From RCN to FIOS - Questions

nycityuser · 03-23-2010, 12:46 PM

I'm having a Verizon installer come on Thursday to switch me from RCN to Verizon FIOS. I have two TIVO HD units and one Series 2 DT. Questions:

1) Currently I use the Series 2 with a cable box. Since RCN scrambles everything, I only can record using one tuner and that tuner is fed by the box via RCA cables. I will continue this configuration with FIOS. Might I be able to use the 2nd tuner (fed by a direct coax input) for anything? In other words, is anything unscrambled for a Series 2 tuner by FIOS?

2) I plan to run Guided Setup on all 3 TIVOs before the installer arrives specifying Verizon FIOS as the service. After the installer finishes changing my coax wires from RCN to FIOS we will then move on to the cablecards. Is there anything I should know for the switch from RCN to Verizon cablecards? I suspect that I will just pull out the RCN cablecard and then follow the normal installation procedure (using TIVO menus) for installing the FIOS cards. The technician will activate the cards with his home office. Anything else?

3) Since I am changing my ISP from RCN to FIOS as well, the TIVOs will lose broadband connectivity during the switchover. I will need to reconfigure the TIVOs to the new wireless router provided by Verizon. Will I need to do this before the cablecard installation or can that installation proceed before reconnecting the network? The installer might not want to wait around for me to re-do the network as that isn't really his responsibility. The cablecards are his responsibility.

Any additional advice or comments?

Thanks for your help.

wmcbrine · 03-23-2010, 02:42 PM

1. Your experience with Fios will be the same as with RCN. The issue is not scrambling (I doubt that it is with RCN, either), but rather that all Fios channels are digital.

2. I don't think so, no.

3. Installation of CableCards doesn't require network access.

rage777 · 03-24-2010, 02:51 PM

Just one piece of advice, which I have mentioned before. If you don't use VOD, guide, PPV, etc, then you can get a digital adapter instead of a STB. I think the digital adapter is the same price as the cable card (~$5). The non-HD STB is a little bit more, can't remember the price.

nycityuser · 03-24-2010, 04:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rage777

Just one piece of advice, which I have mentioned before. If you don't use VOD, guide, PPV, etc, then you can get a digital adapter instead of a STB. I think the digital adapter is the same price as the cable card (~$5). The non-HD STB is a little bit more, can't remember the price.

Yes, I am aware of this. The digital adapter is $3.99/month while a non-DVR box (HD or not HD) is $5.99/month. I definitely want the on-demand capabilities and for $2/month it is worth it. I'm subscribing to all of the premium channels so the on-demand library will be rather large.