Entertainment System Help Request

[DJlaysitup]

I'm switching apartments at the end of this month for a better view. Great time to upgrade. I live in Atlanta.

I currently have DirecTV basic - 64.99 a month and At&T landline phone and (fast)DSL combo - about $85 a month depending on my long distance charges. I currently watch a 27 inch old style TV. I have no cell phone.

I will buy a new TV and am thinking about a semi-large screen (in the 42 to 46 inch range) but wouldn't mind having a larger one if the price doesn't go up that much. I have also heard about Netflix from my younguns - and would like to be able to do that and watch (direct download) old Sci-Fi movies, etc. on my TV. I don't have a gaming system (nor am I really interested in one unless they do things I don't know about) - but I have heard there is a "Roku box" that can stream the old movies/most public domain stuff from the net onto the TV.

My "new" apartment won't have Wireless internet.

I have a fairly new computer so no need to upgrade there. I don't really care if I have a landline telephone or not - but am slow to adapt to new technologies (obviously). I could go with a cellphone just as well.

Any thoughts on how I could improve my service and/or save a little money on the monthly bill(s)?

I suppose I could ditch the DirecTV but I do enjoy ESPN, SS, the History Channel, and a few others.

Money isn't the main thing - I could just replicate what I have now and be happy - but I'd like to be up to speed technologically (before I start falling behind again)

Thanks ahead of time for any ideas - DJ :derisive:

P.S. - I'm single and my kids are all grown so I have no need to set this up for anybody but me.

Edited May 5, 2011 by DJlaysitup

[frosgrim]

I saved about $60 a month going over to U-verse and keeping all my cell stuff with AT&T. Some big caveats:

I have an iPhone,

My wife just got an iPhone

My oldest daughter has a cell

I provide my dad with his cell.

I really like the U-verse package we have. It hasn't gone out during storms like DirectTV does. My internet speed is significantly increased and they included a wireless router in the setup for the house.

So, my situation doesn't match yours.

OH, for a TV we got a 46 or 47" LCD and I love that thing.

[Wurider05]

The picture quality of U-verse sucks. You can't go wrong with comcast. They have the fastest internet and the best pic quality for HDTV. You could also get netflix/hulu plus on a Xbox 360 or Ps3. You have endless options. When buying a television check out brandsmart first. They have great deals.

[frosgrim]

The picture quality of U-verse sucks. You can't go wrong with comcast. They have the fastest internet and the best pic quality for HDTV. You could also get netflix/hulu plus on a Xbox 360 or Ps3. You have endless options. When buying a television check out brandsmart first. They have great deals.

Comcast is awful. I've had more run arounds with that company than pretty much any other one I've been with. Comcast routinely went out during storms. AT&T has stayed on during the storms of the past 2 weeks for me. Ergo, I will take that as a good metric of reliability and quality.

Also, customer service with AT&T has been better for me than the other providers I've tried. That isn't saying a whole lot, but that is my experience.

I think what this shows is everyone has an individual experience with their media providers. DJ, maybe you can check with others in your building to see what their experiences are? If they have a good experience with provider X, then that is the one you should probably go with. Just my 2 cents.

[Admin]

The picture quality of U-verse sucks. You can't go wrong with comcast. They have the fastest internet and the best pic quality for HDTV. You could also get netflix/hulu plus on a Xbox 360 or Ps3. You have endless options. When buying a television check out brandsmart first. They have great deals.

U-Verse quality only sucks if you're comparing it to Blu-Ray. I had U-Verse for 3 years before going to Comcast this year after moving and U-Verse SD quality is far superior and the HD is just as good. If you're paying for the 50 or 100 MB internet then yeah Comcast is a lot faster but it's also very expensive.

Comcast is awful. I've had more run arounds with that company than pretty much any other one I've been with. Comcast routinely went out during storms. AT&T has stayed on during the storms of the past 2 weeks for me. Ergo, I will take that as a good metric of reliability and quality.

Also, customer service with AT&T has been better for me than the other providers I've tried. That isn't saying a whole lot, but that is my experience.

I think what this shows is everyone has an individual experience with their media providers. DJ, maybe you can check with others in your building to see what their experiences are? If they have a good experience with provider X, then that is the one you should probably go with. Just my 2 cents.

I hate Comcast customer service and their bill is by far the most confusing I've ever seen. It seems like no matter how often I pay it always shows that I am a month behind. After having been with Comcast for 6 months now I'd give anything to go back to U-Verse, but unfortunately it's not available here.

[HawkItus]

isn't comcast infinity now? Horrible company. AT&T isn't much better, but the product is more reliable to me. Not to mention you can use an xbox 360 as another box for U-verse.

[Admin]

isn't comcast infinity now? Horrible company. AT&T isn't much better, but the product is more reliable to me. Not to mention you can use an xbox 360 as another box for U-verse.

Infinity is just their new marketing name for Comcast but it's still the same company. I was pleasantly surprised at how good their HD looks but SD channels look like garbage, their billing system and basically the entire online account management section are pitiful, and their bandwidth caps suck too.

With Comcast I'm constantly missing the first and/or last 15 - 30 seconds of a show because of only being able to record 2 shows at once while with U-Verse I could do 4 at once and never missed any of my shows. The plus side to Comcast is being able to buy your own TIVO boxes and use CableCards and you can easily get your recordings off of the TIVO to your computer, which is or was impossible with U-Verse.

Not to mention you can use an xbox 360 as another box for U-verse.

Whoa since when can you do that??

[HawkItus]

Infinity is just their new marketing name for Comcast but it's still the same company. I was pleasantly surprised at how good their HD looks but SD channels look like garbage, their billing system and basically the entire online account management section are pitiful, and their bandwidth caps suck too.

With Comcast I'm constantly missing the first and/or last 15 - 30 seconds of a show because of only being able to record 2 shows at once while with U-Verse I could do 4 at once and never missed any of my shows. The plus side to Comcast is being able to buy your own TIVO boxes and use CableCards and you can easily get your recordings off of the TIVO to your computer, which is or was impossible with U-Verse.

Whoa since when can you do that??

AT&T and Xbox

this happened about November of last year...

[Admin]

AT&T and Xbox

this happened about November of last year...

That's pretty cool! I don't think it's worth $99 but still very cool so thanks for sharing.

[Wurider05]

While I enjoy comcast greatly. I do think that their SD quality sucks on a HD TV. However the picture is great on an non-hdtv.

[Admin]

While I enjoy comcast greatly. I do think that their SD quality sucks on a HD TV. However the picture is great on an non-hdtv.

I say that sort of thing to my parents all the time who have a 65" non-HDTV and they want to upgrade and I tell them that their picture looks nearly as good as most HDTV's do with cable and they don't believe me.

[DJlaysitup]

Concerning TVs - I have done a little research online and today I stopped by Sam's Club on my way home from work and tried to look at various models closely. I think I'll go with a 46 inch model since that size seems to fit my eye.

But I do have a specific question maybe somebody could help me with.

I was looking at two Samsung models (not that I am deciding on that brand - just for comparison). Both were 46 inch HD TVs with 1080 whatserflibbits. Both had UBS connections in the back and other stuff. One was about $300 more than the other and is apparently setup for a bunch of pre-programmed online connections to things like Netflix and such...the other didn't say it was. So my initial thought was - I should just suck it up and buy the more advanced model.

Then I thought about it and wondered if I would just be paying more for features that I could get anyway through my computer?

I have no big problem with paying the extra money if I'm really going to get some bang-for-the-buck...but I have pretty much decided on switching from DirecTV to Xfinity (Comcast) and getting both TV and internet from that source. Nothing against DTV...It just works out better for my situation.

So since my overall goals are pretty simple - watch cable TV for the sports and a few shows I like...and get Netflix and such on demand on my TV for streaming movies...do you think I would be wasting money buying the higher end TV?

Thanks again for advice :biggrin:

[Admin]

Samsung makes an excellent TV so it's hard to go wrong there. For $300 more I'd get the TV with the Internet connection as it could get firmware updates and what not. Also check to see if both TVs are 120mhz as that is a much smoother looking picture with things like sports than the traditional 60mhz TVs out there.

Also, you can usually find these TVs cheaper on amazon.com and they will deliver it to your room of choice and have a professional install it for free.

[DJlaysitup]

Samsung makes an excellent TV so it's hard to go wrong there. For $300 more I'd get the TV with the Internet connection as it could get firmware updates and what not. Also check to see if both TVs are 120mhz as that is a much smoother looking picture with things like sports than the traditional 60mhz TVs out there.

Also, you can usually find these TVs cheaper on amazon.com and they will deliver it to your room of choice and have a professional install it for free.

Thanks!

[lethalweapon3]

I still can't say "Xfinity" without accidentally spitting on people.

~lw3

[DJlaysitup]

I still can't say "Xfinity" without accidentally spitting on people.

~lw3

OK..Ok..ok...last question.

If I were to buy an internet/WiFi-ready TV and just get it hooked up to standard Xfinity cable would I be able to access Netflix without doing anything else?

Meaning...would my WiFi TV have an installed router that picked up the stuff here in Atlanta without me having to either set up a router or run a wire to my computer?

I realize everybody in the world knows this - but I don't....:kickcan: Thanks.

[Admin]

OK..Ok..ok...last question.

If I were to buy an internet/WiFi-ready TV and just get it hooked up to standard Xfinity cable would I be able to access Netflix without doing anything else?

Meaning...would my WiFi TV have an installed router that picked up the stuff here in Atlanta without me having to either set up a router or run a wire to my computer?

I realize everybody in the world knows this - but I don't....:kickcan: Thanks.

If a TV has built in WiFi then it can connect to your wireless router, but I don't know whether any TV's out there have that or not. You could buy a wireless adapter for it or run an ethernet cable from your router to it.

Or you could buy a powerline ethernet adapter (I use these at my house) that allows you to get a network connection via your power outlets in your house. You'd put one by your TV and the other in the room where your router is and run a cable from your router to that adapter and then an ethernet cable from the adapter by your TV to your TV.

[DJlaysitup]

If a TV has built in WiFi then it can connect to your wireless router, but I don't know whether any TV's out there have that or not. You could buy a wireless adapter for it or run an ethernet cable from your router to it....

Thanks to all for the advice....it really helped. I decided to play it safe and go with Comcast/xfinity since it was handy. Picked up a Vizio 46in HD TV at Sam's Club and got the wireless stuff from Fry Electronics. A nice upgrade over what I had before. I was able to cancel both AT&T and DirecTV and combine the services into the Comcast bill (regular HD cable, high speed internet, and a land line). Price is a little better plus I don't have wires all over the place to trip over.

So far I'm really pleased with the Vizio TV that came with internet applications. I was leaning towards a Samsung or an LG but after reading a bunch of online reviews it seemed like they were very similar and I decided to save some money and go with the Vizio. So far so good.

I also thought about going with a 55 inch model, but the 46 seems to fit just right and going from a regular 27in TV to a 46in HD TV is a HUGE difference. I'll be much more comfortable criticizing the refs next season in the chatroom :biggrin: .

Edited June 30, 2011 by DJlaysitup