Need some buying advice

FiOS picture quality is top notch and they offer a lot of HD content. Different providers offer slightly different HD choices but FiOS offers a lot and having had Comcast, Dish, DTV, RCN and a Big dish (never had TW) I can honestly say FiOS's PQ and channel offerings are a good choice. In addition FiOS has a new DVR, the 7232-2 by Moto with a 500 gig HDD. Its a nice box. VZ is suppose to have a new interface for it out sometime..one day soon..maybe.. that should make it even nicer. The update will also allow for the addition of an external HDD. I also have a TiVo HD and a Premiere. Both boxes work great for me and give me no crap at all. The PQ is equal to that of the FiOS box using a multi stream cable card from VZ. I have and always will love the TiVo interface and features. The VZ box is rather bland as it is, after the revamp and update, who knows! It does the job though.
As always YMMV, good luck with what ever you decide

 

Is it Verizon or Frontier FIOS? I believe the previous comments would apply to Verizon FIOS but there have been a lot of complaints about Frontier FIOS, especially about huge rate increases and poor customer service. BTW Frontier FIOS systems were sold to Frontier by Verizon, so even if you currently have Verizon....????

 

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You can move non-protected content from one Tivo to another. In most markets FIOS only protects the premium channels (HBO, MAX, SHO and the like). In Most markets TW protects all non-over the air channels (ESPN, USA, TBS and the like).

 

What equipment does the Verizon system require at the (up to) four rooms where it "sends" the program? For TiVo to do this (MRV -- "Multi-room Viewing"), requires three things:
1. The content is not copy protected by the cable provider.
2. There is a suitable TiVo in both sending and receiving rooms.
3. The TiVo's are connected via a home network.

TiVo actually sends a copy of the program to the destination TiVo over the network. It doesn't "move" or "stream". When the MRV process completes, a copy exists on both source and destination TiVo's. You can start watching on the destination TiVo before the copy completes, however. Because two copies exist after MRV, copy protection prevents it.

Assuming you're willing to provide network-connected TiVo's in every room, I would recommend some serious research to determine just what the copy protection situation is on your particular FIOS system. Unfortunately just asking them is probably NOT a good way to do this. Rather, post your exact FIOS system (e.g., location) and hopefully other posters here on the same system will tell you.

 

I wouldn't assume no copy-protection just because you won't be getting premium channels. Maybe someone in your area will post the info, or there is a Copy Protection Tracking Thread where you can see if your system has already been recorded.

A network that works for your computers should be fine for TiVo's. BTW, in case you don't already know, all your TiVo's have to be subscribed, even if all you do with some of them is MRV programs from others. Also each Tivo needs either an Internet connection or phone connection to update its guide data and software (and subscribed status). There are many subscription/purchase options. Just a basic monthly subscription is $12.95 for the first TiVo and something less for the additonal ones. There are lifetime subscriptions too -- for the lifetime of the box, not the person.