[SpinDoctor15]

I'm looking to get a Verizon CableCARD for FIOS for my Pioneer 5080HD. Couple questions on this:


- Verizon informed me that I would just get the HD TV service, but none of the frills (TVGuide, On-Demand). I never use on-demand, but TV Guide would be a nice feature. Can I use the Pioneer built-in TV Guide to pull TV listings?


- Verizon quoted me $80 for a service visit to install the CableCARD. I'm pretty savvy with these things, and would like to do it myself... is this something I can do myself? Or do I need to have some special tool or decoder to set things up?


Thanks in advance for your help!

 

[geb724]

i have an older (2005) pioneer with fios. i had the cable card and i don't really remember if the tv guide worked. a service charge is ridiculous. all you need to do is slip it in the slot. i think then you'll need to call your provider to activate it. i returned it because i wanted the ipg.

 

[Jator]

I have Verizon and Cable Card, but use it in a Cable Card PC which Microsoft provides the guide for (uses Zap2it I believe). Not sure about your situation, but the On Demand will not work (or the other widgets). As far as Guide goes, not sure.


As far as service call, I agree, total rip off. If you could pick up the card and just call to have the card paired, would make a lot more sense (and no money for Verizon other than the $3.99 they charge for it). Gotta make up the loss of a HD Box you would otherwise pay $10 for.


Good luck. if you are at or near the end of your contract, call and say that you can switch to Comcast (or whoever your Cable provider is) and that they will isntall it for free as part of the initial install. Might get you an $80 credit to cover the install cost.

 

[wmcbrine]

I've heard that they won't really charge the $80 for CableCard installs. Dunno, I got mine at initial install, and before they started charging for service calls.

 

[Ratman]

IMHO... I'd tell them to cancel my service if they want to charge $80 for a CC "install/activation". It's nothing more than slapping into a slot and a phone call.

 

[polyscroll]

I can verify, at least here in Syracuse, NY, that FIOS WILL NOT pass ANY TVGOS (TV Guide Onscreen) or EPG data through CableCards at all.


I have a Panasonic TH-50PX600U plasma and found that to be the case after months of trying to get it to work.


In the end, I had to finally get a hold of a high level FIOS engineer (not normal Tech Support) to finally verify what I suspected; They strip the Guide and EPG data out of their digital channel distribution.


I ended up sending the cable card back and getting one of their HD boxes.

What I lost was the ability to record shows to my external DVD Recorder automatically via the use of TVGOS.

 

[SpinDoctor15]

Thanks for all the inputs. Verizon did stick to their "$79.99 service visit" for a tech to come out, apparently they've had problems where people stuck the CableCard in the TV and then blamed Verizon when they broke things. So, it's company practice to sent a tech. However, I schmoozed the sales rep on the phone to give me a discount for my troubles, and he was nice enough to find a discount code that gets me -$5.99/month off the bill for a year, amounting to approx. $72. Not a bad trade, so I took it!