Verizon FiOS QIP6416 DVR - Master Topic!

[wfisher1]

Moderators Note:

Moto PDF
http://broadband.motorola.com/catalo...0408-001-a.pdf

I just switched from Comcast over to the Verizon FIOS TV service. The DVR they brought out is a Motorola 6414. My universal remote I had programmed for the 6412 does just about everything, except I lost my 30 sec skip and my "replay" button.

I can get my replay back no problem since my universal will learn the command, but the 30 second skip was a hidden feature on the previous box.

Any ideas on the code for these 6414 boxes to get my skip back? I'll be lost without it!

[RScottyL]

Originally Posted by wfisher1

I just switched from Comcast over to the Verizon FIOS TV service. The DVR they brought out is a Motorola 6414. My universal remote I had programmed for the 6412 does just about everything, except I lost my 30 sec skip and my "replay" button.

I can get my replay back no problem since my universal will learn the command, but the 30 second skip was a hidden feature on the previous box.

Any ideas on the code for these 6414 boxes to get my skip back? I'll be lost without it!

Here in Irving, TX, we got the QIP6416-1 boxes (larger hard drive) for the FIOS TV. Not sure about the 30 sec skip, but our remote has a replay button on it.

[wfisher1]

I'm in Irving too .. the installers claimed they would check on it, but I'm not holding my breath. Hopefully something will turn up soon!

[rdewey]

I'm in Southlake, and am waiting for this to become available in my area. Can you comment on the picture quality of the HD channels on FIOS TV?

[wfisher1]

Originally Posted by rdewey

I'm in Southlake, and am waiting for this to become available in my area. Can you comment on the picture quality of the HD channels on FIOS TV?

I think the picture quality is great. I've only really watched HDNET and one NBC broadcast so far. I have a Mits 65" RPTV. Either the signal is superior to comcast, or HDNet just looks REALLY good.

[BTDT]

I am thinking seriously about this switch from DirecTV (at least as a trial). Am I correct in assuming that the 6414 has a 140GB drive and the 6416 has a 160GB drive? This would provide a lot more than the 85 hours of recording that my recent FIOS letter (and their website) claim, unless FIOS is drastically less compressed than what D* is providing.

Any insight into how much HD storage these puppies have? This is a major issue for me.

[Pradeep]

160GB will generally give you around 20-25 hours of HD storage, depending on bitrate.

[BTDT]

25 hours works for me I think. We have never filled up the HD-TiVo so far.

Another question (which may be a bit off-topic): What kind of service duration do you have to sign up for with FIOS TV? Is it a minimum 1 year, etc.? Note that I recently moved my phone service to Vonage, so don't get any advantage of being a Verizon phone customer.

[lewlew]

wfisher1 and RScottyL, ( and anyone else with Verizon FiOS DVR) Can you tell us which guide system Verizon is using and compare it with comcast I-guide which you had previously?

[Sam S]

Originally Posted by BTDT

25 hours works for me I think. We have never filled up the HD-TiVo so far.

Another question (which may be a bit off-topic): What kind of service duration do you have to sign up for with FIOS TV? Is it a minimum 1 year, etc.? Note that I recently moved my phone service to Vonage, so don't get any advantage of being a Verizon phone customer.

There is no commitment, contract, or installation charge for FIOS TV service at this time

Originally Posted by lewlew

wfisher1 and RScottyL, ( and anyone else with Verizon FiOS DVR) Can you tell us which guide system Verizon is using and compare it with comcast I-guide which you had previously?

I've only used D* previuosly, so I'm not familiar with the guide system that my HD-PVR uses. It has the Verizon logo plastered all over the place though. Seems pretty easy to use.

FWIW, they brought me the 160GB version of the HD-PVR.

[wfisher1]

Originally Posted by lewlew

wfisher1 and RScottyL, ( and anyone else with Verizon FiOS DVR) Can you tell us which guide system Verizon is using and compare it with comcast I-guide which you had previously?

I'm not positive who makes this guide (I think it's the microsoft version though). Compared to the comcast, it's very similair. It still doesn't specify a "new" tag on comedy central and MTV shows (and a few of the other cable networks). So, you end up recording 24 hours a day worth of repeats. However, it does offer a "Record at this time only" option which my comcast box did not.

Other than that they are very similair. I wouldn't say one is better than the other. My verizon hasn't locked up or slowed down at all while browsing the channel listing. The comcast would do that to me all the time.

[emcfa]

I've had fios tv for several months in Keller.
Picture quality is great better than anything I've ever seen. (Store or any other service)
The guide is a little week ...ie search feature similar to dish. I personally think direct tv has the guide thing down. I've had to call them several times to reset my stb. Mostly on my hdstb but it just happened on one of the sdstb.
Happy New Year, E

[Dmon4u]

It's interesting that they just announced: "The new Motorola QIP6416 is a high-definition (HD) capable, dual-tuner DVR with watch-and-record capability; the Motorola QIP6200 is a single-HD tuner set-top; and the Motorola QIP2500 is a single-tuner standard-definition model." at the CES.

http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/st...4241340&EDATE=

RScottyL,

Do you have any info on the MoCA function of your QIP6416 ?

[dt_dc]

Originally Posted by Dmon4u

Do you have any info on the MoCA function of your QIP6416 ?

QIP ... QAM/IP ... cute.

Anyway ... anyone getting VOD via Verizon Fios TV should be using MoCA ...

Not much other deployed use for it (yet) ...

[wfisher1]

Originally Posted by dt_dc

QIP ... QAM/IP ... cute.

Anyway ... anyone getting VOD via Verizon Fios TV should be using MoCA ...

Not much other deployed use for it (yet) ...

This is correct. There is a MoCA adapter installed after the router that delivers the VOD. Our tech mentioned that 2nd quarter of 2006 they should be enabling communication between your STB's via the COAX. That and that the ONT will be replaced with a bulit into MoCA feature.

[dmbatch]

How many HD hours do you get from the QIP6416-1?

[hourglass]

Does the FIOS STB have firewire by any chance? --hourglass

[BTDT]

The QIP6416 DVR that Verizon is distributing currently apparently has firewire. There have been various postings about the ability or inability to transfer recordings over this interface. I haven't paid that much attention to them but you may be interested.

[joegarrett]

Does anyone have a good email address or name & phone # of someone at Verizon TV that we can pass along "wishlist" changes to the MS guide 1.7? I know all of us have a few remote changes we'd like. One thing I ran across Sunday night, while a recording is in process I wanted to extend the run time by 30 minutes, so I went to the recording menu saw the program, it was recording, selected it and the only options I could get to initially was the series options. I went into series options and then selected "last", then I could get to the current recording options. Is that a bug or is there a better way to get to the current recording options? I couldn't find one at the time.

Your thoughts?

[Person99]

Hi all, seriously considering a switch to Verizon FiOS. I just want to make sure I can record the HD channels (especially the HD movie channels) to a D-VHS machine without issue.

I'm sorry if this has been answered, I think it takes some kind of magic to use the AVS search function and I could only find vague references.

TIA,
Dave

[JJ Davis]

I've been on FIOS TV now for close to 5 months. I also have a D-VHS. I have already stated in other threads that I can get my Mitsu. TV to see my STB via 1394 but I haven't been able to get my D-VHS to see the STB. My 1394 connection from my STB goes through my D-VHS before going to my TV so the connection is good. THere have been people who have suggested that it takes a special protocol in setting up the D-VHS to see the STB but I haven't tried it yet - I guess it just isn't that important to me since we use the HD-DVR so much and that is what I used to use the D-VHS for - timeshifting HD programming.

If someone could explain to me easily what the protocol is, I would gladly give it a try and report back.,

John

[Person99]

Thanks John--I'll search for your posts.

I still want the D-VHS because the DVR is only 20 hours of HD and with a 3 year old, we can really get behind. Record a few weeks of a couple shows and some movies and you are out of space! I also like the option for long term achiving, especially after I had the hard drive in one of my TiVos crash and I lost the last 3-5 episodes of several shows that I had not seen.

Dave

[sr]

I am just curious...is the all fiber network providing the perfect signal that you expected?

[JJ Davis]

YES - except for some reason, I was getting some breakup during the NFC game yesterday evening. Switched over to HDNet and it was gone so I'm not sure if it's the signal or the FIOS.

John

[BTDT]

I saw some breakup on the NFC game yesterday as well, including one spot where there was a couple of seconds of gap. This was OTA from the local NBC station, so no FiOS or D* interference involved. (it occurs to me that this would be the same local station you are seeing, so apparently the problem starts from there back to the network)

Not to say F* will never have breakups, but hopefully not any more than any other carrier.

[billodom]

Originally Posted by JJ Davis

I've been on FIOS TV now for close to 5 months. I also have a D-VHS. I have already stated in other threads that I can get my Mitsu. TV to see my STB via 1394 but I haven't been able to get my D-VHS to see the STB. My 1394 connection from my STB goes through my D-VHS before going to my TV so the connection is good. THere have been people who have suggested that it takes a special protocol in setting up the D-VHS to see the STB but I haven't tried it yet - I guess it just isn't that important to me since we use the HD-DVR so much and that is what I used to use the D-VHS for - timeshifting HD programming.

If someone could explain to me easily what the protocol is, I would gladly give it a try and report back.,

John

John, I have been puzzling over this for a while now myself. I have seen your posts in other threads and it is disappointing that no one has stepped up. Let's face it, there just aren't that many people with FiOS TV first and then even fewer who have a D-VHS connected by firewire. Let me give you my layman's take on the situation. First off I think your Mits TV is irrelevant to your firewire issue. It seems to me that the STB has to be connected via firewire to your D-VHS and that the STB would then "control" the D-VHS via firewire. I have a Samsung OTA STB that is connected by firewire to a JVC D-VHS. The firewire menu is in my STB and that controls my D-VHS. I assume in your former situation that your Mits TV controlled your Mits D-VHS via firewire. Does that make any sense? If that is the case, then there has to be some setting in the 6416 that would "control" the D-VHS. We could probably find the answer to this dilemma if we searched through some of the cable threads because all the cable STBs are required to provide a firewire connection. I will let you know what I find out after I have the service installed a week from tomorrow, January 24.

[Phototone]

In the case of a D-VHS deck, it is not a good idea to string the box, the D-VHS and the TV in series.

You need a firewire connection with handshake to record to D-VHS. Use the deck that gives you this handshake. You need to get the indication from the D-VHS deck, not the set-top box.
On your JVC you need to toggle through the channel selector buttons on the front of the deck until you get an "I" (eye) on the display on the front of the deck. With the deck connected to the STB, it should assign a number to the STB. This could be I-2, or I-3 or such. When you get a number along with the "I" (eye) the connection has been made. This may take a second or two. You may have to unplug the STB from the AC and reconnect it if you don't at first get an assigned number.

Connect the playback of your D-VHS deck to the Mits TV with component cables. If you are getting a signal at the deck, it will display through to the TV through the component (not composite) cables. You should then be able to hit "record" on the D-VHS remote control and it should make a recording. If you are not using D-VHS cassettes, make sure that you are using a cassette that is good enough for a D-VHS recording, otherwise it just won't record. Some people have good success with premium S-VHS cassettes, punching the extra hole in the cassette shell.

On the JVC D-VHS output options, you can set the recorder for 1080i output through the component outputs. (This is a on screen menu selection)

[Phototone]

I can also add...that you can connect the STB to the D-VHS through the firewire port, and also connect the STB to the TV through its component or HDMI ports (or DVI, which ever it has) simultaneously.

[JJ Davis]

Update on the recording to D-VHS.

I tried the recommended protocol of getting them to talk to each other last night and lo and behold, I'm able to record directly from the STB to the D-VHS. I was able to record both DiscoveryHD and CinemaxHD. I didn't try anything else and didn't try to record from the DVR to D-VHS but I'm guessing that would work as well.

So, it looks pretty good for recording to D-VHS from the Verizon Motorola STB.

John

[billodom]

Originally Posted by Phototone

You need a firewire connection with handshake to record to D-VHS. Use the deck that gives you this handshake. You need to get the indication from the D-VHS deck, not the set-top box.

Thanks for the tutorial, Phototone. You have made some valuable contributions in your short time as a member and I would like to thank you for this one. In my case with the Samsung 165, my 30K (now 40K) assigns it "I-1." Note to self: When in doubt, RTFM.

Originally Posted by JJ Davis

I was able to record both DiscoveryHD and CinemaxHD.

Sounds like Verizon has the copy flags set correctly. If so, this is great news.