# Verizon FIOS TV.



## Ziggy86 (Jun 23, 2004)

Does this service use a cablecard? THis service will be available in my area in the next few months and I wanted to know if this is done with a cable box or cable card. Also wanted to know if this will be able to work with an S and S3?

Thanks in advance


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

Good for you! Get it! I have it. They will install a cablecard for you, yes, or use their box. 

Verizon FIOS is so much better than Comcast that Comcast will go the way of AOL if they don't change, and fast. Twice as good, half as expensive.


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

Oh, and wait till you experience the speed of FIOS Internet. Jeeeeeeeeeeeeeeez.

Call Verizon and talk to a rep about the service They upgraded me to the 15/2 package for free.


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## Ziggy86 (Jun 23, 2004)

I have time warner here in Queens for my cable. So an s2 and s3 will both work with the Verizon service?


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## CaptainBadAss (Jan 20, 2004)

Ziggy86 said:


> I have time warner here in Queens for my cable. So an s2 and s3 will both work with the Verizon service?


What part of Queens are you in?
I hear I'll have to wait a good long while for it to get to Astoria.

Tony


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## Cgrisamore (Dec 25, 2003)

Currently using a standalone series 2 with Verizon FIOS and a cable box. Works fine.....


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

How many people have FiOS though? I checked, but I can't get it at least. I imagine it is quite an undertaking for them to install their lines?


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

MickeS said:


> How many people have FiOS though? I checked, but I can't get it at least. I imagine it is quite an undertaking for them to install their lines?


Not many right now. The rollout is underway, though.


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

Call Verizon and tell them you want it--because, believe me, you DO.


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

WHat's the UL/DL speeds? Does the TV work just like regular cable?


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## Ziggy86 (Jun 23, 2004)

I live in Fresh Meadows, Queens. I just signed up for the internet service and the sales person said the TV should be available in March of 07


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

> WHat's the UL/DL speeds? Does the TV work just like regular cable?


Their basic plan for $34.95/mo is 5Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream. If you live in NY or NJ, you can get 10Mbps downstream and 2Mbps upstream for the same price. They also have a package with 20Mbps downstream and 5Mbps upstream for $10/mo more.

Their TV service offers 180+ digital channels and ~20 HDTV channels for $39.95/mo. Note if you subscribe to both Internet and TV service, you get $5/mo off -- so the effective price of TV service is $34.95/mo.

Here's a FiOS cable bill -- how does it compare to your bill?

The TV service uses QAM like other cable providers, and is fully supported by the Series3. The primary difference between FiOS and other cable providers are as follows:
 All the cable channels are digital -- they don't carry analog cable channels. This eliminates wasted space, because every analog channel consumes the same bandwidth as 8+ SD channels or two full-bitrate HD channels.

_Note Verizon does provide analog feeds of ~15 local channels and public interest stations on its systems. However, all cable channels are digital. Contrast that to Comcast, Cox, or TWC, which puts 60 to 90+ analog channels on their systems, consuming much of their available capacity and reducing picture quality._

 VOD, PPV, and Internet access are on a separate system and do not take bandwidth away from the TV service. FiOS is a fiber-to-the-home service; there are three "strands" (this should say wavelengths) of fiber -- one is dedicated to 850MHz TV service, another is dedicated to downstream Internet and VOD/PPV streams, and another is dedicated bedicated to upgrade broadband Internet and VOD/PPV requests. Contrast that to other cable providers, who have to divide their available 550-850MHz bandwidth between Internet, TV, and VOD.

 FiOS uses GPON (this should say BPON), which divides 622Mbps by 32 customers. FiOS is upgrading their systems to GPON, which will divide 2.4Gbps by every 32-64 customers. Compare that to traditional cable providers, who divide a single node of ~40Mbps between 12-24 customers. With traditional cable providers, a few neighbors doing lots of downloading can significantly slow your connection. That doesn't happen on FiOS.

Verizon FiOS fully supports the Series3. For now, you'll need two standard CableCards. In November, they expect to receive multistream CableCards -- so only one will be needed.


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## gastrof (Oct 31, 2003)

bkdtv said:


> All the cable channels are digital -- they don't carry analog cable channels. This eliminates wasted space, because every analog channel consumes the same bandwidth as 8+ SD channels or two HD channels....


The story we've heard from FiOS subscribers is that if you bypass the FiOS box and feed a cable directly into an analog TV device (like an ordinary television....or a Series 2 TiVo), you WILL get the cable channels under 100, so that means they're not "digital only".

The standard tuners wouldn't be able to get anything if the channels were all digital.


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

I must say I'm not impressed by those speeds. I would have hoped for at least 10/10 base and up to 100 down for premium. The price is good though - I pay $40 to Cox right now for (I think) 6/0.625

But that TV price sure is attractive! I might have to contact them and see if they have any plans for my part of the country.


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## dt_dc (Jul 31, 2003)

gastrof said:


> The story we've heard from FiOS subscribers is that if you bypass the FiOS box and feed a cable directly into an analog TV device (like an ordinary television....or a Series 2 TiVo), you WILL get the cable channels under 100, so that means they're not "digital only".


You do get analog versions of the local channels and whatever is in their most basic package ... channels 1-49 (which is mostly empty). However, that's alot less analog channels than cable, who typically carries the whole "expanded" tier in analog (MTV, CNN, etc).

Those channels are simulcast in digital ... so if you use a box you get the digital versions ... if you don't you get the analog.

See here for lineup:
http://www22.verizon.com/content/fiostv/channel+lineup/channel+lineup.htm


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## dt_dc (Jul 31, 2003)

bkdtv said:


> FiOS is a fiber-to-the-home service; there are three "strands" of fiber -- one is dedicated to 850MHz TV service, another is dedicated to broadband Internet service, and another is dedicated to VOD/PPV and guide data over IP. Contrast that to other cable providers, who have to divide their available bandwidth between Internet, TV, and VOD.


One strand ... three wavelengths ...

RF Overlay - 1550 nm (linear video)
Downstream IP - 1490 nm (internet, phone, VOD video, etc)
Upstream IP - 1310 nm (internet, phone, VOD requests, etc)


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## dt_dc (Jul 31, 2003)

bkdtv said:


> FiOS uses GPON, which divides 622Mbps by 32 customers. FiOS is upgrading their systems to GPON, which will divide 2.4Gbps by every 32-64 customers. Compare that to traditional cable providers, who divide a single node of ~40Mbps between 12-24 customers. With traditional cable providers, a few neighbors doing lots of downloading can significantly slow your connection. That doesn't happen on FiOS


They currently use BPON.

Keep in mind that the 622Mbps is shared between all downstream data, VOD, and phone. A few neighbors doing lots of downloading isn't likely to slow your connection ... several neighbors downloading, watching VOD, and talking on the phone could (in theory). Still not likely to happen yet ... but ... widespread HD VOD will get interesting.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

Thanks dt_dc, that was a typo. FiOS uses BPON and is upgrading to GPON.


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## jauburn (May 18, 2006)

MickeS said:


> I must say I'm not impressed by those speeds.


You don't have to be impressed if you don't want to.

Just know this: At this time, there's no faster residential Internet in the United States.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

> The story we've heard from FiOS subscribers is that if you bypass the FiOS box and feed a cable directly into an analog TV device (like an ordinary television....or a Series 2 TiVo), you WILL get the cable channels under 100, so that means they're not "digital only".


No, you get analog feeds of local channels and public interest channels. On the typical FiOS system, this is 15-25 channels, under 1-50. On my FiOS system, its about 15 channels.

The actual *cable* channels are digital-only.


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## mr.unnatural (Feb 2, 2006)

There's an extensive thread at the AVSForums that discusses the Motorola QIP6416 HD DVR that Verizon uses with their FIOS system. Here's the link for anyone that's interested:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=617635


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## MickeS (Dec 26, 2002)

jauburn said:


> You don't have to be impressed if you don't want to.
> 
> Just know this: At this time, there's no faster residential Internet in the United States.


Which is pretty sad, really. Most of my Swedish friends have 100/100 connections, so I was hoping I could catch up with them with this.


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## chandler1818 (Sep 8, 2004)

Is FIOS DVR HD capable like S3?

Just announced in my area that FIOS TV is coming in early 07. have the FIOS internet which is awesome compared to comcrap internet. can't wait to ditch comcast tv and dvr.


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## rlc1 (Sep 15, 2003)

MickeS said:


> I must say I'm not impressed by those speeds. I would have hoped for at least 10/10 base and up to 100 down for premium. The price is good though - I pay $40 to Cox right now for (I think) 6/0.625
> 
> But that TV price sure is attractive! I might have to contact them and see if they have any plans for my part of the country.


In my area (southern NH) they offer two plans: the $34.95 for 5 Mbps downstream, as mentioned above, and 15 Mbps downstream for $44.95 (can't remember the upstream speed). I pay $42.95 right now for Comcast internet and I did a speed test, and it came to just under 6 Mbps downloading. So for $2 more I could almost (potentially) triple my speed.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

> Is FIOS DVR HD capable like S3?
> 
> Just announced in my area that FIOS TV is coming in early 07. have the FIOS internet which is awesome compared to comcrap internet. can't wait to ditch comcast tv and dvr.


Yes, the FiOS DVR records HDTV. The box obviously isn't as reliable, as fast, or as intuitive as the Tivo. It also has a smaller hard drive (160Gb) and isn't expandable. However, it's only $12.95/mo with nothing to buy.

FiOS DVR Screenshots


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## snafu (Jan 19, 2002)

I just recently had FIOS TV installed. Unaware of the Cable Card option until recently I had the FIOS box installed (Motorola QIP6416-1). Has anyone had any luck controlling the Motorola with the S1 via IR? Is this a fools errand?

I spend an hour on the phone with tech support with no luck. The Tech couldn't even find any record of the QIP64xx.


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## bkdtv (Jan 9, 2003)

snafu,

I believe the QIP6416 uses the same IR signals as the Motorola DCT6412. Give that a try...


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## snafu (Jan 19, 2002)

I've got my S1 up and running with the Motorola QIP6416-1. After going back through initial setup the guide and IR are working. It was time consuming but alls well that ends well.

The only down side is that I've lost the ability to record off the antenna. This STB is considered a "cable box" and there is no cable with antenna option. I rather liked being able to record something on the TIVO and watch or record something on my Satellite at the same time. Disappointing but I'm pretty sure I can use the dual tuner in the feature to at least record on the TIVO and on the STB DVR. It's not optimal but functional.


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## snafu (Jan 19, 2002)

Okay, the downside turned out to be bigger than I thought. I really, really liked being able to record from either the antenna or the Satellite dish.

Does anyone know of a way to get the TIVO to recognize the OTA *and* a cable box?


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