[unicorngoddess]

I finally got the FiosTV installed last week. It works great so far...and the best part is were able to set up our Tivo with the FiosTV. I was pretty sure it would be able to work but when I had called Verizon they kept telling me that Tivo wouldn't work and I would have to get the Verizon DVR.

Now, it's not that I didn't want the Verizon DVR, but we have a lifetime subscription on our Tivo and wanted to keep using it. So the Tivo is stilling kicking in our master bedroom and the new Verizon Motorola DVR is in our living room. I've only had it for a few days, but I can definately say it's no Tivo. It doesn't do that nifty back up a couple of seconds after you stop fast forwarding and the layout of the buttons on the remote is horrible. I'm definately happy I can keep my Tivo. The only cool thing about the DVR from Verizon is you can record one channel, change the channel to watch something else, and it keeps recording what it's suppose to. It will even record two shows that come on at the same time.

I just thought I'd relay the message for others that can get FiosTV in their area that you can still use your Tivo dispite what the Verizon reps may have told you over the phone.

 

[cowboys2002]

What neck of the woods are you?

How many channels, and how much per month?

If you don't mind!!

I am thinking of moving to Texas, and hopefully a FIOS area!

 

[TiVoPhish]

...It doesn't do that nifty back up a couple of seconds after you stop fast forwarding...

I have no idea what DVR you got, but if the remote offers a "instant replay" button you can simulate the jump back quite easily. There's two ways to try... either while it's fast forwarding just hit the replay button instead of play... or hit the play button first than the replay button. Either one will cause that "jump back" you're talking about. Nope, not as good at TiVo's built-in ability to do so, but a comfortable work-around for now.

 

[HDTiVo]

Good to know the FIOS providers can give info of the same quality as the Cable Co.

 

[unicorngoddess]

I'm in Lewisville. Not all of Lewisville has it yet. I have a friend a couple of blocks away that still can't get it even though he has the Fios Internet. I think most parts of Carrollton, Irving and Flower Mound also have it.

Expanded Basic is $34.99/month (3.99 for a standard set top box, 9.99 for an HD set top box or 12.99 for the HD DVR and the HD DVR doesn't need a seperate HD reciever to pick up the HD channels) I also got the showtime package which is an extra $11.95/month and it includes 44 channels of showtime, flix, encore and sundance. They also offer standard and free video on demand. It's really not much cheaper than satelite (we had Dish) but it sure is a heck of a lot more dependable. We'd constantly get the 'cannot acquire satelite signal' message on cloudy or stormy days. There's nothing like getting into a show and losing your signal for the last ten minutes of the show. Now I don't have to worry about that.

 

[Jotas]

Lucky dog! If/when Verizon starts dropping fiber in my 'hood I'll have seriously look at their offerings. There are two new developments popping up near me, but I doubt I'll see Verizon dropping fiber there and near my 'hood anytime soon.

 

[mavsman78]

Hey Unicorn,

I'm in Carrollton, thinking about switching from DTV to Fios. One of the things that's keeping me from making the switch is not having enough details about the DVR from Verizon. Could you post a review of the DVR? In particular, I'm curious about it's recording features and ease-of-use.

Other Questions:
Can you setup a show to record from the guide?
How easy is it to setup a series to be recorded?
Does it have to be plugged into a phone line?
Is it home networking capable/ready?

Anything like that would be helpful. If possible, could you post some screenshots as well?

 

[classicsat]

AFAIK, the DVR is a custom Motorola cable DVR. It doesn't use a phone or network connection at all, it simply uses the FIOS digital network for its communication.

 

[Justin Thyme]

Some FIOS users reported getting the 6414. It appears the prefered version that FIOS will use is the QIP6416.

AFAIK, VOD in FIOS comes in over IP. But it is true that the idea is that all STBs and DVRs only need Coax in the home to access this stuff. What they do is put a converter in the box where the glass comes in from the street. The IP streams are converted into RF that goes onto the Coax. This is what Moca does. (multimedia over cable)

There is a MoCA adapter installed after the router that delivers the VOD. Our tech mentioned that 2nd quarter of 2006 they should be enabling communication between your STB's via the COAX. That and that the ONT** will be replaced with a bulit into MoCA feature. source

**(an ONT is the optical network terminator- the box where the glass data gets split off into coax, telephone line, and cat5e data cables into the home.)

 

[Generic]

Expanded Basic is $34.99/month (3.99 for a standard set top box, 9.99 for an HD set top box or 12.99 for the HD DVR and the HD DVR doesn't need a seperate HD reciever to pick up the HD channels) I also got the showtime package which is an extra $11.95/month and it includes 44 channels of showtime, flix, encore and sundance. They also offer standard and free video on demand.

What is also good is that local broadcast HD and national (i.e. ESPN HD) HD channels are included with the expanded basic line-up.

http://www22.verizon.com/FiOSForHome/channels/FiOSTV/FiosTVHome.aspx

 

[unicorngoddess]

Yeah, all those included HD channels are pretty cool because you don't have to purchase a seperate HD package.

The DVR that comes with Fios TV isn't all that great. Not as easy to use as Tivo but I guess it's still pretty easy to figure out. I was able to pick up the remote and start scheduling shows without having to read directions or anything. You can easily set up 'season passes' through the guide by hitting the record button twice. This will tell the DVR to record the series. It's a dual tuner too so it can pad your show at the beginning and end without interfering with other recordings. the layout of the remote takes some getting use to. But it's still a pretty nifty DVR. I wish it would come with something like our Tivo Desktop option to transfer recordings to your computer...maybe it will later down the line or something.

I'm really enjoying the free video on demand. No such thing on Dish. I stayed at home pretty much all weekend watching all kinds of movies and it was great! There's also a Fios TV Help section in the VOD section. If you have any problems or anything with the DVR, there's a whole video walk-through section there that you can watch. It's pretty cool.

 

[dt_dc]

QIP6416

QIP = QAM / IP

Cute eh?

 

[Justin Thyme]

Yeah, I saw your eagle eye observation on AVSForums. They have a sense of humor...

One thing I didn't get was your assumption of bandwidth limitation into the home for HD. I know that the IP channel at least as far as the user is concerned won't allow 2 HD channels, but It seems to me that they would relax this limit for their own VOD demands, even though it is coming in over IP.

What I am saying is, are you sure the FIOS bandwidth limit includes IP bandwidth necessary for FIOS TV reqirements? If so, is it because they cannot discriminate because of "Net Neutrality" rules?

 

[bobharp]

I've been following this Verizon FIOS thing for some time now. Still waiting and wishing for franchise rights in my area. A read a news post about Verizon using RF instead of IPTV last fall. A quick google turned up this article Verizon uses RF for FiOS TV . Being a tech news hound I also ran across (last spring) and read through Microsofts IPTV info and groaned because I thought Verizon would use it. Thankfully like most Microsoft products Microsoft + IPTV = Trouble?

 

[Bai Shen]

So do you have to use the set top box to get your tv? Or can you hook up a tivo directly? Will Verizon use cable cards?

 

[Justin Thyme]

You will be able to connect Tivo to the FIOS STB just as you would a cableco or DBS stb. The model used is a standard box- model number earlier mentionned in this thread and on avsforums.

I can only offer speculations on CC compatibility so take it with a grain of salt. There is some indication that they will function with Cablecard devices (also noted earlier with reference to a presentation to the FCC by FIOS).

AFAIK, there has been nothing definitive stated on cablecard interoperability with FIOS. I am not sure if verizon is more motivated by the commercial advantage of at least appearing to interoperate with cablecard equipment, or that they are concerned about FCC compliance since they meet the definition of a carrier coverred by the 1996 telecom act.

 

[dt_dc]

One thing I didn't get was your assumption of bandwidth limitation into the home for HD.

Which post?

I don't assume any IP bandwidth limitation for Verizon (FTTP). There is one ... but it's not going to be a (noticeable) limitation at first. Fiber comes all the way to the house ... but ... at some point that active fiber becomes passive and you do have some theoretical max which is pooled between the number of customers per active node ...

I do assume a bandwidth limitation for SBC/ATT (FTTN) ... because they have said they can only get 20-25Mbps IP down the copper from the fiber node to the house. And that 20-25Mbps IP is all you got ...

 

[Bai Shen]

You will be able to connect Tivo to the FIOS STB just as you would a cableco or DBS stb. The model used is a standard box- model number earlier mentionned in this thread and on avsforums.

I can only offer speculations on CC compatibility so take it with a grain of salt. There is some indication that they will function with Cablecard devices (also noted earlier with reference to a presentation to the FCC by FIOS).

AFAIK, there has been nothing definitive stated on cablecard interoperability with FIOS. I am not sure if verizon is more motivated by the commercial advantage of at least appearing to interoperate with cablecard equipment, or that they are concerned about FCC compliance since they meet the definition of a carrier coverred by the 1996 telecom act.

That's what I was tryin' to figure out. I would prefer not to deal with a STB.

 

[Justin Thyme]

I do assume a bandwidth limitation for SBC/ATT (FTTN) ... because they have said they can only get 20-25Mbps IP down the copper from the fiber node to the house. And that 20-25Mbps IP is all you got ...

Right, it was in regards to SBC, but that is not an absolute, right? My assumption is that the 20/25 is just step 1 in a phased implementation- rolling glass out progressively increasing the density of local switches so you can reduce the copper runs. After all, VDSL will do 150mbps if the runs are max 1/3 KM.

Folks like infineon and others are selling chips that do 50mbps using VDSL and it's not some theoretical number- Korea Telecom is now offering 50mbps over VDSL.

 

[dt_dc]

Right, it was in regards to SBC, but that is not an absolute, right? My assumption is that the 20/25 is just step 1 in a phased implementation- rolling glass out progressively increasing the density of local switches so you can reduce the copper runs. After all, VDSL will do 150mbps if the runs are max 1/3 KM.

True. In fact, SBC/ATT is doing fiber all the way to the house in some "greenfields" (new construction). It's just ... "step 1" is going to take a long time to implment (and alot of $$$) and it's going to take quite some time before seeing "step 2" ... so, their services are going to be based on the 20/25Mbps limit for a while. Yes, they can certainly start taking the node closer and closer to the house. All it takes is $$$.

This is very similar to cable. When cable first layed fiber, they had 1000+ (heck, 10,000+) customers per node. They've been moving the fiber closer and closer to the house and breaking down that node size ... 500 homes per node ... 250 ... 150 ...