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All FAQs → Verizon Online FiOS FAQ → 4.0 FiOS Television

This Section

4.0 FiOS Television

What is FiOS Television?

FiOS Television (or FiOS-TV) is a new service offered to Verizon FiOS customers starting fall 2005 according to Verizon press releases. Television programming is broadcast across the fiber-optic network to the ONT (Optical Network Terminal) at your location, which also includes a coax connector, capable of providing a signal to all TVs in your home.


by NOCMan See Profile edited by More Fiber See Profile
last modified: 2010-02-05 17:39:38

Is FiOS TV compatible with the Business Internet service?

Yes. Effective August 2008, you now can have FiOS TV up and running correctly along with Business-class FiOS service, all on one ONT.

Please use the feedback link below only to suggest improvements to this FAQ. If you have questions about this FAQ, please post them in the »Verizon FiOS TV forum.


by drake See Profile edited by More Fiber See Profile
last modified: 2010-06-19 16:24:41

What is the difference between FiOS-TV and Cable/Satellite?

FIOS-TV channels are all digital. Your channels are sent using Passive Optical Networking (BPON/GPON) to your home, which results in no degradation of the signal.


Verizon passes through the video signal exactly as received from the content provider. No additional compression is used, unlike the satellite and cable companies, which apply additional compression to conserve bandwidth.

Unlike satellite, FIOS will does not blackout during heavy weather.


Video-on-Demand (VOD) is transmitted using IPTV (TV over internet). This makes more channels (QAMs) available. Cable systems must dedicate QAMs just for VOD.


Feedback received on this FAQ entry:

  • Addition suggestion: How does Home Media DVR work? The DVR goes to the main TV location. The set-top boxes are linked via a Moca (coax) network using the Actiontec router. The recorded program transfers from the DVR to the other STBs via the Moca (coax) network.

    2010-10-29 09:49:59 (oOOOo See Profile)

  • Now that some channels are delivered as MPEG4 to Verizon, these channels are reencoded to MPEG2. They try to keep the HD quality the same. Some are also sent some that are downgraded to a SD quality for delivery as an SD channel.

    2011-08-17 15:18:51 (tnsprin See Profile)



by NOCMan See Profile edited by More Fiber See Profile
last modified: 2009-09-10 22:46:24

How Does FiOS TV Connect to My House?

FiOS TV connects from the video coax connector on your ONT. If you have existing cable service, the FiOS installer will run coax from the ONT to your existing splitter. He will remove your existing cable connection from that splitter. He may replace the splitter if it is not up to Verizon standards, or if he needs more taps on the splitter.

He will also run coax from the splitter to the Actiontec router to provide VOD and Guide data for your STBs. This coax also provides your WAN connection if you have FiOS internet (unless you already have, or specifically request a cat-5 WAN connection from the ONT). If you do not already existing RG-6 cable runs, or the existing runs are not of sufficient quality, he will run new RG-6 cable to your TV outlets.

Thank you, More Fiber See Profile, for the update.

by NOCMan See Profile edited by sashwa See Profile
last modified: 2008-08-12 11:56:20

Can I get local channels straight from the coax?

Yes, if your TV set has a QAM tuner and you subscribe to some kind of TV service. The TV signal is not enabled if you have only Internet or Phone service.

Verizon transmits some channels in the clear. Usually these are the local channels, local HD channels, Univision and WGN. Otherwise, the channels are delivered encrypted and need a set top device of some sort to decode them. See this FAQ for more details. »Verizon Online FiOS FAQ »Does FiOS-TV require a set-top device?

Do not confuse a set top box with a Digital TV Converter, which is a device that enables older televisions to show the newer over-the-air digital broadcasts. FiOS-TV signals are not compatible with those devices.

Please use the feedback link below only to suggest improvements to this FAQ. If you have questions about this FAQ, please post them in the »Verizon FiOS TV forum.


by birdfeedr See Profile edited by More Fiber See Profile
last modified: 2010-09-14 02:29:15

Does FIOS use copy protection?

Some programs are transmitted from the content provider with a copy protection bit enabled on certain programs. FIOS only pass through this copy-protection bit. It does not arbitrarily set it.
Whether or not you can record content with this bit set depends on the device and how it is connected.

    •TIVO-HD allows transferring programs to your PC, except if the copy protection bit is enabled.

    •DVD Recorders can record content where the copy protection bit is not set.
    If the copy protection bit is set, some DVD recorders can record protected content if an analog (RF, composite, S-video) output from the Verizon STB is used.
    With some DVD recorders, if the HDMI output is active while trying to record copy protected content it won't record.

    The Hauppauge HD-PVR (PC-based HD recorder) will essentially "ignore" any copy protection since it is connected to a STB via component cables which doesn't transmit the copy protection bit. It also doesn't seem to care if the HDMI output is active or not.



by More Fiber See Profile edited by birdfeedr See Profile
last modified: 2010-02-27 14:26:11

What is a VHO?

A Video Hub Office (VHO) is the regional location where all of your TV signals come from. There are two Super Head Ends (SHE) in the US - they feed all of the VHO's. Your regional VHO then serves the local Video Serving Office (VSO) that is in your neighborhood. From there, it goes to your home.

Your VHO number appears in your STB under Settings/System Info as a 4 digit field (e.g. 3305). Your VHO is the last two digits.

A DAC is grouping of VHOs that share a Digital Addressable Controller.Here is a Motorola whitepaper, which discusses the DAC 6000:»broadband.motorola.com/noflash/w···P_wp.pdf


DAC VHO Area
11Carrolton, TX
13Pomona, CA
13APalm Springs, CA
34Silver Spring, MD
39Richmond, VA
39ANorfolk, VA
55Queens, NY
72Temple Terrace, FL
711Pittsburgh, PA
97Freehold, NJ
98Philadelphia, PA
1314Harrisburg, PA
1315Buffalo, NY
1315ASyracuse, NY
1315BAlbany, NY
176Burlington, MA
176AProvidence, RI
*10IN
*12OR
*13WA
* = Sold to Frontier



by More Fiber See Profile
last modified: 2012-07-10 20:04:43

How can I save shows off my Verizon DVR?

This can only be done in "real-time" by re-recording the shows on the DVR to another device such as a VCR, DVD Recorder / external DVR or to a computer with TV recording capabilities.

Simply connect the Verizon DVR (via composite output or s-video output) to the external recording device or computer, set that device to record and then playback the Verizon DVR recordings you want to save. Recordings saved this way will not be in full HD, regardless of the quality of the original.

There are two methods to recording in full HD (720p/1080i) from the STB:

• Method #1: Using the Hauppuage HD-PVR via component cables from the Verizon DVR, and with the HD-PVR connected to a PC via USB. There are no copy protection issues using this method.

• Method #2: Using the firewire connection from Verizon DVR, see: »replayguide.sourceforge.net/dct6412/ This method may be limited to Windows XP and will only work with content originally recorded from network broadcasts (e.g. local channels) or content that is NOT marked "copy never".

Please use the feedback link below only to suggest improvements to this FAQ. If you have questions about this FAQ, please post them in the »Verizon FiOS TV forum.



Feedback received on this FAQ entry:
  • To save shows off Verizon DVR. Can either update method 1 or add method 3. That would be to connect output of DVR to standalone DVD recorder. Use appropriate output of your STB depending on inputs supported by recorder.

    2011-08-16 12:11:06 (CrobertGauth See Profile)



by darcilicious See Profile edited by birdfeedr See Profile
last modified: 2010-05-23 16:17:09