After you drop $1500 on an HDTV, plus $200 for a stand, and (if you're shopping at Best Buy) getting suckered into who knows how much money for cables and surge protectors, plus an install, considering that Verizon is far and away cheaper than any competitor (especially with bundled phone and broadband), I think you guys underestimate its appeal.

It's not like Verizon has no HD. They have 20 plus channels including locals, and more are expected in the near future regardless of whether the delay is contracts or bandwidth. What was that survey done that said an overwhelming majority of people only watch 5 or so channels? I think it's much more likely that widespread perceptions of weather problems with satellite (like rain fade, etc.) and the lack of broadband will keep more people from signing on with D* despite it's 70 HD channels than Verizon's delay in adding new channels.

Besides, it's still only about 50% of people with HDTVs that use HD services. Hence Verizon's marketing which includes as much boasting about the crystal clear SD as it does the unlimited bandwidth. The crystal clear picture on every channel on every TV is, in my estimation, a much bigger selling point to the lay consumer than HD services.

On an unrelated note, I was in Best Buy the other day and noticed that Verizon is offering a $125 discount if you sign up for FiOS with your HD purchase.

Besides, it's still only about 50% of people with HDTVs that use HD services. Hence Verizon's marketing which includes as much boasting about the crystal clear SD as it does the unlimited bandwidth. The crystal clear picture on every channel on every TV is, in my estimation, a much bigger selling point to the lay consumer than HD services.

On an unrelated note, I was in Best Buy the other day and noticed that Verizon is offering a $125 discount if you sign up for FiOS with your HD purchase.

but who are the people who even care about PQ on the SD channels? that would be HDTV owners. Crappy SD channels look just fine to people still using 27" tube sets. as long as the "reception" is good, they don't care. it's only HD sets that expose how bad SD is on D* et al. But what do HDTV owners care about more: getting more HD channels or getting acceptable SD quality? I say the first because you know what, even HD lite is still better than the best SD on an HD set. That's why D* pursued the 150 channels strategy. it works! Try adversting "we have the best picture quality on low def!" not gonna fly.

you're right that the bundle is a good deal, unless you can't get it. I've tried every which way and can't. not available in my area. apperently, Verizon doesn't think TWC is a legitimate competitor, and well, they got me there :(

What game are you trying to see, by the way?

Oklahoma beating Texas. Boomer Sooner! Go Big Red! :)

Thanks, I did not know that. :)
I tried to find the exact page to use within Verizon Central and could not. Could you send me the proper web page address and what part of the page to look at? I tried everything connected with or saying 'TV' and didn't find what you are talking about. :confused:


Hilltop-
Do you have your account online at Verizon.com?

If I log into my account - then go to "TV" - I can actually order the ESPN Gameplan online for the day - it's showing as costing $21.95 or something like that.

This is part of the new, revised website. It gives you the option to order PPV special events online.

Try that if you haven't had any luck.

Thanks, I did not know that. :)
I tried to find the exact page to use within Verizon Central and could not. Could you send me the proper web page address and what part of the page to look at? I tried everything connected with or saying 'TV' and didn't find what you are talking about. :confused:

You need to login to your Verizoncom billing account, you can either login or set it up from http://www.verizon.com/myaccount

Once logged in you will see options to order, make changes, etc.

You need to login to your Verizoncom billing account, you can either login or set it up from http://www.verizon.com/myaccount

Once logged in you will see options to order, make changes, etc.

Thanks! That worked. :)
Before, I was on a different 'Verizon Central' page. :D

Thanks! That worked. :)
Before, I was on a different 'Verizon Central' page. :D

No problem, they added those options just a couple weeks ago.

By the way, if I had known you were an OU fan I would have had to rub in the Colorado victory last weekend(lived in Boulder when I was a kid).

No problem, they added those options just a couple weeks ago.

By the way, if I had known you were an OU fan I would have had to rub in the Colorado victory last weekend(lived in Boulder when I was a kid).

Last weekend: Even a blind squirrel finds a nut now and then. :D
Thanks again and good luck with the rest of your football season. :)

I sure hope VZ gets the IMG patch to us this month like they say they will.

Oklahoma beating Texas. Boomer Sooner! Go Big Red! :)

Ya know why texas doesnt fall into the gulf right??? nuf said! ;O)

but who are the people who even care about PQ on the SD channels? that would be HDTV owners. Crappy SD channels look just fine to people still using 27" tube sets. as long as the "reception" is good, they don't care. it's only HD sets that expose how bad SD is on D* et al. But what do HDTV owners care about more: getting more HD channels or getting acceptable SD quality? I say the first because you know what, even HD lite is still better than the best SD on an HD set. That's why D* pursued the 150 channels strategy. it works! Try adversting "we have the best picture quality on low def!" not gonna fly.

you're right that the bundle is a good deal, unless you can't get it. I've tried every which way and can't. not available in my area. apperently, Verizon doesn't think TWC is a legitimate competitor, and well, they got me there :(


Sorry, I disagree here. Three of the four TV's I have are SD, used by my mother in law, wife and two daughters. They all consistently say the picture is much better than with DirecTv. I also can say that is so.

If I got DTV tomorrow, we would only get the benefit on one TV, while the others would still have the fuzzy DirecTv SD.

I sure hope VZ gets the IMG patch to us this month like they say they will.

Sorry, but I can't resist:
*************************SOON***********************

Sorry, but I can't resist:
*************************SOON***********************

I think you mean: when it's ready!

I think you mean: when it's ready!

No i believe Mr Starrin ment what he said by SOON!!;) lol

but who are the people who even care about PQ on the SD channels? that would be HDTV owners. Crappy SD channels look just fine to people still using 27" tube sets. as long as the "reception" is good, they don't care. it's only HD sets that expose how bad SD is on D* et al.

I disagree. I personally was blown away by the difference in picture quality on SD versus my former provider (Adelphia). This is anecdotal, but of my neighbors and locals who switched to FiOS, the first impression people usually convey is picture clarity on the SD channels, not HD.

Even in HD households, most TVs are not HD, so SD picture quality is important to everyone. The catch is that you're simply not aware of this until you realize that what you've been getting from cable is absolute garbage. Most people have always had crappy SD picture quality and have no idea that regular TV can look as good as it does on FiOS until they get it. That's why Verizon is advertising about the picture clarity on SD channels.

I disagree. I personally was blown away by the difference in picture quality on SD versus my former provider (Adelphia). This is anecdotal, but of my neighbors and locals who switched to FiOS, the first impression people usually convey is picture clarity on the SD channels, not HD.

Even in HD households, most TVs are not HD, so SD picture quality is important to everyone. The catch is that you're simply not aware of this until you realize that what you've been getting from cable is absolute garbage. Most people have always had crappy SD picture quality and have no idea that regular TV can look as good as it does on FiOS until they get it. That's why Verizon is advertising about the picture clarity on SD channels.

Amen times ten! I used to have issues with some channels on Comcast being a bit grainy or snowy. Heaven help you if you had to record a show on one of these channels. I have NO issue at all with any of the Fios SD channels. I have more selection, the picture quality is better, and Fios doesn't charge me 10 bucks a month extra for HD.

nobody is arguing Fios SD does not look better. thing is, with most popular channels -- cnn, sci fi, fx, cartoon, etc -- now or will be in hd, it matters less and less. I don't care if the SD channel looks like crap if I have the HD channel and esp. if the shows I want to watch are in glorious HD. I only watch 1 or 2 popular shows on those channels, and they're the ones most likely to be in HD if they're not already. so SD becomes moot point, like those shopping or music channels.

also, with a 65" RPTV, I just expect SD to look bad. if it doesn't, it's a pleasant surprise, but I can't get worked up over it.

Ya know why texas doesnt fall into the gulf right??? nuf said! ;O)

Because Texas sucks so bad it barely holding on??

Couldn't resist....

Because Texas sucks so bad it barely holding on??

Couldn't resist....

No that's Oklahoma

Hilltop-
Do you have your account online at Verizon.com?

If I log into my account - then go to "TV" - I can actually order the ESPN Gameplan online for the day - it's showing as costing $21.95 or something like that.

This is part of the new, revised website. It gives you the option to order PPV special events online.

Try that if you haven't had any luck.

I feel really dumb but I have to ask anyway.

I am having no luck with what you posted so what exactly is the url you are using?

When I sign into my account on verizon.com (not verizon.net where verizon central is), it puts me onto a Bill Summary page and the only links have to do with billing stuff.

Until I spotted this post, I thought that looking at your bill was all you could do unlike Directv where you could change your services and all kinds of stuff

I try:
http://www.verizon.com/myaccount

and after entering the login information, it shoots me to:
https://www22.verizon.com/foryourhome/myaccount/main/MyAccountSummaryLite.aspx

EDIT: Apparantly it puts a cookie on my machine and the second time you use the first url, it jumps right to the Account Summary which,as I said, only has to do with billing.



I have always found it difficult to find specific Verizon products,like TV, so have always had to resort to using Google to finding the proper Verizon URL.

They almost act like independent companies.

BTW, in May,2007 I switched my TV and broadband to Verizon from Directv and Comcast.

Same here. I can make changes to my account, but don't see anyway to order PPV stuff.

I feel really dumb but I have to ask anyway.

I am having no luck with what you posted so what exactly is the url you are using?

When I sign into my account on verizon.com (not verizon.net where verizon central is), it puts me onto a Bill Summary page and the only links have to do with billing stuff.

Until I spotted this post, I thought that looking at your bill was all you could do unlike Directv where you could change your services and all kinds of stuff

I try:
http://www.verizon.com/myaccount

and after entering the login information, it shoots me to:
https://www22.verizon.com/foryourhome/myaccount/main/MyAccountSummaryLite.aspx

EDIT: Apparantly it puts a cookie on my machine and the second time you use the first url, it jumps right to the Account Summary which,as I said, only has to do with billing.



I have always found it difficult to find specific Verizon products,like TV, so have always had to resort to using Google to finding the proper Verizon URL.

They almost act like independent companies.

BTW, in May,2007 I switched my TV and broadband to Verizon from Directv and Comcast.

Same here. I can make changes to my account, but don't see anyway to order PPV stuff.

kes601: You now have me confused. I used the guidance YOU gave me and instantly found the correct page to order PPV on FiOS.
Here is the page to use to get to the right 'My Account': https://www22.verizon.com/myaccount/?LOBCode=C&PromoTCode=ss023&PromoSrcCode=V&POEId=VU1MA

- Then look for the list of VZ services you receive on the first 'My Account' page.

- Then go to the orange 'My TV' square and click on the 'View Details'.

- Then find the 'PPV Listing' at the bottom. There will be a scheduling section there which allows you to find the PPV program you want to order.

Hope this helps.

I am embarassed to say that I will have to go back on what I have previously said about VZ billing (never had a problem). Since reading about some members' problems, I went to my various online 'My Account' pages and was surprised and disappointed by what I found. Although the actual money values are all correct (which is why I never would have noticed a problem unless I had read of others' problems on this forum), my name is wrong in many places and my cell phone number is wrong. When I called the wireless helpline, they told me I wasn't even registered in their computer so I went to the local VZ wireless store and they are still trying to figure it out. WHAT A MESS! I am going to go down to the VZ regional offices in the morning and talk to them. How in the world can the master 'My Account' page have the correct name and all the sub-accounts be wrong? How can I have two cell phone numbers for the same account and have the helpline tell me there is no record of either! Yet all the $ numbers are OK. Unbelievable! :confused::mad:

I must say 'Thank You' to those who brought your billing problems forward!

I got my first bill with my FIOS service on it and amazingly it is 100% accurate. All my initial discounts were applie when I signed up for the service which appeared on my previous bill. They even had the cable card fees correct. I was hoping they would be like Comcast and not charge me for any of my cable cards. $12 for 4 cable cards is alot more than $0 for six cable cards. And when I swicth completely from Comcast to FIOS that will add even more to the cable card fee. Hopefully they get the multistream cards soon.

My goal was to confuse you :D

Actually, I had found where you could add/change service but not order PPV, I had just assumed it was in the same place, then when I actually went to look it was not there. Shortly after posting my question I had found it....

kes601: You now have me confused. I used the guidance YOU gave me and instantly found the correct page to order PPV on FiOS.
Here is the page to use to get to the right 'My Account': https://www22.verizon.com/myaccount/?LOBCode=C&PromoTCode=ss023&PromoSrcCode=V&POEId=VU1MA

- Then look for the list of VZ services you receive on the first 'My Account' page.

- Then go to the orange 'My TV' square and click on the 'View Details'.

- Then find the 'PPV Listing' at the bottom. There will be a scheduling section there which allows you to find the PPV program you want to order.

Hope this helps.

Speaking of adding and changing service, I would assume going through that link would show you what you already have and ask you to add or delete. But it makes you go through the entire setup again like you're a new customer.

I have a package I'd like to remove. After seeing the website and it essentially looking like I'm requesting new service, I guess I'm better off giving them a call.

My goal was to confuse you :D

Actually, I had found where you could add/change service but not order PPV, I had just assumed it was in the same place, then when I actually went to look it was not there. Shortly after posting my question I had found it....

You were successful. :D
Anyway, I hope this little exchange helped someone else find it. VZ FiOS certainly is not making it easy to find it without this help. I know I never would have without your input.

kes601: You now have me confused. I used the guidance YOU gave me and instantly found the correct page to order PPV on FiOS.
Here is the page to use to get to the right 'My Account': https://www22.verizon.com/myaccount/?LOBCode=C&PromoTCode=ss023&PromoSrcCode=V&POEId=VU1MA

- Then look for the list of VZ services you receive on the first 'My Account' page.

- Then go to the orange 'My TV' square and click on the 'View Details'.

- Then find the 'PPV Listing' at the bottom. There will be a scheduling section there which allows you to find the PPV program you want to order.

Hope this helps.

I am going to call them about this. I see nothing like you describe.
The best I can do is click on 'View Bill" and got to another page to see more details about my bill.

Maybe because I am enrolled in automatic billing, the system is confused?

This thing makes no sense.
The more detailed bill page shows the details of my charges for tax, Broadband Internet and FIOS TV but on the left side of the page, it has a link to "ADD Verizon High Speed Internet":confused:


The reason I care about this is that since I went to a Cablecard PC(like a TIVO) a few weeks ago, I figured I had given up PPV unless I rented an STB.
If I can order PPV and On Demand over the website, I would not have to pay for an STB.

I am going to call them about this. I see nothing like you describe.
The best I can do is click on 'View Bill" and got to another page to see more details about my bill.

Maybe because I am enrolled in automatic billing, the system is confused?

This thing makes no sense.
The more detailed bill page shows the details of my charges for tax, Broadband Internet and FIOS TV but on the left side of the page, it has a link to "ADD Verizon High Speed Internet":confused:


The reason I care about this is that since I went to a Cablecard PC(like a TIVO) a few weeks ago, I figured I had given up PPV unless I rented an STB.
If I can order PPV and On Demand over the website, I would not have to pay for an STB.
You don't view the PPV over the web, you order it for your STB.

So this is really a newbie question, and probably should be it's own thread but I chickened out and put it here:

I've been watching TBS on FIOS for the playoffs in SD, but the picture is really good (?). Better than some of the HD I've seen. And then, to make sure they weren't simulcasting (?) the HD on the same channel (52?) - I stood in the spare bedroom door where I could watch the channel on a 4:3 TV and My Panansonic 16:9, and the Panny was showing a good bit more "screen" than the other. i.e. the "guy in the white shirt" was on the right edge of the screen on the SD TV, but there were two people between him and the edge on the HDTV. Am I just confused, or is it all in the amount of overscan on a stretched SD channel?

Thanks for any info,
Joe

So this is really a newbie question, and probably should be it's own thread but I chickened out and put it here:

I've been watching TBS on FIOS for the playoffs in SD, but the picture is really good (?). Better than some of the HD I've seen. And then, to make sure they weren't simulcasting (?) the HD on the same channel (52?) - I stood in the spare bedroom door where I could watch the channel on a 4:3 TV and My Panansonic 16:9, and the Panny was showing a good bit more "screen" than the other. i.e. the "guy in the white shirt" was on the right edge of the screen on the SD TV, but there were two people between him and the edge on the HDTV. Am I just confused, or is it all in the amount of overscan on a stretched SD channel?

Thanks for any info,
Joe

It would be the overscan, you always lose part of the picture on a 4:3 tv, so by seeing it on a 16:9 you are picking up what is missing from the 4:3 tv.

Hope that helps.

I will be coming up on my one year anniversary with Verizon and I just wondered what has been the experience in getting them to extend special pricing? For instance, I got a special deal on several services for signing up on a one year contract, such as the Internet cost. Should I wait to see if my invoice increases and then call them? Should I call the sales line and see if they will offer me some new pricing when my contract expires to keep me as a customer? Do they send you some kind of an offer or announcement prior to your rate change??? What say you?

I have 2 STB's, a TiVo with cable cards, and auto billing like you. There are several VZ billing websites. You just have to get on the right one to get the right information. I agree, it is unbelieveably confusing. I hope lots of FiOS-TV customers wanting PPV online ordering (not viewing) made easier will send emails to VZ. :mad:

To make matters worse, VZ wireless has its own billing (and other stuff) website which is separate from FiOS and VZ Central even though much of the info is the same (or supposed to be anyway --- in my case it is not). I am still working those issues. Spent 2 hours on the phone with various VZ reps this morning. Will check all my VZ websites tomorrow to see if anything has changed.

I am going to call them about this. I see nothing like you describe.
The best I can do is click on 'View Bill" and got to another page to see more details about my bill.

Maybe because I am enrolled in automatic billing, the system is confused?

This thing makes no sense.
The more detailed bill page shows the details of my charges for tax, Broadband Internet and FIOS TV but on the left side of the page, it has a link to "ADD Verizon High Speed Internet":confused:


The reason I care about this is that since I went to a Cablecard PC(like a TIVO) a few weeks ago, I figured I had given up PPV unless I rented an STB.
If I can order PPV and On Demand over the website, I would not have to pay for an STB.

I am going to call them about this. I see nothing like you describe.
The best I can do is click on 'View Bill" and got to another page to see more details about my bill.

Maybe because I am enrolled in automatic billing, the system is confused?

This thing makes no sense.
The more detailed bill page shows the details of my charges for tax, Broadband Internet and FIOS TV but on the left side of the page, it has a link to "ADD Verizon High Speed Internet":confused:


The reason I care about this is that since I went to a Cablecard PC(like a TIVO) a few weeks ago, I figured I had given up PPV unless I rented an STB.
If I can order PPV and On Demand over the website, I would not have to pay for an STB.

Joe Q, I believe you are clicking on the wrong section (top) of the page. Do not click on 'View bill'. Look below that part, on the right, and you will see an orange TV set (My TV). Click on 'View details' inside the orange TV set section to get to the correct page for PPV.

The reason I care about this is that since I went to a Cablecard PC(like a TIVO) a few weeks ago, I figured I had given up PPV unless I rented an STB.
If I can order PPV and On Demand over the website, I would not have to pay for an STB.


You don't view the PPV over the web, you order it for your STB.

Sorry that I was not more clear in what I said.
Let me say all that in a different way.

The Cablecard PC I referred to IS an STB. More precisely, It is a DVR with 1.5 TB of disk space.

I recently bought an HP PC with dual ATI Digital Cable Tuners to replace the Motorola 6416 HD DVR.

When I ordered the 2 cable cards for the DCT's, the Verizon rep suggested that I get an STB so that I could order PPV and On Demand when I disable the Moto DVR.
Right now, I am carrying a montly fee for having 2 DVR's while I make sure that everything is working perfectly.

If I can order PPV and on Demand via Verizon's website then I will NOT have to rent an STB from them.

Sorry that I was not more clear in what I said.
Let me say all that in a different way.

The Cablecard PC I referred to IS an STB. More precisely, It is a DVR with 1.5 TB of disk space.

I recently bought an HP PC with dual ATI Digital Cable Tuners to replace the Motorola 6416 HD DVR.

When I ordered the 2 cable cards for the DCT's, the Verizon rep suggested that I get an STB so that I could order PPV and On Demand when I disable the Moto DVR.
Right now, I am carrying a montly fee for having 2 DVR's while I make sure that everything is working perfectly.

If I can order PPV and on Demand via Verizon's website then I will NOT have to rent an STB from them.

I'm about 99% certain that still won't work, it would be no different than calling up and ordering PPV.....

At any rate, hope it works for you, as that would be a good feature.

Joe Q, I believe you are clicking on the wrong section (top) of the page. Do not click on 'View bill'. Look below that part, on the right, and you will see an orange TV set (My TV). Click on 'View details' inside the orange TV set section to get to the correct page for PPV.


I appreciate your trying to help but I do not see what you are describing.

I got too busy today to call and now it it too late. Their live chat as well as other things except for a techincal problem close at 6:00 PM

FWIW, someone over on broadband reports posted that the HDNet Test Patterns are back. Saturday, Oct 20, 6:30 AM ET. http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19176621-Calibration-Patterns#19223636, which points to: http://www.hd.net/program_search_results.html?keyword=test&whattosearch=title&ws= Sat, Oct 20 - 6:30 AM ET, 3:30 AM PT, HDNet Test Patterns
Wonder how your home theatre is doing? Wish you had test patterns to help set it up? Well, HDNet is here to help. This short program will help you get the most out of your home theatre setup by providing you with the same professional test patterns HDNet uses to set their gear.

So if this is true, what is the timetable for this 'antiquated' equipment to be replaced throughout the system? If every outdated piece of equipment needs to be swapped out in the system, how long will this take? Are we talking months, years?

I can tell you it was pretty frustrating watching crappy SD for the playoffs.

They screwed up by not deploying the same equipment everywhere. The new areas have 2gb backbones while others have less than 1gb. Their expending a lot of energy right now getting HDVOD set up properly. Unfortunately, I don't think they see the big picture. You will need at minimum 100mb/dl capabilities in the very near future to keep up with Dtv. 1 HD channel takes up about 20+mb of bandwidth. Add your 20-50/mb for internet (dependent on area) and if you happen to be recording another HD channel while watching a different one and you can forget about adding another tv.

It's amazing how quickly bandwidth gets eaten up. Think about the fact that just about every tv on the market today is HD and in a few years it will be common to have 2-4 HD tv's in a house. No way current FIOS backbones will be able to sustain that.

Why Verizon is lying low on FiOS HD (http://www.onetrak.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=2679)

From the looks of it, Verizon does not plan on keeping up with other providers who are adding more and more HD content. :(

Why Verizon is lying low on FiOS HD (http://www.onetrak.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=2679)

From the looks of it, Verizon does not plan on keeping up with other providers who are adding more and more HD content. :(That information is incomplete. See my post right here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11798212#post11798212) for another explanation.

Verizon is working to upgrade VHOs, but this is a major effort and for some reason, the effort didn't get into gear until this past summer. By this time next year, Verizon should have as much HD as anyone else (and more than most).

FWIW, someone over on broadband reports posted that the HDNet Test Patterns are back. Saturday, Oct 20, 6:30 AM ET. http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19176621-Calibration-Patterns#19223636, which points to: http://www.hd.net/program_search_results.html?keyword=test&whattosearch=title&ws=

that's awesome. thanks for the heads up. i emailed HDNet after not being able to find scheduling information and they told me that they removed it from the lineup. thanks! approximately how long is the airing? 10 minutes?

Did you ever find the orange TV I mentioned?

I appreciate your trying to help but I do not see what you are describing.

I got too busy today to call and now it it too late. Their live chat as well as other things except for a techincal problem close at 6:00 PM

Why Verizon is lying low on FiOS HD (http://www.onetrak.com/ShowArticle.aspx?ID=2679)

From the looks of it, Verizon does not plan on keeping up with other providers who are adding more and more HD content. :(

wow, that's a terrific article.

I don't know if he has all the technical details correct, but he's dead on when he says verizon just doesn't need to match D* on HD channels now or even in 6 months. D* is hurting cable much more than it does fios. verizon will continue to gain more subs from having internet/phone/TV than they will lose subs from lack of HD. for the next 2 years, they just need to do enough to not fall completely behind the worst cable co.

if I were verizon, I just might skip the interim upgrade and start upgrading for IPTV. in 2 yrs, I'll go to D* subs and tell them "we can give you what you have now, plus 20mbps internet and phone for an extra $40, and you never have to worry about hdlite or rain fade with us". game, set, and match.

That information is incomplete. See my post right here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11798212#post11798212) for another explanation.

Verizon is working to upgrade VHOs, but this is a major effort and for some reason, the effort didn't get into gear until this past summer. By this time next year, Verizon should have as much HD as anyone else (and more than most).

I really hope you're not being overly optimistic about the timing ("By this time next year..."). I'd love to believe this but my pessimistic guess is this won't happen until late first quarter '09. I have nothing to base this on other than Verizon is still building out their network around the country and I can't see them putting a lot of effort into upgrading their existing VHOs while they are still doing this.

BTW, I am a Verizon FiOS TV subscriber, so please no accusations that I work for Comcast, D*, etc... :)

Supposedly, from reading these various posts, they are able, capacity -wise, to add somewhere between 3 to 7 National Hd's Now, & some claim they are going to add at least 2 or 3 before the end of the year ... If that's true ....
Verizon should get off their butts & add them Right Now, & get some positive press/feedback, no point in waiting 30-60 days if they can do it now.
And add the highest demand/high profile HD's now ... SciFi, plus perhaps USA, TLC or Bravo ....
Please, no friggin' LifeMovie & Wealth - type equivelents, or niche channels like "Golf" , if these will be the only HD's to be added for almost a year ....

Still seem to be operating with an RBOC mindset. Probably should take some lessons from the Verizon Wireless side to see how nimble a firm has to be to keep and build share in an increasingly competitive market segment. I would imagine that the TV business is still to "new" to get reliable churn data, but it would be interesting to see the trend line.

And add the highest demand/high profile HD's now ... SciFi, plus perhaps USA, TLC or Bravo ....
Please, no friggin' LifeMovie & Wealth - type equivelents, or niche channels like "Golf" , if these will be the only HD's to be added for almost a year ....

I actually think CNNHD might be the biggest of that group. With the primaries and election looming, it will get alot of viewers.

Im right there with you though, I dont care if they try to litter us with HD channels like Directv is doing. I just want the quality ones now (the ones you mentioned).

Supposedly, from reading these various posts, they are able, capacity -wise, to add somewhere between 3 to 7 National Hd's Now, & some claim they are going to add at least 2 or 3 before the end of the year ... If that's true ....
Verizon should get off their butts & add them Right Now, & get some positive press/feedback, no point in waiting 30-60 days if they can do it now.
And add the highest demand/high profile HD's now ... SciFi, plus perhaps USA, TLC or Bravo ....
Please, no friggin' LifeMovie & Wealth - type equivelents, or niche channels like "Golf" , if these will be the only HD's to be added for almost a year ....
I have seen claims that Verizon is planning to add 5 or so HD channels in November, but these are not solid confirmed reports. I think they have the bandwidth with a little channel reshuffling even for those with only 54 QAM channels. But 5 more HD channels won't leave much expansion room for SD channel blocks until everyone is upgraded to the 63 QAM set that bfdtv has posted about. The 63 QAM set should give them a few more national QAM channels with some more bandwidth - if it is done before the 40 analog channels are taken away. The question is what is the real time table for these upgrades?

You may knock the "Golf" channel, but the HD channel is the combined Versus/Golf channel. Versus will have NHL games in HD, Golf has some PGA tournaments in HD. The PGA season is about over, but the NHL has started. This is not a vital channel for me, but the NHL & golf fans would want it for sure.

If they are limited to 4 or 5 more HD channels for now, the hard part is figuring which 4 or 5. People do watch other channels than you do, believe it or not. I hope Verizon would weigh how much new HD programming there will be on the channels in their selection process in combination with most popular SD channels. I would give the cable nets with new scripted series or programs in HD the preference. That would lean towards USA-HD, Sci-Fi HD, FX-HD, CNN-HD, Discovery-HD and if there is room Versus/Golf-HD. Maybe can't do all for now, but not a bad core add set IMHO. But other people will want to get MGM HD or CNBC faux HD for example.

I'm betting CNN and Cartoon Network are two shoe-ins. Verizon needs to satisfy a broad audience more than a niche audience, and FiOS HD taken as a whole needs those channels more than it needs TBS. I'd wager Sci Fi is at the bottom of the list (but maybe Verizon will go with a sole company, i.e. Universal or Time Warner).

If Verizon is intelligent (which is still up for debate), they won't add Golf/VS, Weather, or TBS, since none of those channels will have any worthwhile HD until Spring 2008 (when baseball starts up, golf starts up, and Weather finishes its HD transition), when Verizon's "real" push is supposed to occur. I really hope they don't add CNBC, since it's a sham. Fox Business is launching though. I'd much rather have a real HD network than a phoney one.

USA-HD is a good bet.

Did you ever find the orange TV I mentioned?

No.

This is turning into a not so funny comedy.

I called tech support and He said that you could not order pay per view on their website and he gave me a number to call to order PPV.

When I insisted that folks are saying that you CAN order off the website he said I would have to talk to billing because tech support has nothing to do with the website.


Of course, I just did this an hour ago and between all the holding for a real person, I ended up going past 6:00 pm edt and Billing is now closed!!!


As if that was not enough aggravation, I have automatic bill pay and I just spotted on my on line bill that the price for my 15/2 Internet service has gone up to $55.80:mad:

No.

This is turning into a not so funny comedy.

I called tech support and He said that you could not order pay per view on their website and he gave me a number to call to order PPV.

When I insisted that folks are saying that you CAN order off the website he said I would have to talk to billing because tech support has nothing to do with the website.


Of course, I just did this an hour ago and between all the holding for a real person, I ended up going past 6:00 pm edt and Billing is now closed!!!


As if that was not enough aggravation, I have automatic bill pay and I just spotted on my on line bill that the price for my 15/2 Internet service has gone up to $55.80:mad:

Wow, I did not think prices were supposed to go up if you had other Vz services.

No.

This is turning into a not so funny comedy.

I called tech support and He said that you could not order pay per view on their website and he gave me a number to call to order PPV.

When I insisted that folks are saying that you CAN order off the website he said I would have to talk to billing because tech support has nothing to do with the website.


Of course, I just did this an hour ago and between all the holding for a real person, I ended up going past 6:00 pm edt and Billing is now closed!!!


As if that was not enough aggravation, I have automatic bill pay and I just spotted on my on line bill that the price for my 15/2 Internet service has gone up to $55.80:mad:


:eek:I pay that for the 30/5 tier!

that's awesome. thanks for the heads up. i emailed HDNet after not being able to find scheduling information and they told me that they removed it from the lineup. thanks! approximately how long is the airing? 10 minutes?If it's the same test patterns, it's 10 minutes. However, I took a quick look at the Verizon IMG (old version) for October 20 and there's no listing for it. I really, really, hope that the guide will be updated. Maybe this is too soon.

For reference: http://www.hd.net/program_search_results.html?keyword=test&whattosearch=title&ws=Sat, Oct 20 - 6:30 AM ET, 3:30 AM PT, HDNet Test Patterns
Wonder how your home theatre is doing? Wish you had test patterns to help set it up? Well, HDNet is here to help. This short program will help you get the most out of your home theatre setup by providing you with the same professional test patterns HDNet uses to set their gear.

UPDATE: Repeat broadcast just showed up on the website - Sat, Oct 27 - 6:30 AM ET, 3:30 AM PT. Maybe it's back to a weekly schedule (thank you HDNet!).

Wow, I did not think prices were supposed to go up if you had other Vz services.

No - I am sure there is some kind of mistake.

If it were not for Hilltopsailor, I would not have even noticed this until next month.
That is because my bill went up as I expected because I am renting 2 cablecards for use in my VISTA Cable Card PC and I kept the HD DVR for another month to make sure I have everyhting working fine on the PC.


I am now ready to turn the DVR back in but I would like the ability to do PPV.
However,Since I did hook up a 1.5 TB RAID to the PC, the chances of NOT finding something worth watching is slim so PPV may not be so necessary.

I have those 2 ATI Cable Card tuners tied up every day recording from 8 PM on.
That dinky 160 GByte disk in the HD DVR made me be selective on what I recorded but not anymore:)

:eek:I pay that for the 30/5 tier!

I, too, have the 30/5 service. VZ sent me a letter notifying me that rates were going up by $5 about a month before the fact. The change letter was sent to everyone and caused some problems since it does not go into effect until the end of existing contracts on a case-by-case basis.

I, too, have the 30/5 service. VZ sent me a letter notifying me that rates were going up by $5 about a month before the fact. The change letter was sent to everyone and caused some problems since it does not go into effect until the end of existing contracts on a case-by-case basis.

i got the same letter. called them up and extended my contract to retain the same price as i was paying before.

It appears that Verizon is adding A&E HD in our area. Channel 842, while still dark, now shows A&E HD label.

Excellent. I will check my guide tonight.

It appears that Verizon is adding A&E HD in our area. Channel 842, while still dark, now shows A&E HD label.

ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. I hate to be a wet blanket, but A&E is the LAST channel I want. All they have is stupid L&O reruns. Aren't the zillions L&O on NBC and UHD enough for people?

knowing they can only add a handful of channels at this point, I'm even MORE pissed off now!

Hey, it's gotta be better than Lifetime HD! :rolleyes:

It appears that Verizon is adding A&E HD in our area. Channel 842, while still dark, now shows A&E HD label.

I don't have that listed and don't they roll out channels nation wide?

They do roll them out nationwide, but it generally takes about two weeks to hit all the markets.

ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. I hate to be a wet blanket, but A&E is the LAST channel I want. All they have is stupid L&O reruns. Aren't the zillions L&O on NBC and UHD enough for people?

knowing they can only add a handful of channels at this point, I'm even MORE pissed off now!

A&E hasn't run L&O in probably 10 years. Frankly, I would prefer more L&O reruns to the reality garbage that litters A&E now.

I don't have that listed and don't they roll out channels nation wide?No. Channels are rolled out VHO-by-VHO (ie, region by region). Sometimes very quickly (ie, nation-wide in 1-2 days). Sometimes slower. IIRC, when Food-HD, HGTV-HD, and Lifetime Movies HD were rolled out it took a while (couple weeks?) for them to go nation-wide.

No. Channels are rolled out VHO-by-VHO (ie, region by region). Sometimes very quickly (ie, nation-wide in 1-2 days). Sometimes slower. IIRC, when Food-HD, HGTV-HD, and Lifetime Movies HD were rolled out it took a while (couple weeks?) for them to go nation-wide.

OK, I didn't know that.

Thanks for the info.

No. Channels are rolled out VHO-by-VHO (ie, region by region). Sometimes very quickly (ie, nation-wide in 1-2 days). Sometimes slower. IIRC, when Food-HD, HGTV-HD, and Lifetime Movies HD were rolled out it took a while (couple weeks?) for them to go nation-wide.Verizon's contracts stipulate national availability at launch, but as you say, it takes them 5-10 business days to add a channel everywhere.

Verizon did not officially launch HGTV HD, Food Network HD and LMN HD until April 23. It was supposed to be available everywhere by that date, but some last-minute technical issues delayed availability in PA/DE until April 25. Some markets did get that channel as early as April 13.

In the case of A&E HD, it was supposed to launch on FiOS months ago. Verizon negotiated carriage before they realized that certain VHOs lacked the equipment necessary to carry it. I'm sure Verizon would rather devote that bandwidth to CNN-HD or SciFi HD, but they don't have that option, as they agreed many months ago to make A&E their next HD channel.

It appears that Verizon is adding A&E HD in our area. Channel 842, while still dark, now shows A&E HD label.
Nothing here in Northern VA on the guide or for channel 842. But I hope it is just a typo and they really meant to enter the HD label for either USA, Sci-Fi, CNN, Discovery, History Channel, Science Channel, Versus/Golf, even Mojo. I would put A&E-HD waaaayyyyy down the list of HD channels I want to see added. The reports on A&E-HD make it clear that there is not that much HD an A&E. Of course, there is also very little A(rts) on A&E these days either.

A&E hasn't run L&O in probably 10 years. Frankly, I would prefer more L&O reruns to the reality garbage that litters A&E now.

My bad. I never watch A&E. I guess 10 yrs ago was the last time I surfed by them.

anyway, from what I've read A&E hd is pretty worthless.

A&E is pretty useless generally. Other than The Sopranos, I think the only scripted series they offer in HD is CSI: Miami.

Has the Versus/Golf contract been negotiated yet? Any chance that's coming too? Golf is basically over, but at least it'll be ready for sure by next season.

I, too, have the 30/5 service. VZ sent me a letter notifying me that rates were going up by $5 about a month before the fact. The change letter was sent to everyone and caused some problems since it does not go into effect until the end of existing contracts on a case-by-case basis.


I never got any such notice in the mail.

I just got off the phone with them and he informed me that there was a price increase of $5.


I asked him how that could be because I had signed up for a 2 year committment which locks the rate in.
He said that they can raise the price any time they want.

That is total B.S. because I had signed up for a 2 year comittment when I started the TV and internet on May 22,2007

I had to read to him 3 times that it is clearly showing on their website that 15/2 is $49.99 if you do a 1 or 2 year comittment to finally get him to call a supervisor.

He would not admit that he was wrong but when He finally came back he said he would knock off $5.00 per month for the next 6 months because their records show I had a 1 year comittment and it would put me back at the $49.99/month.

He will also credit me $5.00 for this month.
The math still does not add because the bill shows $55.80 but he claims that the figure I see is for longer than a month


Because I was so annoyed, I have to call back now to continue to figure out this PPV thing

Because I was so annoyed, I have to call back now to continue to figure out this PPV thingDo you have phone service with Verizon? Or VoIP?

Some have suggested that you don't get the full online ordering options unless you subscribe to Verizon telephone service.

I asked him how that could be because I had signed up for a 2 year committment which locks the rate in.
He said that they can raise the price any time they want.



Then you should be able to cancel anytime you want.

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode about the Car Reservation...
"You know how to take the reservation, but you don't know how to keep the reservation, and that really the important part of the transaction."

Verizon's contracts stipulate national availability at launch, but as you say, it takes them 5-10 business days to add a channel everywhere.


5-10 business days is great... I have Comcast and it can sometimes take 6 months or more for a roll-out.

kes601: You now have me confused. I used the guidance YOU gave me and instantly found the correct page to order PPV on FiOS.
Here is the page to use to get to the right 'My Account': https://www22.verizon.com/myaccount/?LOBCode=C&PromoTCode=ss023&PromoSrcCode=V&POEId=VU1MA

- Then look for the list of VZ services you receive on the first 'My Account' page.

- Then go to the orange 'My TV' square and click on the 'View Details'.

- Then find the 'PPV Listing' at the bottom. There will be a scheduling section there which allows you to find the PPV program you want to order.

Hope this helps.

I have spent the past 45 minutes getting bounced around a bunch of departments at Verizon trying to find someone who knows what they are talking about.


I work my way through that annoying voice activated system and get to someone and say:
I am told that one can order PPV via your website. However, all I can do is see my bill on your website. I have switched to a TIVO which is only a one way transmission so I need this capability. Can you tell me what I have to do on your website to order PPV?


No one at Verizon has a clue how to order PPV via their website.

I have enclosed a screen snapshot which is of the very first page I get after I sign in. I have clicked every link that is on that page an no dice.

Those links are either an explanation of something OR they send me back to viewing my bill

Is this what your's looks like?
Where is that Orange TV icon?


BTW, for all calls except the first one, I told them TIVO because the first time I said that I had switched to a PC based DVR and that REALLY threw them for a loop.

Thank you,
Joe

ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. I hate to be a wet blanket, but A&E is the LAST channel I want. All they have is stupid L&O reruns. Aren't the zillions L&O on NBC and UHD enough for people?

knowing they can only add a handful of channels at this point, I'm even MORE pissed off now!


I agree with you 100%.

I went over to Directv's website to see what HD channels they added and most (but not all) of them I could care less about.

However, if I could pick JUST one, it would not be A&E, it would be SCI-FI HD.

A lot of Battlestar Gallactica 'geeks' ,like me, passed over the first season on SCi-FI because UHD carries the PREVIOUS season's Gallactica in High Def.

I wonder what Doctor Who from the BBC would look like in High Def.

I have spent the past 45 minutes getting bounced around a bunch of departments at Verizon trying to find someone who knows what they are talking about.


I work my way through that annoying voice activated system and get to someone and say:
I am told that one can order PPV via your website. However, all I can do is see my bill on your website. I have switched to a TIVO which is only a one way transmission so I need this capability. Can you tell me what I have to do on your website to order PPV?


No one at Verizon has a clue how to order PPV via their website.

I have enclosed a screen snapshot which is of the very first page I get after I sign in. I have clicked every link that is on that page an no dice.

Those links are either an explanation of something OR they send me back to viewing my bill

Is this what your's looks like?
Where is that Orange TV icon?


BTW, for all calls except the first one, I told them TIVO because the first time I said that I had switched to a PC based DVR and that REALLY threw them for a loop.

Thank you,
Joe

You still seem to be getting the old version of the billing site. Sorry, can't be much help beyond that.

You still seem to be getting the old version of the billing site. Sorry, can't be much help beyond that.
Does anyone in DC/N. VA/MD have the new billing site?

Does anyone in DC/N. VA/MD have the new billing site?

I get the new design when I login.

Then you should be able to cancel anytime you want.

Reminds me of the Seinfeld episode about the Car Reservation...
"You know how to take the reservation, but you don't know how to keep the reservation, and that really the important part of the transaction."

Why? Not if the agreement states that they can change the price AND you can't cancel. Price flux is normal in service contracts.

Uggg, A&E HD. How boring. It's so.. generic. It's just... a channel. Doesn't have anything remotely interesting. I bet DiscoveryHD is probably the HD channel is most demand.

Why? Not if the agreement states that they can change the price AND you can't cancel. Price flux is normal in service contracts.


NO.
If you look at the terms on their website, it states that your rate is locked for 1 or 2 years depending upon which you sign up for.


You are describing their Monthly service which has no 1 or 2 year committments but also NO early termination fee.

Why? Not if the agreement states that they can change the price AND you can't cancel. Price flux is normal in service contracts.

IANAL, but I'm skeptical that a contract that allows arbitrary price escalation can also prohibit cancellation. There can be no meeting of the minds under such circumstances. If push came to shove, I'd wager that the provision prohibiting cancellation (or stipulating a penalty for cancellation) would be found unenforceable in the event of a price increase.

Any lawyers care to comment?

/jab

Unless verizon keeps up with Hd channels AND adds sport's pac such as Mlb NHL center ice ect. They will lose clients that there contracts are up. I love the Picture quality, but to many guys my self encluded love there sport or sports and want there sports pac's. I will wait one more year but if there is no N.H.L. CENTER ICE. I'm gone!! It does not matter how many new customers they sign up if the older ones start to leave, and they will.

If that is the website that comes up from the address I gave you then I cannot help you. Another one comes up for me. Using my sequence, and not going to any 'billing detail' (that is the key), you can get to the orange TV 'My TV' section of all the VZ services you have (one section for each of your services all on one page).

I have spent the past 45 minutes getting bounced around a bunch of departments at Verizon trying to find someone who knows what they are talking about.


I work my way through that annoying voice activated system and get to someone and say:
I am told that one can order PPV via your website. However, all I can do is see my bill on your website. I have switched to a TIVO which is only a one way transmission so I need this capability. Can you tell me what I have to do on your website to order PPV?


No one at Verizon has a clue how to order PPV via their website.

I have enclosed a screen snapshot which is of the very first page I get after I sign in. I have clicked every link that is on that page an no dice.

Those links are either an explanation of something OR they send me back to viewing my bill

Is this what your's looks like?
Where is that Orange TV icon?


BTW, for all calls except the first one, I told them TIVO because the first time I said that I had switched to a PC based DVR and that REALLY threw them for a loop.

Thank you,
Joe

DHD coming to FiosTV?

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r19238117-Discovery-Networks-in-HD-coming-soon

I agree with you 100%.



I wonder what Doctor Who from the BBC would look like in High Def.


Doctor Who is not produced in HD but judging by the upconverted version of Firefly it'll probably look ok on UHD. now that series 3 has completed it's run on Sci-Fi i wouldn't be surprised if it made it to UHD.

the news about Discovery HD is encouraging but again there's that word "SOON".

and i agree with afiggatt-Discovery will likely want Vz to carry all 4 HD chs-or none.

A&E is pretty useless generally. Other than The Sopranos, I think the only scripted series they offer in HD is CSI: Miami.

Has the Versus/Golf contract been negotiated yet? Any chance that's coming too? Golf is basically over, but at least it'll be ready for sure by next season.


This is from memory and I may be wrong (I have been one or two times in my life :)) but I believe when Golf/VS HD was put into play, it was stated that any carrier that was already showing both stations could automatically pick up the HD feed, so there would not be much to negotiate. In fact, I was surprised that it was not added a long time ago to FiOS. It seems to be one of the easiest HD channels to add. I would enjoy it, as well as Outdoor Channel 2 HD, but then again I am a sportsman and a hunter.

When you get down to it, most of the channels now are targeted toward some special group, whether it is Sci Fi or Golf. Maybe you can make a case for TBS or USA, but the rest are niche channels. I saw one post where a guy referred to Golf as a niche channel and considered Sci Fi a general interest channel. I can't see that at all. Some people would rather have a colonoscopy then watch the Food Network, but I think the picture is outstanding and find several of the programs very interesting ( have youy ever watched Giada De Laurentiis and her luscious fruit?)

Ch. 842 A&EHD and Ch. 94 FNC (FOX Business Network SD) have shown up in the on-line UdigTV guide (from FYI Television ... Verizon's guide data provider) for my area / zip code (20170 - Northern Virginia).

http://www.udigtv.com

Based on past experience ... those two channels should pop up in the guide tonight (with or w/o content of course is another story).

No other new channels that I can see.

For those looking to configure their DVR for the HDNet test pattern, it just showed up in the guide as "Off Air", info described as transmitter maintenance time. That's how it was listed last time, so it should record no problem.

First listing is for Sat, Oct 20 - 6:30 AM ET

For reference: http://www.hd.net/program_search_results.html?keyword=test&whattosearch=title&ws=

Ch. 842 A&EHD and Ch. 94 FNC (FOX Business Network SD) have shown up in the on-line UdigTV guide (from FYI Television ... Verizon's guide data provider) for my area / zip code (20170 - Northern Virginia).

http://www.udigtv.com

Based on past experience ... those two channels should pop up in the guide tonight (with or w/o content of course is another story).

No other new channels that I can see.

According to this article (http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/19716698/), FBN is not launching until Monday.

The scrolling text message on the Weatherscan channel (49 for me) is saying that Verizon will soon add Fox Business Channel on channel 94 and A&E-HD on channel 842. So, yuck, unless they add other HD channels at the same time, we will get A&E-HD before any one of a dozen other more useful HD channels. But we can now regard the adding of A&E-HD to be official and happening soon.

ARGGGGGGGGHHHHHHH. I hate to be a wet blanket, but A&E is the LAST channel I want. All they have is stupid L&O reruns. Aren't the zillions L&O on NBC and UHD enough for people?

knowing they can only add a handful of channels at this point, I'm even MORE pissed off now!

Good grief. All this complaining that Verizon isn't adding HD channels fast enough and now we're complaining about them adding an HD channel?

Some people are never happy.

Oh, and to confirm what we've all been reading: there's a note scrolling on the bottom of the local weather channel 49 that says Verizon Fios will soon add Fox Business to channel 94 and A&E HD to 842.

I get the note in Mercer County NJ too.

BUT

I STILL WANT MSNBC VERIZON! Stop screwing me over with some stupid Cablevision contract that doesn't even apply to my town!

That was before the programming department realized some VHOs lacked the equipment necessary to carry the channel.

Haha, how do you find out information like that?

Good grief. All this complaining that Verizon isn't adding HD channels fast enough and now we're complaining about them adding an HD channel?



No, I'm complaining about them adding a channel that's at the bottom of most people list HD wise. Look in the A&E thread. I think you'll see the word "worthless" crop up.

It wouldn't matter if they could add tons of channels (the more the merrier). But they can only add a handful and they're wasting it.

But you know this already. You're just making a straw man argument. (Yes, that's right, I'm complaining that they're adding HD channel. Please)

I believe that someone mentioned that Verizon had a contractual obligation to add A&E HD first. Doesn't help us, but it is what it is.

I believe that someone mentioned that Verizon had a contractual obligation to add A&E HD first. Doesn't help us, but it is what it is.

exactly! and now that A&E HD is being added(& I'm underwhelmed by it too) Vz can start thinking about what to add next. personally I'd like the Discovery tier and/or History Ch-HD but that's just me.

and tho i've said it before I'll say it again-don't blame Vz if you don't have your HD RSN-blame the cablecos that own these chs & appear to want to keep them as a marketing tool.

my area's a good example-NO terrestrial provider, AFAIK, has Comcast Sports-MA HD except Comcast-not Charter, not Cox, not Cavtel, not TWC, no one. if you want this ch & aren't a Comcast sub you're SOL.

contrary to what has been posted FiOS DOES have HD RSN's in areas where the cablecos don't own these chs.(for example L.A. which has FSN-W & Prime Ticket in HD).

IMO the FCC and/or FTC could resolve this quickly if they ever wanted to do something truly useful in the public interest. I'm not holding my breath.

and tho i've said it before I'll say it again-don't blame Vz if you don't have your HD RSN-blame the cablecos that own these chs & appear to want to keep them as a marketing tool.

my area's a good example-NO terrestrial provider, AFAIK, has Comcast Sports-MA HD except Comcast-not Charter, not Cox, not Cavtel, not TWC, no one. if you want this ch & aren't a Comcast sub you're SOL.

contrary to what has been posted FiOS DOES have HD RSN's in areas where the cablecos don't own these chs.(for example L.A. which has FSN-W & Prime Ticket in HD).
Verizon has the Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia HD channel in PA/southern NJ. It has been reported by Verizon "insiders" or former insiders that Verizon does have an agreement for CSN Mid-Atlantic HD channel. The problem is supposedly that the feed From Comcast is via land line and Verizon is having to put in infrastructure to get that feed to all the VHOs that have some part of the CSN MA territory and implementing a blackout capability for the HD channel for rights conflicts. The SD channel comes from a satellite so they can black it out from the satellite feed. I expect CSN MA HD will show up for the VA and MD areas someday soon without any advance notice.

DirecTV now carries CSN MA HD, btw, as does, IIRC, RCN (cable company) in DC and MD.

So Verizon has rights to the Comcast owned RSNs in SD and HD. The Cablevision controlled HD RSNs, I gather, are another matter.

Correct you are sir!

thanks for the update & corrections afiggatt!!! it's encouraging news.

I made a point to say "terrestrial" providers as I wasn't sure about D* or E*.

as far as i can tell from D*'s website only certain teams are marked as having HD available-looks like D* will keep to their old policy of only having the HD feed live when there's actually an HD program on. forgot about RCN.

I can believe there are issues in getting a good feed to the FiOS network. our CW affiliate here has been working with Vz for at least 2 mons. to get their HD feed live. there's obviously a lot of work involved.

For those looking to configure their DVR for the HDNet test pattern, it just showed up in the guide as "Off Air", info described as transmitter maintenance time. That's how it was listed last time, so it should record no problem.

First listing is for Sat, Oct 20 - 6:30 AM ET

For reference: http://www.hd.net/program_search_results.html?keyword=test&whattosearch=title&ws=

so should i just setup a manual recording for the 20th at 6:30?

so should i just setup a manual recording for the 20th at 6:30?

YES!

Any chance that Verizon will also add the HD feed of Fox Business Network soon?

...NO terrestrial provider, AFAIK, has Comcast Sports-MA HD except Comcast-not Charter, not Cox, not Cavtel, not TWC, no one. if you want this ch & aren't a Comcast sub you're SOL.I contend that unless and until Cox in Fairfax County starts transmitting CSN-MA HD, that Verizon will not have this channel. I've read the complaints here for a year and a half about the lack of this channel and somehow this point is never raised. No way. No how. Not going to happen. Just the way things work in the cable world. That would simply be too huge of a marketing edge for Verizon. Something is holding it up. I frankly can't believe Cox customers haven't raised a stink about this. This will be the third year of no local sports teams in HD in non-Comcast land. And here in the home of the FCC, no less.:(

Oh, and to confirm what we've all been reading: there's a note scrolling on the bottom of the local weather channel 49 that says Verizon Fios will soon add Fox Business to channel 94 and A&E HD to 842.
I checked this out first thing this morning. Went to 49 and saw the scroll. Went to the guide and there was no 842.
Now they've got 842 in the guide with A&E HD programming but if you try and select it you get a message saying "unable to tune the selected channel". We're getting close.

so should i just setup a manual recording for the 20th at 6:30? YES!No! From a previous post, it's listed in the guide as "Off Air", info described as transmitter maintenance time. Sat, Oct 20 - 6:30 AM ET

Search for "Off Air" or go by date /time and you should find it. No clue how the HDNet description gets translated into the guide. For reference: http://www.hd.net/program_search_results.html?keyword=test&whattosearch=title&ws=

I contend that unless and until Cox in Fairfax County starts transmitting CSN-MA HD, that Verizon will not have this channel. I've read the complaints here for a year and a half about the lack of this channel and somehow this point is never raised. No way. No how. Not going to happen. Just the way things work in the cable world. That would simply be too huge of a marketing edge for Verizon. Something is holding it up. I frankly can't believe Cox customers haven't raised a stink about this. This will be the third year of no local sports teams in HD in non-Comcast land. And here in the home of the FCC, no less.:(

That channel is going to drive crazy, WHY aren't we getting it? I don't mean the technical side of the problem, but more the business side. I am so close to switching to E*. Not for more HD channels perse, but for the simple fact that they have CSN MA HD now. If Cox get CSN HD, I am gone. I can put up with no Wealth HD and Nat Geo HD if that mean I get to see the Caps, United and Wizards in HD.

I checked this out first thing this morning. Went to 49 and saw the scroll. Went to the guide and there was no 842.
Now they've got 842 in the guide with A&E HD programming but if you try and select it you get a message saying "unable to tune the selected channel". We're getting close.

I still haven't seen any sign of it on my guide here in Plano. I think we can assume that folks in California and Virginia are getting A&E HD first.

I wouldn't be surprised if the Fox Business Network showed up on 94 on everyone's system when it debuts tomorrow.

That channel is going to drive crazy, WHY aren't we getting it? I don't mean the technical side of the problem, but more the business side.

This didn't clear it up for you? It sounds like the business side did their job--by acquiring carriage rights. We're just waiting on the technical side.

Verizon has the Comcast SportsNet Philadelphia HD channel in PA/southern NJ. It has been reported by Verizon "insiders" or former insiders that Verizon does have an agreement for CSN Mid-Atlantic HD channel. The problem is supposedly that the feed From Comcast is via land line and Verizon is having to put in infrastructure to get that feed to all the VHOs that have some part of the CSN MA territory and implementing a blackout capability for the HD channel for rights conflicts. The SD channel comes from a satellite so they can black it out from the satellite feed. I expect CSN MA HD will show up for the VA and MD areas someday soon without any advance notice.

DirecTV now carries CSN MA HD, btw, as does, IIRC, RCN (cable company) in DC and MD.

So Verizon has rights to the Comcast owned RSNs in SD and HD. The Cablevision controlled HD RSNs, I gather, are another matter.

The important thing to remember is that the bandwidth issues won't affect the addition of CSN-MA HD, since Verizon has already reserved space for RSNs. Once it's ready, we'll get it.

The NBA season starts in 16 days. I guess that's wishful thinking though.

I contend that unless and until Cox in Fairfax County starts transmitting CSN-MA HD, that Verizon will not have this channel. ... That would simply be too huge of a marketing edge for Verizon.Why would Comcast care if Verizon had the edge over Cox?

Why would Comcast care if Verizon had the edge over Cox?

I believe the point was that unless Cox has it, Vz does not find the need to carry it....

Comcast was not in the comparison.

Why would Comcast care if Verizon had the edge over Cox?I see your point and don't have an answer. You are probably aware that Comcast and Cox are 2/3 of the ownership of iN DEMAND Holdings, Inc., along with Time Warner. I just think there's more than meets the eye to Verizon's delay in adding CSN MA HD. I would love to be wrong.

I see your point and don't have an answer. You are probably aware that Comcast and Cox are 2/3 of the ownership of iN DEMAND Holdings, Inc., along with Time Warner. I just think there's more than meets the eye to Verizon's delay in adding CSN MA HD. I would love to be wrong.

so a carrier has ownership in a channel and won't allow another carrier to have it? IANAL, but that kinda sounds like an antitrust issue. But apparently it's of no interest to the FCC.

Quick VOD Q. What is free and what needs to be paid for?

If you have a premium movie channel do you have to pay for its VOD services? (Staraz, Showtime etc)

What networks do they have free VOD for?

Quick VOD Q. What is free and what needs to be paid for?

If you have a premium movie channel do you have to pay for its VOD services? (Staraz, Showtime etc)

What networks do they have free VOD for?

You get VOD for any subscriptions you've got. Ex: if you have HBO, you get all of their on demand. There are free VOD offerings without subscriptions, I have all of the subscriptions, so I get all of the VOD for free.

I checked this out first thing this morning. Went to 49 and saw the scroll. Went to the guide and there was no 842.
Now they've got 842 in the guide with A&E HD programming but if you try and select it you get a message saying "unable to tune the selected channel". We're getting close.
I think we are very close to getting A&E-HD, at least here in the Washington Metro area. After seeing the announcement scroll on ch 49, last night I did a QAM channel scan because I still had the Samsung H260F hooked up to the Fios cable. A week ago when I did a scan, there was only 1 sub-channel on QAM 85, the Lifetime Movie Network HD channel. Saturday, there were now 2 sub-channels. Since Fios puts most HD channels in pairs on a QAM channel, the odds are pretty good this is the A&E-HD signal or a test signal for A&E-HD. The two sub-channels on QAM 85 are encrypted so no way to tell for sure.

The Fox Business Channel starts Monday, Oct. 15. With A&E-HD showing up in the Guide on 842, they may be planning to turn them both on tomorrow for some areas. We will see. Now only if we can get some more useful new HD channels.

Just a little update on FBN from ICN:

http://insidecable.blogsome.com/2007/10/13/fbn-on-verizon-fios/

Important part:

"Verizon’s FiOS TV, with 515,000 subscribers nationwide, will carry the network on Channel 94 on its premier lineup, which most customers have, spokeswoman Heather Wilner said."

Perhaps this will happen tonight???

A&E HD is on now here in Northern Virginia. At least in my area on channel 842. Although no guide data yet on my TiVo.

A&E HD went live here (Hampton Roads, VA) about 2:30 AM.

anywhere else?

I believe that someone mentioned that Verizon had a contractual obligation to add A&E HD first. Doesn't help us, but it is what it is.

I woke up and have this...it's here!! I really want TBS and Discovery channel....soon I guess.

A&E HD went live here (Hampton Roads, VA) about 2:30 AM.

anywhere else?Not tunable in the Northern NJ area as of 6:45am Mon morning. Guide info but you can't bring up the station.

It's up and running here in Fort Wayne, IN this a.m., also.

Everything I've seen on A&E HD so far is crap. Just like TNT-HD and TBS-HD.

Everything I've seen on A&E HD so far is crap. Just like TNT-HD and TBS-HD.

You mean for the 5 hours it has been on Fios :)

I agree, other channels would be more appealing, but from what we have heard, this station had to get added before any other HD channels could be added.

Can that bug get any worse? Considering that 24 was produced in HD, why show a streched SD version? Terrible.

So far, we have A&E-HD and Fox Business Channel (SD) added to the Washington Metro, Hampton Roads VA, Fort Wayne, IN and checking dslreports, FL, TX, SE PA line-ups, but not in Northern NJ. How about CA, NY, MA, RI?

Both 24 and Crossing Jordon this morning are in ugly stretch-o-vision. A&E-HD has been on the air long enough for them to get HD versions of these one would think. So the good news is that Verizon finally added another national HD channel. The bad news is that is A&E-HD.

Everything I've seen on A&E HD so far is crap. Just like TNT-HD and TBS-HD.

Well, the earlier episodes were not filmed in HD, so we'll have to see what happens tonight.

Also, I knew this would happen. Everyone complains we need more HD channels, but when we get them we all complain that it's not in glorious HD.

Remember, there is a lack of HD programming.

That channel is going to drive crazy, WHY aren't we getting it? I don't mean the technical side of the problem, but more the business side. I am so close to switching to E*. Not for more HD channels perse, but for the simple fact that they have CSN MA HD now. If Cox get CSN HD, I am gone. I can put up with no Wealth HD and Nat Geo HD if that mean I get to see the Caps, United and Wizards in HD.

That is why I am switching to D* this afternoon. I am not really looking forward to it but I can't go through another year of no caps and wizards in HD. I know I will sacrifice price and quality but these are programs that are too important to me. :(

Well, the earlier episodes were not filmed in HD, so we'll have to see what happens tonight.
The two programs I checked this morning were 24 from season 4 and an episode of Crossing Jordon which were in stretch-0-vision. Both of these were originally shot and aired in HD. Crossing Jordan is recent enough to be in HD from the beginning. 24 should be, but seasons 1 and 2 at least would been shown in Fox widescreen SD, however that does not mean there are not HD masters sitting around. Firefly for example aired in the fall of 2002 on Fox in Faux widescreen, but has been shown in HD on Universal HD (numerous times).

A&E-HD and Fox Business Channel (SD) are both live in Rumson, NJ (Northern NJ lineup.)

Does ANYONE have news about MSNBC on FIOS? Promise from Verizon for our area had been Fall, 2007 - but still nothing.

A&E-HD and Fox Business Channel (SD) are both live in Rumson, NJ (Northern NJ lineup.)

Does ANYONE have news about MSNBC on FIOS? Promise from Verizon for our area had been Fall, 2007 - but still nothing.

Who from Vz promised it? Cablevision has exclusive rights to MSNBC in your region for whatever reason. Not sure when the contract expires.

Can we confirm that A&E HD launched in all markets today? Is this something we can expect in the future? Why suddenly a national rollout when other rollouts have been staggered by market?

Both FBN and A&E HD are live in RI

Can we confirm that A&E HD launched in all markets today? Is this something we can expect in the future? Why suddenly a national rollout when other rollouts have been staggered by market?

Here in the inland empire area of southern California I can confirm that A&E HD on 842 showed up this morning. The show on it at this moment is a stretched SD show.

Verizon told us in the spring that we would have MSNBC no later than this fall. I am aware of the Cablevision conflict in some parts of the NJ-NY area, but our town (Rumson) and the surrounding Jersey shore area never had Cablevision. Comcast was the only provider before Fios, and MSNBC is part of the Comcast lineup in this area.

So there is more than just the Cablevision agreement that is holding back MSNBC on FIOS, at least in some parts of central NJ.

Verizon told us in the spring that we would have MSNBC no later than this fall. I am aware of the Cablevision conflict in some parts of the NJ-NY area, but our town (Rumson) and the surrounding Jersey shore area never had Cablevision. Comcast was the only provider before Fios, and MSNBC is part of the Comcast lineup in this area.

So there is more than just the Cablevision agreement that is holding back MSNBC on FIOS, at least in some parts of central NJ.

I think the problem lies in Verizon's lumping us in with "North Jersey." Which includes several Cablevision areas (Freehold, Bergen County, Wanamassa where my brother lives). I don't think they can break us out and give us MSNBC without giving it to them and violating the exclusivity deal. It's dumb and frustrating, I know; but I think that's it.

Does anybody know when FIOS TV will be available in Carmel, NY. Area code 10512. If not maybe point me in the direction of where information like this might be? thanks

A&E HD is on in the N.Y. area and DOES have HD as was evidenced by the HD showing of CSI Miami. The same show was telecast on its twin SD channel, but obviously in SD.

The upcoming release of the IMG media extender will offer enhanced music and photo navigation (folders, playlists) AND the ability to stream video from “Media Manager”. Reportedly many file formats (AVI, MPEG4, DiVx, Flash, etc) will be transcoded on the fly. Currently, the transcoding is resolution-independent, which means you can throw any size video at it and the resolution won’t be touched. For details follow this link http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-10/verizon-fios-tv-getting-media-extender-capabilities-and-more/

A&E HD is on in the N.Y. area and DOES have HD as was evidenced by the HD showing of CSI Miami. The same show was telecast on its twin SD channel, but obviously in SD.

I keep hearing/reading rumors of more HD additions soon....is this "6 months soon" or by "year's end" soon? I know about Qam's and all that....

Gee whiz Verizon, just let us know...that's all. There really are no secrets to adding HD channels....Ummmmm, D* has announced this for 6 months or more.

expect the stretch, people. It's the nature of the beast and something we'll have to be used to for a while whether it's D*, Dish, Comcast or Fios.

Maybe the hype won't compare to D*?

Well, the earlier episodes were not filmed in HD, so we'll have to see what happens tonight.

Also, I knew this would happen. Everyone complains we need more HD channels, but when we get them we all complain that it's not in glorious HD.

Remember, there is a lack of HD programming.

the earlier episodes of what? Some of teh shows i saw were originally broadcast in HD years ago when they were first run. Crossing Jordan was always in HD I thought. Maybe not. I know back in 2001 i started watching HD shows and half of the shows I watched were being broadcast in HD. Definitely the ABC shows and CBS shows I watched.

A&E HD is on in the N.Y. area and DOES have HD as was evidenced by the HD showing of CSI Miami. The same show was telecast on its twin SD channel, but obviously in SD.

A&E HD is up and running in MA as well.

The upcoming release of the IMG media extender will offer enhanced music and photo navigation (folders, playlists) AND the ability to stream video from “Media Manager”. Reportedly many file formats (AVI, MPEG4, DiVx, Flash, etc) will be transcoded on the fly. Currently, the transcoding is resolution-independent, which means you can throw any size video at it and the resolution won’t be touched. For details follow this link http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-10/verizon-fios-tv-getting-media-extender-capabilities-and-more/

This is good news. Being able to pipe 1080p (if they don't throttle it) from a server to my HD TV will be pretty amazing.

the earlier episodes of what? Some of teh shows i saw were originally broadcast in HD years ago when they were first run. Crossing Jordan was always in HD I thought. Maybe not. I know back in 2001 i started watching HD shows and half of the shows I watched were being broadcast in HD. Definitely the ABC shows and CBS shows I watched.


I thought the same thing this AM...how moronic would that be to have a program in 16:9 HD then crop and stretch to 4:3 HD...I don't understand either. I did not mean to seem harsh in my post...If so I apologize. I was just wondering why they would do that and thought "maybe" it was an older version of the show not yet filmed in HD.

Also, with so many TV restrictions, who knows, maybe only certain seasons can be simulcasted/syndicated in HD....just a guess.

Like I said, I'm trying to figure out why go through the trouble (more cost) to take something that is 16:9 then down rez and crop then stretch instead of simply showing it the way it was and that's that....:confused:

Can we confirm that A&E HD launched in all markets today? Is this something we can expect in the future? Why suddenly a national rollout when other rollouts have been staggered by market?I don't think A&E HD required much in the way of new hardware at the COs or VHOs. Verizon stuck A&E-HD on the QAM channel they setup months ago for LMN-HD.

Most markets got the last two HD channels within a period of several business days. One or two VHOs were delayed beyond that, due to equipment issues.

A&E HD Live here in Plano TX.

anyone heard anything about gaming? when my installer hooked up the phone service last friday, i asked him what was coming down the line. he mentioned something about games, but didn't have any specifics.

Is there a good list for the FIOS rollout schedule anywhere on here or on any other sites?

Also, is there a list of new HD channels that will be coming this and next year to FIOS?

Is there a good list for the FIOS rollout schedule anywhere on here or on any other sites?

Also, is there a list of new HD channels that will be coming this and next year to FIOS?No such list exists. The best you will find is a construction schedule on the Verizon site for your state. Even then, construction schedules are not published online for every state.

FiOS doesn't announce HD channels until they are launched / available.

I'm certainly not defending FIOS, but many of you guys forgot that D* was every bit as 'secretive' about new HD channel launches as Verizon.

I'm certainly not defending FIOS, but many of you guys forgot that D* was every bit as 'secretive' about new HD channel launches as Verizon.

Comcast doesn't exactly give out much info either...I think they leave it to forums like this to spread the early word and then a week or so after the channel is up they make the *official* announcement.:rolleyes:

anyone heard anything about gaming? when my installer hooked up the phone service last friday, i asked him what was coming down the line. he mentioned something about games, but didn't have any specifics.

Check out the link Rich L posted:

http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-10/verizon-fios-tv-getting-media-extender-capabilities-and-more/#more-2597


They talk about the gaming part and other features (recording using your cell phone, etc..)

I'm certainly not defending FIOS, but many of you guys forgot that D* was every bit as 'secretive' about new HD channel launches as Verizon.

All I remember is D* bragging about their 100 HD channels for like the last 2 years (feels like 2 years anyway).

Maybe D* was secretive when they had nothing going, but once they got moving on their plan, they wouldn't shut up about up.

as hernanu says, V* isn't so secretive about their other plans. I think they just got caught flat-footed and decided it's best to say nothing until they have some good news to report.

AE HD live in DE, and csi is all in hd so far :) im happy

A&E-HD and Fox Business Channel (SD) are both live in Rumson, NJ (Northern NJ lineup.)

Does ANYONE have news about MSNBC on FIOS? Promise from Verizon for our area had been Fall, 2007 - but still nothing.

Honestly, you ain't missin' much...

AE HD live in DE, and csi is all in hd so far :) im happy

Pleasant surprise to see AE-HD on 842 here in FL. It hasn't even made it to the TitanTV or Zap2it channel listing yet. :)

Verizon is now telling some people over the phone that Discovery Channel HD (different from Discovery Theater), TLC HD, Animal Planet HD, and The Science Channel HD will be added on October 26.

I have no further information so I would treat this as rumor for now.

If true, how would they do this if what we've been told about their equipment limitations is true?

If true, how would they do this if what we've been told about their equipment limitations is true?
I think most estimates you refer to still allowed for 4-8 addtnl. channels....
The claim was they can't go & add 20 or more HD channels until at least June......

Not what I've read right here. I heard all they had room for was about 1 or 2 new HD channels.

Do we know when Verizon will figure out their programming guide and get it accurate? For the first few weeks of the new fall season of shows, every network show came up as a "repeat" and we missed recordings of shows as we had it set to only record "New" shows. Also, sunday night, ABC was listed as showing 24 for like 5 straight hours, through their primetime lineup until 12:30am. What is up with that?

It's really annoying that they can't do that right.

Anyone else know a good way to make complaints/suggestions directly to Verizon about their new IMG software? There's so many bugs and silly problems, I'd love to talk to them directly.

But this was my problem with your argument. If FiOS has had those channels for six months to a year or more, how can you say FiOS is slacking but TWC is timely with their additions? In six months to a year, I'm sure FiOS will have added TBS, CNN, and company.

Personally, I think Food, Lifetime, and Universal are about on par with A&E and History as far as breadth of appeal. As far as amount of HD, Food and Universal are 100% HD. A&E is about 15% HD at most, and I'd wager that Lifetime airs about as much HD programming. CNN and TBS are a step above to be sure, but two weeks from now no one will care about TBS because it will be offering practically no HD until baseball season starts again. They're not even airing The Office in HD.


I've actually watched A&E HD & TBS HD. The 15% HD content you refer to for A&E is not true. MOST ALL of their programing is HD. As to Office and other re-run programs, remember when some of them first aired on network, they were not all in HD format.

Not what I've read right here. I heard all they had room for was about 1 or 2 new HD channels.

I had been under the impression that they still had at least 2 or 3 open "Qam" channels (2 HD's per Qm), plus a couple of existing channels, such as LifeMovieHD, using only 1 slot of a Qm channel, allowing for another HD there...
But perhaps someone that has measured these things can chime in & clarify .....

If true, how would they do this if what we've been told about their equipment limitations is true?
I addressed that in this post (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=11798212#post11798212).

Most VHOs are still using just 53-54 QAM slots of the 63 their current system can support today (with 40 other slots devoted to analog). Some areas already have the equipment to use all 63 QAM slots while others do not. As Verizon upgrades the systems with 53-54 slots, they can add more channels.

These upgrades are incremental, so you don't have 53 QAM slots today and 63 QAM slots tomorrow. They might add a few QAM slots this month, a few more next month, and a few more the month after that.

Some regions obviously use more QAM slots than others (due to extra HD RSNs). Once a region hits all 63 QAM slots used, then we probably won't see new HD channels until they drop the analogs. But until at least one system hits that 63, Verizon can continue to add channels incrementally as they work to upgrade those VHOs.

So what's your best guess as to how much room they have for additional HD channels at present?

If I'm understanding what you're saying, once at 63 QAM slots, that would give us room for only another 20 HD channels or so. So to come close to D*'s capacity, there needs to be some major changes.

Again, this seems to be so radically different than the almost 'unlimited' capacity we were once led to believe.

On a totally different subject, I'm not sure if you guys heard, but Verizon has been ruled exempt from Cablecard compliance due to their unique system. So it seems now they don't have to provide the customer with CCs if they have no desire to do so.

.. So it's really 2 questions ...
How many additional HD's can they Nationally add short-Term (now), & how many after all offices are "63" ready ....

"There will be no TBS-HD until June 2008. I strongly doubt there will be ANY, repeat ANY new HD channels added before June. The upshot? THat is way too late for FiOS to survise. I spoke with somethere there at length about this and this person, not in the decision making chain of command agrees. What a total waste of money. Glad I don't own any Verizon stock."




This is one of those posts that doesn't help in shedding light on the truth.

.. So it's really 2 questions ...
How many additional HD's can they Nationally add short-Term (now), & how many after all offices are "63" ready ....

Yup. And that's what I'm waiting to hear if anyone really knows.

Do we know when Verizon will figure out their programming guide and get it accurate? For the first few weeks of the new fall season of shows, every network show came up as a "repeat" and we missed recordings of shows as we had it set to only record "New" shows. Also, sunday night, ABC was listed as showing 24 for like 5 straight hours, through their primetime lineup until 12:30am. What is up with that?

It's really annoying that they can't do that right.

Anyone else know a good way to make complaints/suggestions directly to Verizon about their new IMG software? There's so many bugs and silly problems, I'd love to talk to them directly.

it's been posted that the inaccurate guide info is more likely due to Vz's choice of provider. I agree it needs to be addressed & Vz should switch to Gemstar or some other established service. the bugs in the new IMG are a separate issue.

speaking of which anyone else with the new(er) IMG noticed missing graphics? specifically the ch logos in the info bar? been MIA for me since Sun.

So what's your best guess as to how much room they have for additional HD channels at present?

If I'm understanding what you're saying, once at 63 QAM slots, that would give us room for only another 20 HD channels or so. So to come close to D*'s capacity, there needs to be some major changes.It is most certainly less than 20. In some parts of NJ, FiOS customers receive two sets of HD locals (14-15 total HD locals) plus three or four HD RSNs. My market only has one HD RSN.

If someone in NJ could check, how many QAMs does your tuner report in use?

Once FiOS drops the analog channels next year -- nobody outside Verizon knows exactly when that will happen -- that will free up another 40 QAM slots, or capacity for 80 new HD channels at full bitrate. A lot of system upgrades are required before this can happen.

It is most certainly less than 20. In some parts of NJ, FiOS customers receive two sets of HD locals (14-15 total HD locals) plus three or four HD RSNs. My market only has one HD RSN.

Once FiOS drops the analog channels next year -- nobody outside Verizon knows exactly when that will happen -- that will free up another 40 QAM slots.

Two sets of locals seems like a luxury they can't afford. It's nuts that one local area can impact the entire country in terms of what the provider can offer. Verizon should simply choose one of the two local networks for areas where two are provided to free up much needed space. If providing two is mandated in those areas, then there's nothing they can do.

But again, I hate to be repititious, but this runs so contrary to the way this system was originally promoted. It's like day and night. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard the word "unlimitied bandwidth", I'd retire today. And I might add, the term 'unlimitied bandwidth' did not come with any advertised caveats...it was just virtually unlimited.

Had they said the fiber optic system has virtually unlimited bandwidth, but our equipment doesn't, that would have been far more truthful.

So what's your best guess as to how much room they have for additional HD channels at present?

If I'm understanding what you're saying, once at 63 QAM slots, that would give us room for only another 20 HD channels or so. So to come close to D*'s capacity, there needs to be some major changes.
The major upgrade in capacity comes from pulling the 40 analog channels and replacing them with 40 QAM channels. That would almost double their current national QAM channel capacity.

My recent QAM channel scans found 54 QAM channels for Sterling, VA in the Washington Metro market. Of those, 9 were used for locals in a block of 10 QAM channels from 63 to 68 (SD locals) and 71 to 74 (8 HD locals). QAM 64 has no sub-channels, but maybe that is in reserve for the local RSN, CSN MA HD if that ever happens.

All of the national SD and HD channels appear to be carried on 44 QAM channels with 43 of them in use with 1 or more sub-channels. Some areas have a lot more locals such as Mercer County, NJ which has 14 HD locals and 3 HD RSNs. Mercer county presumably has 63 QAM channels with 4 or 5 more used for the locals than the 9/10 QAMs used here. But if those with 54 QAM channels get 4 or 5 more to match to the unused QAM channels elsewhere, sounds like they can be added to the QAM channels they can use for national channels. Verizon is going to want to add some SD channels as well (sport blocks, whatever), so that might add capacity for 6 or 8 more HD channels. But I don't know how Verizon is handling all the HD RSNs. Those can be a problem as the territories for the RSNs don't necessarily line up with the broadcast markets. Probably some overlap issues that take up bandwidth that we don't see.

Verizon can also probably pack the channels a little better if they wanted to do some reshuffling. Verizon has mostly no more 7 to 9 SD sub-channels per QAM channel from what I can see. That is where the excellent SD picture quality comes from. They can probably move some SD channels around without affecting picture quality and free up a QAM channel or two for HD if they wanted to do that. Someone posted elsewhere a complete dump of the Comcast digital QAM channel break down for his area. Holy crap, Comcast was packing those HD and SD channels in there. Fios is wearing roomy clothes by comparison.

So even a casual review of the QAM channels shows that Verizon may be getting a bit tight, they are not completely out of room for more channels now. But they do need to shut down the analog channels out of their current 103 channel limit to really add room to spare.

bfdtv, if you have read down this far (:D), can Verizon do a partial replacement of the analog channels with QAM? If there are no areas that are using all 40 analog channels, can they yank 4 or so of the analog channels and add digital QAM hardware in their place? It is going to take time to shut down the analog channels, even for a new service, because of the advance notice requirements, getting local government approvals, and getting the DCT 700 boxes to everyone who needs it.

A&E HD went live here (Hampton Roads, VA) about 2:30 AM.

anywhere else?

is it in the 800's? i looked last evening and didn't see anything. :confused:

"There will be no TBS-HD until June 2008. I strongly doubt there will be ANY, repeat ANY new HD channels added before June. The upshot? THat is way too late for FiOS to survise. I spoke with somethere there at length about this and this person, not in the decision making chain of command agrees. What a total waste of money. Glad I don't own any Verizon stock."




This is one of those posts that doesn't help in shedding light on the truth.

Verizon can't be that stupid can they?? Spending all that money bringing fiber to the home so the can compete with cable and then not bothering to compete with cable.

is it in the 800's? i looked last evening and didn't see anything. :confused:
A&E-HD went live on channel 842 for most areas yesterday along with Fox Business Channel (SD) on 94. If it is not on your box, you may want to do a cold reset to get the latest Guide data to see if A&E-HD then shows up.

Verizon can't be that stupid can they?? Spending all that money bringing fiber to the home so the can compete with cable and then not bothering to compete with cable.

LOL! :eek: Wanna bet!:) There internet is still the best though:)

On a totally different subject, I'm not sure if you guys heard, but Verizon has been ruled exempt from Cablecard compliance due to their unique system. So it seems now they don't have to provide the customer with CCs if they have no desire to do so.Verizon does not have to use CableCards in their OWN equipment ... ie, the STBs and DVRs they rent to customers. Most cable companies now (after 7/07) have to use 'seperable security' (ie, CableCards) for their own equipment they lease to customers ... unless they got a waiver.

They still have to provide and support CableCards in customer-owned devices. They have not been granted (nor applied for) a waiver from that obligation.

More details on the upcoming Q4 IMG update to include:

Enhancements

* More complete guide data and for upcoming programs
* Larger fonts (in program descriptions)
* Less chopped text
* Just one UI “bread crumb”
* Transparent guide no longer default setting
* Improved storage space calculations and display

New Features

* Set-top box reminders (non-DVR models)
* Pad recordings
* Additional recording options
* Option to channel surf favorites only
* Subscribe to channels

link with pics: http://www.zatznotfunny.com/2007-10/more-on-verizon-fios-tv-the-q4-update/#more-2618

is it in the 800's? i looked last evening and didn't see anything. :confused:

hey CH!

it's there on 842. watched it a bit yesterday. if you're not seeing it you indeed may need to do a box reset as afiggatt suggested.

Two sets of locals seems like a luxury they can't afford. It's nuts that one local area can impact the entire country in terms of what the provider can offer. Verizon should simply choose one of the two local networks for areas where two are provided to free up much needed space. If providing two is mandated in those areas, then there's nothing they can do.

But again, I hate to be repititious, but this runs so contrary to the way this system was originally promoted. It's like day and night. If I had a dollar for everytime I heard the word "unlimitied bandwidth", I'd retire today. And I might add, the term 'unlimitied bandwidth' did not come with any advertised caveats...it was just virtually unlimited.

Had they said the fiber optic system has virtually unlimited bandwidth, but our equipment doesn't, that would have been far more truthful.

I hear you. I got fios tv as soon as it was available in my area because I got the impression that with fios capacity was "virtually unlimited". they didn't say it was virtually unlimited after an overhaul of the system and possibly installing some brand new technology (IPTV?). by that standard, maybe good old copper line could have virtually unlimited bandwidth too.

the problem is so far it appears to be Verizon's policy to have the same national lineup for all markets, which means we're going to be held back by the most filled-to-capacity and/or antiquated system. so who knows how many more HD channels we can have?

So what's your best guess as to how much room they have for additional HD channels at present?

If I'm understanding what you're saying, once at 63 QAM slots, that would give us room for only another 20 HD channels or so. So to come close to D*'s capacity, there needs to be some major changes.

Again, this seems to be so radically different than the almost 'unlimited' capacity we were once led to believe.

Verizon will not have the ability to add a huge amount of HD channels until they get rid of the analog channels, which is slated to happen around feb/march of 2008. Freeing up the analog, will give verizon enough capacity to add many HD channels.

Mikey, where did you hear that timeframe for freeing up the analogs?

While talking to a FiOS supervisor today, he told me that the IMG fix has been officially delayed until December 2007.

Mikey, where did you hear that timeframe for freeing up the analogs?

I work for verizon doing installation in the central offices, and that is when I was told the analog to all digital conversion jobs will be taking place.

However, I have no idea how long it will take before HD channels are added. Even as an employee I am in the dark on most of these issues.

I just operate under the assumption I'll never see the new IMG. It's been delayed so many times in my area, it's just better to think I'll never actually see it. :)

Thanks Mikey.

On a totally different subject, I'm not sure if you guys heard, but Verizon has been ruled exempt from Cablecard compliance due to their unique system. So it seems now they don't have to provide the customer with CCs if they have no desire to do so.I have a CC and love it, I hate the extra STB and remote. I would be very disappointed if they force me to return it. I don't think it will happen because alot of people purchased the new Tivos and would not like it very much if Verizon told them they can't use it.

I have a CC and love it, I hate the extra STB and remote. I would be very disappointed if they force me to return it. I don't think it will happen because alot of people purchased the new Tivos and would not like it very much if Verizon told them they can't use it.

You got that right.

Mikey, where did you hear that timeframe for freeing up the analogs?

Verizon has stated that the "major" HD push in Spring 2008 will correspond with Verizon's internal analog shutoff (and presumably the release of the super-cheap, feature-free STB).

Mikey, where did you hear that timeframe for freeing up the analogs?BTW, the FCC's seperable security STB waiver for Verizon is based on them going all-digital by Feb. 2009. However, Verizon must also give customers a one-year notice before dropping the analogs ...

Verizon must “notif[y] all of its analog customers of its plans to go all digital at least one year in advance of that event and again six months in advance of that event” and “ensure[] that, at least one year prior to its migration to all digital, it has in its inventory or has placed orders for enough set-top boxes to ensure that each of its customers can continue to view its video programming on their television sets.”
http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/DA-07-2921A1.pdf

Verizon has asked the FCC to allow them a 'reasonable' advance notice to customers instead of the full year ...

“The Commission should clarify that the Bureau’s general policy of requiring a twelve-month advance notice and inventory does not preclude companies from providing notice on a shorter, though still reasonably timely basis, based on the individual companies’ transition plans.

The Commission should allow providers that wish to migrate to all-digital service to provide reasonable notice, rather than requiring a fullyear’s notice.

The Commission should thus clarify that the Bureau’s Waiver Order generally allows all providers seeking to transition to all digital prior to February 17, 2009 to do so, as long as the providers give reasonable notice to consumers of their transition plans and confirmation to the Commission at the same time that they have enough inventory to ensure that customers will continue to receive service.”
http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/ecfs/retrieve.cgi?native_or_pdf=pdf&id_document=6519608471

If they do indeed drop analogs sometime soon, they need to get those smaller cable boxes out, and they better not change more than a dollar a month for them. I don't have room for those big ol Motorola clunkers in many of my rooms.

hey CH!

it's there on 842. watched it a bit yesterday. if you're not seeing it you indeed may need to do a box reset as afiggatt suggested.

For whatever reason, I couldn't find it on Monday, but yesterday evening it showed up in the guide. Thanks!

Dog the Bounty Hunter marathon, here I come :D

When they go all digital....you'll be able to use a QAM tuner for locals and stuff like that, right? So I would not need a box for my TV in the basement?

For whatever reason, I couldn't find it on Monday, but yesterday evening it showed up in the guide. Thanks!

Dog the Bounty Hunter marathon, here I come :D

Unfortunately Dog is in stretch-o-vision! I was hoping they shot it in HD.

:(BTW, the FCC's seperable security STB waiver for Verizon is based on them going all-digital by Feb. 2009. However, Verizon must also give customers a one-year notice before dropping the analogs ...


If that advance notice time-frame holds up, then it wil be a year before we see much more HD. :(

When they go all digital....you'll be able to use a QAM tuner for locals and stuff like that, right? So I would not need a box for my TV in the basement?
Fios is effectively all digital now. All of the channels in the analog set from 2 to 49 are also sent digitally on QAM channels. If you use a Fios STB or DVR, you get the digital versions of all the channels.

If you have a TV with a QAM tuner, all of the local SD broadcast, PEG, and HD channels are in the clear. In the Washington Metro area, with the newer Samsung ATSC/QAM STB, I get 7 out of the 8 HD locals and their broadcast SD sub-channels automatically mapped to their broadcast displayed channels: 4-1, 5-1, 7-1, 7-2, and so on. Verizon is passing on the PSIP channel mapping data for those channels which makes them easy to find. The Washington Metro local SD and PEG channels are at QAM channels 63 to 68, with the Music Choice stuff at QAM 66. My HD locals are at QAM 71 to 74. It appears that QAM 63 to 74+ is the local block for everybody. WGN is on QAM 55.

All of the national SD and HD channels are encrypted. To view those you need a Fios STB or DVR or a cablecard.

I have been waiting and waiting to get FIOS TV in my area and then I could drop DTV and the local cable company, who I get my HD from. It's finally available, but now I read about the possibility that there will be no big push to add more HD channels by Verizon until next June? This is giving me second thoughts since DTV is going to have a 100 HD channels by the end of this year.

Only issue is we have three HD TV's and the DTV HD DVR costs are high. I may have to try the "cancel" routine and see if they will give me a deal to stick with them.

I have been waiting and waiting to get FIOS TV in my area and then I could drop DTV and the local cable company, who I get my HD from. It's finally available, but now I read about the possibility that there will be no big push to add more HD channels by Verizon until next June? This is giving me second thoughts since DTV is going to have a 100 HD channels by the end of this year.

Only issue is we have three HD TV's and the DTV HD DVR costs are high. I may have to try the "cancel" routine and see if they will give me a deal to stick with them.

That's a tough consideration to make, I had to do the same with a single HDTV, and the economics just didn't come out right - an upgraded HD box was $300, there was a lease fee on the box (~12 / mo) and the ever popular HD Delivery fee (~10?), so I decided not to go.

Another thing to consider in the HD channel front: DirecTv's older HD channels are delivered in MPEG2 format (HD Lite) and of much lower quality than the newer MPEG4 channels. Several posts (can't find the exact ones) note that the currently offered HD Lite channels are not going to be upgraded to MPEG4 any time soon. That includes ESPN, ESPN2 and others that I care about. In FIOS, they come through great, on DirecTv, maybe not so much - since I didn't have HD DirecTv, I can't comment on the quality, but it is something to consider if you are a sports fan or a fan of one of the older channels.

I have been waiting and waiting to get FIOS TV in my area and then I could drop DTV and the local cable company, who I get my HD from. It's finally available, but now I read about the possibility that there will be no big push to add more HD channels by Verizon until next June? This is giving me second thoughts since DTV is going to have a 100 HD channels by the end of this year.

Only issue is we have three HD TV's and the DTV HD DVR costs are high. I may have to try the "cancel" routine and see if they will give me a deal to stick with them.

You could do what I did...I suspended my D* account for 9 months to give FIOS a chance. The main reason I am with FIOS is because of regional sports...I can't watch the Phillies, Flyers or Sixers through D*. Second reason, the SD quality is leaps and bounds ahead of D*...no comparison there. I have only had Fios for 2 months and no problems except ESPN went out but I think it was because I changed my package and lost a few stations, they resent my program package details and all was good.

Now, when I had D* the Mpeg4 channels were good...very little difference from OTA Mpeg2 and D* mpeg4. My only concern is will D*'s PQ start to degrade with addition of more HD channels? I don't know.

I have to be honest, if D* carried my RSN I never would have switched to Fios....7 years without my RSN was way TOO long....figures, I switch at the time that D* adds all those HD channels.

:(

If that advance notice time-frame holds up, then it wil be a year before we see much more HD. :(

I assume Verizon is pretty confident in winning their argument. Otherwise I'd expect we'd have gotten the notice.

I have D* and am still switching to FIOS on Saturday. While the new D* HD is exciting, most of the channels that Verizon does not have yet are not really must haves except for Sci FI. Additionally, they are still working out some bugs with the service. The B-Band converters absolutely suck and it's hit or miss when you switch to one of the new channels on wether it will come in or if you will get a 721 "searching for Sat" error. (And don't tell my dish is aimed poorly, I am pegged dead on with my sat strengths). I missed the first half of the Giants game a few weeks ago because of this issue.

Point is, FIOS has enough HD for me, and will ultimately have just as much, if not more than D*. Let's face it, this is a game of leapfrog. D* won't take there next leap until they ave jammed the snot out of the existing birds, deteriorated the PQ, and launched a new bird.

FIOS has much more to offer, and does not suffer from the inherent quality issues of a DBS service. I am not a D* hater, I was always very satisifed with them, but as of Saturday its all FIOS all the time for me.

I also am not believeing all the "out of capacity" hysteria we are seeing. Verizon is not stupid. Their fiber network has tons of capacity. There business model has always been that it wil be cheaper to replace electronics than cable. Of course there will be periods where they will need to replace some equipment to launch new services, but their model will allow shorter response times to the need for change than their competitors.

It would be nice to see the OnDemand Library updated a little more frequently. A few weeks back Verizon had out a same as DVD release title but not much since. My box has crashed a little less this week and the guide is populating again. Good times.

I just did a speed test while viewing HD OnDemand here(for those who don't know, Richmond and Hampton Roads are doing a trial run), and it DID NOT effect my download speeds, I got my full 15/2 while watching HD OnDemand. This is different from when I tested it a couple weeks ago.

I have been waiting and waiting to get FIOS TV in my area and then I could drop DTV and the local cable company, who I get my HD from. It's finally available, but now I read about the possibility that there will be no big push to add more HD channels by Verizon until next June? This is giving me second thoughts since DTV is going to have a 100 HD channels by the end of this year.

Only issue is we have three HD TV's and the DTV HD DVR costs are high. I may have to try the "cancel" routine and see if they will give me a deal to stick with them.

Hopefully it will be earlier, not sure how long it takes to add channels once the ananlogs are dropped. I don't know anything channel related, but maybe Verizon is ready to go with some channels, just waiting for the analog to get shut off. Analog should be done by march, I'm in New York, not sure about everywhere else.

Point is, FIOS has enough HD for me, and will ultimately have just as much, if not more than D*. Let's face it, this is a game of leapfrog. D* won't take there next leap until they ave jammed the snot out of the existing birds, deteriorated the PQ, and launched a new bird.

FIOS has much more to offer, and does not suffer from the inherent quality issues of a DBS service. I am not a D* hater, I was always very satisifed with them, but as of Saturday its all FIOS all the time for me.


let me know what you think of the FIOS SD quality..I was blown away by fios on that. HD is really nice as well with little to NO artifacts. I too was with D* for 7 years and had very few problems with them. I guess it's 3-6 months away before the "hiccups" are fixed with D*. I love having my RSN, but do miss some of the extra HD channels. Granite, there are only 2-3 HD channels that D* added that I really would watch, but we'll see. Like I said before, if D* had my RSN, I'd still be with them.

Once again, let me know what you think of FIOS SD compared to D*'s...On D* I could not watch baseball that was in SD...It was HORRIBLE. Even my 12 year old son said "Dad, I can't watch this..."
With FIOS, the games on TBS are watchable and at a certain distance is quite stunning....not HD stunning, but VERY acceptable.

let me know what you think of the FIOS SD quality..I was blown away by fios on that. HD is really nice as well with little to NO artifacts. I too was with D* for 7 years and had very few problems with them. I guess it's 3-6 months away before the "hiccups" are fixed with D*. I love having my RSN, but do miss some of the extra HD channels. Granite, there are only 2-3 HD channels that D* added that I really would watch, but we'll see. Like I said before, if D* had my RSN, I'd still be with them.

Once again, let me know what you think of FIOS SD compared to D*'s...On D* I could not watch baseball that was in SD...It was HORRIBLE. Even my 12 year old son said "Dad, I can't watch this..."
With FIOS, the games on TBS are watchable and at a certain distance is quite stunning....not HD stunning, but VERY acceptable.

Interestingly enough SD on my HR20 with D* is much improved over previous boxes, but I fully expect FIOS to look even better.

Trip report to follow early next week.

I just did a speed test while viewing HD OnDemand here(for those who don't know, Richmond and Hampton Roads are doing a trial run), and it DID NOT effect my download speeds, I got my full 15/2 while watching HD OnDemand. This is different from when I tested it a couple weeks ago.

That's only becasue they increased the speed limit on the ONT. Here the limit is normally 20mbs and they had to increase mine to 30 since I have the 30mbs tier. But since my tier is also the ONT cap, any On demand viewing will always impact the internet speed.

On a totally different subject, I'm not sure if you guys heard, but Verizon has been ruled exempt from Cablecard compliance due to their unique system. So it seems now they don't have to provide the customer with CCs if they have no desire to do so.

They only received a 1 year waiver on the integrated security mandate. So they still have to support CableCARDs, but unlike the other cable co's they can still deploy their own STBs without CableCARDs. The only affect this seems to have on TiVo owners is that they don't support M-Cards yet, so you have to rent 2 CableCARDs, instead of one.

Starting in July 08 every STB Verizon deploys for the first time must use a CableCARD for security just like a HD TiVo. What isn't like a TiVo is that these boxes can still do two-way (vod ppv etc).

Now, when I had D* the Mpeg4 channels were good...very little difference from OTA Mpeg2 and D* mpeg4.

Mike, when you say 'very little difference', I'm assuming there was a difference but it was small. What was the difference you saw?

Also, what display are you watching on?

Mike, when you say 'very little difference', I'm assuming there was a difference but it was small. What was the difference you saw?

Also, what display are you watching on?
DirecTV's MPEG-4 1080i channels are apparently still 1440x1080, compared to bit-starved 1280x1080 for the 1080i MPEG-2 channels. So you've got slightly less resolution than the original 1080i feed, but you don't have all the compression artifacts that were obvious on the old MPEG-2 channels. Most people will not even tell the difference between 1920x1080 and 1440x1080.

The original MPEG-2 channels on DirecTV (Discovery, Hdnets, ESPN, ESPN2, HBO-E, SHO-E, etc) are still as bad as ever. DirecTV has not replaced those with MPEG-4 versions yet.

DirecTV has come close to exhausting the bandwidth on the first of the new satellites, with the second now planned for launch in Q1 2008. DirecTV is expected offer MPEG-4 versions of their MPEG-2 channels in late Q1 or early Q2 after the new satellite is launched and operational.

I am getting FIOS installed on the 29th. I've had second thoughts about it, especially since D* came out and gave me a new dish because I was getting lousy reception of the new HD channels. I'm also tired of my STBs freezing/crashing/resetting and the fact that with the new channels I can't diplex the local OTAs anymore. They'll catch up eventually, and in the meantime, I'll have every movie channel in the world and much faster internet for $40 a month less.

In Boston area we have CSN-HD @ ch 830, but no picture. We do have CSN-SD @ ch 66 that is broadcasting. Does anyone know why no picture on CSN-HD?

I am getting FIOS installed on the 29th. I've had second thoughts about it, especially since D* came out and gave me a new dish because I was getting lousy reception of the new HD channels. I'm also tired of my STBs freezing/crashing/resetting and the fact that with the new channels I can't diplex the local OTAs anymore. They'll catch up eventually, and in the meantime, I'll have every movie channel in the world and much faster internet for $40 a month less.

If you're looking for reassurance that you should get FiOS over D*...here it is. I got FiOS on Sept. 5th. I got pissed that D* started launching all their HD stuff left and right. I went so far as to schedule a D* installation through my local costco while i was still in my 30-day grace period with Fios. I didn't go through with it b/c I couldn't get way from the fact that fios is a better deal...in price and product.

Lots of HD channels from D*......BUT not a huge increase in HD content.
I thought about it and realized that I watch ESPNHD; ESPN2HD; my HD locals....and the SD feed of Discovery. In the richmond area, I don't get hd locals thru D*....I do with FIOS.


FIOS is being slow with their HD rollouts, but i can't argue with the Picture quality of what I have....both SD and HD. They will get there with HD...they have to....or their little Fiber Optics experiment will be a real expensive failure and Verizon's stock price will go into the toilet.

Go with FIOS. It's a good....not perfect way to watch TV.

In Boston area we have CSN-HD @ ch 830, but no picture. We do have CSN-SD @ ch 71 that is broadcasting. Does anyone know why no picture on CSN-HD?

Even with no picture, you're ahead of us here in Richmond with CSN-mid atlantic...it's not in our channel guide. we have the SD feed, but no HD feed. I don't give a crap about the Washington CAPS or the wiz, but I like getting some HD college football on the weekend thru CSN when I had comcastsucks.

ur in boston are u refering to c-sports new new england (the former fsn new england)

down here (southern va) c-sports net mid atlantic is currently unavailable in HD via Vz ftth, only via D* mpeg-4

ur in boston are u refering to c-sports new new england (the former fsn new england)

down here (southern va) c-sports net mid atlantic is currently unavailable in HD via Vz ftth, only via D* mpeg-4E* now has CSN-MA HD as well.

In Boston area we have CSN-HD @ ch 830, but no picture. We do have CSN-SD @ ch 66 that is broadcasting. Does anyone know why no picture on CSN-HD?

From what I understand, and I could be wrong, is that you only get an HD picture on CSN when there is an actual HD event being broadcast. They do not show any upconverted SD programming.

From what I understand, and I could be wrong, is that you only get an HD picture on CSN when there is an actual HD event being broadcast. They do not show any upconverted SD programming.

Not true here in Philly. We get "sports rise" and all those other shows on channel 827 and they are not in "HD". I had a problem a while back where the SD CSN was fine, but there was NO AUDIO on CSN for about a day. That was resolved. I don't know if the problem is with FIOS or the actual station. Things like that would happen with D* HD from time to time.

Most people will not even tell the difference between 1920x1080 and 1440x1080.




Not sure if that would hold true for a larger screen, full-rez, 1080p display.

Mike, when you say 'very little difference', I'm assuming there was a difference but it was small. What was the difference you saw?

Also, what display are you watching on?

I have a 51" RP CRT Hitachi downstairs and a 32" Toshiba LCD upstairs. I had an antenna in the attic for OTA HD and when I compared Mpeg 4 D* to HD OTA, I thought D* PQ was a little bit softer and some detail was lost in darker scenes and some images (the show "Lost" for example) lost some "pop" in bright scenes....I had to flip back and forth to notice the differences at times, so I don't think you'll notice a huge difference if you don't have a direct comparison.
I have not seen the new HD channels, there seems to be mixed reviews on them. I have only seen the MPEG4 locals and that's what I based my comparison on.

Thanks Mike. I've got a 60" 1080p plasma, so I think the difference might be more noticeable on the bigger, high-rez screen.

It's funny, we always 'assume' that FIOS is passing a full-rez, high bitrate signal, but we've never seen any proof of that with actual measurements. Nobody that I can recall has ever posted them for any channel. The good news is that I setup my OTA tuner to compare a 1080i CBS broadcast to a 1080i FIOS STB signal from the same show. I could see no discernable difference.

I have D* and am still switching to FIOS on Saturday. While the new D* HD is exciting, most of the channels that Verizon does not have yet are not really must haves except for Sci FI. Additionally, they are still working out some bugs with the service. The B-Band converters absolutely suck and it's hit or miss when you switch to one of the new channels on wether it will come in or if you will get a 721 "searching for Sat" error. (And don't tell my dish is aimed poorly, I am pegged dead on with my sat strengths). I missed the first half of the Giants game a few weeks ago because of this issue.

Point is, FIOS has enough HD for me, and will ultimately have just as much, if not more than D*. Let's face it, this is a game of leapfrog. D* won't take there next leap until they ave jammed the snot out of the existing birds, deteriorated the PQ, and launched a new bird.

FIOS has much more to offer, and does not suffer from the inherent quality issues of a DBS service. I am not a D* hater, I was always very satisifed with them, but as of Saturday its all FIOS all the time for me.

I also am not believeing all the "out of capacity" hysteria we are seeing. Verizon is not stupid. Their fiber network has tons of capacity. There business model has always been that it wil be cheaper to replace electronics than cable. Of course there will be periods where they will need to replace some equipment to launch new services, but their model will allow shorter response times to the need for change than their competitors.

Well said...I made the move at the end of August from D* to FIOS. I'm extremely happy with the PQ and channels I get in the LA market. And Tivo!!!! Not looking back. I agree that this a game of 'leapfrog'...D* was nothing for years with their HD lineup and ppl hated them for it. Now they're back on top. I'm sure you'll like FIOS. Good luck with the install. I would suggest that if you're getting a DVR, look at a Tivo. The FIOS dvr is crap. I have one and a Tivo S3, there's no comparison.

Thanks Mike. I've got a 60" 1080p plasma, so I think the difference might be more noticeable on the bigger, high-rez screen.

It's funny, we always 'assume' that FIOS is passing a full-rez, high bitrate signal, but we've never seen any proof of that with actual measurements. Nobody that I can recall has ever posted them for any channel. The good news is that I setup my OTA tuner to compare a 1080i CBS broadcast to a 1080i FIOS STB signal from the same show. I could see no discernable difference.

Ken,

I did a study during the summer after I switched to FIOS from Directv of the data that FIOS puts out.

I did not do all the stations but for those that I could record to my PC via firewire, I did analyze the data and they are passing full resolution and full bit rate.

I was using the firewire port on their HD DVR, the Motorola 6416

If it has 5C enabled, the data on the PC was encrypted so those were worthless but I have a 5C compliant D-VHS which can record all the stations.

I used Tsreader to give me the file stats.

My results are posted somewhere on this board but look at this screen snapshot of my spreadsheet:

You da man Joe!!! Thanks, that's the first time I recall seeing that. Very nice. That will still be the differentiator between FIOS and D*. It would seem that D* has no incentive to restore full 1920X1080 and is sticking with 1440X1080 even on the new Mpeg4s.

People just seem to accept this lower rez and appear to be very happy. It's funny how when you give the public years of crap, you can get away with 'less crap'.

I did a study during the summer after I switched to FIOS from Directv of the data that FIOS puts out.

I did not do all the stations but for those that I could record to my PC via firewire, I did analyze the data and they are passing full resolution and full bit rate.


I don't supposed you also were able to capture via OTA and compare the bit rates?

I have done this in the Tampa market, and both were identical.

So they are not compressing the signal AT ALL? Very impressive!!!! I saw somewhere that the SD channels were 720x480...was that correct?

I don't supposed you also were able to capture via OTA and compare the bit rates?

I have done this in the Tampa market, and both were identical.I've done it in the DC/VA area. They are identical.

So they are not compressing the signal AT ALL? Very impressive!!!! I saw somewhere that the SD channels were 720x480...was that correct?
Not all. Some channels are 720x480, some are 704x480, and others are 528x480 or 544x480.

I'll update this post with examples later today.

Not all. Some channels are 720x480, some are 704x480, and others are 528x480 or 544x480.

I'll update this post with examples later today.

This is really interesting. Please post this info.

For what it is worth last night verizon tv had the message up again about the impending release of the new IMG.
Now today they have the help video's running for the old IPG.

For what it is worth last night verizon tv had the message up again about the impending release of the new IMG.
Now today they have the help video's running for the old IPG.

Where is this message and do viewers with the old IPG see it?

For what it is worth last night verizon tv had the message up again about the impending release of the new IMG.
Now today they have the help video's running for the old IPG.

My 'insider' says December.

Ken,

I did a study during the summer after I switched to FIOS from Directv of the data that FIOS puts out.

I did not do all the stations but for those that I could record to my PC via firewire, I did analyze the data and they are passing full resolution and full bit rate.

I was using the firewire port on their HD DVR, the Motorola 6416

If it has 5C enabled, the data on the PC was encrypted so those were worthless but I have a 5C compliant D-VHS which can record all the stations.

I used Tsreader to give me the file stats.

My results are posted somewhere on this board but look at this screen snapshot of my spreadsheet:

That is nice, thanks for posting. I've had FiOS for two years now. Just this week, I had them bring out a new HD PVR to replace my SD bedroom box.

Too bad there's no way for the Moto HD PVR to send out native rate resolutions via HDMI or component :(

Not all. Some channels are 720x480, some are 704x480, and others are 528x480 or 544x480.

I'll update this post with examples later today.Here you go:

Channel Resolution Average Bitrate

AMC 704x480 3.65
CNBC 704x480 4.97
CNN 704x480 3.15
DISC 528x480 4.88
FX 528x480 2.51
SCIFI 704x480 2.47
SHOW 704x480 2.75
STARZ 704x480 3.56
TCM 704x480 2.64
TBS 704x480 3.25
USA 704x480 4.64

Looks like the History HD channel is on its way, as some History HD content was added to the HD Trial folder for those of us who have that on VOD.

Looks like the History HD channel is on its way, as some History HD content was added to the HD Trial folder for those of us who have that on VOD.

funny how we keep on getting a trickle of new HD offerings, even though the "Sky is falling" crowd is writing VZ's epitaph.

I have no worries about their ability to give us HD. My only gripe is that I would rather see SCI-FI in HD than history channel, but whatever.

From what I understand, and I could be wrong, is that you only get an HD picture on CSN when there is an actual HD event being broadcast. They do not show any upconverted SD programming.

When I wrote the post, the Celtics were playing the Knicks in Boston. Those broadcasts are always in HD, and from the SD signal it appeared to be an HD telecast.

Check this retort out as far as the HD capacity issue goes.


http://policyblog.verizon.com/PolicyBlog/Blogs/policyblog/CZBlogger1/384/On-Email-and-Answers-to-EngadgetHD.aspx

He is correct, the problem is that they did not see the need to add the hardwaare to increase their bandwidth and seemed to be totally blindsided by the DBS announcements. THey had better move on this fast or they will lose the entire holiday period. All those HD sets being sold. Where do you think they will go? TO the provider with the most HD content.

He is correct, the problem is that they did not see the need to add the hardwaare to increase their bandwidth and seemed to be totally blindsided by the DBS announcements. THey had better move on this fast or they will lose the entire holiday period. All those HD sets being sold. Where do you think they will go? TO the provider with the most HD content.

people will go with the AVAILABLE provider with the most HD content.

keep in mind that some people, for one reason or another, don't have or don't want satellite as an option.

and in my area Cox doesn't even come close to what's available from FiOS.

rather than being "blindsided" it's possible Vz sees cable as their main competition.

Most providers try and get people to lock in their rate for a long term contract. FIOS only recently started offering a bundle here. 6 weeks ago they didn't have it when I first got the service. I just signed up for the Double Play so I would save $18 off my TV and phone service compared to what I'm paying now. I just had to sign up for a two year agreement with a $200 penalty for early termination. Unfortunately my internet doesn't qualify for a Triple play deal since I have the 30/5 tier. Plus the longest contract I could get on the 30/5 tier was 1 year. I still might sign up for Wireless since I can save $10 more since that would apply toward a Triple Play deal. I need to see what my usage has been to see if it's worth paying $30 a month instead of pay as I go with Virgin Mobile.

He is correct, the problem is that they did not see the need to add the hardwaare to increase their bandwidth and seemed to be totally blindsided by the DBS announcements. THey had better move on this fast or they will lose the entire holiday period. All those HD sets being sold. Where do you think they will go? TO the provider with the most HD content.


No. They will go to the provider with the best overall service given the price. Unless they have D* now, few people are going to switch because it's going to mean a big increase in internet, phone, and TV costs. Triple plays are much more attractive to the average consumer than shear number of HD channels.

It's not like Verizon has no HD. Verizon has lots of HD, more than almost everyone who's not a satellite company. Verizon's price is attractive and it's service is top notch, and if they're buying their HDTV at Best Buy, they get a $125 credit on Verizon FiOS.

Also keep in mind that it's a lot more of a hassle to put up a dish, get the site survey to ensure you have line of sight etc., than having cable installed. Some people simply won't have the line of sight necessary for the dish due to trees, buildings etc.

Is there any HD programming available via free OnDemand? I poked around in the VOD menus but could not find any.

Is there any HD programming available via free OnDemand? I poked around in the VOD menus but could not find any.
No, unless you live in central and south Virginia. Verizon Fios does not have HD VOD yet. They are testing HD VOD out in central and SE VA area as we have gotten reports from people there. A major reason for the hold-up of HD VOD is that Verizon uses IPTV for VOD and the 19.2 MB/s data rate for a single HD stream technology terms to explain the rest.

FYI Vz added HD VOD movies(well, ONE movie) to the HD VOD testing. "Delta Farce"-but hey they had to start with something.

tomorrow I'm checking the VOD Subcriptions tab for any HBO-HD, SHO-HD, et. al. programs.

hopefully other areas will get HD VOD before long.

FYI Vz added HD VOD movies(well, ONE movie) to the HD VOD testing. "Delta Farce"-but hey they had to start with something.

tomorrow I'm checking the VOD Subcriptions tab for any HBO-HD, SHO-HD, et. al. programs.

hopefully other areas will get HD VOD before long.

do they have 'mad men' on hd vod? if they do, i'll wait to watch it in hd.

"Mad Men" would be in the HD Trial folder if it was anywhere-you're talking about the AMC series, correct?

here we've got(so far) programs from A&E, History CH, HDNet, MHD, Wealth TV, & Golf, plus the one movie("Delta Farce") in HD VOD.

Have to say "Dogfights" looked great in HD so I hope the rumors of adding the History CH-HD soon pan out.

and Vz adding a full-length HD movie to VOD is a good sign IMO.

"Mad Men" would be in the HD Trial folder if it was anywhere-you're talking about the AMC series, correct?

here we've got(so far) programs from A&E, History CH, HDNet, MHD, Wealth TV, & Golf, plus the one movie("Delta Farce") in HD VOD.

Have to say "Dogfights" looked great in HD so I hope the rumors of adding the History CH-HD soon pan out.

and Vz adding a full-length HD movie to VOD is a good sign IMO.
Are you seeing the Delta Farce in the HD Trial folder? I'm not seeing it here, which I find odd since we are coming from the same VHO.

Edit: Nevermind, I found it in the HD Movies folder.

yeah with the testing going on it's a good idea to just surf thru the VOD tabs every once in a while.

By the way, I agree with your take on "Dogfights", the quality was amazing. I'm hoping we get History HD soon, along with the 4 rumored Discovery HD channels.