Verizon FiOS HDTV - Page 459

I'm having some issues with clear QAM channels in Dallas. I am just looking to get the local channels in HD on a secondary tv without getting a box for it.

I plug the cable in and scan...and it finds channels, but the ones I want (fox, cbs, abc, nbc, cw, ktxa) start to break up and pixelate. Signal strength is just about maxed out on my 27" olevia LCD.

Any suggestions? Thanks.

I do have a question that might have been answered before... Aren't some netoworks now being delivered to providers in MPEG4 only? If so, wouldn't VZ have to reencode it to MPEG2?

(note: VZ FiOS is available to me... just chose DTV because of NFL unday Ticket and most of my TV viewing is locals which my receiver passes thru OTA signals...)

Yes. I think HBO is one of the networks sent to the providers in MPEG4.

And I know the FiOS regular HD VOD looks bad(although not as bad as Comcast). The Verizon VOD uses 15Mb/s MPEG2.
Now if they could switch that to 15Mb/s MPEG4 then that would really be something.

FiOS HD VOD looks great to me. Maybe you have an issue at your place.

Perhaps by the master carpenters who designed the late 90's Taurus, with all the unnecessary ovals and buttons.

Ill take the understated look of the 7232 any day with only the one small button control panel. The 7232 looks at home next to my Sony receiver and PS3 as opposed to sticking out(both literally and figuratively).

Plus, having the venting being on the back and not on the top means you can stack it without killing the cooling.

It's possible that your signal strength may be too high for your tuner. Some digital tuners are very sensitive and can be finicky with different signal strengths and operate well only in a specific range. You may want to try an attenuator or a splitter to reduce signal strength.May just be a lousy QAM tuner as well. I have a polaroid DVR that receives ATSC over the air fine, but has the same problems you have with QAM.

SD channels come through fine, no breakups or pixels, which is strange.

I'll try an attenuator. Thanks.

If you simply call Verizon, they will send a tech to measure each location, which they should have done at the time of the installation. That way, you can be sure each box is near spec.

Yes, but there's been no evidence that cross-coding produces an inferior picture. But these instances might be good examples of when DirecTV and FiOS look "the same."

And it's worth pointing out that DirecTV only carries two MPEG4 feeds from HBO/Cinemax: HBO2 and HBO Zone.

It could be from our VHO. It looks the same no matter where I've viewed it from though. There will still be macroblocking during fast pans, fast movement and bright flashes. Although nowhere near as bad as comcast VOD.

I have recently noticed quite a lot of remote lag and I'm still on 1.7.
It must be the Verizon servers.

I'm noticing this as well... Also still on 1.7.

Hopefully, we will get 1.8 tonight.

I'm on 1.8 and there are still lag issues from time to time. Also, I have been experiencing stuttering on occasions that I was not when on 1.7. I think they are still working the bugs out.

I'm still on 1.7.1, and have been noticing severe lags at times. Also, my recording of the first The Walking Dead episode had stutters every 10-20 seconds for about the first ten minutes or so. I haven't noticed it on any other recording, so it might have been a single anomaly at the time of that broadcast and/or recording.

Doug

Regarding 1.9... http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r25056974-

based on postings on DSL reports, new installs are getting the new bigger DVRs. Twitter Joe claimed that Verizon was going to setup a website for current customers to request them. Not holding my breath on that. New customer always gets the better deal.

I posted earlier that I got one in a truck roll. I had them send a tech out to run a TV line downstairs and had them swap my 6416 for the new 7232 in conjunction with that.

I really hope that they do set up that site. Even my wife was annoyed when I mentioned that new customers were getting 500GB boxes and existing customers were paying the same price for 160GB boxes. Trying to keep free space in a 160GB drive is a constant frustration for us. Even with eSATA expansion I will still want that extra 340GB. While eSATA expansion will be great, the 340GB jump from 160GB to 500GB is free, eSATA expansion requires an out of pocket expense for the customer.

I tell people I have a PHD in DVR Management.

Looking forward to 1.5 (eSATA) Tera Bytes!

Tell me about it...
My wife tells me I watch to much TV... I would tell her that I'm only watching Programs to remove them from the DVR before it removes them or the show she wants to watch.

It hasn't been as stressful since I got a 7232P2...

Anyone else notice the Versus 3D channel? For me It shows up on channel 1002, but I don't think it's actually live as of yet because it's only showing a Verizon logo.

I see it here

I am new to posting, but have read a few of the comments here, where it seems there are quite a few knowledgeable folks. I hope you all can help me with a simple question. I currently have FIOS and I am wondering if I can purchase a TIVO box, return the Verizon box, and purchase some kind of card from Verizon thaty will work on the TIVO box? I hope to save a few dollars, get more HD memory for my saved shows, and have a better series of menu options. Does this makes sense?

You can purchases a Tivo and use a cable card with it yes. This will give you more HD storage depending on what model DVR you currently have and which Tivo model you buy.

Unless you are getting some sort of deal on hardware or service though, you aren't going to save any money. Cable cards cost $3.99 /month to rent from Verizon and Tivo service ranges between $12.95 /month and $11.65 /month (over 5 years if you buy lifetime service.) Once you add in the hardware costs, you aren't getting below the $14.95 /month rental price of a Verizon DVR.

So, if you like the Tivo interface that much more than Verizon, don't mind losing OnDemand access, and aren't willing to wait for Verizon to roll out 1.9 to get more storage options and a better guide system, there's nothing wrong with going with a Tivo.

bull3964 -- thanks for the info. What you noted makes perfect sense. It seems I should just sit tight and wait a bit fot the "new rollout". Thanks again

I am coming up on the first anniversary of dumping the horrible Verizon DVR in favor of the Tivo HD. I remember the date well, because the multiple failed installation attempts for the cable card occupied most of my Thanksgiving weekend last year. Even though I asked that they simply send me the card, Verizon insisted on a truck roll. On three separate days over the weekend, they didn't show up. Many hours on the phone with many reps finally resulted in my asking them to leave the card on my porch if I wasn't home. So they left it, just as I had wanted in the beginning. I did the activation over the phone.

Whether it is a telephone order or a Fios order, Verizon knows every possible way to screw up an order, or put it into a state where it will never be dispatched.

A few months after that, I received my backordered 1GB Tivo Expander drive, and I've been very happy since then.

FYI, Tivo has ended lifetime service to new customers today. They only have month by month options now and it's impossible to buy one without entering into at least a one year contract.

One other thing to be aware of, if you buy one of the subsidized models and pay the higher monthly rate, that rate DOESN'T drop down to the lower rate once the contract is fulfilled.

https://www3.tivo.com/store/premiere...uccess=buy_cta

http://www.engadget.com/2010/11/14/t...y-fee-as-tivo/

In light of these new developments, I can't even give a half hearted recommendation of Tivo to anyone now unless they accelerate their software development at start adding features they are severely lacking (true multi-room viewing, better management from smartphones, global scheduling.)

Anyone besides me have a pixelated mess on AMC HD? So much for this week's Walking Dead. I just checked and it's the same for the 11pm showing. I'm guessing if this was more than a Verizon issue, the WD thread would be lit up.

VHO4 here. Set the DVR for the 1am showing but I'm not optimistic. Thanks, Verizon.

EDIT: Actually, it's also Fuse HD. I'm guessing they're on the same QAM. Anything on my end that could be causing this?

Here in VHO11, it was pristine (and by pristine, I mean grainy like it was supposed to be.) No problems to report at all.