Verizon STB serial port stopped working

[novaman]

I have Verizon Fios TV for a month or so now (Acton, Mass.). Up until yesterday, the serial port worked fine to change channels. Verizon uses a Motorola set top box for standard-def TV (not high-def, and not their DVR). Yesterday, the serial cable stopped working for changing channels. I figured I bumped the cable setup or something, until I realized that both of my Tivos suddenly had the same symptom. They both worked earlier in the day.

The other thing that happened yesterday is I ordered the HBO movie package added on to my TV package. It seems reasonable to guess that some kind of upgrade took place which disabled my serial ports.

I spent a long time on the phone with a Verizon tech support person today. He tried a warm restart of my STB, and a complete initialization. The serial port still doesn't work. At one point he talked to a specialist who told him the serial ports were disabled from the factory.

Looks like I will have to go back to the IR cables for now. Fortunately I found both sets for my two tivos. I wonder if the box really was disabled at first, but the installation tech enabled them? Is there a way to get at the real tech menus and turn them back on?

[Einselen]

I don't have Verizon FiOS TV yet but I have read some threads back and forth about how it does work with serial it does not work with serial. Sorry I don't have experience but try a search of the forums and I am sure you will find some stuff that may (or may not) help you.

[novaman]

I switched to the IR ports, so I'm okay for now.

I did see some other threads with discussion of serial ports, but no specific answers. Some people apparently have it working, and some not. So I thought I'd start a new thread with this specific problem of it working one day and not the next. It appears this STB supports the serial port, but it was turned off somehow.

Is there any possibility of turning it back on without help from Verizon?

[Einselen]

Just to give you an update the Verizon guys are here doing FiOS internet and I asked about TV. They told me that the motorola box has all ports disabled. Again though I have had mixed reports so I am not sure if the install guy was wrong or if they are supposed to say that and it is an unsupported/undocumented feature, but that is all the help I can really provide.

[gastrof]

Seems a little odd that the ports worked first and now don't.

I'd advise you to press the matter. If someone doesn't cooperate, demand to speak to their supervisor.

Explain that the ports were working before and now they aren't. This proves someone did something that disabled them.

INSIST the functioning of the ports be restored. It wasn't hurting anything before (as far as you know...but don't say that part) so there's no reason they should have been shut down.

How many days were they working before they quit?

[novaman]

Thanks for the suggestion. I don't have the energy right now to push it like that. Maybe if I call again I'll take the approach that I need the serial port turned on or I'll switch back to Comcast.

I've had Verizon for about a month now, so the serial port was working for the first 30 days.

[bruno107]

Two weeks ago, I had FIOS TV installed in Needham, MA. The serial port never worked, and I've called Verizon several times to turn it on (they never did nor will they). Each time I got a different reason. The latest (which you can choose to believe or not) is that Verizon has no way of turning on the serial port without turning on the USB port as well. They don't want to open the USB for fear of someone altering the STB. This is what I was told anyway. The rep said they were working with Motorola to change that. I pressed for a date from his supervisor who told me that they will never open the serial port, and the next STBs won't even have one. I guess we're out of luck. There's really no reason for Verizon to accommodate the TiVo community - it's not in their interest. They just want to push their own DVRs.

I have a Motorola QIP2500 and in 2 weeks, I've had 2 channel changes go bad with the IF. I also can't change channels too quickly, it confuses the STB. Anyone have a good IF code (I used the recommended setup)?

Thanks!

[pdc]

The same thing happened to me. Verizon techs were at my house trying to fix a HD problem on another STB, and suddenly, my other Standard Def STB stopped changing channels. WTF? Anyone have a spare IR blaster cable? I can't find mine. Stupid Verizon...

[cwlale]

I installed FIOS for Internet and for TV (telephone also ordered, but coming a bit later). The Internet is outstanding.

But, I have the standard QIP2500 Motorola settop box and it does not support the serial interface for channel changing from TIVO. Verizon says they have no plans to do so. My old Comcast digital settop box (also Motorola) did support the serial interface.

So, if there's anyone out there with the expertise to turn that on without getting into the Verizon S/W, it would be a great service to TIVO users.