Philadelphia, PA - Verizon - Page 20

Anybody see Versus drop the entire audio / video carrier this evening for about 5 seconds? Not sure of the exact time, but I think it was early in the 1st period of the Leafs / Sabres game. Swapping around between Versus, TBS, and ESPN-HD tonight.

What happened with no Versus HD this year? Last year it was on HDNet, but can't seem to find Versus HD anywhere, unless I missed it. I'm really gonna be upset if the Flyers game is only on Versus - SD tomorrow night.

Took a look at ComCast pricing, it's almost double what I'm paying for Verizon right now. Not counting the special offers right now, because my contract is up in February.

Thanks for the Fiberexperts link Jerry! Unfortunately, there is no date stamp anywhere on the page. I mention this as my township is NOT listed as having the Franchise approved in our area when I know this to be true. The township's quarterly newsletter this past summer mentioned the signing in Sept. of 2006 and my conversation with an actual person in the know in their offices verified that.

I seriously believe that website is suspect. One doesn't know how often they update (not that often apparently). Not your fault. Just a word to the wise out there not to take this data at face value. Interestingly, if one clicks on any township listed you are taken to Verizon's FIOS site. This looks like some marketing tool by Verizon.

I guess I can only continue to bug Verizon and maybe I will reach someone with more specific info on my situation soon. Must be nice to have the service. I wonder why we can't have it when we have the internet/phone service already. Can anyone answer me that one?

Chaz, I had the internet/phone service for almost two years before the TV service was available here. And, that was after almost a year since the Township's signing of the agreement with Verizon. Be patient, they are slow to enact after teasing us with signed franchise agreements!

GeekGirl, many channels were dropping out over the weekend for some reason. I noticed it while playing channel roulette for many of the sports programming.

I'm also in Yardley, PA.....Was a satisfied Comcast customer for years (both internet and TV) with only relatively minor issues....About 6 months ago developed a tiling/pixelating issue on both of my HD sets, both with dvr boxes....Comcast has been out countless times, and have replaced internal and external wires, etc, etc,....In their defense, they have tried, but have been unable to completely resolve the issue....Although an intermittant problem, it persists....Finally making the jump to FIOS for all services, with installation next week....Will I regret it??

Jim, did you ever happen to ask them why the excessive wait in rolling out the TV service when one has the bulk of the install done as an Internet/Phone customer, particularly since they've had the go ahead for some time?

I have an existing network of coax cable put in years ago (90s) by Comcast coming off a splitter in my basement near where my ONT is installed. Since I won't be using VOD or PPV I won't need the connection with my network router. I have just 3 TVs. From what I can see all I need are the STBs (2) setup (cable cards for my primary display) and I'm there.

I may have my existing cable tested. Unless attenuators or replacement cable is needed, I'm practically ready to go other than hooking this stuff up and making sure it all works, but that could be a hassle I guess.

I just wonder what is the issue. What else is needed "elsewhere" away from my house that would hold up the completion of this project? I really think they love jerking us around. They may be losing customers to Comcast or DirectTV as a result as well. Wake up Verizon!

kdos - That's why I went for Verizon. The system is way over-capacity and bits are literally getting pushed off the deep end. Hence the pixelation. They only way they can fix it is to upgrade / rebalance the hardware on the pole. If it hasn't been done by now for the Yardley area, I'm seriously considering to stay the course with Verizon. My agreement is up in February. Comcast is nearly 2x the cost, so there's not much incentive to switch back. Only driver here is if Verizon somehow drops Sportsnet. I'm missing a lot of hockey, but I'm not at the switchover point yet.

The difference from Comcast to Verizon is significant. Much better on FiOS, despite the recent perceived drop in PQ since last year. Comcast Sportsnet in HD looks even better. You'll like HDNet.

Chaz, I believe you still need the coax connection to the router, or else you won't get program guide data on your STBs. The router sucks the guide data off the internet and injects it onto the coax.

-Jerry

The signal out of the ONT is about 10 dB stronger than what you get at the home entrance with Comcast. No need to worry about splitters. Verizon supplies all the parts, including the ActionTec router, which is a good firewall router. It uses MoCA (RF) on the input. Give it a shot. If you still want to use your own router, you'll need to setup the ActionTec as a bridge. More info over on the Broadband reports Verizon internet forum: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzfiber. There's also a FiOS TV forum: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzfiostv

GeekGirl....Thanks....Install sched. for Sunday....I'll update after a week or so of viewing

GeekGirl and others...Just went to the DSLreports forum that GeekGirl hyperlinked above....Seems like the same tiling issues that plagued me with Comcast are just as prevelant with FiOS....Is it still bad?

Geekgirl. I used to have a Linksys router but ended up using the supplied ActionTec router from Verizon when I got FIOS internet/phone earlier this year. So, I'm set.

This router appears to be fine. I was initially concerned as to whether I would have a problem with my TiVo wireless adaptor "talking" with this router as I'm not familiar with this brand and their website is of little help.

In any case my worries turned out groundless thankfully. Performance is good.

In my case here in Yardley, it's only an intermittent problem, with some tiling and audio dropouts occasionally. With Comcast, I had it constantly. My area was completely rebuilt by Comcast, stringing new lines, and replacing all the equipment. My neighbors tell me there's still some problems with the service. FiOS is definitely has better picture quality, and I've never had a drop out with my internet service, and have had that for a few years now. Although, it replaced Verizon DSL, so I can't speak to the Comcast internet service.

ditto. Although I'm not sure if Comcast upgraded beyond 750 MHz in my neighborhood (where they were last year).

Thanks.....with a MUCH cheaper monthly, should be "tolerable" at the least...Hopefully the install goes smooth....Thanks again for your insight

Kdos-
I just went through 8 months of complete hell with FIOS TV in North Wilmington. Be prepared for tiling, random channels missing some days, billing issues - I could go on.

I'm back on Comcast now for 2 weeks and haven't had 1 single issue.

Just warning you.

.....FiOS install sched for Sunday....I figure my Comcast experience has deteriorated so nothing to lose....At least that's what I'm telling myself!!....I'll post back soon.....30 day "trial" period may come in handy

During tonight's Flyers game, they highlighted the new overhead HD goalie cams. The purpose was for the NHL officials in Toronto to better review replays around the goal net. They said it made a big difference in what they were looking at. No kidding.

After the overtime win , they showed the view from the overhead HD camera. Amazing PQ, as I could see the NHL logo on the puck as it rolled past the 'Canes goalie into the net.

All NHL arenas must have the HD cams installed by the end of the month (according to Jim Jackson during the game).

The ALCS game PQ on FOX tonight is the best I've seen so far. Are they broadcasting in 1080i? My TV won't tell me the format and that's the only thing I can think of that will give that kind of PQ (1080i native format).

720P is what Fox broadcasts in.

Did anyone else watching CSN-HD on FiOS notice popping and cracking on the audio? It seemed to lessen as the game went on. I also noticed that the audio mix puts the play by play in center channel only, so a pretty cool effect is to lower the center channel and listen to the ambient sound in the other channels.

Kudos to Comcast for covering tonight's Flyers game in true widescreen format. Not HD, but looks like 480 line-doubled like FOX did before they went 720p.

The SD channel was clipped from the HD version to fit 4:3. That's the best PQ in SD I've seen (if I didn't have HD). Nice production.

They probably were trading available bandwidth vs. data rate to fit 16:9. Looks like they got a good compromise. Fills my request for better game coverage. That's first. Next, up the PQ. That's a lot harder (cost).

-> Can they please continue this for the remaining road trip? I'd ask for all the road games, but first things first.

Thanks to Comcast for announcing the *widescreen* format for tonight's Flyers game. Don't go back to upscaling SD for the HD channel. I like the 16:9 perspective (2.35:1 for rink dimensions, close to DVD aspect ratio!) and was satisfied with the improvement in PQ. Until I watched tonight's Pens vs. Leafs game on HDNet...

I noticed that as well. I'm watching the Flyers in "HD" on CSN and was thinking this looks like 480P 16:9 then I switched to the game on "HDNET" and my wife was like "wow, that's really clear"!!! We switched back to the Flyers and she actually said "it looks blurry". So my wife who has "no clue" about HD technology noticed a difference immediately.

Although 16:9 = 1.78:1! Still, it's a nicer deal, and when it's truly high-def, so much more enjoyable.

In what world is the Actiontec router a "good router"?!?!

1. You do not need to use the Actiontec router unless want MoCA (which is defacto proprietary) support for Video on Demand (VoD). You can use any router, such as a good DD-WRT supported router such as the Linksys WRT54GL for $60. It will connect on the WAN via PPPoE (which I've been told is now a legacy feature, which does not actually authenticate the login/pass, and really the ONT supplies standard DHCP for your WAN IP address).
2. The Actiontec router is one that Verizon remotely administers. People should worry that Verizon can spy on all of your LAN activity in this fashion. This could include collecting data for deep packet inspection (DPI) / packet shaping. In other words, it should be considered an untrusted device.
3. Anecdotally I've heard (though haven't yet reviewed the forums here) that it overheats and freezes under heavy loads.

FiOS provides not just SD (480p) versions of the analog signal, but also HDTV (720p/1080i) versions of all the OTA channels, as well as all the subcarrier OTA channels in SD (e.g. WCSN, formerly The Tube on myPHL, ABC News, NBC Weather, etc.) WGN Superstation, Bridges, Telemundo, Univision, WMCN, and the EXPO channel are also provided in SD (480p). The Weather Channel and Weatherscan are provided in SD digital, as is NPTV in the North Wales / Lansdale area. All of the Music Choice and URGE Music "radio" stations are also included in the "Local Plus" digital TV package. These are all delivered in Clear QAM (256).

However, as of approximately 6 weeks ago the audio portion of the digital MPEG-2 transport stream (QAM) for the WGN Superstation and The Weather Channel has stopped working. (It had been working before then since the FiOS TV service was first made available here; approximately a year.) I haven't yet performed my own audit of the transport stream to determine if the audio portion is merely corrupted or completely absent. Sound still works on the analog versions thereof. Although, when Verizon runs a FiOS ad on The Weather Channel, sound does work then. Resolving this issue with Verizon has been laborious to say the least because they want coerce all subscribers into renting their set-top cablebox as a loophole to regulations on pricing for the content itself; I've had to argue against countless lies that "you don't get digital, just analog" and "the problem is with your tuner" (although I have confirmed this problem with several different QAM tuners).

Has anyone one else had this problem or managed to resolve it? Any additional information or insight would be appreciated.

p.s. I was told by one Verizon representative in their "fibre solutions" (technical support) that they add a "broadcast flag" into the transport streams. I know that the PMT header in the MPEG-2 TS they send is so padded with information that it spans multiple packets (very unusual for the format). Presumably this is read by their receiver box to perform actions such as delete recorded shows after a certain date or to prevent fast-forwarding in recorded shows, which other users have complained about.

p.p.s. Verizon technical support centers in Texas, Illinois, and Florida use the Slingbox to view channels in your locale. This is why they ask you "what channel?" for a particular broadcaster, even if you're trying to articulate a particular (digital) QAM frequency MPEG-2 transport stream. The multiple conversions from QAM to set-top box to Slingbox appears to mask / obscure the issue I need them to troubleshoot.

For any of you who read that New York, New Jersey, and Connecticut now have 20/20 symmetric connections for $64.99/month:
arstechnica.com/news.ars/post/20071023-verizon-discovers-symmetry-offers-2020-symmetrical-fios-service.html

I spoke to a Verizon representative last week and was told that Pennsylvania is was supposed to accordingly begin 15/15 symmetric at the beginning of this month (October) but are delaying/procrastinating. Another representative told me that the delay between internal awareness and end-user realization is typically 8 weeks; so perhaps by the end of December this will be available to purchase.

That said, for the $180 Verizon wants to charge for 30/5, you could currently aggregate four $45 accounts of 15/2 using iproute2 with linux (e.g. an OpenWRT compatible wireless router) for a total of 60/8, or find a divisible price point that suits you best.

I was also told that upgrading the speeds was mainly an issue of updating the firmware inside the Optical Network Terminal (ONT) (similar to speed capping in cable modems), and that perhaps debugging of this is what's causing the rollout delay. (FYI, Florida gets 50Mbps speeds, and the PON hardware itself could support up to 900Mbps.)

However, I advise anyone interested to call up the Verizon sales office and ask for symmetric (sometimes they call it "synchronous") bandwidth. A few of the times I've inquired about it this month I was told that "no one wanted that" -- usually by representatives who wanted to lecture me that "bandwidth is not a commodity" (it is) and that only "business applications" would want that. So let your voice be heard!

Nice coverage of the Flyers game tonight on Sportsnet for getting those on ice close-ups. Not just as they went past the camera, but isolated shots inside the blue line. You could really see the details of the stick work (especially how Briere got by a few defenders ).

Good info. Welcome to AVS forum. The AVS forumn is more or less focused about video / audio quality of your home theater system. I think you'll find a lot of friends over on the broadbandreports.com Verizon FiOS TV forum: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzfiostv and Fiber Optics forum: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/vzfiber. There are a number of threads addressing security (lack of) for the ActionTec router. For my purposes, it's a nice firewall and manages the MoCA and guide info just fine. Incidentally, Port 4567 is open (you can find info on how to close it). I don't want to risk losing my STB support, so I'm not going to mess with anything there.

FWIW, Verizon is probably using a different protocol, like ALG to control the STB. Some detail in this thread: http://www.dslreports.com/forum/r191...4~start=40#end . It's a start, there's a LOT of info in that forum. As for freeze-ups and such, there are a few posts on that topic as well.

You'll see a number of AVS forum members over there (I'm in as GeekGirl1).

For AVS forum, check these threads:
The QIP6416 HD-DVR: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...617635&page=84

FiOS programming in general: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...90208&page=163

Someone in the FiOS programming forum is giving a heads-up for IMG 2 rollout around Nov 13th. http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...3#post12104843