Uverse. Pay 107/month + taxes for U200 on three TVs and 18 mbps (I think) internet. Includes HD channels. No Rockets, but that reddit stream is the boss and **** Comcast.
DirecTV. HD quality is way better than Comcast. The Genie is cool. I'd hold off on getting it until the HR44 is released (new gen Genie) though I pay about $87 dollars a month for the genie and 4 clients. Then again I'm on a promo and I also have a couple of "refer a friend" discounts on the account. If you do end up getting DIRECTV, pm me. You and I both can get $10 off for $100.
I love my DTV Genie and the HD is the best through DTV. Though you'd need to be prepared for the reality that you might not get to watch Rockets or Astros. DirecTV definitely has the best value in terms of the quality of what you can get combined with the price you'll pay as a new customer, though Comcast has really good combo packages if you want internet as well. Use a fellow DTV subscriber here on the BBS to get an extra $10 a month off your bill.
No, you don't need a phone line for DTV. I don't have one. Don't know about the others. Send me an email through the board if you want my referral code, get us both $10 off a month for 10 months!
Comcast, always been happy with the service and they're upgrading everything in the new xfinity switch soon, apparently it's really cool according to some guy that installed my cable box
Yeah, they've been talking about the "x1" guide forever. Not sure if it's ready to roll out in Houston. Time Warner Cable left a mess out here years ago in regards to it's hubs.
I haven't ever had any problems with comcast. I think every company has had customers who are completely satisfied and others who have had bad experiences. I do know that I have been at a friends house watching the Texans game when it was storming outside and their satelite signal dropped from direct TV which would annoy me. I haven't noticed the HD quality being any better or worse, but I'm not looking at them side by side. If I was starting over fresh I would probably just go with best price for the options you want, and hope that the Rockets game situation is resolved by next season if you don't pick Comcast.