sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to aaronwt
Re: Hate the FIOS STB, my new Tivo arrived, now what?
said by aaronwt  :said by bgtimber75 :InstantCake makes it so easy now that if you have any sort of computer knowledge at all it should be a snap to replace a drive. WinMFS is easy too. It uses a graphical interface in Windows and easily allows you to copy your exisiting drive to a new one. And the program is also free. I used INstantcake years ago, but once I started using WinMFS, I haven't touched InstantCake. WinMFS also allows you to do a basic backup that retains your season passes as well as the current software. So you can quickly start on a fresh drive(when you don't want to preserve your old recordings) with all your Season Passes intact. Very good info, thanks! |
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bgtimber75
join:2006-06-23
Columbia, MD | reply to aaronwt
I haven't tried WinMFS yet. I'll give it a shot next time I upgrade a drive. |
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aaronwt
Premium
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
 ·Verizon FIOS
4 edits | reply to bgtimber75
said by bgtimber75 :InstantCake makes it so easy now that if you have any sort of computer knowledge at all it should be a snap to replace a drive. WinMFS is easy too. It uses a graphical interface in Windows and easily allows you to copy your exisiting drive to a new one. And the program is also free.
I used INstantcake years ago, but once I started using WinMFS, I haven't touched InstantCake.
WinMFS also allows you to do a basic backup that retains your season passes as well as the current software. So you can quickly start on a fresh drive(when you don't want to preserve your old recordings) with all your Season Passes intact. |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to SquareSlinky
I'm SO glad that my experience helped you decide on TiVo! You won't regret it!
I've only had it up and working a few days, but here are some of the things I love about my TiVo...
I love being to view (recorded) shows from other TiVos in my house, including the "Suggestions" from each box.
I absolutely LOVE being to view streaming movies from Netflix directly to my TV (with a paid subscription to Netflix, of course) And we still get the DVDs too.
I can go to YouTube right from my TV as well.
The whole "Season Pass" interface is so great. I had TiVo with DirecTv and I really missed it. The TiVo remote turns my TVs on and off with no problems (the FIOS STB was a bit of a pain) and works the "input" as well.
Get the wireless adapters if you don't have wired internet near your TVs.
I don't have any real advice about the warranty, I have a son who can update the hard drives, so I'm not really going to worry much. My DirecTv TiVos worked forever, maybe I just had good luck.
Good luck with your cable card installation. All in all, after what I learned here, it was a fairly simple process.
I'm just so pleased with my TiVos!
Sue |
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bgtimber75
join:2006-06-23
Columbia, MD | reply to sooze
InstantCake makes it so easy now that if you have any sort of computer knowledge at all it should be a snap to replace a drive. |
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gmsbf5104
join:2003-12-16
Tampa, FL
| reply to SquareSlinky
said by SquareSlinky :Are there any packages for warranties on the boxes from Tivo? I had them with the DirecTV version and used it a few times due to boxes dying. Through Tivo there is no extended warranty. If you bought it somewhere else check with them about their offers or with your credit card since sometimes they double warranties. You can find a lot of info at »www.tivocommunity.com
Most of the time when the boxes go bad it is simply the hard drive which is easy to replace if you have ever replaced one in a computer before. Otherwise there are companies like weaknees.com that sell plug and play upgrade kits. |
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SquareSlinky
Premium
join:2004-05-25
Tampa, FL
·Verizon FIOS
 ·ViaTalk
| reply to sooze
Based on this thread and a few others, I am converting as well. I ordered a Tivo box yesterday. I will do what you all have told me and then get FIOS in to install the M card.
I believe with the monthly fee for the cable card and the tivo cost it will save me a bit per month (but cost me more up front because I bought the box). Hopefully these boxes have a decent lifespan.
Are there any packages for warranties on the boxes from Tivo? I had them with the DirecTV version and used it a few times due to boxes dying. |
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VZ_Laird
join:2008-10-08
Palm Harbor, FL
|  reply to sooze
I heard that there is a self-install cable card offering being created..(possibly)...  Not sure what regions that is potentially going to take place in, but eventually should roll out nationally if all goes well.... |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to bgtimber75
The same installer came back today. He didn't want to believe that he had given them the wrong cable card serial #, but eventually he determined that that was indeed the problem. He called somewhere and got it all straightened out.
So now I'm getting all my HD channels on both TVs! Woo Hoo!
I am absolutely LOVING my new TiVos! Just having the ability to watch HD movies direct from Netflix (with a paid Netflix subscription) makes any trouble I've had all worthwhile. My DH has watched more movies this weekend than he has in a very long time, and my grandbaby has enjoyed a few new movies, over and over and over!!
Sue |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to bgtimber75
said by bgtimber75 :And to think you got the pleasure of paying $79 for those "highly qualified" techs to come and screw up your install. Yep. I'm absolutely thrilled. Wish me luck.
Sue |
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bgtimber75
join:2006-06-23
Columbia, MD | reply to sooze
And to think you got the pleasure of paying $79 for those "highly qualified" techs to come and screw up your install. |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to sooze
Well, it's not gonna be an easy fix. 
I got on the phone today with Verizon customer service. The tech asked for the serial number of the card that wasn't working. I read it off and it turns out that the installer got the serial number of the card wrong! The tech seemed to think that it was going to be a big deal, had to talk to billing, etc. and put me on hold a few times. He finally came back and said that it shouild all be okay, but that his software was running very slowly and he'd call me after he activated my card (with the right serial number.)
Three hours later I had received no call and I was still only receiving the very low level channels. I called back and talked to another CSR. She did the same thing, had to talk to billing, etc, etc and put me on hold. She finally came back and said that she couldn't activate the card that they'd have to send another installer to my house.
So now I get the pleasure of waiting for another installer to come!
Sue |
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aaronwt
Premium
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to Surf City Ed
said by Surf City Ed :
Should have bought the Moxi....zero percent financing going on......excellent pix quality....
a friend who is a tivo user was amazed at everything about it.
It blows Tivo......
So is the picture quality any different? It shouldn't be. |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to aaronwt
said by aaronwt :I'm going to replace my eight single stream cable cards soon with four multistream cable cards. I guess I'll need to tell them that I need six so they will have two extra just in case. Then once they install them I will tell them to take back the extra two and the eight I currently have. I don't know what to tell you to tell the CSR. Maybe put in the "notes" (if there is one) that you want M-Cards. My cable cards were installed yesterday (July 8, 2009) and the installer brought one M-Card and two S-Cards for my two TiVos, so S-Cards are still out there. My installer was able to get another M-Card from another closeby installer, so I did get two M-Cards. However, I'm still having troubles with not getting all my HD channels with the second M-Card.
Come to think of it, the installer called my before arriving...maybe ask him when he calls if he's bringing M-Cards?
Good luck with your install! |
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KenAF
join:2006-01-23
Arlington, VA
2 edits | reply to Surf City Ed
said by Surf City Ed :
Should have bought the Moxi....zero percent financing going on......excellent pix quality....
a friend who is a tivo user was amazed at everything about it.
It blows Tivo......
Moxi and TiVo each have their advantages. Moxi is inferior in some ways and superior in others.
Moxi and TiVo have different design priorities. Moxi provides more features and options for liveTV viewing and display, whereas TiVo provides more features and options for recording. If you watch 60% liveTV and 40% recorded, you may be happier with Moxi; if you watch 20% liveTV and 80% recorded, then you'll probably be happier with TiVo.
Comparisons of TiVo and Moxi: Engadget Review (podcast comments at 51:20) | Engadget Preview | Gizmodo | Zatz Not Funny
Video Demos of Moxi: Demo for Engadget | CrunchGear Review
Video Demos of TiVo: Basic functionality | Netflix, Youtube, etc | Viewing computer videos |
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JeepMatt
Delaware Fios
Premium
join:2001-12-28
Wilmington, DE | reply to sooze
Sooze-
I'd call in to the FSC and ask them to send a hit to the cable cards - most likely just a refresh issue.
--
"ONE team - ONE city - ONE dream!!" |
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Surf City Ed
@qwest.net | reply to sooze
Should have bought the Moxi....zero percent financing going on......excellent pix quality....
a friend who is a tivo user was amazed at everything about it.
It blows Tivo...... |
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aaronwt
Premium
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
·Verizon FIOS
| reply to sooze
I'm going to replace my eight single stream cable cards soon with four multistream cable cards. I guess I'll need to tell them that I need six so they will have two extra just in case. Then once they install them I will tell them to take back the extra two and the eight I currently have. |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
1 edit | reply to sooze
The Verizon tech came today to install my cable cards in my 2 new TiVos.
He arrived with one M-Card and 2 S-Cards. I told him I would rather prefer M-Cards only. He was able to call another installer who was in the area and get another M-Card, so I could have two.
The install went fairly easily, the tech admitted that he'd only done a few cable card installs.
My family room TiVo was a cinch, that was the original M-Card. My bedroom TiVo was a bit of pickle. It got to the part where it said "Acquiring channel information" (or something like that) and it never finished. After trying a couple of things, we swapped the card from the family room to try and figure out if the card was bad.
He then remembered that the "other" M-Card wasn't set up right because it wasn't the original card I ordered. He went to his truck and I guess changed a few things and I thought things were right. The channel info was acquired and I checked to see if all my HD channels were coming in on the bedroom TV and they were. He did have to add a couple of attenuators to the cable too.
I don't know exactly how it happened, but in the confusion what with swapping cards and all, my family room TV is now no longer receiving all my HD channels (specifically SpeedHD and MavTV.) I didn't figure it out until after the tech had left. (This was the card that originally in the bedroom and was a problem.)
I'm pretty sure it's just something that needs to be done on Verizon's side. The tech called me before he arrived so I have his phone number, I'm gonna call him tomorrow and let him know that the HD channels aren't coming in on one of my TVs. I'm hoping he can just do something on his side and it won't require another trip to my house.
And he did say that Verizon does charge for a truck roll. If it's after the initial install and they need to come back, they'll charge the truck roll fee. I'm hoping that it just never shows up on my bill.
All in all, not a bad experience providing that it's an easy fix to get my all my HD channels working on *both* my TVs. I'm loving my TiVos so far!
Sue |
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sooze
join:2006-04-30
Lake Elsinore, CA
| reply to bgtimber75
said by bgtimber75 :said by Vamp9190 :27.58GB for a baseball game? Wow, seems big, but I don't watch baseball, is it like 3 hours? Which is why 160GB just doesn't work. EXACTLY the reason I'm dumping the Verizon STBs and going with TiVo...the ability to add an external hard drive.
My cable cards are being brought by Verizon tomorrow, I can't wait! |
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