Tivo + (non-Verizon) fiber optic IPTV

[Keeya]

Hey all,

I searched around and couldn't find an answer (closest was /tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=406801 ... can't post links yet). My town, Burlington Vermont, has a municipal fiber optic network for internet/TV/phone service. They use ADB 3800 boxes for HD, with ethernet as the only in and do not offer cable cards (no cable/coax input anyway).

I'm trying to see if there's ANY way to use a Tivo HD with this type of box. There are all of the possible output connections (coax/HDMI/composite/s-video/SPDIF/etc.), so I'd imagine I could use the box, output to the Tivo and use an old skool IR blaster type rig to let the Tivo change the channels. Any idea if I could get the channel listing via the Tivo UI? Is something like that even possible, or is there a better setup anyone can suggest? Would I need two boxes to get dual tuners running, and is that even feasible if I need to use the IR controls?

Any comments/advice/references/etc etc etc would be appreciated.

Thanks!

[darksurtur]

Originally Posted by Keeya

Hey all,

I searched around and couldn't find an answer (closest was /tivo-vb/showthread.php?t=406801 ... can't post links yet). My town, Burlington Vermont, has a municipal fiber optic network for internet/TV/phone service. They use ADB 3800 boxes for HD, with ethernet as the only in and do not offer cable cards (no cable/coax input anyway).

I'm trying to see if there's ANY way to use a Tivo HD with this type of box. There are all of the possible output connections (coax/HDMI/composite/s-video/SPDIF/etc.), so I'd imagine I could use the box, output to the Tivo and use an old skool IR blaster type rig to let the Tivo change the channels. Any idea if I could get the channel listing via the Tivo UI? Is something like that even possible, or is there a better setup anyone can suggest? Would I need two boxes to get dual tuners running, and is that even feasible if I need to use the IR controls?

Any comments/advice/references/etc etc etc would be appreciated.

Thanks!

TiVo HD cannot control external boxes of any kind, as far as I know (it has no AV inputs). You're out of luck; I doubt feeding the cable box coax into the TiVO will do anything. Series 2 TiVOs might work, but of course you couldn't record any HD content.

[classicsat]

You have a straight IPTV service. FIOS is mostly QAM.

There is no way whatsoever to use any of the S3/HD TiVos with it, since they depend on QAM or analog cable, or ATSC/analog antenna. Series 3/HD units do not support boxes. Only Series 1/2 units support boxes. The Series 2 DT needs analog cable for Dual Tuner, a digital only service renders the TiVo single tuner, and yes, SD only.

[Keeya]

Well boo... looks like lose-lose-lose all around. DirecTV came out today and they can't get a line of sight for the HD sats from my house, so not looking good for eventually getting the DirecTV / HD Tivo that may come out late in the year.

So it's either fiber optic with their DVR (oof) or Comcast with a Tivo... and all the quality/price concerns that go along with that. At least I could hook up an OTA antenna for the locals to the Tivo HD, correct? (As I hear the HD quality on Comcast, especially for locals, is abysmal).

[darksurtur]

Originally Posted by Keeya

Well boo... looks like lose-lose-lose all around. DirecTV came out today and they can't get a line of sight for the HD sats from my house, so not looking good for eventually getting the DirecTV / HD Tivo that may come out late in the year.

So it's either fiber optic with their DVR (oof) or Comcast with a Tivo... and all the quality/price concerns that go along with that. At least I could hook up an OTA antenna for the locals to the Tivo HD, correct? (As I hear the HD quality on Comcast, especially for locals, is abysmal).

Yes, Comcast does seem to be infamous for its high level of compression on HD channels. But you can use Tivo HD with cablecards and an OTA antenna simultaneously, which should help.

[Keeya]

Hmm, it seems like it may be possible to stick with DirecTV after all... if I get some better cabling for the long (~150ft) run. That seems like a question for another board/post, though.

Thanks again to all for the replies.