OK...with TiVo there is no on demand, however I am not sure how much free on demand is on FIOS.

Never have used on demand and never will, but yes it's not available with a TiVo.

Never have used on demand and never will, but yes it's not available with a TiVo.

We only use on demand for FREE shows we catch once in a while.

I'm seeing in on a variety of HD channels. Mostly lines of 1 inch "blocks" that stretch across the screen from left to right. Not a pixelation issue. This is more like a low signal artifact.


Seeing it on HD channels and SD channels... just started over the weekend.

We only use on demand for FREE shows we catch once in a while.

I used it when I forgot to set the DVR for the new season of Battlestar and missed the first episode. That's the first and only time I've used it in the year I've had FiOS.

I used it when I forgot to set the DVR for the new season of Battlestar and missed the first episode. That's the first and only time I've used it in the year I've had FiOS.

Does FIOS have much free on demand?

... Do DVR's stutter? Do the Lock up? ...

TIA

FIOS DVR is, IMO, worse than Comcast's. I've had Comcast HD-DVR for two years and am closing in on one year of FIOS HD-DVR. Guide data on FIOS is, well, crap! There's a number of threads on DSLReport's FIOS TV forum talking about this. As for the hardware itself, same limitation as Comcast DVR (160-gig hard drive, etc.) except that FIOS DVR, at least in my case, seems to require more calls to support and reboots, yes they do lock up. TIVO is beginning to sound a lot better right about now.

FIOS DVR is, IMO, worse than Comcast's. I've had Comcast HD-DVR for two years and am closing in on one year of FIOS HD-DVR. Guide data on FIOS is, well, crap! There's a number of threads on DSLReport's FIOS TV forum talking about this. As for the hardware itself, same limitation as Comcast DVR (160-gig hard drive, etc.) except that FIOS DVR, at least in my case, seems to require more calls to support and reboots, yes they do lock up. TIVO is beginning to sound a lot better right about now.

Thank you...maybe I will stay on CCast for a bit longer!

Thank you...maybe I will stay on CCast for a bit longer!

There's no consensus on which DVR is better. I, for one, prefer the FIOS DVR to others I've used, including Comcast's. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, and one that heavily depends on personal opinions and usage habits.

I certainly wouldn't ever recommend staying with Comcast just to avoid the FIOS DVR.

There's no consensus on which DVR is better. I, for one, prefer the FIOS DVR to others I've used, including Comcast's. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, and one that heavily depends on personal opinions and usage habits.

I agree with all the above. I generally prefer the layout of the guide with the FiOS software. I don't find their guide data to be any worse than when I was with Comcast. The main networks are pretty good, but stuff like SciFi doesn't do a good job of flagging new vs. repeat episodes so a couple of months ago my DVR filled up with Stargate: Atlantis episodes because they were running a marathon leading up to the final episode. It was frustrating, but certainly not a deal-killer.

There's no consensus on which DVR is better. I, for one, prefer the FIOS DVR to others I've used, including Comcast's. It's an apples-to-oranges comparison, and one that heavily depends on personal opinions and usage habits.

I certainly wouldn't ever recommend staying with Comcast just to avoid the FIOS DVR.


OK, I know this is the FIOS forum, but what are the biggest reasons to go FIOS-TV? I thought it was cost, but by the time I add the 2 HD DVR's and two STB's I am not sure I save anything. I already have FIOS internet and phone.

OK, I know this is the FIOS forum, but what are the biggest reasons to go FIOS-TV? I thought it was cost, but by the time I add the 2 HD DVR's and two STB's I am not sure I save anything. I already have FIOS internet and phone.

Rather than guessing about it, create a spreadsheet and figure it out. When I did the math I figured I was going to save about $600 over two years vs. staying with Comcast (and in my calculations I assumed Comcast would not increase their rates). The spreadsheet was real easy to throw together.

Anyone else tonight catch the "tonight's game brought to you in Hi-Def" announcement on the Blazer game?

Tonight is the first time I've heard them mention other carriers having the HD game.

They mentioned Canby Telecom and Bend Broadband in addition to Comcast.

FIOS DVR is, IMO, worse than Comcast's. I've had Comcast HD-DVR for two years and am closing in on one year of FIOS HD-DVR. Guide data on FIOS is, well, crap! There's a number of threads on DSLReport's FIOS TV forum talking about this. As for the hardware itself, same limitation as Comcast DVR (160-gig hard drive, etc.) except that FIOS DVR, at least in my case, seems to require more calls to support and reboots, yes they do lock up. TIVO is beginning to sound a lot better right about now.


Yep, the TiVo guide is the only way to go. It is worth every penny, plus adding the external and I'll never have to delete something because I'm running out of room.

Rather than guessing about it, create a spreadsheet and figure it out. When I did the math I figured I was going to save about $600 over two years vs. staying with Comcast (and in my calculations I assumed Comcast would not increase their rates). The spreadsheet was real easy to throw together.


...but a spreadsheet would not do too well for things like ease of use, picture quality and fewer issues.

...but a spreadsheet would not do too well for things like ease of use, picture quality and fewer issues.

My point was that you said you thought the reason to switch was cost but you "weren't sure" if you'd save anything. My point was that rather than guessing as to whether you'd save anything, why not do the calculations and figure it out.

Ease of use is pretty subjective. I prefer the DVR software over Comcast, but plenty of people think the other way.

I would say I personally have had fewer issues, but I've been with FiOS for less time than with Comcast. However, again you're going to run into completely subjective reports. Some people have had problems, and they're likely to be the most vocal.

As for picture quality, it's television. I don't think it's any better or worse than Comcast. You want super-duper picture quality, get yourself a Blu-ray player and watch them.

My point was that you said you thought the reason to switch was cost but you "weren't sure" if you'd save anything. My point was that rather than guessing as to whether you'd save anything, why not do the calculations and figure it out.

Ease of use is pretty subjective. I prefer the DVR software over Comcast, but plenty of people think the other way.

I would say I personally have had fewer issues, but I've been with FiOS for less time than with Comcast. However, again you're going to run into completely subjective reports. Some people have had problems, and they're likely to be the most vocal.

As for picture quality, it's television. I don't think it's any better or worse than Comcast. You want super-duper picture quality, get yourself a Blu-ray player and watch them.


YUP, BluRay here and a Qualia 70" set to watch them on!

In the Oregonian today, they say that Verizon is going to be raising its rental rates on its boxes by $2, and that new customers will be offered fewer high definition channels. I guess this means that some tier adjustments will be made.

Comcast customers will get a 6.6% rate hike on their main package.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/02/comcast_sets_rate_hike_on_apri.html

Ok, so you offer new subscribers less HD...then WTF did Verizon get rid of the Premiere service? You sign people up for that service and then have them pay to upgrade to ExtremeHD to get the channels that most of us have.

Not a hard concept to figure out Verizon!

If they're going to raise the monthly rental of my HD boxes they better damn well provide a box that works correctly. I'm tired of unplugging and resetting these things only to see more frequent error codes flash on the display. And there better be no increases while I am in the midst of a contract year.

I don't think the equipment rental fees are part of the contract, are they?

I don't think the equipment rental fees are part of the contract, are they?

Hmm, y'got me there. I'll have to find the fine print - if and when the time comes.

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r21965525-HD-Northeast-Celtics-away-games-on-577

some HD games are being shown on 577 in the NE market (which in some markets, including Oregon, would be the CSN-HD sports channel).

In Oregon, we've only had the CSN NW standard def channel (77) all season long to watch the Blazers, which is unfortunate as the Blazers home games can be seen in HD on CSN, only if you have Comcast. My Comcast buddies have been rubbing it in my face all season, which hasn't been fun to endure.

If Verizon has worked it out in one market, maybe it will be reaching other markets for the remainder of the season. I was seriously contemplating dropping Verizon just for this reason (and the lack of NBA TV this season).

I know I'll be checking 577 tonight during the Blazers/Rockets game to see if anything shows up in the Oregon market (and most definitely during their next home game on CSN).

Please Please Please Please be right!


Bad link there jtrain, I'll find it on dslreports though.

One question, has CSN broadcast any road games in HD on Comcast? I was sure they only did home games.

I know I'll be checking 577 tonight during the Blazers/Rockets game to see if anything shows up in the Oregon market (and most definitely during their next home game on CSN).

So what was the result, jtrain? 577 isn't lit up this morning nor is it in the Guide. I watched last night on 77 and glad I didn't give up during the 3rd Q.

577 is a non-tunable channel for me on a TiVo.

So what was the result, jtrain? 577 isn't lit up this morning nor is it in the Guide. I watched last night on 77 and glad I didn't give up during the 3rd Q.

No results to speak of, although i didn't expect that CSN NW would actually be showing a road game of the Blazers in HD. I'll be more interested in seeing if something shows up when their next home game is scheduled to air on CSN NW. I was just commenting that, in at least one market, ch. 577 is live, which was news to me.

i did shoot another note off to Jon Davies of Verizon, and he politely got back to me and said he'd check on the status of CSN NW airing HD games on Verizon FiOS TV. I've not heard back from him today (that was late afternoon yesterday that I received his response).

I'm hopeful, but not overly so that Verizon will carry any CSN NW HD games this season. I'd be shocked and pleasantly surprised if they end up doing so.

Anyone able to tune in 586 MLBHD? I have guide data for it, but it's not tunable. Heard it was supposed to be lit up on 3/1/09 but why would it have program descriptions if it's not lit? Could just be a timing error from Tribune?

My TiVo has guide data for it also. I've read on DSLReports that it's supposed to be turned up wide 3/3.

586 is not in my guide this morning. (Neither is 577.)

My TiVo has guide data for it also. I've read on DSLReports that it's supposed to be turned up wide 3/3.

Aaah, will check it on Tuesday.

Darci on DSLReports says it's up this morning in Oregon. I'm at work and can't check right now.

MLB HD - 586 is up (beaverton, or)

Yep, it's a go here.

Over the weekend I got a flier (think it was in the paper - might have been the mail though) from Verizon with their current PDX channel line up. It had a listing for 577 (and IIRC the 586 channel) as coming soon. I just scanned it quickly but I believe the description for 577 was something like "Oregon HD sports" even. So it does look like you guys may finally be on the verge... If I were a Fios customer I know I'd be checking 577 tonight to see if Jarrett Jack losing his first game back in PDX was in HD or not :)

Their current on-line PDF is from back in Nov so it doesn't reflect either of them though:

http://www22.verizon.com/NROneRetail/NR/rdonlyres/C267A4DD-8582-4C33-9029-C08CD5922C89/0/PORT_CLU.pdf


ron

577 is still not a tunable channel.

That's a downer. The game looked great in HD last night, or at least the fourth quarter did anyway. I tried to find the flier in a bag of newspapers last night when I got home to double check what it said, but didnt turn it up unfortunately. If I get a chance I'll see if it can find it in some others I took out to the garage while I was cleaning up over the weekend...


ron

I saw that insert, too. As I recall, (I'm on the road right now) it listed 576/577 and noted them as NW Sports or something similar and "coming soon". This must have been a older compilation of channels as Golf Channel HD 593 was also listed as coming soon and we've had that for over a month now. I wouldn't take their listing of 577 as indicative of anything imminent, unfortunately.

Here's the ad. I received it in yesterday's mail. 576-577 are listed as "Regional Sports Programming" but do not include the "Coming Soon" notation. Coincidentally, the channels shown as "Coming Soon" are already in the lineup.

That looks like the one jpistacc. It may not be imminent, but at least they appear to have slots on the drawing board for the programming now.


ron

Here's the ad. I received it in yesterday's mail. 576-577 are listed as "Regional Sports Programming" but do not include the "Coming Soon" notation. Coincidentally, the channels shown as "Coming Soon" are already in the lineup.

Not all of the coming soon channels are in the guide. NBATV most certainly is not, not sure if the ES.TV or the Cars channel in HD are available.

It certainly looks like Verizon is acting like any other video service these days, versus, being outfront on channel adds. After doing reading, I'm surprised at how little bandwidth is left from a fiber system.

Not a complaint really, since what I have is the best video quality. Even the few SD channels I watch are far and wide better than SD channels from any of the providers I've previously had. (C*, D* and E*).

It will be interesting to see if they squeeze SD channels in the future to fit more HD, or, transition to another delivery method to save bits.

Hey Everyone Fios is finally up in Happy Valley. Mine was installed on thursday and so far much better than Comcast. I got the Extreme HD triple play offer going on now. I have a question for using the Westell 9100em router with a PS3. My old setup used a wired Linksys WRT600N to stream music to PS3. It worked perfectly after opening ports2869 and 1900 on the old router. I can't get this to work with the Westell. I can get it to connect to the internet on the playstation, I have the device show up in Media player but the PS3 will not connect to a music server. Does anyone have this running. Thanks
Gary

Looks like it was the firewall. Strange it was working before the install but after the McAfee firewall stopped it. Still giving a DNLS error but I can work with it now.

I have about had it with my two Comcast HD DVR's missing Series recordings. I can look and see that SNL or House is going to record. The next day, they are not there...like they were flagged at the last minute as a RERUN. Has this been happening on FIOS?

Didn't happen with my TiVo, it recorded SNL with Dwayne Johnson.

Didn't happen with my TiVo, it recorded SNL with Dwayne Johnson.

But will the standard HD DVR from Verizon be OK?

But will the standard HD DVR from Verizon be OK?


Our Motorola box from Verizon recorded Saturday night's SNL as a new recording just fine.

Sounds like guide data issue for Comcast then as TiVo and Verizon/Comcast use different providers for their guide info.

Sounds like guide data issue for Comcast then as TiVo and Verizon/Comcast use different providers for their guide info.

I agree and what Comcast does not "get" is that we are paying them and that this guide issue is THEIR problem not ours!

Yep, three different guide providers and only 2/3 of them work for your problem, unfortunately Comcast is in that 1/3.

I forget what the last release was that Verizon sent us but I see I now have 1.6.2. I have also noticed that the time display on my STB has been consistent. It no longer reverts to the channel ID. Previously, I set the display pref to show the time and the display would only show the channel, unless I powered down and reset. This problem seems to have been fixed!! Can anyone confirm?

I'll check my regular STB box upstairs tonight/tomorrow morning to see if the Time function actually sticks this time. Was very annoying!!!

Time function finally works and it sticks!

I had a note from Jon Davies (Media Contact for the Oregon market) this morning that FSN NW HD is now available. I'm at work, so I can't check it, but this is great news (esp. if you're a Mariner fan). I don't think it's a full time channel, but will broadcast FSN NW HD games when available.

Still no word on CSN NW and FiOS broadcasting the blazer HD home games (i'm hoping this arrives for next season).

FSNW HD is now live on 576. No Comcast HD yet.

Awesome, it's about f'n time! It looks to be a full-time channel, just not everything is in HD.

... just not everything is in HD....

Which is true of about 60% of the ~HD channels we get. :( But glad to see FSNNW HD here. Thanks, Verizon. A step in the right direction.

It's so quiet here. Can someone say something? Anything at all?

Here's a topic: any old / ongoing / new problems with TiVo HD boxes on FiOS in the local area?

No problems for me and my TiVo Series 3.

As some of you know I still have CCast TV even though I have FIOS for Internet and Phone. Anyway, IF I went to FIOS-TV, do I HAVE to have a box for every TV? ie: if so, does that mean I can not just hook up a TV with QAM tuner(s) to the wall or my old NTSC ReplayTV?

Pretty sure they require a box/cable card per tv. And Comcast will be requiring you to have a box-type device very soon as well. The days of simply plugging in a cable into the back of your tv are over.

Pretty sure they require a box/cable card per tv. And Comcast will be requiring you to have a box-type device very soon as well. The days of simply plugging in a cable into the back of your tv are over.

I thought that even with CCast that a cable into a QAM tuner would give us the HD stations, etc that are in the clear....like the broadcast stations.

I'm pretty sure that is the case - I think the FCC requires them to provide in-the-clear local channels, and your QAM based tuner should pick them up.

But the channel numbers will be crazy. Apparently they are under no obligation to make it convenient for you; so they will purposely NOT do the channel number remapping that makes channel numbers align to what they are on the STB or over-the-air broadcast. As a result, you'll end up with local KATU on some random channel like 105-23. I'm sure they believe this motivates people to rent a STB from them.

If your TV has cablecard capability, then you can rent a cablecard from Vz for either $3 or $4 a month, not sure what they're quoting lately. With the cablecard, the channel numbers will be mapped exactly the same as they are on the STB. You don't get the channel guide, on-demand or PPV.

Anyone enjoying YES? Boy, I'll tell you, it's a non-event for me. No live games and all the Yankee BS you can tolerate. How about we trade it for CSN HD? I guess that issue is moot for the rest of this season. All the playoff games will be on channels we get.

But I did enjoy seeing the Mariners from Safeco last night in HD. For that I am grateful.

Did anyone experience an audio drop for about 5-7 minutes toward the end of Medium the other night? I watched my recording last night and half way through the last batch of commercials and for about 4 minutes into the resumed program, there was no audio. I've been having sporadic glitches with my DVR and am trying to determine if the drive is going bad or whether it's just program feed problems. BTW, what's with all the info crawls KGW has been subjecting us to? Also, when their news promos get superimposed on a program the audio drops about 1/2. When are they ever going to get this right?:rolleyes::mad:

Thanks HTBruceM.

Yes, my TV(s) have the cablecard slot. I had thought that for the price of a cablecard that it was only a few dollars more to get a box and you would have access to On Demand.

I had heard that not only does CCast put In-The-Clear stations all over the place but that they often move and you need to rescan in order to get them back again!

I think those periodic audio dropouts on HD channels are a common thing, at least on the ABC, CBS, FOX, NBC channels. It seems like everybody I talk to is getting them on both FIOS and Comcast. Pretty annoying too.

My guess is that it's caused by the networks or the locals. The interesting thing is that I ONLY see dropouts like that on the local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX channels - never on channels like Discovery HD, History HD, TLC-HD, EPSN, the HD news channels, etc.

My guess is that it's caused by the networks or the locals. The interesting thing is that I ONLY see dropouts like that on the local ABC, CBS, NBC, FOX channels - never on channels like Discovery HD, History HD, TLC-HD, EPSN, the HD news channels, etc.

Now that you mention it, we're seeing the same behavior. We're only getting sound drop-outs on network affiliate channels, not the cable only networks.

Anyone excited about being "sold off" into a joint company between Verizon and Frontier? Better hope it's not the same ending that is Fairpoint Communications in the NE.

Deal won't be finalized for up to a year from now but still, I don't see how this can be a good thing. The one thing I can't understand is that the combined territories only have 69,000 FiOS TV customers, that can't be right can it? The operations Frontier will acquire include all of Verizon's local wireline operating territories in Arizona, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, South Carolina, Washington, West Virginia and Wisconsin. In addition, the transaction will include a small number of Verizon's exchanges in California, including those bordering Arizona, Nevada and Oregon.

As of year-end 2008, these operations served approximately 4.8 million local access lines; 2.2 million long-distance customers; 1.0 million high-speed data customers, including approximately 110,000 FiOS Internet customers; and 69,000 FiOS TV customers.



http://newscenter.verizon.com/press-releases/verizon/2009/verizon-to-divest-wireline.html

The one thing I can't understand is that the combined territories only have 69,000 FiOS TV customers, that can't be right can it?


It's possible. Verizon always did the build outs in what the thought were the more profitable neighborhoods and they didn't always build out the entire neighborhood. In mine the Fios stuff stops two blocks away. Whatever market surveying they did was pretty target specific from what I've seen.

Anyone excited about being "sold off" into a joint company between Verizon and Frontier? Better hope it's not the same ending that is Fairpoint Communications in the NE.

Deal won't be finalized for up to a year from now but still, I don't see how this can be a good thing. The one thing I can't understand is that the combined territories only have 69,000 FiOS TV customers, that can't be right can it?

I'm not sure how this even affects FiOS customers. The first two paragraphs of the press release are:

In a move that will further accelerate the company's focus on wireless, broadband and global IP, Verizon Communications Inc. (NYSE:VZ) today announced plans to divest its local wireline operations serving residential and small-business customers in predominantly rural areas in 14 states and that these operations will be acquired by Frontier Communications (NYSE:FTR).

The transaction is expected to strengthen Frontier's position as a premier rural communications provider and return a total value of $8.6 billion to Verizon and its shareholders, as Verizon continues to transform its growth profile and asset base around the fastest-growing parts of its business: wireless, fiber-based wireline (FiOS) and global IP (Internet protocol) networks.

So it sounds like it's the copper stuff that Verizon is selling off, not their FiOS customers, and even that in mostly rural areas.

What am I missing?

So it sounds like it's the copper stuff that Verizon is selling off, not their FiOS customers, and even that in mostly rural areas.

What am I missing?

If you read the threads on dslreports.com it's clear that the sale includes all FiOS customers in Oregon.

I'm not sure how this even affects FiOS customers. The first two paragraphs of the press release are:



So it sounds like it's the copper stuff that Verizon is selling off, not their FiOS customers, and even that in mostly rural areas.

What am I missing?



From the article linked before. The transaction includes Verizon's switched and special access lines in the affected areas, as well as its Internet service and long-distance voice accounts. Also included are fiber-to-the-premises (FTTP) assets deployed by Verizon in 41 local franchises and the state of Indiana, which pass approximately 600,000 homes and small businesses. Frontier will continue to provide video services in these areas after the completion of the merger.

It's possible. Verizon always did the build outs in what the thought were the more profitable neighborhoods and they didn't always build out the entire neighborhood. In mine the Fios stuff stops two blocks away. Whatever market surveying they did was pretty target specific from what I've seen.


But it's 69,000 TOTAL for the 41 service areas, plus the entire state of Indiana. Seems awfully small to me, but if the total is only about 600,000 houses that can get FiOS, then it's over 10% carrying power...so who knows?


*edit* had 14 instead of 41 service areas

From the Oregonian...

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/05/verizon_to_sell_oregon_washing.html


Of the 69,000 tv customers being sold, about 22% of them are in Washington County? (15,000) That just doesn't seem right that there's 41 local service areas and the entire state of Indiana and we're 22% of that number?

From the Oregonian...

I get the sense the PR group didn't have time to proofread some of these releases, because they just strike me as being rife with contradictions.

...the company said the purchase fits neatly with Frontier's rural focus.

How exactly does buying up the fiber and subscribers in Washington and Multnomah counties fit neatly with a rural focus?

Verizon has been systematically selling off its traditional phone business, which is rapidly losing subscribers as people shift from copper phone lines to cell phones and Internet calling.

The article implies this is part of that systematic sell-off, except FiOS isn't "traditional phone business" on "copper phone lines", it is a form of "Internet calling."

Just seems odd.

From the Oregonian...

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/05/verizon_to_sell_oregon_washing.html


Of the 69,000 tv customers being sold, about 22% of them are in Washington County? (15,000) That just doesn't seem right that there's 41 local service areas and the entire state of Indiana and we're 22% of that number?


Ahhh I see where you're looking at. No. There's 69,000 Verizon customers in Oregon. That does sound low but when you factor in the number of people who use wireless v.s. home services, it's possible.

Verizon's only real presence around here is Washington County and East County/Gresham. There are other pockets around but that's the majority of their service area here in Oregon. Factor in Comcast offering voice services and then vonage and you can see how the numbers tumble.

How exactly does buying up the fiber and subscribers in Washington and Multnomah counties fit neatly with a rural focus?


It hasn't felt very rural in Washington County in about 15 years maybe a bit longer. You're right not a lot fits in this whole thing.

Ahhh I see where you're looking at. No. There's 69,000 Verizon customers in Oregon. That does sound low but when you factor in the number of people who use wireless v.s. home services, it's possible.

Verizon's only real presence around here is Washington County and East County/Gresham. There are other pockets around but that's the majority of their service area here in Oregon. Factor in Comcast offering voice services and then vonage and you can see how the numbers tumble.


Verizon might have 69,000 customers in Oregon, but the article specifically states that there's about 15,000 tv customers plus an unnamed amount in east county. That 15,000 is about 22% of the total amount of tv customers being sold which is very hard to believe considering that Seattle, the entire state of Indiana, and others are also included.

Numbers aside, this is going to surprise a lot of people when they receive a statement in the mail concerning this change.

Numbers aside, this is going to surprise a lot of people when they receive a statement in the mail concerning this change.

Agreed this can't bode well. First, I haven't been able to find any areas where Frontier supplies television services. I'm finding lots of google hits where they STOPPED, but nothing concrete to look at channel lineups.

The speculation is that Verizon will still provide the channel lineups for them but I can't imagine that lasting all that long. Wouldn't suprise me to see a giant step backwards.

Agreed this can't bode well. First, I haven't been able to find any areas where Frontier supplies television services. I'm finding lots of google hits where they STOPPED, but nothing concrete to look at channel lineups.

Apparently they bundle DISH network satteliteTV with their phone and DSL. That seems to be the extent of their video delivery expertise, that is to say NONE!



...Wouldn't suprise me to see a giant step backwards.


I fear the same, based on the what I read about Frontier's customer service and pricing in the New England area.:(

HZ

Apparently they bundle DISH network satteliteTV with their phone and DSL. That seems to be the extent of their video delivery expertise, that is to say NONE!





I fear the same, based on the what I read about Frontier's customer service and pricing in the New England area.:(

HZ


Frontier doesn't run the New England area, that's Fairpoint. But your point remains about how New England is being run.

Wouldn't surprise me to see a giant step backwards.

Why do people always want to assume the worst? A year ago it was that gas prices were never going to go down again. Six months ago it was that we were headed for a depression and an S&P below 5000. Neither of those things happened. Verizon didn't have any experience in video delivery either, but they figured it out.

If it is the same or better, you win. If it gets worse, you switch to Comcast. No sense in fretting over something you can't control.

Why do people always want to assume the worst? A year ago it was that gas prices were never going to go down again. Six months ago it was that we were headed for a depression and an S&P below 5000. Neither of those things happened. Verizon didn't have any experience in video delivery either, but they figured it out.

If it is the same or better, you win. If it gets worse, you switch to Comcast. No sense in fretting over something you can't control.

I like the competition with Comcast! If Comcast thinks it is about over, then it can not be good for us in Washington CO. I have FIOS Internet and Phone, but have kept Comcast TV...for now.

P.S. The S&P has never been 5000...you mean the DJIA. :-)

I'll just chime in agreeing with the observations already posted. I, too, got a kick out of the Oregonian article inference that Frontier (true to their name, perhaps?) specialized in serving rural customers. It will bear watching to see how contracts Verizon set up with programming providers for its FiOS TV service are affected as it splits out the Frontier subscriber base. I rue the day I would have to look to Comcast as my only non-OTA option (trees prevent D* or E* here). I am fearful. Can the MACC protect us?

P.S. The S&P has never been 5000...you mean the DJIA. :-)

You are correct. I erred.

I just read about this in the paper at lunch today. It is very surprising after spending all the money to run the fiber... Their sub numbers are still small though and maybe that's why the apparent change of direction? Perhaps they are coming to the realization that it's not so easy to be a profitable player in this market after all? In any case, it looks like my hope for higher quality HD service one day is further clouded... :(

I'll just chime in agreeing with the observations already posted. I, too, got a kick out of the Oregonian article inference that Frontier (true to their name, perhaps?) specialized in serving rural customers. It will bear watching to see how contracts Verizon set up with programming providers for its FiOS TV service are affected as it splits out the Frontier subscriber base. I rue the day I would have to look to Comcast as my only non-OTA option (trees prevent D* or E* here). I am fearful. Can the MACC protect us?


I rue that day as well ridge, fortunately I still have a DirecTV dish on my house still so I can go that route if need be. I will not go to Comcast in my current house period.

Follow up to HDTV123's post, the 69,000 tv customers come from Oregon, Washington, Indiana, and South Carolina...I can believe that number now.

http://www.multichannel.com/article/232530-Frontier_No_Changes_For_FiOS_DirecTV_Customers_For_9_12_Mont hs.php

rifleman: There's even more in that article that scares me. Anytime a corporate spokesperson talks about doing what's best for their customers, read: bottom line. Did you click through to the article by the Wachovia analyst who follows Frontier about the synthetic triple-play with Dish? http://www.multichannel.com/article/232362-Analyst_Frontier_Deal_Could_Benefit_Dish.php
I suspect that would be similar to Qwest partnering with Dish (or is it DirecTV?) here locally for Portland.

Well, I guess we just sit back here in "rural" Tigard and see what they throw at us. Can't wait for my new DSL connection.

If they drop FiOS and start offering Dish, I'm going back to DirecTV.

The affected areas were 4% of FiOS Internet, and 3% of FiOS TV...the internet number surprises me as that's very low (although the internet is more widely offered than TV so maybe it's a wash).


Rural Washington County and Rural Seattle suburbs, what a joke!

Does Verizon have an actual office here where one can swap a box? If so. where is it located?

Thanks!

Not sure of exact address but it's out near the Hillsboro Stadium off Sunset Highway and Cornelius Pass. That's where the VHO is.

Not sure of exact address but it's out near the Hillsboro Stadium off Sunset Highway and Cornelius Pass. That's where the VHO is.

Thank you sir!

Does Verizon have an actual office here where one can swap a box? If so. where is it located?

Thanks!

There are two Verizon Plus stores. West side is in Tanasbourne Village Shopping Ctr. East side is Gresham Town Fair. The link below lists them and their address. Be prepared to wait.

http://www22.verizon.com/residential/templates/sas/sas_StoreLocator_results.aspx?State=OR&SName=Oregon

I'm pretty sure you can only take boxes back to those stores, not exchange them unless something has changed in the last year.

I'm pretty sure you can only take boxes back to those stores, not exchange them unless something has changed in the last year.

My experience with the store was returning a box. I didn't think to note if they did swaps or other.

Sorry, no inventory of set top boxes are carried in the stores. You can order one from the store or return a box. Better to call Verizon on the phone to order another box, as there really is no advantage to visiting the stroe at all. And yes, you will have to wait in the store, only to be disappointed.

The VHO is in the NW corner of the NW 229th and NW Evergreen Parkway intersection. There are 4 large bldgs there, and the VHO is in the bldg that also houses ACME Tool and Building supplies; nearest the fire station. this office has all the transmission equipment for FiOS, but is not intended to serve customers directly.

Mike

Thanks for the info. I'll give them a call and have them ship me the box.

I called Verizon today for a replacement box, they created an order and told me to go to the Verizon Plus store at Tanasbourne. I showed up,waited a few minutes and left with an HD box.

I questioned the guy on the phone and he said they just recently began stocking the stores with boxes so it cuts down on the trips and the shipping costs.

I believe the key is you need to have an order number when you walk in the door to get a replacement.

Was there a problem with KPTV presenting American Idol in HD tonight on Ch 512? I haven't watched any of this all season and just tuned in to watch the 10 o'clock news and AI was running over but it didn't fill my screen, so I presume it was SD. I thought AI went to HD a few years back. A local glitch?

Was there a problem with KPTV presenting American Idol in HD tonight on Ch 512? I haven't watched any of this all season and just tuned in to watch the 10 o'clock news and AI was running over but it didn't fill my screen, so I presume it was SD. I thought AI went to HD a few years back. A local glitch?
Yeah, KPTV decided to run a scroll on the bottom of the screen to "tease" the 10 O'Clock News and they don't have the capability to do that over an HD network feed (dumb!)...

After they were done with the scroll, they kept it in SD so that they could "animate" to the KPTV American Idol news coverage...

They really need to get that fixed.

A sales guy with a FiOS shirt was aggressively working our neighborhood on Memorial Day. He wanted to move me off of copper and onto FiOS phone. He went on and on about deteriorating copper wire and how fiber was so much better.

He was lying (let's charitably call him misinformed) since he insisted that Verizon was only selling copper, and not fiber, to Frontier. Which contradicts everything else I've read. And which seems ludicrous. Why would Verizon want copper controlled by a competitor side-by-side, street-by-street? That's emphatically not how a monopoly telco operates. It's not in their DNA.

I would have expected Verizon to abandon all such sales activity now that they are getting out of the business here. Their deal with Frontier must be structured in such a way that they will continue to profit from copper -> fiber conversion over the next year.

I raised the issue of switching to FiOS TV. You would think he would have raised that topic, since, once you are face-to-face with a customer, why limit sales activity to just phone. But maybe there is no incentive in the deal for Verizon to deliver additional TV customers to Frontier.

The sales guy barely knew what a CableCARD was, and couldn't assure me that I'd get only M-cards if I switched (I don't want to pay $4/ea for S-cards when each TiVo needs two). The guy he called at Verizon for support couldn't help out on the M-card issue since he didn't know WTF a CableCARD was, and apparently no supervisor was working over the holiday. Which tells me that, sadly, the "war" between TiVo and rented DVRs is not going very well for what I feel is the "better" solution.

He was lying (let's charitably call him misinformed) since he insisted that Verizon was only selling copper, and not fiber, to Frontier. Which contradicts everything else I've read.

Everything I've read about this Frontier purchase has been self-contradictory. The press releases have gone back-and-forth and included information that doesn't make any sense (like the purchase will fit into Frontier's "rural focus").

I just had a cable card installed earlier this week into a Moxi box. the first for my installer from Verizon. He has done many TiVo installs.

He said that only M cards are being used now in the local area.

There still is a lot of confusion at the call center as well as the Verizon Plus stores. My adventure started last week with the call center entering an order and sending me to Tanasborne to pick up a card (they have never stocked them according to the store manager). I had the store take care of re-entering the order, and the manager was then convinced they would send me one for self-install.

Over the holiday weekend I got an automated phone call to tell me about my install on Tuesday, and the wording sounded like it was a new install of FiOS service. I was also given an 8-hour window to stand-by for the tech, and to alot 6-hours for the work. Again a call to Verizon, but the call center really ould nothelp very much as their system didn't reveal too much about what was really going to happen on tuesday.

Fortunately, a few users over at the Verizon support forum set me straight:
- Verizon is using M-cards exclusively now
- a tech must always do the install, so there is always a truck roll

During the install, the signal quality was checked, as well as the ActionTec router. My tech had some issues since I changed the IP range for my in-home network. He also swapped out some cables and splitters, replacing the "cheap" ones I had inserted to make the tap.

Long story short, after about an hour of futzing, the card was activated and the Moxi box is getting all the channels I subscribe to.

Charge per month? Nothing published on the website. At the call center, I was told $2.99 and $3.99 per month. We'll see. I suggested that I should at least get some credit for the confusion. I also suggested that a better FAQ ashould be posted at the Verizon website, and that its call center people should also have more accurate info.

Mike

I also suggested that a better FAQ ashould be posted at the Verizon website, and that its call center people should also have more accurate info.

Mike

Seriously? You're delusional if you think that's ever going to happen. Nice attempt, though. ;) Whenever I call, the CSRs are ever apologetic for their website and billing deficiencies.

Seriously? You're delusional if you think that's ever going to happen. Nice attempt, though. ;) Whenever I call, the CSRs are ever apologetic for their website and billing deficiencies.

You better savor your experiences while you still can. Things will probably get worse. These are the good times! Call me cynical, but I just can't imagine that Frontier will be better.

Read up on the unmitigated disaster that is Fairpoint (n.b. don't confuse this name with Frontier). They took over Verizon's lines in the rural northeast. It was such a catastrophe that Verizon and Frontier claim they want to avoid something like that occurring again. But only time will tell.

Of course it's probably not as bad as Hawaii. There Verizon's stuff was sold to a private equity company, and has since filed Chapter 11. How good are the CSRs at a company that's bankrupt and presumably trying to cut costs even more?

^^ Yup, yup and yup!

Tomorrow I will be getting 3 TiVo HD's. I now have Comcast TV, but FIOS Internet. I am not anxious to fight with Comcast about M-Cards and giving them back 2 HD DVR's and an HD STB. I just know I will be fighting the bill for a long time.

So, now I wonder if it would be a good time to consider FIOS-TV?

1. How much are CableCards and can I get 3 M-Cards?
2. I have Comcast Digital Clasic and wonder about FIOS-TV cost and how good the HD is.
3. Does anyone here in Portland (97229) have TiVo HD's and how well do they work?

I am concerned that Verizon has "sold out" to another Company and I wonder if they care any more...ie: give out some movie packages, etc. Will FIOS-TV allow me to get HD with no more equipment than 3 CableCards...or with them and 1 SD box for my wifes sewing room?

I know...why don't I just call them...but you guys already have this stuff and can tell me how well it is doing. I am sure Verizon reps will promise me anything on the phone...OH, I must be thinking about Comcast! Perhaps they are both the same in that respect!

TIA

The six new HDchannels for FiOS(MTV, Comedy Central, SpikeTV and three others) went live a few days ago but it looks like Verizon is providing East Coast guide data when we have the West Coast versions of the channels.

Still glad to have them!


I'd still take FiOS over Comcast any day of the week mpsan. I believe the only cable cards around are the M cards so three of those would fill up your TiVoHD's. Verizon will let you have the 3 M cards and not require any other boxes around the house (unless you want the one for the sewing room).


Others can chime in but I'm still very happy with what we have (TiVo S3) and the PQ is stunning compared to anything else I've seen. Forgot, if you do get FiOS installed, ask the installer for a few attenuators to help lower the FiOS signal for each of your TiVoHD's. You'll have to trail and error to get the numbers right and the signal down to where the channels aren't constantly pixellating.

The six new HDchannels for FiOS(MTV, Comedy Central, SpikeTV and three others) went live a few days ago but it looks like Verizon is providing East Coast guide data when we have the West Coast versions of the channels.

Still glad to have them!


I'd still take FiOS over Comcast any day of the week mpsan. I believe the only cable cards around are the M cards so three of those would fill up your TiVoHD's. Verizon will let you have the 3 M cards and not require any other boxes around the house (unless you want the one for the sewing room).


Others can chime in but I'm still very happy with what we have (TiVo S3) and the PQ is stunning compared to anything else I've seen. Forgot, if you do get FiOS installed, ask the installer for a few attenuators to help lower the FiOS signal for each of your TiVoHD's. You'll have to trail and error to get the numbers right and the signal down to where the channels aren't constantly pixellating.

Thank you...I think the signal we are looking for on Verizon for the TiVo is 85% or so. Another thing I heard is that Verizon does not care where you put the cards whereas Comcast sets them up to ONLY work with the TiVo or TV they were put in.

Does Fios let you get the cards or do they still not have any store to pick stuff up?

I wonder what will happen to my price, too? At one time, didn't Verizon FIOS-TV include stuff like Starz, etc...some Free Movie Channels even in HD?

I hope the East Coast Company keeps it going. As I said I have Verizon Internet (FIOS). I see they just upped the speed (mine is 10/2) as well.

FiOS still requires a tech to come out to bring and install the M-Card. I had this done a few weeks back with the install of a Digeo Moxi box. Tech did a great job, and this was his first Moxi install. My tech also did the first TiVo HD install in the Beaverton area.

Why the personal visit of the installer? It is simply NOT a straight forward setup. The tech checked the signal quality and levels; updated the router firmware; captured a reported from his network tester and sent it to the servers in the sky. His automated tools to set up the cable card didn't quite work (PC temporarily connected to my network). He had to bypass the automated setup, and type quite a few numbers in manually to authenticate the cable card. Same process for any cable card activation; try the automatic wizard first, then the manual when needed.

I've got the 6416 DVD x2, the 6200, and now the Moxi for HD, and all deliver a stunning picture. I have not had any picture quality issues at all. Primary set is a 61" Samsung LED-lit DLP (sigh, now discontinued).

A good friend has TiVo HD with Comcast in city of Portland; she's quite happy, too, and has never really compained about any issues. But her set is only 32" <grin>

When you call for the cable-card, you may be told that you can pick one up at the office. Don't believe it, unless you actually walk in and check with the office first! I was told by that I could pick opne up, and you could imagine my surprise when I got the office and had to leave empty handed, even though I had a confirmed order. The office does not stock them. They also don't really stock cable boxes either, at least at the Tanasbourne office. Here is what the manager told me - customers can return boxes to the office, and they sometimes recyle them to new customers, but they have no ability to check them out. He highly recommended ordering new equipment thru the call center; at least then you are assured of getting a box that has been checked out as working properly. My initial install of 3 boxes were all new boxes at the time, and the 4th I added a few months later was also a new box.

As for Frontier, I have my fingers crossed that all will remain the same. I can't imagine that Frontier would trash the multi-million investment that Verizon has created in Washington County.

I recall the shift from ATT Broadband to Comcast several ye3ars ago. The gopod news is that things actually did remain the same for the most part, and eventually got even better. Let's hope the same happens with the Frontier transitition.

Mike

Thanks Mike.

I will set up my TiVo HD units soon and then see what happens with Comcast. Does FIOSTV still give free STARZ?

I don't think they offer free Starz, but if you call to sign up they might have some sort of package with all of the movie channels (minus HBO and Cinemax but they might be included for a promo) for a few months.

Is it still true that the CableCards are NOT paired with the TV or DVR and that you can move them to any other device in your house that supports them without any further help?

As for Frontier, I have my fingers crossed that all will remain the same. I can't imagine that Frontier would trash the multi-million investment that Verizon has created in Washington County.Mike

There are multiple reasons to be concerned.

I think that Verizon has adopted a very aggressive policy to both Internet & to TV. They are doing this to increase penetration of their service. So, for example, when FiOS was first announced the Internet speeds were faster than what Comcast was offering. Similarly, Verizon TV started offering a number of "boutique" channels that Comcast wasn't carrying. Also the TV rates were lower (ignoring bundling of course).

What that means is Verizon is willing to spend money in order to acquire market share. They have huge cash flow and already pay a large dividend, so it makes business sense for them to spend money to buy their way into these largely unregulated services.

Frontier will probably be different. They have a large amount of debt to service. They will assume more debt from Verizon. They have already said they need to cut their dividend in order to make this deal work. They probably don't want to wind up like Fairpoint out east, which bought some Verizon rural phone lines a few years ago and which is now struggling to stay solvent.

So I think Frontier will not invest as much into infrastructure. They simply can't afford to. Your IP packet delay might increase, more packets might get dropped, etc. They might also start dropping boutique TV channels.

That's pure speculation on my part. YMMV.

Is it still true that the CableCards are NOT paired with the TV or DVR and that you can move them to any other device in your house that supports them without any further help?


Yep, pretty sure the cablecards are not paired with the tv or dvr, but don't quote me on that. I do know that you can take your TiVo from your house to a friend's in the same VHO and it'll work as long as they have FiOS TV.

I was wondering if any of you folks are up for renewal, and what would be your planned course of action? Sign up for another year, and hope for the best when (and if) Frontier takes over? Switch to month-to-month? others?

Not re-upping this time around, will wait and see what happens with Frontier. To be honest I have no idea when my renewal date is, all I know is that I did re-up the previous speed upgrade and from Premiere to Extreme HD...whenever that was.

I think my re-up date will be close to the supposed transition this fall. As I recall, it was last Nov. when I switched to Extreme. Wish there was some way to see on the MyVerizon site exactly the terms of any contracts. Will just have to wait and see what options will be available to us, too soon to speculate.

Is anyone else getting fairly regular calls offering 3 months of free movie channels? I've had both HBO/Cinemax and all the movie channels offered up and just don't really believe there's not some catch.

Part of me wanted to ask what's going to happen to these offers when they sell off my service to Frontier, but I restrained myself.

I don't currently have FiOS. I have been concerned about the FiOS signal level problems with the TiVo HD. But now it looks like TiVo is rolling out a software fix. If that fix really works, I will probably subscribe.

I haven't received any calls recently asking me to subscribe, but did get them a few months ago. Usually I say something like "can you guarantee that I will receive M-cards for my TiVos?". That stumps them, they promise to call back with an answer but never do. Also we see lots of door-to-door salesmen here. The M-card technique also works with them. One amusing door-to-door guy claimed (just weeks after the sale to Frontier) that Verizon wasn't selling their FiOS assets, just the copper. Yeah, right!

I also get plenty of offers in the mail, from both Comcast and Verizon. They are both pushing triple play (names may vary). These deals almost invariably involve something "free". After the trial period, they start billing you. E.g. they will give you a "free" VCR for a limited time, and then start charging you. Or they will give you "free" HBO for a limited time, and then start charging you. So the catch is you must remember to cancel.

Of course once Frontier takes over, all bets are off. But there should be some good deals for a while even after that point. That's because, if Frontier screws up or drops channels, I expect that Comcast will aggressively act to promote their service in an attempt to pick up disaffected customers.

There are many people who "hate" the cable company or "hate" the phone company. I've previously been one of them. But that's a very short-sighted attitude. The correct attitude is to take advantage of the triple play offers, and cancel (or threaten to cancel) when those offers are almost over, just before you are automatically switched to a much higher priced plan.

Is anyone else getting fairly regular calls offering 3 months of free movie channels? I've had both HBO/Cinemax and all the movie channels offered up and just don't really believe there's not some catch.

Part of me wanted to ask what's going to happen to these offers when they sell off my service to Frontier, but I restrained myself.


Yep, got those calls repeatedly the last few weeks. I simply asked the caller if at the end of the three months I could have the channels turned off without me calling into cancel before being charged...they said no I had to call in to cancel. Told them no thanks and hung up. Even when HBO and Cinemax was free a few weekends ago, I only saw one movie I had any interest in seeing (Get Smart as I hadn't seen it before). Doesn't look like anything that would hold my interest for three months anyway.


To Phantom: I have attenuation on my TiVo S3 and the picture is rock solid, only errors are coming directly from Verizon or the channel provider themselves. The picture is that much better than anything I've seen on DirecTV or Comcrap.

I recently had an install of the Digeo Moxi DVR (an alternative to TiVo), and spent considerable time with the tech during the cablecard installation. I posted some info earlier in this thread (just search on my name).

My tech was the original tech who helped with initial rollout of FiOS, and did the first TiVoHD installs in the area. There are only a few techs who are qualified to perform CableCard installs. My Moxi install was a first for him.

1. The folks at the end of the support/order lines don't really know much about the local area; these call centers handle the entire Verizon FiOS areas across the country. Local details just aren't known.
2. In the Portland Metro area, only M-Cards are available, and they are NOT self-installs. The two Verizon walk-in offices do NOT stock cards or equipment. They are distributed out of their warehouse/ dispatch center in Beaverton - no subscriber access.
3. During the install, the Verizon router is checked out and new firmware is installed if necessary
4. Signal quality is checked at each cable tap, to be sure proper signal levels are available. When I had Verizon install my FiOS service several years ago, I made them do all new cable runs instead of using my existing cable runs originally installed by Comcast/ATT many years ago. This is becuase I still have basic Comcast service too.

TiVoHD installs are now old hat for FiOS, and there are several well qualified techs to do them. When there is a CableCard install, a qualified tech is sent out.

I've had no serious issues with FiOS except when they "cut" my cable during some recent splicing work due to some construction. For my trouble, I got several credits. During the call to take care of this, I was able to save some additional money by changing the bundles I had. My previous "full boat" services were replaced with an equivalent "full boat" set of services that resulted in: slightly lower cost for all the movie channels; 1 free DVR for a year (I have 3); 3 mo free HBO/Cinemax; a few $25 service credits due to the outage without waring due to their cutting mistake. Though I had to jump thru a few hoops to get the problem corrected, it was worth it.

For those with TiVo's, the 11.0d update should be out on your boxes and that you should be able to remove any and all attenuators. Your SNR levels will obviously be higher but the signal strength should be right around 100 with no errors corrected or uncorrected.

I must say I don't quite follow this one. A colleague who lives in Camas, WA told me today that a Verizon crew was busy laying fiber in their neighberhood for the past week. Why would they be doing this if the plan is to sell off to Frontier in 7 months? Can they claim higher asset value for the work being done now? Just curious!

They probably had it in the terms with Frontier that existing projects would be completed before the sale.

I just did a Google search on "verizon frontier" and the blogs and news reports that resulted seemed to have the common theme that Verizon had stopped all FiOS projects as soon as the deal was announced. That seems to be counter to what Hormoz' colleague reports.

I'm just wondering when us "rural" subs will get any sort of plea from Frontier to not abandon them for other providers. Comcast has already fired salvos in attempt to get us. The silence is strange - or maybe to be expected when so many pundits think Frontier has bitten off more than they can chew.

I think rifleman69 has the right answer. There must be very strong business reasons in the contract to continue to lay fiber and to continue to convert people to FiOS.

Postal mailings aren't cheap, and yet Verizon still keeps sending them to me every few weeks.

Verizon is still running plenty of local TV ads as well (my kids want FiOS so they can get a netbook!).

With the recent break in the weather, I wouldn't be surprised to see more door-to-door salesmen appear. But maybe not, since I don't think they can lie any more and claim that Verizon isn't selling the fiber to Frontier (like they lied to me a few weeks after the deal was announced).

According to someone who's pretty familiar with what's going on between Verizon and Frontier, the reason we're getting sold off (as well as WA and Indiana) is due to Verizon's cherry-picking of certain neighborhoods while advertising for the service in Verizon areas that aren't scheduled to receive FiOS. The government was going to crack down on them had no sale occurred. Verizon said screw it and figured selling us off was cheaper than building all the way out in the areas being sold.

Verizon should still be running things on the backside for Frontier (pretty much as normal) with Frontier doing all of the billing. No timetable has been set for the switch as of yet.

FWIW.

According to someone who's pretty familiar with what's going on between Verizon and Frontier, the reason we're getting sold off (as well as WA and Indiana) is due to Verizon's cherry-picking of certain neighborhoods while advertising for the service in Verizon areas that aren't scheduled to receive FiOS. The government was going to crack down on them had no sale occurred. Verizon said screw it and figured selling us off was cheaper than building all the way out in the areas being sold.

Verizon should still be running things on the backside for Frontier (pretty much as normal) with Frontier doing all of the billing. No timetable has been set for the switch as of yet.

FWIW.

Well, that seems to make sense, and hopefully you're right about the second part. I'm up for re-up in late October and could use a little reassurance on keeping FIOS.

Verizon should still be running things on the backside for Frontier (pretty much as normal) with Frontier doing all of the billing. No timetable has been set for the switch as of yet.

FWIW.

Let's hope you're right. :) It'd be a damn shame to lose what we have now.

After Comcast jacking prices again, I'm thinking of converting to FIOS. Are there any pros/cons I should be aware of?

I literally know nothing about how their TV works. I'm more familiar with their internet because one of the businesses I deal with has it installed. (and I've helped them troubleshoot on occasion).

Based on skimming this thread it looks like a lot of people utilize TIVO rather than a DVR that Verizon provides. My wife has gotten used to our HD-DVR from comcast, so that's one thing we definitely can't live without. I can handle losing Comcast Sports HD if we're saving $80/month. :)

Thanks in advance!

I can handle losing Comcast Sports HD if we're saving $80/month. :)

I don't have any personal experience with FiOS, so I can't help you there.

But I think that the only way to win at the "game" is to subscribe to some sort of bundle, "triple play" or whatever different name each provider has.

You should be willing to switch when your discount rate runs out; but often a simple call to your current provider will get you a new promotional rate.

In reality, that's about the only thing Comcast has over FiOS...CSNW in HD. The DVR's are pretty much exactly the same, only the internal software is different. Phantom is right in that you'll save more if you bundle services together (phone/internet/tv).

I use a TiVo for my box so I'm not too sure how "well" the Motorola boxes work, but have heard from many who have both a TiVo and a Motorola or who have come from a TiVo background in the past that the Motorola boxes suck. Then again you used a Comcast box for awhile so maybe you're used to it? :)

In reality, that's about the only thing Comcast has over FiOS...CSNW in HD. The DVR's are pretty much exactly the same, only the internal software is different. Phantom is right in that you'll save more if you bundle services together (phone/internet/tv).

I use a TiVo for my box so I'm not too sure how "well" the Motorola boxes work, but have heard from many who have both a TiVo and a Motorola or who have come from a TiVo background in the past that the Motorola boxes suck. Then again you used a Comcast box for awhile so maybe you're used to it? :)

I've found after years with the Comcast box that Verizon's software is actually much easier to work with and doesn't have as many issues as the Comcast software did. The box doesn't hang up or buffer commands anywhere near as much as I remember.
There's a bit of a re-programming curve when it comes to the interface and the remote layout, but I have Fios right now and my g/f is back on Comcast and we both prefer the VZ DVR by a huge margin.

I can't say there's really much programming-wise that I miss, although I suppose everyone has pointed out the CSNW-HD channel.

Bundles are the way to go, but everyone should probably warn you that with the impending sale of service to Frontier no one really knows what the future holds.

The [FiOS] box doesn't hang up or buffer commands anywhere near as much as I remember.

The command buffering used to just annoy the he** out of me when I was with Comcast. I also prefer the FiOS guide. When Comcast cut the guide to three lines to show advertising at the bottom it was horrible. I wish FiOS would optimize the guide for 16:9, but at least they show more lines.

Bundles are the way to go, but everyone should probably warn you that with the impending sale of service to Frontier no one really knows what the future holds.

No one knows, so no sense in assuming the worst. And it's not a life-long commitment, when the contract runs out one can always switch again.

Yeah, we currently have a Triple play, so we'd be replacing all services. The big hassles for me are going to be losing my three email addresses. I might start slowly migrating my lists/site registrations over to a gmail or something in anticipation. Luckily I kept my websites off of Comcast's servers, hehe. I wouldn't look forward to moving those.

I think Verizon's customer service is worse than comcast's just dealing with them about phones, but maybe the "Fry's" argument will work here. It may be the crappiest shopping experience of your life, but their prices are good.

Thanks for the replies.

Interesting article in Sunday's business section of the Oregonian about Frontier's take-over of FIOS operation (among others). I thought it contained the most useful perspective on this whole thing, thus far.

http://www.oregonlive.com/business/index.ssf/2009/08/frontiers_technical_leap_worri.html

I've got no problem with Verizon holding onto FiOS (if it does come down to it) as I wouldn't even be serviced by Frontier then. It'll be something to watch in the next 3-6 months before things really get set into motion to make the May 2010 date. I just don't see how Frontier can run this for us, Seattle, the research Triangle in North Carolina, and the ENTIRE state of Indiana.

The whole thing seems pretty bleak to me. The article only served to reinforce my skepticism that services will go on unchanged. Good gosh, they haven't even started to negotiate with content providers. What kind of bargaining power will they have? I hope the regulators see how unprepared and overwhelming this all is for Frontier and step in when they see the consumer is being negatively affected.

Ditto. It sounds like if Frontier can't handle FiOS they'll just drop it.

Adding a slightly humorous note to the above observations: Have you noticed their local newspaper ad inserts (Oregonian, junk-mail ad, ...) list NYC channels as "local" channels?!

The whole thing seems pretty bleak to me.

After all these years I'm still unclear just what the cable commissions do. If the ultimate decision rests with the municipalities then whatever exercise they're undertaking seems like a waste.

various options...my FiOS contract is up in mid-October. If not for the sell-off to Frontier and the lack of CSN NW-HD, i'd probably re-up. We'll probably do a 'double-play' with Verizon internet/phone and then do something with Comcast for TV...looking at all options now...and fyi...i called today to see if i'd suffer an Early Termination Fee if i went to double-play right now, and was told 'yes'! There's no ETF if you're upgrading your services, but there is if you're downgrading.

various options...my FiOS contract is up in mid-October. If not for the sell-off to Frontier and the lack of CSN NW-HD, i'd probably re-up. We'll probably do a 'double-play' with Verizon internet/phone and then do something with Comcast for TV...looking at all options now...and fyi...i called today to see if i'd suffer an Early Termination Fee if i went to double-play right now, and was told 'yes'! There's no ETF if you're upgrading your services, but there is if you're downgrading.

Late October for me. No decision yet, but things are not looking good for us, IMO. There are reports that WA, IN, OR markets "may" not even get the latest IMG upgrade, or perhaps get a subset of it. There's an interesting thread in DSLReports.com regarding Frontier/Verizon transfer:

http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r22906940-How-will-Frontier-impact-our-service

IMG = guide data? Doesn't affect me with the TiVo (and I don't care what guide is upstairs since it's used for maybe 30-45 minutes a day). I wonder how many people will dump Verizon/Frontier in the next few months? We Oregonians can be very fickle if we want to be!

IMG = guide data? Doesn't affect me with the TiVo (and I don't care what guide is upstairs since it's used for maybe 30-45 minutes a day). I wonder how many people will dump Verizon/Frontier in the next few months? We Oregonians can be very fickle if we want to be!

I am still on Comcast but have FIOS Internet. I hope FIOSTV stays so that we at least keep the competition alive!

I just got a notice that my FIOS Internet and Phone service is going up $10 a month to $84.99. They have a new set of bundles and I can now get the top Internet/Phone and TV for $129.99. I now have Comcast TV and have kept it as I am unsure just what the future of Verizon FIOS is going to be. I guess others are also unsure.

Should I just give them the $10 more and sit tight! Not sure just what the current Internet speeds are in the Portland West Hills area! I now have 10/2, but it now shows 15/5 as a minimum. Is that correct?. Also, I have 3 TiVo HD's with Comcast M-Cards. Does Verizon charge for M-Cards?

15/5 would be your minimum internet speed. Verizon only has M-cards now as well.

15/5 would be your minimum internet speed. Verizon only has M-cards now as well.

Great. I will call them tomorrow. The notice in the package they mailed me said up to 25/15 is included in the bundle. I wonder if I would get that? I hope I am smart doing this as the FIOS was sold off. Still, I believe all should be OK for 2 years, which is the package price term.

You'd get 25/15, 15/5 is the absolute lowest speed that you'd get if you called up Verizon for service.

25/15 is very nice, I'm still on the old 20/5 plan and may have to upgrade if things with Frontier remain similar to what I'm currently getting from Verizon.

You'd get 25/15, 15/5 is the absolute lowest speed that you'd get if you called up Verizon for service.

25/15 is very nice, I'm still on the old 20/5 plan and may have to upgrade if things with Frontier remain similar to what I'm currently getting from Verizon.

Thank you. I hope that things will be OK for 2 years. I wonder what they will do if I just keep my phone/internet for 2 more years? I assume they will at least upgrade me beyond the 10/2 I have now!

I am thinking of switching from Comcast to FIOSTV. Are there many channels I will loose, or does FIOSTV have more. I mainly care about the HD channels and not premium.

I am thinking of switching from Comcast to FIOSTV. Are there many channels I will loose, or does FIOSTV have more. I mainly care about the HD channels and not premium.

The only big HD channel that most people notice is CSNHD so unless you're a die-hard Blazers fan I wouldn't worry about missing out on anything. You may actually get more, but I haven't done a head-to-head comparison recently.

The only big HD channel that most people notice is CSNHD so unless you're a die-hard Blazers fan I wouldn't worry about missing out on anything. You may actually get more, but I haven't done a head-to-head comparison recently.

Thank you...and I may go for it. I would go from 10/2 to 25/15 and they will give me 6 Months with $30 off, 12 Months with $5 off and free activation and install of FIOS-TV!

Does anyone know WHY CSN HD isn't offered on FiOS TV?

Is it licensing?

I don't understand why FiOS has it in SD but not HD.

Even though I currently have the FiOS double play I'm about to order Comcast's Digital Starter TV package at $30 (for first 6mo) just so I can get the Blazer games in HD. How silly.

Even though I currently have the FiOS double play I'm about to order Comcast's Digital Starter TV package at $30 (for first 6mo) just so I can get the Blazer games in HD. How silly.

It's not silly if you're Comcast. Comcast is using the availability of Comcast SportsNet Northwest to its competitive advantage, probably by making it too expensive for Verizon to want to license the HD version of this channel from Comcast.

Based on your post, I'd say it's working!

I am thinking of switching from Comcast to FIOSTV. Are there many channels I will loose, or does FIOSTV have more. I mainly care about the HD channels and not premium.

Comcast has AMC HD and FiOS does not. Primary show of interest is Mad Men. There are one or two others missing from FiOS. What you will find is that FiOS has quite a few channels that Comcast does not, though Comcast is trying to catch up.

Check out some of the recent Comcast ad inserts where they specifically identify the channels they have that DirecTV, Dish, and FiOS do not in the Portland market.

Comcast has AMC HD and FiOS does not. Primary show of interest is Mad Men. There are one or two others missing from FiOS. What you will find is that FiOS has quite a few channels that Comcast does not, though Comcast is trying to catch up.

Check out some of the recent Comcast ad inserts where they specifically identify the channels they have that DirecTV, Dish, and FiOS do not in the Portland market.


OK, I will look. Someone said that there is a thread here that shows the new channels that FIOS is adding at the end of this year.

I am thinking of switching from Comcast to FIOSTV. Are there many channels I will loose, or does FIOSTV have more. I mainly care about the HD channels and not premium.

HDnet and HDnet-Movies are the channels on FIOS that are not yet available from Comcast. Also, if you're a soccer fan, Fios Extreme HD includes GOL-TV(English play-by-play, of course) in addition to FSC.

HDnet and HDnet-Movies are the channels on FIOS that are not yet available from Comcast. Also, if you're a soccer fan, Fios Extreme HD includes GOL-TV(English play-by-play, of course) in addition to FSC.

Yes, I will have to see what is on HDNET. I forgot about those!

AMC-HD goes live either next week or the week after that.

AMC-HD goes live either next week or the week after that.

Thank you. Now FIOSTV is saying that since I have 4 outlets (all active and all they need to do is hook up their 1 cable) I need to pay $19.99 extra as the free install is only for 3. You know, this is part of what has kept me on Comcast TV, with FIOS Phone/Internet. Every time I try to take advantage of FIOSTV's Bundles, the extra charges bring me right up in price again!

Thank you. Now FIOSTV is saying that since I have 4 outlets (all active and all they need to do is hook up their 1 cable) I need to pay $19.99 extra as the free install is only for 3. You know, this is part of what has kept me on Comcast TV, with FIOS Phone/Internet. Every time I try to take advantage of FIOSTV's Bundles, the extra charges bring me right up in price again!

I think you'd be hit up for a 4th (and higher) outlet charge if you went to DirecTV or Dish as well, it's not just a Verizon thing. 19.99 is a one-time charge though, you'll be thanking yourself the first time you actually watch a channel in SD and then in HD in comparison to Comcast.

I think you'd be hit up for a 4th (and higher) outlet charge if you went to DirecTV or Dish as well, it's not just a Verizon thing. 19.99 is a one-time charge though, you'll be thanking yourself the first time you actually watch a channel in SD and then in HD in comparison to Comcast.

OK, I hope all goes well. I may just ask my wife if $19.99 plus $3.99/Month are worth it for a TV she uses 2 times a year. She has it in her sewing room and mostly tunes to music as she has the Comcast box going to her small stereo! Perhaps I can just burn MP3 CD's and let shuffle play do its thing.

OH, does anyone here have the DCT700 Digital Adapter? If so, does it have a front panel channel display so you know what station you are on? I ask as it would be nice if my wife could see the station her music is coming from if we choose to get that for her sewing room.

OK, I hope all goes well. I may just ask my wife if $19.99 plus $3.99/Month are worth it for a TV she uses 2 times a year. She has it in her sewing room and mostly tunes to music as she has the Comcast box going to her small stereo! Perhaps I can just burn MP3 CD's and let shuffle play do its thing.

OH, does anyone here have the DCT700 Digital Adapter? If so, does it have a front panel channel display so you know what station you are on? I ask as it would be nice if my wife could see the station her music is coming from if we choose to get that for her sewing room.

We have a DCT700 and there is no display. There is also no access to guide info. You need to keep the channel lineup sheet handy or have a good memory. We're in a similar situation as you. The 700 is in my wife's crafts room and she mostly listens to her CDs on the stereo in there with very occasional TV watching (the TV is at her back when she's at her table). With the bundling I don't even notice the monthly charge any more. For all the other things we have with Verizon (quad-play) it's small potatoes.

We have a DCT700 and there is no display. There is also no access to guide info. You need to keep the channel lineup sheet handy or have a good memory. We're in a similar situation as you. The 700 is in my wife's crafts room and she mostly listens to her CDs on the stereo in there with very occasional TV watching (the TV is at her back when she's at her table). With the bundling I don't even notice the monthly charge any more. For all the other things we have with Verizon (quad-play) it's small potatoes.

Yes, I am thinking that we may as well get the darn DCT700 and she can have it in her sewing room. Also, it means that no one in this house can order PPV or OnDemand as the other 3 outlets are TiVoHD's. That is a very good thing!

Yes, I am thinking that we may as well get the darn DCT700 and she can have it in her sewing room. Also, it means that no one in this house can order PPV or OnDemand as the other 3 outlets are TiVoHD's. That is a very good thing!

Well they can all a Verizon operator for PPV but other than that you're right. I haven't even used OnDemand ever when I was with Comcast(ATT) DirecTV or Verizon.

Well they can all a Verizon operator for PPV but other than that you're right. I haven't even used OnDemand ever when I was with Comcast(ATT) DirecTV or Verizon.

Yup, never did pay for any programs. Just to be sure, the DCT700 Digital Adapter will get the Music stations, right.

Yup, never did pay for any programs. Just to be sure, the DCT700 Digital Adapter will get the Music stations, right.

Right! You get ~46 Music Choice channels and another ~45 URGE Radio channels.

AMC-HD, Fuel HD, a couple more HD channels, and NBATV (non-HD) went live today. NBATVHD will be out in the next month.

AMC-HD, Fuel HD, a couple more HD channels, and NBATV (non-HD) went live today. NBATVHD will be out in the next month.

Great if only I could get FIOSTV to sell me the package!!! The latest is a guy said they did not have CableCards (M-Cards) for my 3 TiVo HD's!

Does the Portland FIOS package include FSN in HD?

Gotta have our Mariner's fix :D

Does the Portland FIOS package include FSN in HD?

Gotta have our Mariner's fix :D

Yes, you can get your Mariner's fix in HD on FSN. It just doesn't have Blazers in HD on CSNHD, yet.

Yes, you can get your Mariner's fix in HD on FSN. It just doesn't have Blazers in HD on CSNHD, yet.

It'll probably never have CSNW-HD, just look at what Comcast is doing with their Philadelphia-version of CSNW with Verizon, Dish, and DirecTV. You're not missing much on the CSNW-HD though, what I saw at my bro-in-law's house last year was not great HD at all.

Well, I got my order in and they can give me the M-Cards after all. She said I would get a detailed email showing my new stuff and the discounts, etc. I did get the email but it sure is vague as there are no prices. My installation/activation is supposed to be free but it sure does not say that!

I see that a pretty nice free preview of Epix movies is available in the on-demand menu. Anyone know if this channel will be in the HD Movie package (like Showtime) or if it will require an extra fee (like HBO)?

Pretty certain they chose it to be a separate package on it's own like Cinemax and HBO are.

Pretty certain they chose it to be a separate package on it's own like Cinemax and HBO are.

Rifleman69, as you know I am getting FIOSTV added this Tuesday if all goes well and they are giving me HBO/Cinemax free for 3 months. Do I get ALL of the HBO/Cinemax channels? There sure are plenty!

Rifleman69, as you know I am getting FIOSTV added this Tuesday if all goes well and they are giving me HBO/Cinemax free for 3 months. Do I get ALL of the HBO/Cinemax channels? There sure are plenty!

Yep, you get every channel of HBO and Cinemax that Verizon offers. Remember to write down on a calendar or in your cellphone the date in which to cancel HBO and Cinemax unless you want to keep them.

Yep, you get every channel of HBO and Cinemax that Verizon offers. Remember to write down on a calendar or in your cellphone the date in which to cancel HBO and Cinemax unless you want to keep them.

I will write that down as I do not want to keep them. I have a friend who has had it free for all but a month or two. He gets 3 months and then stops it. Then he calls back after a few weeks and they offer it to him again.

OH, do we get NFL Red Zone on VZ?

Yes, NFL Red Zone is available for purchase on FiOS. It's on Ch 835 and they are having a free preview this Sunday from 10:00 - 1:00. Not sure if Comcast is also carrying the free preview.

RedZone is not free for the season, but a nice three hour preview today from 10-1ish will be nice.

It'll probably never have CSNW-HD, just look at what Comcast is doing with their Philadelphia-version of CSNW with Verizon, Dish, and DirecTV. You're not missing much on the CSNW-HD though, what I saw at my bro-in-law's house last year was not great HD at all.The HD Blazer games on CSN last season were actually very good PQ. At least as good as KOIN HD sports broadcasts (with no sub channel on). Now that they have added a bunch more HD channels it remains to be seen whether or not it still is this year... All the other channels have taken a distinct hit in quality so I'm expecting the worst....


ron

OK, I got this installed today and he did bring the 3 M-Cards. It will take a while to figure out all the new channels that we will never watch. :)

The TiVo HD's help a lot as I can just hide them. So far so good, but I have not watched anything yet. OH, they bumped my Internet speed from 10/2 to 25/15. I am sure you can all tell by how fast you can now read this message. Seriously, I think most sites I go to are the limiting factor. The VZ speed test shows my new speed but it does not seem that much faster in the real world!

Also, I brought a box and 3 M-Cards back to Comcast. They asked what I did and when I said I went to FIOSTV, they did not even comment.

Also, I brought a box and 3 M-Cards back to Comcast. They asked what I did and when I said I went to FIOSTV, they did not even comment.

In my experience, Comcast employees have the "regulated utility" / "telco" attitude. They don't care. They don't have to. Do you blame them? What influence can a CSR have on corporate policy?

In my experience, Comcast employees have the "regulated utility" / "telco" attitude. They don't care. They don't have to. Do you blame them? What influence can a CSR have on corporate policy?

Well, they should have a place where they can bring up their ideas! If not they get what they deserve.

I notice 1 thing about VZ however. They call many times...at least 6 so far asking about my new install. They will talk all day to you. BUT, mention ANYTHING about the fact that they will not send you a confirmation about the pricing that you just signed up for, including the fact that all Installation/Activation charges are free, and they will not discuss it and can not hang up fast enough!

As you know, I just got rid of Comcast a few days ago and got FIOS-TV. I already had FIOS Internet and phone. Last night we had recorded Survivor, and the video was great. I was surprised that twice, a bit after a commercial, I got a small band of pixelization. The sound was good and the video cleared up after a second or two. I guess I thought this would be behind me. Could it have been the Source?

I'd say more likely than not it was the source. That's not to say that it wasn't a small blip via FiOS but those are pretty much non-existant from what I see on my TiVo. Nothing's going to be 100% crystal clear 100% of the time.

You should notice a much better PQ than Comcast though, especially on the local channels.

I'd say more likely than not it was the source. That's not to say that it wasn't a small blip via FiOS but those are pretty much non-existant from what I see on my TiVo. Nothing's going to be 100% crystal clear 100% of the time.

You should notice a much better PQ than Comcast though, especially on the local channels.

Yup, pic is great.

Why can't we get good Football? Today on 506 we get the 16:9 and 4:3 switching issue. And the AUDIO!!! When they switched to the Denver game there was too much crowd noise. I could not hear the announcer a lot of the time and it was not because the crowd was loud. It was because of the mix!

I canceled my 3 month free HBO/Cinemax deal online yesterday. In a matter of hours my HBO access was turned off. They sure are prompt. I recall that getting it turned on was like pulling teeth.

Anyway, while poking around in My Account I see that my Extreme HD TV subscription is expiring this month (no specific date is given). I also saw some special deals for renewing, e.g. $5 off/mo. for a year if I re-up for 2 years online, increased internet speed to 25/15, are those advertised online. I bet if I call I can get some added bennies.

But here's my conundrum. Given the pending turnover to Frontier, is it worth it to extend my contract? Will Frontier be obligated to honor any deals struck now? Will Frontier be around for 2 years? They seem to have a history of letting purchases lapse into bankruptcy. So what's the group's wisdom here on this? Do I get a new contract and just ignore the noise and let things fall as they may? My ONLY option is Comcast - too many trees for satellite.

I canceled my 3 month free HBO/Cinemax deal online yesterday. In a matter of hours my HBO access was turned off. They sure are prompt. I recall that getting it turned on was like pulling teeth.

Anyway, while poking around in My Account I see that my Extreme HD TV subscription is expiring this month (no specific date is given). I also saw some special deals for renewing, e.g. $5 off/mo. for a year if I re-up for 2 years online, increased internet speed to 25/15, are those advertised online. I bet if I call I can get some added bennies.

But here's my conundrum. Given the pending turnover to Frontier, is it worth it to extend my contract? Will Frontier be obligated to honor any deals struck now? Will Frontier be around for 2 years? They seem to have a history of letting purchases lapse into bankruptcy. So what's the group's wisdom here on this? Do I get a new contract and just ignore the noise and let things fall as they may? My ONLY option is Comcast - too many trees for satellite.

Well, I went thru the same thing as I had Internet/Phone but no TV. TV was Comcast and I was tired of the high prices and the picture quality on HD. Seems that it is getting worse as they add compressed channels.

Anyway, I figured that the change to Frontier would take more than the 2 year price I got. I got $60 off for the $5 off for 12 Months and another $180 off as they gave me another $30 off for 6 months. Free Install and activation for 4 units and I got 1 DA and 3 M-Cards. Also, my internet went from 10/2 to 25/15.

Let me know if you want to know who I talked to and her Number.

Yup, pic is great.

Why can't we get good Football? Today on 506 we get the 16:9 and 4:3 switching issue. And the AUDIO!!! When they switched to the Denver game there was too much crowd noise. I could not hear the announcer a lot of the time and it was not because the crowd was loud. It was because of the mix!

CBS has surround sound built into their regular feed, FOX doesn't. The volume levels are obviously much different between them both, CBS is much louder and has been for quite awhile now. It's not just a VZ issue, it's a CBS issue.

I loved the Florida/Florida State football game in 2005 or 2006 where CBS somehow knocked out the center channel audio during the game. There were NO announcers, all you could hear was the game itself along with the crowd and referees. Commercials were obviously a-ok but I thought it was the best football game I'd ever seen on tv because of the lack of commentators.

CBS has surround sound built into their regular feed, FOX doesn't. The volume levels are obviously much different between them both, CBS is much louder and has been for quite awhile now. It's not just a VZ issue, it's a CBS issue.

I loved the Florida/Florida State football game in 2005 or 2006 where CBS somehow knocked out the center channel audio during the game. There were NO announcers, all you could hear was the game itself along with the crowd and referees. Commercials were obviously a-ok but I thought it was the best football game I'd ever seen on tv because of the lack of commentators.

Well, that is how it sounded to me when CBS switched after the Seattle game to Denver.

Anyway, while poking around in My Account I see that my Extreme HD TV subscription is expiring this month (no specific date is given).

Given the pending turnover to Frontier, is it worth it to extend my contract?


For what it's worth I'm up in December and I'm going month to month. I don't want to be tied if things go upside down during the transition

Will Frontier be obligated to honor any deals struck now? Will Frontier be around for 2 years? They seem to have a history of letting purchases lapse into bankruptcy. So what's the group's wisdom here on this?

My understanding is that any contracts will be carried forth. Once your next contract is done, then you're up against whatever pricing structure Frontier decides.

Do I get a new contract and just ignore the noise and let things fall as they may? My ONLY option is Comcast - too many trees for satellite.

Tough tough call. I'm playing it safe and going month to month. At least the rate I'm paying now shouldn't change.

Time to re-up...just lost my $10/month discount and I am lower than the 25/15 Internet tier...what are the current best offers for re-uping (I already have all 3 services from Verizon).

thanks,

mv

Time to re-up...just lost my $10/month discount and I am lower than the 25/15 Internet tier...what are the current best offers for re-uping (I already have all 3 services from Verizon).

thanks,

mv

I renewed my triple package in September for 6 months (you can do 6-month renewal on-line), with $5/month discount applied. Of course, this being Verizon, will have to wait a couple of months to make sure the discount is indeed applied, since it is a different division that handles it! I figured this will put me in March time frame, and we'll hopefully know by then whether the sale to Frontier is final or not.

Seems to me in the past Verizon would be calling and bugging me to extend my contract. Not so this time around. You would think in a change of ownership the buyer (Frontier) would be compelling the seller (Verizon) to protect the client base from defections. Lack of attention to current subscribers who might be lured by other providers' ads to defect could surely erode the subscriber base before Frontier gets its foot in the door.

IOW, MAKE ME A DEAL! :D

Verizon subscriber here in Washington County and my 1 year is up Oct 31. Current package is HD Extreme with 20/5 for 109.99 and a free Home Media HD DVR for 1 year (19.99 credit).

Just called and they offered me a package for 119.99 which is the same as my current package (except my internet would be increased to 25/15). They refused to offer me the HD DVR for free...so the $10 package increase along with paying for the DVR it looks like I have a $30/ month increase. That is for a 1 year agreement, but a 2-year price guarantee (I can renew at the 1 year point with no price increase).

I am an extremely happy FiOS customer. Great picture quality, fast internet speeds, and I love streaming my DVR out to my treadmill room. The one time I had a problem with my ONT they came out in 24 hours and replaced it for me...no hassle. My previous service with Comcast was fine but I'm hesitant to go back to worse picture quality, slower internet, and losing DVR streaming (not to mention remote DVR programming from my iPhone).

Does the sale to Frontier worry me...I'm not sure it does. I asked the rep on the phone and she had no clue. I'm thinking by signing a 1 year agreement I'm relatively protected from price increases (I doubt the sale nullifies my existing contract) and I have to imagine it's not like my service and functionality will fall off a cliff. My gut tells me Frontier is just going to license the operation of the network back to Verizon anyway...could be wrong.

Has anyone else out there gotten any additional savings? Or is the 119.99 pretty standard? I want my DVR credit back!

Hi all:

New to FIOSTV, and wondered if we get IFC where the new Python movie will be showing.

IFC is on 394 and IFC HD is on 894. Enjoy!

IFC is on 394 and IFC HD is on 894. Enjoy!

Thank you! I found it! Now, what happened to football on 512? :D

Possible ALCS game pre-empted the time spot, that's why we got the Giants/Saints game this morning. Still a stupid rule.

Verizon subscriber here in Washington County and my 1 year is up Oct 31. Current package is HD Extreme with 20/5 for 109.99 and a free Home Media HD DVR for 1 year (19.99 credit).

Just called and they offered me a package for 119.99 which is the same as my current package (except my internet would be increased to 25/15). They refused to offer me the HD DVR for free...so the $10 package increase along with paying for the DVR it looks like I have a $30/ month increase. That is for a 1 year agreement, but a 2-year price guarantee (I can renew at the 1 year point with no price increase).

I am an extremely happy FiOS customer. Great picture quality, fast internet speeds, and I love streaming my DVR out to my treadmill room. The one time I had a problem with my ONT they came out in 24 hours and replaced it for me...no hassle. My previous service with Comcast was fine but I'm hesitant to go back to worse picture quality, slower internet, and losing DVR streaming (not to mention remote DVR programming from my iPhone).

Does the sale to Frontier worry me...I'm not sure it does. I asked the rep on the phone and she had no clue. I'm thinking by signing a 1 year agreement I'm relatively protected from price increases (I doubt the sale nullifies my existing contract) and I have to imagine it's not like my service and functionality will fall off a cliff. My gut tells me Frontier is just going to license the operation of the network back to Verizon anyway...could be wrong.

Has anyone else out there gotten any additional savings? Or is the 119.99 pretty standard? I want my DVR credit back!

Sorry, the DVR for 1 year was only good 1 year ago. FIOS is still the best service available for you. Neither Comcast nor sat TV can give you the same TV channels, service, PQ and features for DVR that FIOS can. Hands down.

Anyone seeing bad pixellation on the locals this morning?

All unwatchable basically.

Just wanted to bump my post below. This is the last week on my existing plan and need to call and re-up this week. Both on the phone and online the best I'm getting is the 119.99 I referenced below. Anyone out there have any luck getting any additional credits/reductions while re-newing? The website advertises a few additional items like a $150 credit and $5 off per month but those appear to be for new, not existing, customers. Anyone?

Verizon subscriber here in Washington County and my 1 year is up Oct 31. Current package is HD Extreme with 20/5 for 109.99 and a free Home Media HD DVR for 1 year (19.99 credit).

Just called and they offered me a package for 119.99 which is the same as my current package (except my internet would be increased to 25/15). They refused to offer me the HD DVR for free...so the $10 package increase along with paying for the DVR it looks like I have a $30/ month increase. That is for a 1 year agreement, but a 2-year price guarantee (I can renew at the 1 year point with no price increase).

I am an extremely happy FiOS customer. Great picture quality, fast internet speeds, and I love streaming my DVR out to my treadmill room. The one time I had a problem with my ONT they came out in 24 hours and replaced it for me...no hassle. My previous service with Comcast was fine but I'm hesitant to go back to worse picture quality, slower internet, and losing DVR streaming (not to mention remote DVR programming from my iPhone).

Does the sale to Frontier worry me...I'm not sure it does. I asked the rep on the phone and she had no clue. I'm thinking by signing a 1 year agreement I'm relatively protected from price increases (I doubt the sale nullifies my existing contract) and I have to imagine it's not like my service and functionality will fall off a cliff. My gut tells me Frontier is just going to license the operation of the network back to Verizon anyway...could be wrong.

Has anyone else out there gotten any additional savings? Or is the 119.99 pretty standard? I want my DVR credit back!

Just wanted to bump my post below. This is the last week on my existing plan and need to call and re-up this week. Both on the phone and online the best I'm getting is the 119.99 I referenced below. Anyone out there have any luck getting any additional credits/reductions while re-newing? The website advertises a few additional items like a $150 credit and $5 off per month but those appear to be for new, not existing, customers. Anyone?

Well, I did get the $119.99 with Free HBO/Cinemax for 3 Months and $180 off (6 Months at 30 off) PLUS the $5 off per Month for a year. I was not a new customer as I had FIOS Phone and Internet. I added the FIOSTV for this and my speed went from 10/2 to 25/15.

super excited to see all Blazer games as well as all Ducks games go full-HD starting Saturday.....considering none of us can still get them......fkn, ridiculous!

Blame Comcast for that one.

Blame Comcast for that one.

Oh, I know.....It's just ridiculous that at this point in time we can get the standard def, but not the high def.......way to try and stay exclusive Comcast......

Did anybody notice the squished Blazers game last night?

Did anybody notice the squished Blazers game last night?

Not any different than any other Comcrap Sports Net broadcast of a Blazer game.

Well, FOX updated their schedule to reflect that there is no MLB tonight. Also, Bones/Fringe will be on since the Series is over. That is fine everywhere EXCEPT our very own FOX station in Portland!

UPDATE..It says TBA but I am recording the block from 8-10 and I think it is Bones/Fringe.

Here's the latest article from The Oregonian regarding the Frontier deal:

http://blog.oregonlive.com/siliconforest/2009/11/utility_regulators_challenge_f.html

We'll see if these "concerns" translate into anything of substance.

Just say no to Frontier!

Blame Comcast for that one.Why wouldn't you want to just blame the responsible party instead, Verizon?


ron

Hi ALL:

Anyone know why KOPB is not showing Live by Request:John Fogerty Nov 7 at 9? KOPB sure has a way of making their own schedule!

Why wouldn't you want to just blame the responsible party instead, Verizon?


ron

So Verizon should pay whatever it is that the local channels want per subscriber? Cuckoo Cuckoo!

I've not been home to watch any Blazer games yet on CSN NW on Ch 77 but I did tune in to watch the delay play of the SJ Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings on Thurs. night. I had to look twice to be sure the hockey game was not in HD. The picture filled my 16:9 screen WITHOUT distortion, e.g. the face-off circles were circles and not ovals as they were last season. The PQ certainly was not HD-sharp but it wasn't too bad either. I could easily follow the puck and read player names on sweaters.

My daughter in Sherwood who also has FiOS said the last Blazer game on CSN was also in this wide format. She and her husband also did a double-take.

If this is how CSN plans to bring Blazer games to us Verizon subs this season, I won't feel too bad not having Comcast.

I've not been home to watch any Blazer games yet on CSN NW on Ch 77 but I did tune in to watch the delay play of the SJ Sharks vs. Detroit Red Wings on Thurs. night. I had to look twice to be sure the hockey game was not in HD. The picture filled my 16:9 screen WITHOUT distortion, e.g. the face-off circles were circles and not ovals as they were last season. The PQ certainly was not HD-sharp but it wasn't too bad either. I could easily follow the puck and read player names on sweaters.

My daughter in Sherwood who also has FiOS said the last Blazer game on CSN was also in this wide format. She and her husband also did a double-take.

If this is how CSN plans to bring Blazer games to us Verizon subs this season, I won't feel too bad not having Comcast.

Pretty sure you guys have your tv's set to "Full", channel 77 was most definitely not widescreen for the Hawks or the OKC game for the Blazers.

Pretty sure you guys have your tv's set to "Full", channel 77 was most definitely not widescreen for the Hawks or the OKC game for the Blazers.

Exactly.......it's bordered, every game this year has been......

OK, you guys are right, I do have the STB settings on SD Override = stretch. But I also have the Settings: Video Format set to 720p 16:9. (I am watching on a 720p native Toshiba and its picture setting is at Natural.)

I swear (altho' I guess I don't have to) there is none of the distortion I remember from last season's Blazer games on CSN. I am watching the Min. game now and it looks pretty good. No bars, no extended court, the free throw arcs are true, no squat players - all looks good, except the sharpness HD would provide (but it's not bad). When the commercials come on and during the halftime show on now, the Trail Blazers sidebars enter the sides of my screen.

So I will dwell in my own non-HD enjoyment little world of what I consider an improvement from last season's broadcasts on CSN via Verizon. I'm good:D.

OK, you guys are right, I do have the STB settings on SD Override = stretch. But I also have the Settings: Video Format set to 720p 16:9. (I am watching on a 720p native Toshiba and its picture setting is at Natural.)

I swear (altho' I guess I don't have to) there is none of the distortion I remember from last season's Blazer games on CSN. I am watching the Min. game now and it looks pretty good. No bars, no extended court, the free throw arcs are true, no squat players - all looks good, except the sharpness HD would provide (but it's not bad). When the commercials come on and during the halftime show on now, the Trail Blazers sidebars enter the sides of my screen.

So I will dwell in my own non-HD enjoyment little world of what I consider an improvement from last season's broadcasts on CSN via Verizon. I'm good:D.


Yeah it's better than last year's broadcasts but it's still not as clear as a regular non-HD channel. The Atlanta game was horrible!

The Blazers/Spurs game of a few days ago was IMO quite good on KGW HD. I saw minor artifacts but that's probably because KGW keeps their Spanish channel active and steals bits from the main program. This was delivered to me by Comcast but I don't think they mess with OTA.

If CSN HD of the Blazers is as good as OTA HD, then "it's a good thing". I've seen far worse.

Do any of you guys have 6416-1 DVR? I finally gave up on once-a-week rebooting of my 6416-2 and asked for a replacement. They sent me a 6416-1 which I thought was an older revision. Perhaps this is a sign of of times for Oregon customers. Not sure if there's any difference between the two and FIOS "tech support" couldn't clarify things insisting the revision numbers are just for bookkeeping and inventory purposes!

So Verizon should pay whatever it is that the local channels want per subscriber? Cuckoo Cuckoo!I'm not sure exactly what it is that you are saying here, but my point is that you have no idea what discussions, if any, have even occurred between verizon and comcast regarding the HD feeds of these channels. Attempts from some of us last year to get Verizon to disclose if they were even attempting to add them seemed to fall on totally deaf ears. I believe it's just as likely that they simply don't care about adding them. If you have some other evidence that would indicate otherwise I'd be interested to understand it. As it sits now, I have seen nothing that would lead me to believe anything else.

It's always easy to blame the big bad comcast, but that gets a little old without anything to back it up.


ron

I'm not sure exactly what it is that you are saying here, but my point is that you have no idea what discussions, if any, have even occurred between verizon and comcast regarding the HD feeds of these channels. Attempts from some of us last year to get Verizon to disclose if they were even attempting to add them seemed to fall on totally deaf ears. I believe it's just as likely that they simply don't care about adding them. If you have some other evidence that would indicate otherwise I'd be interested to understand it. As it sits now, I have seen nothing that would lead me to believe anything else.

It's always easy to blame the big bad comcast, but that gets a little old without anything to back it up.


ron

Wow, I don't know where to begin, put down the kool-aid. If you believe that Comcast doesn't want to get money out of Dish, DirecTV, and Verizon in helping pay for the enormous amount of money they paid out to televise the Blazers and ducks, then by all means blame everyone but Comcast. If any other major provider had the HD channel besides Comcast, then you would have a point. No one else does, you can't honestly believe that none of those three providers doesn't want to carry the HD channel?

Sell your Comcast stock now.

I know I have asked this before, but tonight is very bad and I wonder if it is me or do you all hear this?

The audio on HD has the announcers almost inaudible, but if I go to SD, ch 8, instead of 508, it is fine. Can this be a KGW-HD issue?

I know I have asked this before, but tonight is very bad and I wonder if it is me or do you all hear this?

The audio on HD has the announcers almost inaudible, but if I go to SD, ch 8, instead of 508, it is fine. Can this be a KGW-HD issue?

The crowd noise is louder than the announcers, which is just fine with me! I do hear what you're hearing.

The crowd noise is louder than the announcers, which is just fine with me! I do hear what you're hearing.

Darn...it seems to me NBC had this issue last season, but fixed it. I would assume it is NOT KGW but NBC.

I know I have asked this before, but tonight is very bad and I wonder if it is me or do you all hear this?

The audio on HD has the announcers almost inaudible, but if I go to SD, ch 8, instead of 508, it is fine. Can this be a KGW-HD issue?

I had this very same problem on Comcast HD, so it wasn't a FiOS specific issue. I didn't try the SD, but I assume that the SD is now simply a crop of the HD so I'm surprised that the sound was better.

Also as another poster pointed out, it was the crowd noise that was drowning out the announcers (especially Michaels). When the crowd was quiet the announcers were quite easily heard. Also Collinsworth seemed to be louder than Michaels during the problem times.

I haven't checked the HD Programming forum about this issue yet. Presumably there were others as disappointed as I was. It was really, really bad. And, unsurprisingly, there was no problem with the audio on commercials and promos.

I had this very same problem on Comcast HD, so it wasn't a FiOS specific issue. I didn't try the SD, but I assume that the SD is now simply a crop of the HD so I'm surprised that the sound was better.

Also as another poster pointed out, it was the crowd noise that was drowning out the announcers (especially Michaels). When the crowd was quiet the announcers were quite easily heard. Also Collinsworth seemed to be louder than Michaels during the problem times.

I haven't checked the HD Programming forum about this issue yet. Presumably there were others as disappointed as I was. It was really, really bad. And, unsurprisingly, there was no problem with the audio on commercials and promos.

Yes, that is what I heard too. However, this issue was on HD only.

I had this very same problem on Comcast HD, so it wasn't a FiOS specific issue. I didn't try the SD, but I assume that the SD is now simply a crop of the HD so I'm surprised that the sound was better.

Also as another poster pointed out, it was the crowd noise that was drowning out the announcers (especially Michaels). When the crowd was quiet the announcers were quite easily heard. Also Collinsworth seemed to be louder than Michaels during the problem times.

I haven't checked the HD Programming forum about this issue yet. Presumably there were others as disappointed as I was. It was really, really bad. And, unsurprisingly, there was no problem with the audio on commercials and promos.

As an update, last nights Denver game on CBS had the same issue as NBC had! In this case the "sound truck" must have realized it as they dropped the crowd noise down a little when it overpowered the announcers totally, but then raised it again!

Update, Verizon did add a local channel sometime in the past few days, Northwest Cable Channel News is on channel 19. Odd that they would add it all of a sudden, even if it's a worthless channel IMO.

I had this very same problem on Comcast HD, so it wasn't a FiOS specific issue. I didn't try the SD, but I assume that the SD is now simply a crop of the HD so I'm surprised that the sound was better.

Also as another poster pointed out, it was the crowd noise that was drowning out the announcers (especially Michaels). When the crowd was quiet the announcers were quite easily heard. Also Collinsworth seemed to be louder than Michaels during the problem times.

I haven't checked the HD Programming forum about this issue yet. Presumably there were others as disappointed as I was. It was really, really bad. And, unsurprisingly, there was no problem with the audio on commercials and promos.

Well, here I am again...same issue.

ESPN Football was still bad. Can there be a setting in the TiVo HD to cause this? I ask as I have this on every game, it seems, no matter if it is CBSHD, ESPNHD or FOXHD. Can it be all the networks have this crowd noise mix issue in HD only? As before, SD audio is fine.

Since the too-loud crowd noise is present on Comcast, too, it must a problem with the source, not your setup. I wonder if we're just running afoul of a new sound mixing philosophy in the HD audio trucks.

Since the too-loud crowd noise is present on Comcast, too, it must a problem with the source, not your setup. I wonder if we're just running afoul of a new sound mixing philosophy in the HD audio trucks.

Well, I had thought of that but because I hear it on all HD games on 3-4 networks I wanted to be sure. How can they listen to this and not be aware of it?

Wow, I don't know where to begin, put down the kool-aid. If you believe that Comcast doesn't want to get money out of Dish, DirecTV, and Verizon in helping pay for the enormous amount of money they paid out to televise the Blazers and ducks, then by all means blame everyone but Comcast. If any other major provider had the HD channel besides Comcast, then you would have a point. No one else does, you can't honestly believe that none of those three providers doesn't want to carry the HD channel?

Sell your Comcast stock now.Just as I suspected rifleman, you apparently have zero evidence that Verizon has even looked in to obtaining the CSN HD feed. So I can see exactly why you didn't know where to begin :D. That was the only thing I commented about. Verizon was the only provider I mentioned and I never said anything about Comcast not wanting to get other providers to carry CSN (SD or HD), so your response seems to be barking up some other alternate reality tree.

Since you brought it up though, if and when either E* or D* finally work out a deal with comcast to carry CSN, I will be surprised if it doesn't include HD (at least in the case of D*). On the other hand I do seriously question whether Verizon puts any priority on it, or even cares at all...


ron

Hi,
I received an odd e-mail today from Verizon Online<verizon.update.2@verizon.net>

It was about what they called "an important change":

"1. If you are on a term plan and Verizon ceases offering service to your location prior to the the end of your term commitment, you will not have to pay an Early Termination Fee."

---ceases offering services????? Is this some sort of warning about Frontier?

Anyone else get something similar to this?

Hi,
I received an odd e-mail today from Verizon Online<verizon.update.2@verizon.net>

It was about what they called "an important change":

"1. If you are on a term plan and Verizon ceases offering service to your location prior to the the end of your term commitment, you will not have to pay an Early Termination Fee."

---ceases offering services????? Is this some sort of warning about Frontier?

Anyone else get something similar to this?

Yes, I got it too. I wonder if this has anything to do with the buyout. I believe that Oregon signed on but only if our services stayed the same.

Hi,
I received an odd e-mail today from Verizon Online<verizon.update.2@verizon.net>

It was about what they called "an important change":

"1. If you are on a term plan and Verizon ceases offering service to your location prior to the the end of your term commitment, you will not have to pay an Early Termination Fee."

---ceases offering services????? Is this some sort of warning about Frontier?

Anyone else get something similar to this?

Yup, my wife and I each got separate emails on Monday from them, I think because we have separate wireless phone numbers with Verizon. I haven't read the details yet but presumed it was in anticipation of the Frontier deal. I'm outside of any contract period right now and no one has been bugging me to re-up. Guess I need to get into the details of that notice.

My contract ends in a couple of weeks and not surprisingly I haven't gotten one call for "re-upping". That would indicate to me done deal.

I had verizon tripleplay installed from scratch around May with a 1 year contract and 2 year price guarantee. My wireless is a tracfone, so the e-mail has to be for the fios stuff.

curious which of you owners are using Tivo instead of the provided HD DVR supplied by Verizon. My one year of free DVR ends in January and I'm looking into Tivo as an option since it's $15.99 just to rent the hardware.....pays for itself in like a year pretty much....

Any advice or opinions.....

Well, I had thought of that but because I hear it on all HD games on 3-4 networks I wanted to be sure. How can they listen to this and not be aware of it?

I record all the Sunday games. The Fox and CBS games are invariably OK. The only one I have crowd noise problems with is the NBC broadcast, and it's only been a big problem for the last 2 weeks.

curious which of you owners are using Tivo instead of the provided HD DVR supplied by Verizon. My one year of free DVR ends in January and I'm looking into Tivo as an option since it's $15.99 just to rent the hardware.....pays for itself in like a year pretty much....

Any advice or opinions.....

Yes, I have 3 TiVo HD units and have 3 M-Cards. This is the best thing I bought since the ReplayTV Units. The best part is that after running for about a Month, I put in an $80 1 TB drive in one of them and can record 157 HOURS of HD on it! Look at the TiVo Community forums for lots of TiVo data there!

I record all the Sunday games. The Fox and CBS games are invariably OK. The only one I have crowd noise problems with is the NBC broadcast, and it's only been a big problem for the last 2 weeks.

My NBC games and ESPN are bad as well.

My NBC games and ESPN are bad as well.

Hmmm. I'm using RCA audio outputs. If you are using a digital audio output from your TiVo then maybe you need to change a setting in the TiVo or maybe your receiver is no longer decoding properly. Maybe the cable is loose, the receiver broke, or a receiver setting got changed. It's really easy to screw up my receiver settings by accidentally pressing the wrong button on my remote.

Love the TiVo S3, used the Verizon DVR at my folk's place and a Comcast DVR at a friend's place and got fed up with the crappiness about 5 minutes into both. Takes a little bit used to with the guide but it's much better in the long run.

Hmmm. I'm using RCA audio outputs. If you are using a digital audio output from your TiVo then maybe you need to change a setting in the TiVo or maybe your receiver is no longer decoding properly. Maybe the cable is loose, the receiver broke, or a receiver setting got changed. It's really easy to screw up my receiver settings by accidentally pressing the wrong button on my remote.

I am using BOTH outputs at the same time. Here is what I am doing. In the Family Room (but the same issue seems to happen on all 3 TiVo HD's) I do have a small receiver and it is connected via Optical Audio. I usually have this receiver off, except if we want to watch a show with music. For the most part I do this in another room anyway, however, as there is a very good surround system there with a 70" high end TV. So, the audio, in this Family Room, also goes to the TV via the RCA plugs. This same audio issue is heard even if I turn on the Receiver, so the issue is the same even if I listen via the TV audio or through the Receiver. There is NO ISSUE if I change to an SD feed!

Perhaps I can look at the TiVo audio settings to see if I can hear a change.

Love the TiVo S3, used the Verizon DVR at my folk's place and a Comcast DVR at a friend's place and got fed up with the crappiness about 5 minutes into both. Takes a little bit used to with the guide but it's much better in the long run.

+1 but for 3 TiVo HD Units!