Info on DVR?
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It's a cheap, actually very cheap, motorola unit similiar to the Comcast boxes. I have already replaced one and am getting ready to replace another.
First box, the HD PVR version just started acting up out of the blue. It would lock up and not respond to the remote.
Box failing now is an SD PVR. It has to be rebooted frequently becuase the remote cannot control it and the front panel controls stop working, and the hard disk is starting to make sounds. Since it's a bedroom unit, sounds of a failing hard disk are not acceptable.
While the program lineup and such is the best in the market, the equipment they use is the worst. In addition, the programming leaves a lot to be desired. If it weren't for the lower cost and signal reliability I would switch back to Dish.
So it would be a much lower quality than my 522s with Dish? I will have the FiOS Internet access, so I had considered the TV as well, even though I still have SkyAngel, which I use my 2 522 units for.
Brad
Brad
I've had two Fios DVR's in two rooms since they started here in Texas with zero problems. Before Fios I had Dish's and had to reboot that stupid thing once a week (realizing this is a software problem, but anyway...) so don't hesitate with the Fios DVR. Personally, I haven't even considered going back to Dish.
You can go to Motorola's site and get specs on the unit.
You can go to Motorola's site and get specs on the unit.
Going to FiOS is not an option, yet. It has some good features, and my Internet access will almost certainly be that when it is available, but my 522s have been relatively flawless in the last 6-12 months, so I would have to have a compelling reason to switch. I am just on "SkyAngel only" with locals added this weekend (for the remainder of football season, so it would be a step up to go with either FiOS or Dish's Top 180.
HD is a bit farther out, since I don't have an HD TV.
I did want to know about the specs of this receiver, since DVR features are very important to me, and very little specific information about the receiver is shown on the Verizon site.
Brad
I would say it is about on par with Dish's DVR albeit a bigger hard drive; which of course puts it a bit below Tivo IMO. I just don't have to reboot it each week like I did with Dish's DVR as stated above.
Spec wise, I think it's like 160gb, has dual tuners, and is all set when you get you a HD tv to display the HD channels as well as the full DVR functions. Does this answer what you are asking?
Spec wise, I think it's like 160gb, has dual tuners, and is all set when you get you a HD tv to display the HD channels as well as the full DVR functions. Does this answer what you are asking?
I think my 522 has a 200 GB HD and I haven't had to reboot it for months, though I occassionally do so when I think about it. (Though I don't think about it more than once a month or more.)
I have never used a TIVO, so I don't know if I would like it.
Thanks for the size details though. Knowing that is what I was looking for. It may end up depending whether I get FiOS before I finally bite the bullet and by an HD TV (and get Dish HD or FiOS HD <grin>).
Brad
Brad, I hope that you are comfortable making a decision now. Although I don't think that the Fios recievers are worth much, other companies use and sell the same junk.
I encourage you to 'take the leap' to HD. There really is nothing like it. It makes the television viewing experience to a level well worth the investment. I would equate it to jumping from black and white to color. It really makes that much of a difference. I get really peeved when I have to watch a show in SD now. I salivate when I think that a time will come when all broadcasts will be in HD. MMMMMMMM, HD!
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There are several Dish DVRs. None of which require weekly rebooting, so anyone having that problem needs to call tech support and they can help or replace it. At the least, do a check switch.
I have the 508, 721 and ViP622 DVRs from Dish. A guy in the office has the Fios DVR. Another guy I know also has a Fios DVR. The office guy never had a DVR before, and is mostly happy with his Fios unit. He doesn't know any better. The other guy is going nuts because he hates the Fios DVR. Said he had a better DVR from the cableco, and much, much better when he was with DirecTV.
I like my DVRs, especially the HD one- the ViP622. Much faster than Tivo, and without the annoying Tivo interface/"features." The ViP622 is probably the best DVR out there today. Tivo people may disagree, but many of us find the Tivo slow, "cutesy" and bothersome. Anyway, there is no Tivo with MPEG-4 and HD and built in tuners for either satellite service's HD offerings.
I hear there are no near term plans to release a better DVR for Fios. They seem to have (for most users) a Cadillac service with a Yugo engine.
If your choice is cable or Fios, probably Fios will be the better choice. If you can get a sight line for either satellite service, that would be the best choice.
One last bit- if you're thinking about HDTV, or thinking that you won't get one: There is a strong rumor floating around that on Black Friday, Wal-Mart will be selling 42" HDTVs for less than $1,000. And for the 2007 holiday season, brand name 32" to 36" HDTVs will go for less than $500.
This may be the last holiday season where we see CRT TVs generally available. Early in 2007, the unit sales of flat screen and projection TVs will exceed CRTs. IIRC, 2007 sales are estimated to be 10M for CRTs, 17M for all others. BB (& perhaps CC) will drop CRTs completely after this year. Might get a great close out deal in January, if you can stand another CRT in your house.
HDTV is great. Show your wife "Desperate Housewives" in HD and the WAF will skyrocket.
I have the 508, 721 and ViP622 DVRs from Dish. A guy in the office has the Fios DVR. Another guy I know also has a Fios DVR. The office guy never had a DVR before, and is mostly happy with his Fios unit. He doesn't know any better. The other guy is going nuts because he hates the Fios DVR. Said he had a better DVR from the cableco, and much, much better when he was with DirecTV.
I like my DVRs, especially the HD one- the ViP622. Much faster than Tivo, and without the annoying Tivo interface/"features." The ViP622 is probably the best DVR out there today. Tivo people may disagree, but many of us find the Tivo slow, "cutesy" and bothersome. Anyway, there is no Tivo with MPEG-4 and HD and built in tuners for either satellite service's HD offerings.
I hear there are no near term plans to release a better DVR for Fios. They seem to have (for most users) a Cadillac service with a Yugo engine.
If your choice is cable or Fios, probably Fios will be the better choice. If you can get a sight line for either satellite service, that would be the best choice.
One last bit- if you're thinking about HDTV, or thinking that you won't get one: There is a strong rumor floating around that on Black Friday, Wal-Mart will be selling 42" HDTVs for less than $1,000. And for the 2007 holiday season, brand name 32" to 36" HDTVs will go for less than $500.
This may be the last holiday season where we see CRT TVs generally available. Early in 2007, the unit sales of flat screen and projection TVs will exceed CRTs. IIRC, 2007 sales are estimated to be 10M for CRTs, 17M for all others. BB (& perhaps CC) will drop CRTs completely after this year. Might get a great close out deal in January, if you can stand another CRT in your house.
HDTV is great. Show your wife "Desperate Housewives" in HD and the WAF will skyrocket.
Satellite the best choice? Yeah, if you like a bad, compressed picture... or if you don't mind two dishes on the side of your house to get Voom... or how you lose your picture every time a storm rolls in... or trim the tree every time you lose signal...
No, I'd never go back to satellite and believe me, the Fios DVR is hardly a Yugo and IMO on par with Dish's. I had DirecTV for years as well as Dish and satellite is not that great.
I'm not saying the Fios DVR is the best out there, I still think Tivo is the best and I'm certainly no big fan of the Verizon Beast, but for convenience and PQ, Fios is the way to go.
It's a whole package to decide upon, not just one factor.
From all I've heard, Fios has the best PQ. I hope that quality holds up. But the DVR is just not that good. I watch the Voom channels a lot, especially Equator- and I'm quite happy with the HD PQ on my 61" screen. I wish Fios carried Voom. One day I will be offered Fios, and if they have a good DVR, and pick up Voom, I might switch. Maybe. And I don't lose my picture during storms, I daresay most don't. I use the 61.5 satellite for HD- if you use 129 instead, in some parts of the country there is a flakey signal. I'm sorry you had a lot of outages, but that is not everyone's experience. My outages under cable were FAR more than with satellite. I am surrounded by trees, but have clear sight lines. From your comments about loss of signal and bad PQ (pixellation?) it sounds like your dish setup was not peaked for the best signals.
No way is the Fios DVR comparable to the Dish ViP622. Not even close. Maybe the Fios DVR is equivalent to older Dish DVRs, but not their latest. Tivo is a matter of taste. Many love it, don't mind the slow speed and monthly fees, and even "like" the interface. The Fios DVR simply is not in the class of the ViP622, Tivo series 3, or HR20. It's a basic unit.
We will all profit from the expansion of Fios. Competition is good.
This link may be of interest on the Verizon DVR: http://broadband.motorola.com/catalog/productdetail.asp?ProductID=446
From all I've heard, Fios has the best PQ. I hope that quality holds up. But the DVR is just not that good. I watch the Voom channels a lot, especially Equator- and I'm quite happy with the HD PQ on my 61" screen. I wish Fios carried Voom. One day I will be offered Fios, and if they have a good DVR, and pick up Voom, I might switch. Maybe. And I don't lose my picture during storms, I daresay most don't. I use the 61.5 satellite for HD- if you use 129 instead, in some parts of the country there is a flakey signal. I'm sorry you had a lot of outages, but that is not everyone's experience. My outages under cable were FAR more than with satellite. I am surrounded by trees, but have clear sight lines. From your comments about loss of signal and bad PQ (pixellation?) it sounds like your dish setup was not peaked for the best signals.
No way is the Fios DVR comparable to the Dish ViP622. Not even close. Maybe the Fios DVR is equivalent to older Dish DVRs, but not their latest. Tivo is a matter of taste. Many love it, don't mind the slow speed and monthly fees, and even "like" the interface. The Fios DVR simply is not in the class of the ViP622, Tivo series 3, or HR20. It's a basic unit.
We will all profit from the expansion of Fios. Competition is good.
This link may be of interest on the Verizon DVR: http://broadband.motorola.com/catalog/productdetail.asp?ProductID=446
I can state with all conviction that the PQ on FIOS is hands down the best. Pure HD and uncompressed.
As for the DVR, I had a Dish HD PVR, 1 rev back from current offering, which I paid 250.00 for the previlidge of using to view their content and they demanded back when I unsubscribed. They wanted another 200.00 to upgrade to the newest box, which they would have also demanded back. Was their unit a better unit. Hands down YES. Was it worth 250.00 + 11.95 per month to rent. NO. Was it worth it to upgrade for another 200.00 (BTW, they offered to upgrade me for free to stay). Don't know. I was so pissed off about them wanting the unit back that I swore I would never go back with their service and here is why.
Since I do not have the PVR any more, if I were to sign up with them again I would have to purchase the unit that I lease from them for another 250.00 and also pay the 11.95 per month. With Fios they GAVE me an HD PVR, even though it is a crappy one, to use. Then, if the next year came arond and they had additional features I would have to 'purchase' another upgrade. Now, being a reasonably intelligent person, I know that with more and more HD content coming out, upgrades will be required to handle it. That means every year another 250.00. I just cannot justify the expense. I love my HD but 250.00 + 11.95 (todays rate) is just unreasonable.
I mean, it's a linux box with a TV card. It just does not cost that much to produce these things, especially in quantity. Equipment sales should not be a profit item for service providers. It's just not right and they know it. In fact, look at cell phones. SP's give them away to entice customers to use the service. TV, Internet, and all other electronic delivery content should be the same. The money is in the service, not the equipment. the equipment needs to be a part of the service and the service should be rated on how well the equipment along with the content perform, but all financial implications need to reside around the overall service.
Navychop, I will admit I did enjoy Voom and also wish it to come to Fios. I also must admit I have not used Dish's latest DVR so I cannot compare with it just my previous experience.
Again though, it's all about PQ to me and a basic DVR is just fine. There were just too many hassles for me, and apparently others with satellite. And if you think your compressed PQ is fine, you'll be blown away with Fios's PQ- it really is that much better.
Again though, it's all about PQ to me and a basic DVR is just fine. There were just too many hassles for me, and apparently others with satellite. And if you think your compressed PQ is fine, you'll be blown away with Fios's PQ- it really is that much better.
I think the Dish lease fee is $6, not $11.95. BTW, if you are going to round Dish's numbers up ($200 from $199), you should round up FiOS as well, which would be $12 per month lease fee. 
Brad
Brad
I think the Dish lease fee is $6, not $11.95. BTW, if you are going to round Dish's numbers up ($200 from $199), you should round up FiOS as well, which would be $12 per month lease fee.
Brad
the 12 dollar lease fee also includes HD channels.
Is there an extra charge for the HD channels on Dish? I don't recall any line item charge, though the packages are different prices. It is like comparing apples and kumquats....
Each has different packages and different costs. I do know the "$12 fee" on FiOS is something I noticed because it was $7 higher for me. (I don't have HD now.)
Brad
Each has different packages and different costs. I do know the "$12 fee" on FiOS is something I noticed because it was $7 higher for me. (I don't have HD now.)
Brad
