefront of communications technology for several years now. Not only can we make calls with them but we can access the internet, connect instantly through social media, and even have at as our little task organizer. In addition to taking over some of the functions that laptops have been used for, these devices have also taken over most of the tasks associated with home telephones.

A home phone should not be completely abandoned just yet becuse there are important advantages to keeping that home telephone. A fixed telephone service is the most reliable form of communication because it does not depend on wireless signals as cell phones do. In a large disaster where cell phone signals are not available, the digital home phone is working and it has a battery back up unit for extra security.

With a home phone, you can maintain lines of communication with the outside world even if you cannot get out of the house. Another important benefit of home phone services is accessibility for your children. If you are a concerned parent you might not want your kids to have cell phones until they reach a certain age, but they still need to talk to their friends or they might need to reach you in the event of an emergency so having a home phone can be really beneficial in this regard.  A home telephone can be used in case of an emergency if no mobile phone is available. The 911 helpline can respond more quickly to a call from a landline because they automatically have the address from where the call is being made. As useful as cell phones can be in an emergency outside the home, it is a shameful fact that the cell phones use satellite mapping to get an individuals location within a mile or so. The negative implications this has is that emergency personal do not have your exact location and this can be deadly in certain situations.

Why take the risk of not having a home phone when you can both. Cell phones and home phones compliment each other and, believe it or not can save you money. With a company like AT&T that offers TV, Internet,  cell phone service, and the original AT&T home phone service, bundling is the best option to get the best deal.

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The Internet TV Takeover

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It’s really no surprise to see new ways of entertainment, such as Internet TV and online gaming, introduced. As is the nature of life in general, technology will evolve to adapt to the changing whims of society. At the center of this entertainment evolution is the internet. The question that many viewers, networks, and cable TV companies are asking is whether or not this new technology will change the world of cable TV as we know it.

There are a few statistics out there that have look at have studied the phenomenon of internet TV.  One such number indicates that individuals who use the Internet more often, watch 11.5 hours of TV per week. That is three hours less than those who use the internet less frequently. Those who use the internet more because of their work/ career or because they have been weened on it since childhood, will typically attain their news updates and comedy fixes from the internet. Now, those who use the internet less because, for example, their work is more physically demanding or simply because they did not grow up relying it, will usually get their news updates or watch their comedy shows from cable TV networks.

As the numbers show, internet TV is appealing to many people. A survey concluded that 45% of people are actually enjoying this service, especially since they can use their iPods to receive their shows in streaming format. However, 45% of those surveyed decided to stick to the conventional method of viewing cable TV, whereas the remaining 10% were still undecided or neutral about the whole subject. So, both methods of watching television shows have equal numbers of advocates.

A benefit of internet TV is that you won’t have to pay to watch your favorite shows, aside from internet connectivity costs. The networks offering their programs online get their profits from broadcasting 30-second ads during shows. In addition, this new medium allows viewers to watch their shows anywhere and anytime.  However, keep in mind that not all of your shows will be streamed so it will be only through cable TV that  you can watch certain shows and programs. You also want to make sure that your internet speed is fast enough to handle the streaming of long shows and movies. Internet packages from services like AT&T U-Verse are ideal for internet TV users. If you really think about it, people are just not ready to give up the comforts of laying out on the couch with the remote control in hand and watching the big flat screen in the living room.

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Total Home DVR from U-verse

Digital Video Recorders have revolutionized the way we watch TV. We no longer have to conform to the schedule listed on the the TV guide. Now, we have TV on our time. Without a doubt, the best DVR is the one that not only gives you freedom with your time but also with the room you choose to enjoy your shows in. Many companies offer multi-room DVRs and AT&T’s U-verse DVR service just so happens to offer the best multi-room DVR which they appropriately named the ToTal-Home DVR.  Normally, if you wanted to watch recorded programs in your bedroom, family room, and kitchen would mean paying monthly fees on 3 separate DVR receivers. With the Total Home DVR, you can pay for one DVR and then have 2 standard (and much cheaper) receivers. Whichever TV this advanced DVR is hooked up to will have the capability of recording, rewinding, and pausing live TV. You will also be able to fast-forward or play in slow motion a show/ movie that you have recorded or have rewound. The other TVs in your home with the standard receivers will be able to schedule recording and watch any movies or shows that are stored on the advanced DVR. If that’s not cool, I don’t know what is. This new DVR also has advanced capabilities that integrate the U-verse Internet service. There are more advancements to come with AT&T U-verse services which will give us more control and enhance our lives.

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TV With U-Verse: HD Perfection

Before AT&T stepped into the world of fiber optics, they were forced to bundle with satellite companies in order to offer television service in their bundles. Although satellite TV is an awesome service with great HD quality, AT&T’s U-Verse TV is definitely a step above the rest.  It offers some of the best digital quality which in turn provides best HD programming with over 100 channels available in HD. U-Verse TV offers all the favorites like parental controls, interactive program guide, and the immensely popular on-demand service. It also has some unfamiliar features like the U-bar and the Multi-View feature. U-bar is an internet integrated feature that allows you to receive certain information like weather reports, stock and sport updates right through your tv. This feature requires that you internet since the updates are streamed from the web and it is also must be customized online. The Multi-view feature allows you to actually watch up to 4 different channels at the same time! Now this may sound chaotic but audio only plays from the one channel that is set at the forefront but you have 3 other channels available on the right hand side bar of your TV. The images of the sub-channels are smaller than the channel that is on the main view but they are big enough for you to see if there is anything interesting going on or if it is on commercials. At any time, you can switch which channel is in the main view (with audio). With the variety of channels available to us these, the Multi-View feature seems likes a must. I use it particularly becuase I can avoid commercials by switching another channel into the main view as soon as one goes to commercials. Another handy tool to dodge commercials is the Total Home DVR. Like any DVR you can use the recording, rewinding and fast-forwarding capabilities to skip commercials but this DVR does more. The difference is that it can record and play back on multiple TVs in the household. You do not need to pay for a DVR for each TV, you just need to have a receiver on each TV. This receiver can also stream web content on your TV if you also have internet with AT&T. You can search the web for a phone number or view pictures and videos stored on your computer right through your digital TV. With the line between television and internet service becoming blurry, AT&T’s Uverse TV will become your line of site

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Internet With U-Verse: Speedy G…

In the past AT&Ts DSL service did not have such a good wrap but now DSL is reliable and super fast but even that is overshadowed by their U-verse internet.  Now, you may not need the fastest internet package, but U-verse Internet uses fiber optic technology also making it one of the most reliable internet services available.

Internet speed is most commonly measured in Mega bits per second (Mbps). Internet speeds can range from 1 Mbps all the way up to 100MbPS. The average American only needs between 5Mbps to 20Mbps for their home. This range includes doing things like checking e-mails, paying bills online, on-line classes, gaming,  and supporting multiple computers. If you use the internet heavily like for downloading large files constantly (i.e. software programs, full length movies, etc..) or you have many devices using the internet at once constantly (i.e. several computers, printers, faxes, scanners, etc..), then you will most likely need a slightly higher speed. U-verse internet offers speeds for all those uses from 3Mbps all the way up to 24Mbps for fast downloading!

Nowadays, internet service has more connections to TV than ever before. It is possible these days to have your internet connected to your digital TV. If you have devices that can create that connection between your TV and the internet service like a PS3, Xbox, as well as the Total Home DVR available with U-verse TV, then you will have the ability to rest your laptop and do your online activities through your TV. Navigating may not be as easy using the internet on your TV but, (surprise, surprise!) there is keyboard that can be purchased to connect to your TV.

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Learning About Fiber Optics

By now, everyone in America has heard the term ‘fiber optics’ being thrown around. Although many people still don’t know what that is, many moredo know that it is synonymous with speed and efficiency. Although fiber optics may seem new to most of America, the technology is over 100 years old. For home services like cable tv, internet, and home phone, it has been in use for over 25 years!

A fiber optic line (in the world of TV, internet and phone) is another type of wire like the coaxial cable line and the telephone line. Telephone lines are usually made of copper and they generate an electrical signal that can be weakened by electromagnetic interference. Telephone lines, which are used by telephone companies like AT&T and Verizon (not referring to their wireless division), have the square-like jack at the end. Coaxial cable lines are also made of copper and they generate an electrical signal but weakening of the signal by electromagnetic interference is less of a problem. Coaxial cable lines, which are used by cable companies like Comcast and Time Warner Cable, have an N connector at the end (the end that you screw into the back of your TV). Fiber optic lines, on the other hand, are made of fiber glass and they transmit light signals. The speed of light is 186,000 miles per second!

So what companies use the fiber optic lines?…. You might, by process of elimination, answer satellite companies like Dish Network and Direct TV but that would be incorrect. Satellite companies (as explained in this Cable vs Satellite post) borrow the coaxial cable lines inside your home to provide you the direct broadcast signal. In all actuality there is no TV, internet, or phone company that ‘owns’ the fiber optic technology. The companies that use fiber optics are the same ones that use telephone lines and coaxial cable lines. Yes, cable companies and telephone companies actually use two technologies to provide you with service.

Both telephone companies and cable TV companies have invested money into being able to use fiber optic lines in conjunction with their existing network. You may have heard of brands like U-verse and Xfinity. U-verse is the brand name for A&T’s use of fiber optics and Xfinity is Comcast’s brand name for their use of fiber optics. With either company, investments have been made to upgrade a lot of their network to using primarily fiber optic lines. Whichever company you choose or have available, fiber optics brings the following wonderful things to your home:

• Better digital quality with HD programming closer to that of blue ray
• Faster internet speeds for gaming, home business and the use of multiple computers
• Clearer and cheaper phone service through digital technology (Currently, a traditional home phone uses analog signals to make phone calls. Home phones that use digital signals instead of analog signals are cheaper because no third party verification is needed to provide you long distance service, among other things)

Of course, there is a lot more to fiber optics than what I’ve listed here but for now that is enough information. I mean, what’s more important than HD and fast internet anyway?… J