Re: XBOX 360 as Set Top Box - 11/7/2010!!

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

So put me in the boat of being excited about this initially (actually I think I was one of the first to post in the thread months ago) but the fees put me off. I'm moving in the near future and will be having a new uverse install... so the $99 total for it isn't so outrageous if I can also get rid of a box. I won't lie though... I fully expect AT&T to start charging a fee for using your 360 well before the $99 is "paid off" 16 months later.

Anyway - my question I'm still not 100% clear on. My RG will be in one location... the 360 in another. I get that the 360 will be connected via my coax and the connection in the kit... is this coax connection sufficient for normal Xbox live use outside of using the uverse "app"? Meaning I don't need the wireless adapter for the 360 anymore because the coax will handle it fine? If so, is the quality/connection solid for gaming, etc?

Logical_Dolphin · ‎04-10-2009

Ideally U-verse uses an ethernet connection to transmit signals, but since most houses don't have those, U-verse can also use a Coax connection for those signals.

U-verse equipment already has the built in equipment to do ethernet or coax, but an Xbox 360 can only do ethernet out of the box. At&t will provide a adapter to convert enternet to coax when you buy the Xbox kit. You can use this same connection to connect to Xbox Live, you woun't need to use a wireless connection too...

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

I get that... but does anyone have any experience playing online via this connection? Does the gameplay seem/appear just as good as a direct ethernet or wireless connection? No horrible lag, etc?

Logical_Dolphin · ‎04-10-2009

I don't play online, but everything else I used on Xbox Live runs fastly and smoothly using the physical connection, especially the streaming of videos...

americangame · ‎10-26-2010

robino2001 wrote:
I get that... but does anyone have any experience playing online via this connection? Does the gameplay seem/appear just as good as a direct ethernet or wireless connection? No horrible lag, etc?

I used to connect to the RG via the wireless adapter (802.11n one) and playing online was okay but downloaded movies required me to download a majority of the movie (SD or HD) before being about to watch it. After I connected my xbox via the HPNA bridge, I'm actually able to stream HD content to my Xbox instead of download and watch. I never had a CAT5 connection from the RG to my xbox before so I'm unsure if its due to them improving stability on my internet connection.

Resident Xbox ACE. Ask me almost anything about U-Verse on the Xbox.

Xbox Gamertag: americangame
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When friending me mention that you found me on the AT&T forums.

chuckbuck · ‎10-11-2010

Greetings,

If you are having problems with the idea of paying the $100 fee, see if they will give you something back. When i called to place my order to use my xbox as a stb, the person that i talked to offered me $15 credit for 6 months. Now if my math is correct that is $90 of the $100 that i will spend. Plus i am not paying the $7 charge each month for the stb. Now again if my math is correct that is $42. So that means in the first 6 months i will have gained $32. I dont think that is such a bad deal. I didnt even have to ask for the credit.

robino2001 · ‎07-09-2008

The $100 is not a horrible issue... it is what it is... I just couldn't justify the $55 for the tech to come out...

Now that I'm moving and will be a "new customer", I'll be getting a ridiculous deal anyway... I've been getting them to give me insane prices for nearly 3 years now so I know the deal/process. If you can't get $50+/month off of your regular price for what you have, you're not trying hard enough.

***Edit - and thanks, americangame, for the feedback

evq · ‎01-20-2011

Hey guys, I’ve been following the topic since it was about 5 pages long, just haven’t posted. It’s been great to have a place to watch for questions about Uverse on the 360, so thanks to everyone who has contributed.

I have a question that I can’t seem to find the answer to anywhere else. Does the 360 support 3D programming? I’m pretty set on using my 360 for my room where my 3DTV will be next week, I’m just not sure if it supports 3D. I don’t see why it wouldn’t but one never knows with these things. And (I know it’s slightly off topic) does anyone have experience with 3D programming with Uverse? Is there anything else offered besides ESPN 3D so far? I know it’s a pretty new thing so I’m not expecting a huge amount of programming for it so far.

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

That's a good question. I don't see why it would not. There is nothing special about the normal STB that allows you to view 3D on the tv. I think that you just have to have the right type of tv and ensure you have the Xbox set to be able to view HD streams.

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evq · ‎01-20-2011

Ok. As far as I could tell, 3D was just a regular HD stream from the provider with some sort of processing/conversion/whatever done on the hardware side. I just wasn’t sure if it was with the STB or with the actual television. It’s a rather confusing technology but a really cool one.

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

It's the television as far as I know.

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SomeJoe7777 · ‎01-30-2008

The type of 3D used by U-Verse, DirecTV, and all other providers who are offering a 3D channel is called "frame compatible" 3D and works with any delivery system that can deliver 2D programming. The final 3D processing is done in the TV.

The trade-off is that this is a reduced resolution variant of 3D. While normal 2D ESPN is a 1280x720 picture @ 60 fps, the 3D frame-compatible variant is 640x720 per eye at 60 fps per eye. This is delivered over the providers infrastructure at 1280x720 @ 60 fps, using side-by-side steroscopy. The TV takes each image from the side-by-side frame and displays them in sync with the glasses to form the 3D picture.

Blu-Ray, on the other hand, offers the MVC variant of 3D that is 1920x1080 per eye @ 24 fps per eye.

CKNAV · ‎12-28-2010

Those of you that have XBOX 360 working on Uverse, do you still get audio droputs on HD channels?

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

I haven't noticed any. I am testing the new client right now, which includes the THDVR Phase 3 stuff, and so far the Xbox is pretty clean.

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texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

You're testing the THDVR Phase 3 stuff? How does it look so far?

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

Totally, totally, totally cool! The trick mode on all the STBs, including the Xbox is extremely clean and I am very excited once we launch it. I think you guys are going to really happy with it.

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texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

Sounds cool. Can we have it next week?

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

LOL, no, it's still in testing and some bugs to work out. I know I can be a feature tease at times, but I only do it with the greatest of affection for all of you. This new update will be worth waiting for and I firmly believe that you guys are going to love everything that it brings.

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texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

You have to remember that this is a tough crowd on this forum.

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

I do remember that and see it all the time. I want you all to know that I do pass on everything that I see here to the appropriate teams and let them know that these are the things that are frustrating our customers and they need to make it right. Fortunately I work with the best people in the world that do truly care and so far they have taken everything to heart and are working on them. The hardest part is that I can't just wave a wand and make it better. This new update we are working on has been in the works for at least 2 years. Millions of man-hours for coding, development and testing have happened and continue to happen. This release has to be just about perfect when we push it out and everyone is doing their best to make sure it is. So I beg your patience, again, on this one. When it works and won't crash your boxes and give you the best experience possible it will be released.

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spd2demun · ‎07-28-2007

Can't wait!

And can Houston get this first instead of DFW, for once?

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

I haven't seen the schedule yet, but will tell them.

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texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

spd2demun wrote:

Can't wait!

And can Houston get this first instead of DFW, for once?

Houston? Does AT&T still offer U-verse service in Houston?

Being in the market where AT&T has it's corporate headquarters gives us certain benefits.

texasguy37 · ‎05-18-2009

txnroger wrote:

I do remember that and see it all the time. I want you all to know that I do pass on everything that I see here to the appropriate teams and let them know that these are the things that are frustrating our customers and they need to make it right. Fortunately I work with the best people in the world that do truly care and so far they have taken everything to heart and are working on them. The hardest part is that I can't just wave a wand and make it better. This new update we are working on has been in the works for at least 2 years. Millions of man-hours for coding, development and testing have happened and continue to happen. This release has to be just about perfect when we push it out and everyone is doing their best to make sure it is. So I beg your patience, again, on this one. When it works and won't crash your boxes and give you the best experience possible it will be released.

I appreciate the information that you have shared. I'm really looking forward to the THDVR Phase 3 release.

txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

texasguy37 wrote:
spd2demun wrote:

Can't wait!

And can Houston get this first instead of DFW, for once?

Houston? Does AT&T still offer U-verse service in Houston?

Being in the market where AT&T has it's corporate headquarters gives us certain benefits.

Not completely. Test markets were established a long time ago and they are set more by Labs and Vendor facilities than anything. The current make up of the VHO with what type of equipment it has in it, number of customers, etc. In a lot of cases a launch like this will be trialed in a smaller market just in case there is a problem and we have to back it out quickly and minimize the impact to customers.

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txnroger · ‎06-06-2006

texasguy37 wrote:
txnroger wrote:

I do remember that and see it all the time. I want you all to know that I do pass on everything that I see here to the appropriate teams and let them know that these are the things that are frustrating our customers and they need to make it right. Fortunately I work with the best people in the world that do truly care and so far they have taken everything to heart and are working on them. The hardest part is that I can't just wave a wand and make it better. This new update we are working on has been in the works for at least 2 years. Millions of man-hours for coding, development and testing have happened and continue to happen. This release has to be just about perfect when we push it out and everyone is doing their best to make sure it is. So I beg your patience, again, on this one. When it works and won't crash your boxes and give you the best experience possible it will be released.
I appreciate the information that you have shared. I'm really looking forward to the THDVR Phase 3 release.

That's what I am here for. And if my replies are too long I apologize. I am taking a philosophy class at Univeristy of Incarnate Word and my "waxing eloquent" hat is on sometimes. LOL

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JefferMC · ‎11-16-2009

txnroger wrote:
Not completely. Test markets were established a long time ago and they are set more by Labs and Vendor facilities than anything. The current make up of the VHO with what type of equipment it has in it, number of customers, etc. In a lot of cases a launch like this will be trialed in a smaller market just in case there is a problem and we have to back it out quickly and minimize the impact to customers.

I believe that Greenville/Spartanburg/Ashville/Anderson qualifies as a smaller market, and I volunteer my services and to run interference between my wife and family and your support staff for when things are not quite what we expect.

Ronin559 · ‎11-26-2008

Logical_Dolphin wrote:
Ronin559 wrote:
The installer just left my house a few hours ago, he told me they did not get the adaptor or the remote, and only had one install CD that they keep. The installer told me if I really wanted the adaptor or the remote he will resubmit the order and get them to me tomorrow, but by going without them I would not be charged the $99 fee for the Kit. When he left I called the 800-Number just to make sure. Tech Support guy on the phone assured me that I would not be charged the $99, only the installation fee. So I am satisfied, I have a Harmony remote already, I am only worried that I do not have the installation CD as a backup, I have a newer 360 so I don’t think the Red Ring of Death is an issue, but you never know.
I hope you took the employee ID of the tech support guy that told you that info, because I think since he doesn't work in the billing department you might end up getting billed for them anyway. I'm not trying to scare you, just pointing out the possibilites. From what I understand the $99 fee has more to do with the licencing fee to run Uverse service on the Xbox 360 rather than the cost of the equipment...

Well LD, you were right on, I just got my bill in and guess what is on there… yup $99 Xbox360 kit. After stating dates and time the installation, than names of the installer and the person on the 800 number I was credited with $99 back on my bill. It took some time because I guess today’s rep had to contact the installer to verify they did not leave the kit with me. I was on hold for 20min, but it’s a good thing I took all the name/time/date info down because I have the feeling without it I would have wasted a lot more time trying to get my money back.

RCSMG · ‎12-10-2007

txnroger wrote:

I haven't seen the schedule yet, but will tell them.

How about a screen shot?

chuckbuck · ‎10-11-2010

I have been using my xbox 360 as a stb for a week or two and i havent noticed any audio drop out. In fact i am quite please with it. I am very much looking forward to the Phrase 3 rollout. I dont guess that you can give us an idea of how far in the future it is?