Thread: Another FiOS TV Review

VZ is a great stock, but I have some problems with their FIOS

Let me offer a few different points:

1) They won't share with other ISPs (Earthlink, etc.)

2) They only allow access to the verizon.net domain for email (If you have your own domain somewhere, you must get a business account to download your email)

3) How much remote access do they allow when you travel?



4) Their DVR has only a 160 GB drive and has problems with Dolby 5.1 over HDMI

5) No VOOM

6) No SIRIUS music (I wish Charlie would work something out with them so Dish could offer more of SIRIUS' channels)

7) In the event of a power outage, your telephone depends upon your battery back-up for operation.

8) In closing, old Charlie has a formidable product offering, and some things will have to change before I switch to FIOS - and yes, I can get it now!


Flame away, but this how I feel.

--Doug

I had posted that they were doing all the mains for FIOS in some of the suburbs of Buffalo NY, no activations or even metion of them yet. When i posted that news, had a few replys from members here saying that us "fios" posters act like its the "second coming" LOL Sounds to me , like it might be, compared to "current" sat qualitys and offers.

Oh and if you notice my sig, thats how i make my living, so why would i be pro fios? It is the future, as far as this tech guy goes.

Originally Posted by datwell

VZ is a great stock, but I have some problems with their FIOS

Let me offer a few different points:

1) They won't share with other ISPs (Earthlink, etc.)

So what? Most couldnt handle the bandwidth FIOS gives you anyway. I wouldnt get a 30Mbps Fios account to access another ISP at 5Mbps.

Originally Posted by datwell

2) They only allow access to the verizon.net domain for email (If you have your own domain somewhere, you must get a business account to download your email)

Use a vpn or alternative port

Originally Posted by datwell

3) How much remote access do they allow when you travel?

Easy to work around, depending on your reference to remote access.

Originally Posted by datwell

4) Their DVR has only a 160 GB drive and has problems with Dolby 5.1 over HDMI

Most all DVR are limited to the same - the 5.1 over HDMI is HDCP spec - get used to it - you ain't seen nothing yet.

Originally Posted by datwell

5) No VOOM

I have virtually all the Voom offerings from when they had decent bitrate. Until I see a bunch more - big whoop.

I'd much rather have EAST AND WEST COAST feed of HBO-HD/Showtime-HD/StarzHD/CinemaxHD/TMC-HD and the others such as MHD that E* doesnt have.

Originally Posted by datwell

6) No SIRIUS music (I wish Charlie would work something out with them so Dish could offer more of SIRIUS' channels)

BIG WHOOP.... I'd get FIOS for quality, not a crappy sounding 192k MP3 sound with a crappy old codec.

Screw Sirius - let them get a REAL quality music package that they have the bandwidth to transmit. Go get a Sirius sub at $12 if it concerns you so much.

Originally Posted by datwell

7) In the event of a power outage, your telephone depends upon your battery back-up for operation.

And that is about the only legit thing you have listed - but lets see - what telephone operation does Dish or Directv have? Hmmmm.....local cable is in same problem area.

I guess if Hurricane hits he's screwed and will have to use his cellphone - odds are he will have to anyway as the telephone lines would be down for Verizon POTS customers.

And what have you done for TV this past week while the sun takes out your E* service EVERYDAY as it will next week and in the Fall again.

There is more time down there than FIOS phone service will most likely be out.

Originally Posted by datwell

8) In closing, old Charlie has a formidable product offering, and some things will have to change before I switch to FIOS - and yes, I can get it now!

You have clearly partaken of the Kool-Aid

Originally Posted by datwell

2) They only allow access to the verizon.net domain for email (If you have your own domain somewhere, you must get a business account to download your email)

What? You can't download email via POP from another server, is this for real?!?!? (ex: gmail's POP3 server?)

Originally Posted by ElCapitanAmerica

What? You can't download email via POP from another server, is this for real?!?!? (ex: gmail's POP3 server?)

I suspect the poster confused operating a mail server on a residential account, which is not allowed on most residential accounts for most ISPs anyway as it is not listed in the FIOS TOS on their webpage. Considering his other arguements, this mistake wouldn't surprise me.

I suspect Port 25 is blocked incoming but not outgoing on the residential accounts. I wish more Broadband Services would do this as so many residential accounts are turned into spambots. RoadRunner and other Broadband services have the same blocks in place.

Many ISPs will not even accept email from MailServers on Residential IPs, which also might be what the original poster is confused about. AOL and others have these blocks in place now.

I have no firsthand knowledge of it, but as the original poster said he is not a sub, he has no first hand knowledge of his statement either.

Originally Posted by HDTVFanAtic

So what? Most couldnt handle the bandwidth FIOS gives you anyway. I wouldnt get a 30Mbps Fios account to access another ISP at 5Mbps.

That right, you could access 6 other ISPs at 5Mbps, and have full bandwidth on all 6 streams!!!!!!!!!!!! OH YEAH!!!!!

-John

Well at least I managed to stimulate some good discussion here!

--Doug

i added more thought about the hd pvr to to my thoughts. here is what i added on the main page.

EDIT ON 3/13/06, 10:05 - I have had a little time to play with the HD DVR. As some have reported, the interface could use a little work. For example, my biggest complaint about it is this. It goes out 14 days, however, say I was looking at tomorrow’s listings (Tuesday 3/14); it identifies the date as "Tuesday". Now if I go to the next Tuesday (3/21), it still only identifies itself as "Tuesday". I feel they should also list the date (3/14 or 3/21).

Another thing I noticed, but have not had a lot of time to play around with is this. I had two recordings set up last night for the Sopranos and Desperate Housewives. Both start at 9pm. I had it on HBO at around 855 and a message came up asking if I wanted to switch to the Desperate Housewives channel or delete the Sopranos recording. Not wanting to mess with it last night, I just choose to cancel the Sopranos recording as I was watching it live. I can't figure out why it was asking me to choose between the two as it will record two programs at once and I had it on one of the channels that it was recording. I will test more later on.

wow that is the same hd dvr that adelphia puts out to there customers, yeah you are right about the sd channels and hd channels great for pic quality, the best part i like about it is dual tuner and only takes one coax from the cable company, and the video on demand has great pic quality also