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FIOS first impressions

Discussion in 'Community Broadband & Computers' started by hornerjo, Nov 20, 2008.

  1. boomertsfx

    boomertsfx Booyakasha!

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    Basically, if you've had a TiVo, you would hate the fios dvr, but if you haven't, you don't know what you're missing =)

    I'm not a fan of the fios DVR which is why I haven't switched to FIOS TV .... it's acceptable, but is pretty clunky in parts.
     
  2. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    We've never had a TiVo...so you're right, don't know what I'm missing. We have Comcast DVR and have no issues. We don't really DVR that much anyway, but it does it's job when we do.
     
  3. GeauxTigers

    GeauxTigers Member

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    The Comcast DVR is total garbage compared to an actual Tivo. Neither the software or the hardware comes close. I've not seen a FIOS TV install, but don't they use the same Motorola boxes that Comcast uses with just different software? If so I wonder if they freeze up as easily or fail to actually hold as much content as advertised. If you are perfectly happy with your Comcast DVR, I do recommend you never play with a Tivo.
     
  4. Twriter

    Twriter Get a Mac!

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    I had the Comcast DVR (Motorola DCT2400?) for several months and it's software was rudimentary compared to my TiVos. Here's what I remember:
    - Selecting a program to record required using the grid of channels & times. In other words you had to know the channel & time or spend time browsing the grid to find it. (With TiVo you can just enter the first few letters of the program name and choose from the list of programs.)

    - Menu navigation didn't support backing up a step. You either continued through the menus or cancelled out to the highest level.

    - No Season Pass option (With TiVo, if you like a program you can set up a "Season Pass" which gets you every episode of that program even if it switches timeslots or has a longer than normal episode.)

    - No Wishlists option (With TiVo you can enter wishlists such as an actor's name, a team name, a subject, and so on. TiVo automatically records any shows that match your wishlist.)

    - No internet control. (With TiVo you can go through their web page and select shows to record. Great for use when you're at work and someone tells you about an interesting show coming up.)

    - Canceling shows is hard. I don't recall the details but I recall some frustrations in trying to determine what shows were scheduled for recording and then trying to cancel some.

    There are more differences, but those were the ones that were top on my mind. Those of you who have the FIOS DVR, what model is it and can it do more than the Comcast DVR?

    Thanks!
    --- John B.
     
  5. marianne

    marianne Puppy Mommy

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    I hated the Comcast DVR compared to the TIVO, but I find the FIOS TVR much better than Comcast. It is still not as good as TIVO though. The TV picture with FIOS is greatly improved over Comcast, so is the Internet connection speed.

    So far I like my FIOS much better than Comcast.

    Marianne
     
  6. GeauxTigers

    GeauxTigers Member

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    Comcast does have a season pass option called "series recording" however it again can't compare to Tivo. The most annoying part with it is very often fails to recognized between a repeat and a new show and in doubt it records. For example if you set up a serious recording of Simpsons and tell it only the new ones, you'll still get about a dozen repeats recorded in a week because the repeats don't have a non-generic description. Unless it specifically says "repeat" in the info, the DVR will record it.

    The navigation is horrible I agree. It's even worse for the OnDemand feature. I can't figure out how to back out of a menu without the painful delay of existing OnDemand entirely and then going back in.

    Another pain is if you go in and tell it to not record a specific showing of some of your series recordings (which is often necessary since their system holds minimal record time on even SD channels) and then edit any series recording at any time later, it will forget all the "don't record" changes you've made.

    Lately I've found on both of my DVRs that the 2x forward/reverse in is actually running slower than 1x. You need to go to 3x to truly ff/rev. Also both have been randomly skipping to the very beginning or end of the recording when you try to skip ahead. It's just buggy. It's been a few years since I've used a Tivo but from what I remember it was worlds better in almost every way.
     
  7. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    Sounds like TiVo is great - but I'll stick with my Comcast DVR due to the fact we have no issues, but don't really use it that much and when I do, it's easy to record.
     
  8. pbkahn

    pbkahn New Member

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    We are making the switch to FiOS on Feb 12th from Comcast. We have 3 SD Tivo's in our house, and I specifically denied any offers of the Fios DVR. I decided to purchase a TIVO HD Box instead. I have the comcast DVR and hate it compared to the TIVO. Plus, cable cards from Fios are only $3/each per month, so for $6 to verizon + the HD Tivo cost, I can have my cake and eat it too.
     
  9. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    I ordered 2 cable cards on Monday for my TiVo HD. I forgot to ask if their cable card is the new "M" card. If so, then I only need one. Also, the price they quoted me was $3.99 per month. It should arrive today or tomorrow.
     
  10. rlab

    rlab New Member

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    Are these cablecards from Verizon for FIOS? If so, are they charging you $80 to drop them off?
     
  11. tvl

    tvl New Member

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    When I got ours, the reps on the phone said two cards were needed, but the tech showed up w/ an M card, and that's all that was needed. 3.99 sounds like a single M card if i remember my bill right.
     
  12. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    They are shipping them via UPS. There was no mention of an $80 charge for that.
     
  13. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    I didn't think to ask if they were M cards. If that's the case, I need only one for now.

    I asked about setting up a time for the tech to "install" them. The rep told me none was needed and that they were already activated. That surprised me. I have no doubt that I can set this up myself, but I'm sure there are folks who would rather have a tech do it.

    They have not arrived yet, hopefully next week.
     
  14. rlab

    rlab New Member

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    No Kidding? What number did you call to have the Cable Cards shipped? Did you already have FIOS installed? If so, how long?

    I had to escalate as I thought $80 was ridiculous just to drop off a couple of cards. The lady went into a whole thing about it being a service call... Said that they "honor" the cable cards but do not "offer" them...

    They are charging $80 and giving me a $40 credit with the guy coming out next Thursday. I would rather have them send them UPS but they said they need to send a tech out????
     
  15. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    I had FiOS installed in November. The number I called was 703-954-6222. I got that number from their support site, buried in the "contact us" section.

    I'll have to keep an eye out for the $80 charge on my next bill just in case.
     
  16. rlab

    rlab New Member

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    Did you receive your Cable Cards for your Tivo? I called and tried to get them to send mine UPS but they said a tech has to come and install them.
     
  17. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    No. It looks like I got some misinformation from both reps that I talked to last week. The first told me that the cable cards would be shipped in 1-2 business days. When they didn't arrive, I called again. The second rep said the cable cards would be shipped via UPS, arriving by the 29th.

    Today I got a call to confirm my "appointment" for Thursday. I asked, what appointment? They aren't shipping the cards at all, instead they are sending a tech to install them. That means another half-day wasted.

    I asked the guy if there was a charge for the cards. He said no. So I asked if there was a charge for either the tech visit or the cable cards and he once again said no. Considering the quality of information I've gotten so far from Verizon, I won't believe anything until I see it.
     
  18. boomertsfx

    boomertsfx Booyakasha!

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    What BS... sounds like some crazy union rule =)
     
  19. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    Yeah, it does have that kind of overkill feel to it.

    Does anyone here have the fios cable card? How did your installation go?
     
  20. harrisek

    harrisek A work in progress

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    I want the cable card for my TiVo HD. I read the TiVo cable card instructions and they seem very straightforward. I wonder if Verizon's failure rate with cable card is high enough that they feel it's not user installable?
     

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