# Roamio Pro and Fios ultimate tv package



## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

Hi,

I'm new to the forums. I am considering returning my Fios multiroom DVR and set top boxes and getting Roamio Pro and Minis. Does anyone have experience with Roamio and the Fios cable card being able to view and record channels like Showtime, Cinemax, and NFL Redzone? Also, does anyone have any regrets going with Tivo instead of the Fios equipment?

Thanks


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## dcpmark (Feb 8, 2006)

btac2013 said:


> Hi,
> 
> I'm new to the forums. I am considering returning my Fios multiroom DVR and set top boxes and getting Roamio Pro and Minis. Does anyone have experience with Roamio and the Fios cable card being able to view and record channels like Showtime, Cinemax, and NFL Redzone? Also, does anyone have any regrets going with Tivo instead of the Fios equipment?
> 
> Thanks


I have this setup (Fios Ultimate + Roamio Pro + 3 Minis), and I couldn't be happier. No problems recording anything and everything. However, as a Tivo user since 2000 I can't compare it any equipment FiOS offers, but NOBODY does it better than TiVO. The only downside is no Fios on Demand, I think.


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## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

Cool... Thanks. I think with the 6 tuners and HDD capacity I wouldn't need to use much on demand.


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## jdmass (Dec 1, 2002)

I have a Roamio Pro and 2 Minis with the FIOS Ultimate Package, so aside from the $4.99 cable card, I am no longer renting any equipment from Verizon.

I am extremely happy with this setup. Originally getting things working took a little more effort than it should. The cable card install was easy and most channels worked immediately. I did need to have on online chat with a technician to get HBO functioning and then I later discovered that there were a few channels in the 300 range that for some reason weren't authorized. I rarely watch them, but since I'm paying for them, I wanted them to work. This was fixed with another online chat.

The strangest one was NFL Red Zone -- apparently this is enabled via an app on their Cable Box. They couldn't seem to figure out how to authorize me to get it (and one rep said that you can't get it with Tivo). With a little "persuasion", I was able to get them to lend me a set top box that I then hooked up and used to authorize Red Zone. I then was able to receive it on my Tivo and returned the cable box. I don't know if this has changed, but it was a pain.

Beyond that, I think the Tivo and Mini combo is great with FIOS.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I have no problems with my Roamio Pro and two Minis on FiOS. The only two restricted channels are HBO and CInemax but your are allowed to stream recordings from the channels so there are no issues watching that content on the Minis.

Although if you do use TiVo desktop recordings from those two channels can't be transferred. No issues with other channels. Otherwise the only issue I really had was in the pairing of the cable card. Activation was no problem but the last time I paired a card it took over 1.5 hours on chat to get it done. With and activated card you can view all the channels except HBO and Cinemax. But you need the cable card paired to be able to view content on HBO and Cinemax.

For me the Redzone issue was resolved by FiOS. I posted the problem in the www.dslreports.com Verizon Direct Support Forum which techs from FiOS monitor. And they took care of the issue for me within 24 hours.


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## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

aaronwt said:


> I have no problems with my Roamio Pro and two Minis on FiOS. The only two restricted channels are HBO and CInemax but your are allowed to stream recordings from the channels so there are no issues watching that content on the Minis.
> 
> Although if you do use TiVo desktop recordings from those two channels can't be transferred. No issues with other channels. Otherwise the only issue I really had was in the pairing of the cable card. Activation was no problem but the last time I paired a card it took over 1.5 hours on chat to get it done. With and activated card you can view all the channels except HBO and Cinemax. But you need the cable card paired to be able to view content on HBO and Cinemax.
> 
> For me the Redzone issue was resolved by FiOS. I posted the problem in the www.dslreports.com Verizon Direct Support Forum which techs from FiOS monitor. And they took care of the issue for me within 24 hours.


So, you cannot watch HBO or Cinemax live on your Fios Minis?


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

btac2013 said:


> So, you cannot watch HBO or Cinemax live on your Fios Minis?


Yes you can. You can stream the recordings from HBO and Cinemax to the Mini. The restrcitions prevent you from transferring content from those channels. But you only watch content on the Minis from streaming. Although you can't stream any Amazon content that was downloaded to the Roamio.

That is the one feature you can't get right now on a Mini. There is no access to Amazon. You can only download Amazon content to TiVos right now. And since the Minis don't have storage, you can't view Amazon content on the Minis. Hopefully an Amazon app will come to the tivos that will allow the option of streaming content like you do with other devices.


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## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

Ok thanks for the info.

One other question, how is the Tivo Roamio out of home streaming? Also, early reviews of the Mini said it did not have Netflix streaming, but I've read it's been added. Is that true, if do how is the netflix streaming?


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## jdmass (Dec 1, 2002)

Netflix is available on the Mini. I believe the user experience is similar to the Roamio. Personally, I've become a fan of using the DIAL (Discover and Launch) capability and browse using the Netflix app on my iPhone to find what I want to watch and then launch it to play via the Roamio or one of the Minis -- very convenient feature, IMHO.

OOH streaming is definitely a v1.0 feature. There is a noticeable reduction in quality, but, in my limited experience with it, I've found it to be acceptable for casual viewing. However, given the variability of wifi on the road, your mileage will definitely vary.


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## BigHat (Jan 25, 2004)

It's not an insurmountable problem, but FIOS is a pain in the butt to deal with when pairing cable cards after HBO etc went to copy protection last summer. What used to require a tech visit can now be done with a card delivered in the mail by the user...if it weren't for prem. channels. The still haven't figured out how to do this w/o a hassle.

I say go for it, but be prepared to deal with FIOS tech support which has to be one of the worst groups in the country. Plan on a couple of hours on the phone and you won't be surprised.


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## Coffee (Feb 15, 2013)

FIOS offers MoCA-ready network equipment. If they supply you with a MoCA router, make sure to not create a MoCA network on your Roamio device. They will conflict with each other. Let it join the already-existing MoCA network instead and everything should work beautimusly. 

Since everything that you've mentioned is MoCA-ready, I you shouldn't need additional equipment to make that work.


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## HenryFarpolo (Dec 1, 2008)

BigHat said:


> It's not an insurmountable problem, but FIOS is a pain in the butt to deal with when pairing cable cards after HBO etc went to copy protection last summer. What used to require a tech visit can now be done with a card delivered in the mail by the user...if it weren't for prem. channels. The still haven't figured out how to do this w/o a hassle.
> 
> I say go for it, but be prepared to deal with FIOS tech support which has to be one of the worst groups in the country. Plan on a couple of hours on the phone and you won't be surprised.


You can pick up CableCards at a Verizon store if you have one nearby. My CableCard activation went quite well with the exception of a glitch with HBO and Cinemax. It was resolved quickly with a call to tech support.

Not everyone has horror stories regarding Verizon tech support. I have been a FIOS user since the day it was introduced and have generally had good experiences with them each time I have called.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

HenryFarpolo said:


> You can pick up CableCards at a Verizon store if you have one nearby. My CableCard activation went quite well with the exception of a glitch with HBO and Cinemax. It was resolved quickly with a call to tech support.
> 
> Not everyone has horror stories regarding Verizon tech support. I have been a FIOS user since the day it was introduced and have generally had good experiences with them each time I have called.


Cable card activation works great on FiOS. I've never had any problem with activation. Once a card is activated you can get all the channels except the ones that require pairing to view, like HBO and Cinemax. It is the pairing of the cable card that has been a PITA. If I didn't subscribe to HBO and Cinemax then I would have never bothered with the pairing process since I would not have needed it.


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## dcpmark (Feb 8, 2006)

btac2013 said:


> Ok thanks for the info.
> 
> One other question, how is the Tivo Roamio out of home streaming?


I tried it for the first time on Friday, and I only tried it once to see if it worked. The quality was low but watchable for me streaming, but that might have had to do with the location I was in. Also, it offers you the choice to download the show to improve quality, but I didn't try it.


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## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

Thanks for the replies and info


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## zubinh (Jun 7, 2004)

The only downside to switching occurs in the event your TiVo needs replacement. Fortunately I can do an exchange at Best Buy since I purchased the extended warranty. However, moving the lifetime service to the new TiVo is generally a pain and involves faxing documentation to TiVo and leaves you susceptible to paying a $149 fee. Its not as easy and worry free as picking up a replacement at a Verizon Store.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

I'm not sure I would call picking up a repalcement at a FiOS store worry free. I know a couple of my neighbors had issues multiple times when picking up replacement DVRs from the local FiOS store. Which resulted in multiple trips back to the FiOS store and a bunch of missed recordings.


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## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

zubinh said:


> The only downside to switching occurs in the event your TiVo needs replacement. Fortunately I can do an exchange at Best Buy since I purchased the extended warranty. However, moving the lifetime service to the new TiVo is generally a pain and involves faxing documentation to TiVo and leaves you susceptible to paying a $149 fee. Its not as easy and worry free as picking up a replacement at a Verizon Store.


I have to admit; I've had one fios dvr and one fios set top box go bad. It was nice to go to a Verizon store and exchange equipment. The downside was that they changed my package to something $20-30 more per month; it took me 3 separate 40 mins phone calls for them to fix my account.

My one concern is that the Minis can be finicky from what I've read and the router may need to be reset every so often. My concern is that my elderly parent that lives with me isn't tech savvy and I'm away from home days at a time. I guess I'm worried the Minis will not be as problem free as a Fios set top box, relatively speaking.


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## CrispyCritter (Feb 28, 2001)

btac2013 said:


> I have to admit; I've had one fios dvr and one fios set top box go bad. It was nice to go to a Verizon store and exchange equipment. The downside was that they changed my package to something $20-30 more per month; it took me 3 separate 40 mins phone calls for them to fix my account.
> 
> My one concern is that the Minis can be finicky from what I've read and the router may need to be reset every so often. My concern is that my elderly parent that lives with me isn't tech savvy and I'm away from home days at a time. I guess I'm worried the Minis will not be as problem free as a Fios set top box, relatively speaking.


I wouldn't worry about that. The vast majority of Minis out there are pretty much trouble-free once set up - you have to remember that this is the place people go to when they have problems. Very few people have to reset their router; I know I never have and you'd be reading a lot more about it if resetting the router was a common necessity.

Now that the FIOS cablecard issues have been identified and resolved, I wouldn't expect any problems other than normal setup hassles.


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## dcpmark (Feb 8, 2006)

btac2013 said:


> The downside was that they changed my package to something $20-30 more per month; it took me 3 separate 40 mins phone calls for them to fix my account.


Just found out they have been charging me for 2 returned CableCards since May. Returning 3 more, so I'm going from 6 Cablecards to just 1.

LOVE the Roamio + 3 Minis solution.....no router resets needed yet for me.


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## btac2013 (Nov 16, 2013)

CrispyCritter said:


> I wouldn't worry about that. The vast majority of Minis out there are pretty much trouble-free once set up - you have to remember that this is the place people go to when they have problems. Very few people have to reset their router; I know I never have and you'd be reading a lot more about it if resetting the router was a common necessity.
> 
> Now that the FIOS cablecard issues have been identified and resolved, I wouldn't expect any problems other than normal setup hassles.


Oh, thank you for the reassurance... I was starting to get cold feet. My cable card is on the way as we speak!


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## dslunceford (Oct 19, 2000)

Note that if the Premium Channel not authorized becomes an issue during self install of the card, save yourself time and trouble and read this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=9832174#post9832174

If you ask them to "Manually revalidate the card" it will be fixed in a couple of minutes. If not, the tech rep may or may not stumble across the fix to get it working...


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

dslunceford said:


> Note that if the Premium Channel not authorized becomes an issue during self install of the card, save yourself time and trouble and read this thread: http://www.tivocommunity.com/tivo-vb/showthread.php?p=9832174#post9832174
> 
> If you ask them to "Manually revalidate the card" it will be fixed in a couple of minutes. If not, the tech rep may or may not stumble across the fix to get it working...


It still depends on the tech. I told them that last time and it didn't help me. It still took over 1.5 hours in chat.


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## bogart (Sep 24, 2002)

BigHat said:


> It's not an insurmountable problem, but FIOS is a pain in the butt to deal with when pairing cable cards after HBO etc went to copy protection last summer. What used to require a tech visit can now be done with a card delivered in the mail by the user...if it weren't for prem. channels. The still haven't figured out how to do this w/o a hassle.
> 
> I say go for it, but be prepared to deal with FIOS tech support which has to be one of the worst groups in the country. Plan on a couple of hours on the phone and you won't be surprised.


That has always been my experience but I was pleasantly surprised by FiOS support during my recent switch to a Roamio/Mini set-up. Pairing the Cablecard took a total of 15 minutes. And they no longer have that horrible music when you are on hold, not that I was on hold for very long.


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## JStew (Oct 1, 2007)

After reading all the information ragarding the Pro, I decided to upgrade from the XL4. The only thing I haven't seen is how much of a nuisance it is to swap cards from the XL4 to the Pro on FiOs. Is it something as simple as installing the card into the Pro and turning it on or do you have to go through the gyrations of calling Verizon support?


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## bogart (Sep 24, 2002)

You have to have Verizon pair the card (at least if you have premium channels), but it was pretty quick this time. They answered the phone quickly, the person knew what I was talking about and connected me to a technician who handles cable cards. Perhaps it was a miracle.


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## BigHat (Jan 25, 2004)

HenryFarpolo said:


> My CableCard activation went quite well with the exception of a glitch with HBO and Cinemax. It was resolved quickly with a call to tech support.


This is the point. Why the "glitch" with premium channels if they are so squared away? Who you get on the phone has A LOT to do with your experience. I have dealt with them numerous times and thus my assessment is their CS is weak. Remember, HBO etc went on copy protection in the summer of '12. How many people DON'T get a prem. channel and have this level of equipment? You'd think tech "discovery learning" on this topic wouldn't be an issue 15 months later.

I have read things here the techs had no clue about. For example, the M card in my Premiere XL is not compatible with a 6 tuner DVR and I had to explain why or their tech would have kept insisting I could reuse it in the Roamio.
I'm not hating on FIOS, the people are always nice, but it's not an efficient process. I did manage to install the card and use their online service, but what's the point if you still have to call for pairing?


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## JStew (Oct 1, 2007)

bogart said:


> You have to have Verizon pair the card (at least if you have premium channels), but it was pretty quick this time. They answered the phone quickly, the person knew what I was talking about and connected me to a technician who handles cable cards. Perhaps it was a miracle.


Thanks! I was hoping to avoid the call because you never know what you're going to get, but for the most part I've been pretty fortunate dealing with them.

Thanks again!


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