I'm moving to Massachusetts this summer and need to pick a cable company.

I mostly watch VOD programing and I was wondering if I record VOD on RCN, Verizon FIOS or Comcast via Firewire to a Mac or PC or is it protected?

Does anybody know the answer to this?

Mac or PC, unlikely.
DVHS, quite likely assuming the stb has firewire and it works.
Though VOD might be marked copy never, who knows.