Fios & want to move back to Tivo

bxs122 · 01-27-2008, 07:41 AM

After 10 years with DTV with the last three or so enjoying a Tivo HR10 model we switched over to Fios.

I hate the 6416-2 especially since it in turn hates my Samsung via HDMI.

I am looking at getting a Series 3 and got confirmation from Verizon that Cable Cards are available (no M as yet)

Just wanted to touch base here and get some feedback on experiences with the Series 3 Tivo, Cable Cards and Fios.

Thanx.

dcpablo · 01-27-2008, 08:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bxs122

After 10 years with DTV with the last three or so enjoying a Tivo HR10 model we switched over to Fios.

I hate the 6416-2 especially since it in turn hates my Samsung via HDMI.

I am looking at getting a Series 3 and got confirmation from Verizon that Cable Cards are available (no M as yet)

Just wanted to touch base here and get some feedback on experiences with the Series 3 Tivo, Cable Cards and Fios.

Thanx.

Go ahead and do it; I have never looked back or missed the Verizon box; I got the TiVo HD and have had zero problems with the install or the box itself.

bkdtv · 01-27-2008, 09:27 AM

The TivoHD works great for me with FiOS.

You may want to budget for the Western Digital My DVR Expander (external hard drive) or a larger internal hard drive, though. I installed a Western Digital WD10EACS-32ZJB0, retail box shown here, for 144+ HD hours storage capacity.

acvthree · 01-27-2008, 10:02 AM

Do it.

I went from DTV to Verizon Fios/Tivo Series 3 about a year ago. One of the best technology moves I've ever made. It is a match made in Heaven.

The installer that I had was doing several Tivos a week and the cable card install could not have gone smoother, total Tivo install less than an hour (total install triple play with Ethernet 6 hours). From reading the experiences from others, this could be very regional and I don't see where you are located. YMMV.

The HD over Fios is better, to my eyes, than DTV. The addition of Fios internet, I have the 15/2, makes things like Amazon unbox really workable (download a movie in about 30 minutes). I also like the other features available on the Series 3 not supported on an unhacked HR10 like moving video to and from my PC. For example I bought the Amanda Tapping series Sanctuary, only available on the web, down loaded to my PC and then watched it on my Tivo S3.

It really is at least a generational move from the HR10 with all the additional features.

I added a 750G internal drive which seems to be plenty with the off system storage on my PC. As mentioned, the Series 3 supports an external drive. It is actually possible to go a little over the top and have 2TB of storage (1TB internal and 1TB external). Again, I don't find that necessary with the PC storage available for anything I want to put into longer term storage.

Have fun. It's a great move. :-)

Al

RossoNeri · 01-27-2008, 12:51 PM

Ditto. My I have a THD with FiOS and will very sooner be replacing the last FiOS Moto DVR with a second one. The CC install was flawless and I've had no problems at all.

berkland · 01-27-2008, 07:15 PM

We used to have TiVo with DirecTV and then we moved to FiOS. I put up with the FiOS DVR as long as I could, but in December I got a TiVo HD and now I'm SO HAPPY! Nothing else really compares to a TiVo, especially if you have ever had it before. The set up was not difficult. It did take a service technician who knew what he was doing because a couple of the cards he tried to activate didn't work, but he was able to get it all working and it is just so superior to the FiOS DVR.

gweempose · 01-27-2008, 07:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acvthree

The HD over Fios is better, to my eyes, than DTV.

In theory, FiOS should look better since they have an almost unlimited amount of bandwidth to work with. Unlike satellite and most cable networks, I'm pretty sure FiOS doesn't use any compression on their HD channels.

bkdtv · 01-27-2008, 07:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gweempose

In theory, FiOS should look better since they have an almost unlimited amount of bandwidth to work with. Unlike satellite and most cable networks, I'm pretty sure FiOS doesn't use any compression on their HD channels.

Every provider uses compression to deliver HD.

The difference is extra compression. Verizon does not apply any extra compression on top of that already used by content providers. DirecTV, Dish Network, and many other cable providers do apply that extra compression. It's sort of like watching the original DVD instead of the DIVX compression version of that DVD.

acvthree · 01-28-2008, 08:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bkdtv

Every provider uses compression to deliver HD.

The difference is extra compression. Verizon does not apply any extra compression on top of that already used by content providers. DirecTV, Dish Network, and many other cable providers do apply that extra compression. It's sort of like watching the original DVD instead of the DIVX compression version of that DVD.

That's why I was careful to say "to my eye". That was to my eyes, with my HR10, with my Samsung DLP, with my receiver acting as switch, on the shows that I was watching and at the time I was watching them. At that time and with that setup, not only does Fios look better, but the picture from DTV was deteriorating (reduced bandwidth). It was one of the very many things I considered in doing what was at the time a somewhat expensive switch.

All of these are very subjective, subject to LOTS of YMMV, and don't reflect any changes that have been made since I made the switch.

I was offering one data point as an example.

Al

kmalone576 · 01-28-2008, 08:58 AM

I've had FiOS with a S3/cablecards since last summer and overall have been very happy with the combo. I had absolutely no problems until this January when I started having pixelation problems. However I put some attenuators on the line according to the "FIOS TV pixellation fix - attenuate to SNR 31" thread on this forum and it fixed the problem and it has not recurred. I'm guessing my FiOS signal in my neighborhood all of the sudden got stronger or something. Unless that becomes I recurring problem I have no complaints and look forward to Verizon adding some more HD content hopefully soon.

wkearney99 · 01-28-2008, 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kmalone576

I'm guessing my FiOS signal in my neighborhood all of the sudden got stronger or something. Unless that becomes I recurring problem I have no complaints and look forward to Verizon adding some more HD content hopefully soon.

This puzzles me. When they put in my cablecards last week the diag screen was reporting 17db. A couple of days ago I noticed a bit of pixelization on a channel or two. I brought up the diag screen and now it's reading 38db; quite a gain. Given that it's fiber to the house, not coax, it would have to be the ONT driving the signal, no? So it wouldn't seem like a 'neighborhood' change would make much difference. Or is there something in the ONT that's "tuned" on a neighborhood-wide scale?

But other than that I've been delighted with using FIOS on our TivoHD. Picture quality is excellent. Notably better (for the over-compressed channels) than DirecTV when compared side-by-side using PIP and HDMI inputs on our Pioneer plasma.

kmalone576 · 01-28-2008, 09:41 AM

I don't get it either - all I know is I didn't change anything in terms of my connection -- since it was installed it has run directly from my ONT through one two way splitter into my tivo. It worked beautifully that way for more than 6 months, then all of a sudden I got horrible (unwatchable) pixellation that was easily fixed with an 8 and a 3 db attenuator. So the only conclusion I could draw was the signal on Verizon's end suddenly became stronger. But admittedly I don't know that much about the technical details of the ONT box, etc. so I could be wrong.

acvthree · 01-28-2008, 09:57 AM

I just don't see how that could be possible. The strength of the signal is totally at the ONT level on at your house. Maybe there was a lose connection that is now getting better contact or the other side of the splitter is not terminate properly.

The attenuators seem to be a good fix for most of those type problems.

ac

TexasAg · 01-28-2008, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acvthree

I just don't see how that could be possible. The strength of the signal is totally at the ONT level on at your house. Maybe there was a lose connection that is now getting better contact or the other side of the splitter is not terminate properly.

The attenuators seem to be a good fix for most of those type problems.

ac

kmalone576 is right, though. Until I added the attenuators on my S3, the pixelation problem would come and go, with no changes happening to my setup. Something within the Verizon system was acting strange.

mjpaci · 01-28-2008, 10:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berkland

We used to have TiVo with DirecTV and then we moved to FiOS. I put up with the FiOS DVR as long as I could, but in December I got a TiVo HD and now I'm SO HAPPY! Nothing else really compares to a TiVo, especially if you have ever had it before. The set up was not difficult. It did take a service technician who knew what he was doing because a couple of the cards he tried to activate didn't work, but he was able to get it all working and it is just so superior to the FiOS DVR.

My exact experience as well. Down to the timing of my TivoHD purchase. Maybe I'm just telling myself this, but the HD channels look better going through Tivo than they did going through the FIOS DVR.

I may have run into a problem last night with some channels in the 300 range not coming in, but I don't know if I am supposed to get those channels or not. I will check on my other, non DVR FIOS cable box.

--Mike

bizzy · 01-28-2008, 01:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by acvthree

I just don't see how that could be possible. The strength of the signal is totally at the ONT level on at your house.

There could have been a system-wide firmware or configuration update to the ONTs that caused this sort of thing to happen.

rifleman69 · 01-28-2008, 01:49 PM

Verizon's signal does change throughout the day, it is not a steady stream output.

brigont · 01-28-2008, 08:29 PM

"attenuators" ???

Can you please clarify for this newbie?

BG

Quote:

Originally Posted by TexasAg

kmalone576 is right, though. Until I added the attenuators on my S3, the pixelation problem would come and go, with no changes happening to my setup. Something within the Verizon system was acting strange.

bkdtv · 01-28-2008, 08:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by brigont

"attenuators" ???

Can you please clarify for this newbie?

An attenuator is a part you screw on to the end of the coax. It "attenuates" (reduces) the signal strength. If your FiOS signal is too strong for the TiVo, then attenuators will to reduce it to a level the TiVo can use.

Most FiOS installers have attenuators and will give you a few if you ask for them. Otherwise, you can order a package of attenuators for $12.99.