Have to say "Good Bye" to Tivo sort of..

[H7edge]

Shame on me for not researching this better before I made the move. I just went from Comcast to FIOS and now my Tivo doesn't work anymore.... I tried many things nothing worked. I called Tivo to cancel my account they suggested they're HD box and told me it will work with FIOS. It doesn't unless you get 2 Cable cards, which Tivo didn't tell me about that. Suddenly for this to work it would cost me way more than I am willing to go, especialy since the economy sucks and I am coming off a 3 month lay off. Tivo is being great about it and taking back the box. Saddly my disgust with Comcast and the over all savings on monthly costs for MORE from FIOS out ways my need for Tivo. I can still use my series 2 to transfer movies and shows from my computer which is nice but it was very convenient when I had 4 tuners recording shows. I do not want to attach the tivo to the FIOS STB or add more monthly fees for "cable cards" since I am saving a fair amount by doing the switch UGH. I even tried a Digital to analog converter, duh FIOS Optical not Digital. So my point is anyone making the switch be aware that your series 2 DT is all but useless. You will have to spend a fair amount of money to get it back. If anyone has any suggestions or found a way around this I would gladly try them.

[scandia101]

Ok

[wmcbrine]

It doesn't unless you get 2 Cable cardsOne, if you can get a multistream card (or are content with only one active tuner).

I can still use my series 2 to transfer movies and shows from my computerEh, not with a cancelled account...

I do not want to attach the tivo to the FIOS STB or add more monthly fees for "cable cards" since I am saving a fair amount by doing the switch UGH.Your logic escapes me.

I even tried a Digital to analog converter, duh FIOS Optical not Digital.Fios is most definitely digital (as well as optical -- these things are orthogonal). I'm guessing that what you mean here is that you tried one of the coupon-eligible converter boxes. But those will only work with 8VSB-encoded signals, as used in over-the-air digital broadcasts; Fios, like most digital cable systems, uses QAM.

This is actually a sore point -- the vast majority of digital tuners (like the ones built in to new TVs) will handle both 8VSB and QAM, but the CECB's are intentionally crippled so that they can only be used for broadcast. Why this was done, I still don't understand.

So my point is anyone making the switch be aware that your series 2 DT is all but useless. You will have to spend a fair amount of money to get it back. If anyone has any suggestions or found a way around this I would gladly try them.I'm assuming that you already have a Fios STB -- or did you only get (a) DVR(s)?

If you don't already have a plain STB, the cheapest option for a Series 2 TiVo is Verizon's DCT-700. If you'd been a Fios subscriber back when they offered analog service, you could've gotten it for free; as it is, I think it's $4/mo. But that will only get you one tuner. (There's no way to use both tuners of a 2 DT with Fios.)

[acvthree]

I think multi-stream cards are starting to show up in some places.

Have you priced an HDTivo and single multi-stream card? That would be a good combination.

Al

[H7edge]

One, if you can get a multistream card (or are content with only one active tuner).

I dunno, I can't get an answer to this until Monday.

Eh, not with a cancelled account...

Account is not not cancelled. It will remain open for 3 months until I find out what it costs for cable cards.

Your logic escapes me.

Again, I was layed off for 3 months. Go back to work on Monday. I got the package deal from FIOS which saves me 100 smackaroos a month. Right now to spend $200 on a new Tivo box (HD BOX Rebuit $179 + Account Charge & Taxs = $200) and with Christmas right around the corner.... my next month bills I will be around $100 dollars less!! That is huge. Does that help?


Fios is most definitely digital (as well as optical -- these things are orthogonal). I'm guessing that what you mean here is that you tried one of the coupon-eligible converter boxes. But those will only work with 8VSB-encoded signals, as used in over-the-air digital broadcasts; Fios, like most digital cable systems, uses QAM.

it was an idea. When I asked a couple of people ie: Tivo, Radio Shack I got I dont know try it.

This is actually a sore point -- the vast majority of digital tuners (like the ones built in to new TVs) will handle both 8VSB and QAM, but the CECB's are intentionally crippled so that they can only be used for broadcast. Why this was done, I still don't understand.

I'm assuming that you already have a Fios STB -- or did you only get (a) DVR(s)?

If you don't already have a plain STB, the cheapest option for a Series 2 TiVo is Verizon's DCT-700. If you'd been a Fios subscriber back when they offered analog service, you could've gotten it for free; as it is, I think it's $4/mo. But that will only get you one tuner. (There's no way to use both tuners of a 2 DT with Fios.)

I got the STB with the DVR. When I ordered FIOS I wasn't really thinking about the Tivo except I did ask if it would work. I was told and I Quote ".... I am not sure you can hook it up and try it. Ask the Tech when he comes to your house" When the tech was done installing the fios I asked him he said, when he was on his way out the door and finished, I dont know you could hook it up and try it. I did and it didn't work. Really, FIOS is growing when I asked questions on something I thought would be trivial I got a lot of I dont know and I am not sure. Frankly I didn't know this forum existed until this happened. I also didn't know that if my account with Tivo is closed my pytivo wont work? That will hurt because we use that a lot. I think of this like old school... you get a vcr, hook it up and it works. I had no idea about any of this. When I was cancelling my account with Tivo they did tell me the HD Box would work. I got the box and it didn't work without the cable cards but again no one said I would have to get cable cards and I asked 3 times are you sure it will work with FIOS they said yes. Maybe I needed to ask what else will I NEED to make it work but I admit I am ignorant to all this. I thought it would be like cable. I ran a splitter and I was able to record up to 4 shows. This was convenient between my wife, my son, my daughter, and me.

I know alot of you here know about all this but there is a lot of us who dont. I need it spelled out. series 2, series 3.. whatever I was thinking plug it in and it will work. I was wrong and I did ask questions just not the right ones.

acvthree yes I did on the HDTivo but I can't find out about the MS Card till Monday. I actually did get the HDTivo box but I am returning it (maybe now that I am more educated on this I wont). I had a knee jerk reaction and called Tivo and asked to return it because it didn't work. If the cards are to bad in price I will got that route. Another thing that irritated me was I was setup wirelessly and my wireless adaptor will not work with HD Box. Then i found out you had to have they're wireless Adapter... Grrr. I got frustrated.

Thanks guys for your replies.

[Speedo123]

Understand that you switched to FIOS to save some money. I've done the same thing. A bit confused though by your statement about extra cost for TiVo. The CableCards are ` $3/mo. (Don't know the cost/availability of the "multi" card.) If you use the TiVo box and cards, remember that you won't need the Verizon DVRs so their cost would be deducted from your monthly bill, making the TiVo cost about the same/a bit more. However, the initial outlay for the TiVo equipment is what's held me back.

While the FIOS picture is much better that my DirecTV reception was, the FIOS DVD/Program interface is so far inferior to the "TiVo/DirecTV" one that I can't wait to switch! (I can't use any of my DirecTV equipment on FIOS:() Saving my pennies!

[H7edge]

Understand that you switched to FIOS to save some money. I've done the same thing. A bit confused though by your statement about extra cost for TiVo. The CableCards are ` $3/mo. (Don't know the cost/availability of the "multi" card.) If you use the TiVo box and cards, remember that you won't need the Verizon DVRs so their cost would be deducted from your monthly bill, making the TiVo cost about the same/a bit more. However, the initial outlay for the TiVo equipment is what's held me back.

While the FIOS picture is much better that my DirecTV reception was, the FIOS DVD/Program interface is so far inferior to the "TiVo/DirecTV" one that I can't wait to switch! (I can't use any of my DirecTV equipment on FIOS:() Saving my pennies!

Exactly. The deal I got from Verizon included the DVR and really what we liked the most was having the capability to record up to 4 shows at a time. With all of us it was needed. Agreeded the FIOS dvr software is inferior. I had no idea that the cable cards were so inexpensive so I might go that route. Initial cost does hurt having to pay for another Tivo box. I haven't had my series 2 DT for very long. Maybe a year.

[mattack]

This is actually a sore point -- the vast majority of digital tuners (like the ones built in to new TVs) will handle both 8VSB and QAM, but the CECB's are intentionally crippled so that they can only be used for broadcast. Why this was done, I still don't understand.

Seems somewhat reasonable to me. The coupon eligible converter boxes are intended (please don't say [citation needed]) to help those who get programming over the air, to not (completely) obsolete their old equipment. If one is already getting cable, then one is already paying to get TV, so in theory, taxes shouldn't be used to subsidize boxes for this case. (I already understand the counter-argument -- the first certain number of coupon requests WAS available to people who got more than just OTA.. in fact I got mine but they expired (damn)..) But I still would say that the intention for the converter boxes is to help those who get OTA.. and if they do "too much", then taxes are being used to provide a luxury for people.

[wmcbrine]

Taxes don't subsidize any of them. They're paid for out of proceeds from the spectrum auction, an auction which is only made possible by taking away analog broadcast TV. The coupons are a form of compensation for that... but a rather inadequate one.

The coupons should've been applicable towards any ATSC tuner, including those built into TVs. Let the free market decide which tuners people buy, eh? But no, they had to be restricted, out of what I can only regard as spite.

[bicker]

Not at all. The intention was to provide relief for customer who would actually be losing something from the DTV transition. People who were intending to go digital anyway weren't losing something. http://www.wdwinfo.com/images/smilies/teacher.gif