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sillyshydq
join:2012-05-15

sillyshydq

Member

[DVR] what are the disadvantages of using tivio?

What features would I not be able to get that I would get if I keep my fios dvr?
hubrisnxs
join:2009-12-30
Fountain Valley, CA

hubrisnxs

Member

Tivo will give you all the comforts of watching all of your subscribed channels and that is pretty much it.

No VOD and No IMG No advanced verizon features like caller id, remote dvr.

BUT tivo offers their own IMG and their own forms of VOD and their own forms of advanced set top options.

So a Tivo with Verizon, as far as verizon concernend all you get are channels. TiVO has a whole host of features.

You do have to get a cable card from Verizon, and it's about 3.99 and you plug it into your tivo so you can get your channels. Be careful to make sure whatever tivo you buy has mpeg4 capability. Some new channels are delivered in mpeg4 and older tivo units might have trouble getting those channels if the unit doesn't support mpeg4.

joe01880
join:2007-10-26
Wakefield, MA

joe01880 to sillyshydq

Member

to sillyshydq
said by sillyshydq:

What features would I not be able to get that I would get if I keep my fios dvr?

Reliability!
druber
join:2000-04-11
Stow, MA

druber

Member

LOL

keyboards
join:2001-02-14
Doylestown, PA

keyboards to hubrisnxs

Member

to hubrisnxs
The other unstated disadvantage is that if the TiVO breaks, it is your responsibility to get it repaired or replaced (your money). That being said, haven't heard of a lot of TiVO failures.
DBLClick
join:2002-06-07
Manassas, VA

DBLClick

Member

I've been a TiVo subscriber now for over five years. The advantages are while expensive initial outlay in cash, often the cost is cheaper over time. One box has lasted over the full five year term without failure and with lifetime subscription break even cost was only two years.

The disadvantage are no VOD, While Comcast has an App that adds that functionality FIOS has yet to support the option. The good news is there are options to support this. One Is the Samsung DVD player now has a Streaming/VOD application and you can always use a computer connected to the TV set.

It has worked for me and I've been very satisfied with the service.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

3 edits

aaronwt

Premium Member

said by DBLClick:

I've been a TiVo subscriber now for over five years. The advantages are while expensive initial outlay in cash, often the cost is cheaper over time. One box has lasted over the full five year term without failure and with lifetime subscription break even cost was only two years.

The disadvantage are no VOD, While Comcast has an App that adds that functionality FIOS has yet to support the option. The good news is there are options to support this. One Is the Samsung DVD player now has a Streaming/VOD application and you can always use a computer connected to the TV set.

It has worked for me and I've been very satisfied with the service.

Are you saying the Samsung has FiOS VOD capability? If so then I need to purchase one.

FiOS streaming capabilty though is pretty worthless. Without the ability to pause, Rew, FF, rec, etc, it pretty much takes you back to watching TV like several decades ago. I started time shifting my TV watching in 1984. And I have no desire to go back to watching Tv in realtime.

For TiVos yes it's much cheaper in the long run. I've owned TiVos for eleven years now and the entire five years I've been with FiOS. If I would have rented FiOS DVRs over the last five years I would have paid much more than I have for my lifetime TiVos I use. Plus you own the TiVos and a lifetime TiVo has a high resale value. So you can sell it when a new model is released to upgrade. Off setting most of the cost of a new TiVo with lifetime service.

I upgraded my eight S3/TiVoHD boxes to Premieres when they were released in 2010. The sale of my S3 boxes covered around 80% of the cost of my new Premieres with lifetime service. Then when the Elite/XL4 boxes came out. I sold two Premieres for each Elite/Xl4 box and covered at least 100% of the cost of an Elite/Xl4 box with lifetime service. So I ended up with the same number of tuners but less boxes and less electricity use.

Now I'm down to two Elite/Xl4 boxes and one two tuner Premiere.
DBLClick
join:2002-06-07
Manassas, VA

DBLClick

Member

From what I'm reading is Samsung Smart Device does have VOD capability. I will be getting one for sure to complete the puzzle.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

said by DBLClick:

From what I'm reading is Samsung Smart Device does have VOD capability. I will be getting one for sure to complete the puzzle.

Sweet!! I just found this article
»www.homemediamagazine.co ··· pp-28006

That says VOD is included with the FiOS embedded app in the Smart TVs and connected BD players.

Now I need to see what models are available. If there is a low end model I will get one. It will be much cheaper than paying $12 a month for an HD STB rental just for VOD access.

Of course as soon as I buy it they will probably announce FiOS VOD as being available on the Xbox 360.
aaronwt

aaronwt to sillyshydq

Premium Member

to sillyshydq
I was all ready to purchase one of these players for $70. But then I relaized that Flex View is mostly content you have to pay for. Most of the free content is still only accessible from the FiOS STB. And I'm not about to pay $12 a month to rent one just to have access to the free VOD.
DBLClick
join:2002-06-07
Manassas, VA

DBLClick to aaronwt

Member

to aaronwt
The bad thing about the XBox version of the application it currently only streams the 26 channels included with FIOS. Also you have to be a XBox Live Gold member to get the streaming.
jpeezy13
join:2008-08-27
Pittsburgh, PA

jpeezy13 to sillyshydq

Member

to sillyshydq
I'm starting to look into Tivo options as well, and aren't too familiar with them yet. What is the VOD options like that Tivo offers? I'm looking into it for my parents, but myself as well. We both have FiOS.

aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt

Premium Member

said by jpeezy13:

I'm starting to look into Tivo options as well, and aren't too familiar with them yet. What is the VOD options like that Tivo offers? I'm looking into it for my parents, but myself as well. We both have FiOS.

With TiVo you have amazon, Hulu+, and netflix. No streaming from amazon though. Only content you can download.
jpeezy13
join:2008-08-27
Pittsburgh, PA

jpeezy13

Member

So no "true" VOD, similar to what Verizon has with their own STB's?
jpeezy13

jpeezy13 to sillyshydq

Member

to sillyshydq
Also, can you confirm that you can remove the hard drive and either install a new one or add an external hard drive?
DBLClick
join:2002-06-07
Manassas, VA

DBLClick

Member

You can replace and add an external hard drive to TiVo, but replacing it will void your warranty with TiVo. Note You will need additional tools to copy your hard drive on TiVo too.
jpeezy13
join:2008-08-27
Pittsburgh, PA

jpeezy13

Member

Do you recommend just adding an external hard drive after the initial purchase?
JPL
Premium Member
join:2007-04-04
Downingtown, PA

JPL to aaronwt

Premium Member

to aaronwt
said by aaronwt:

said by DBLClick:

From what I'm reading is Samsung Smart Device does have VOD capability. I will be getting one for sure to complete the puzzle.

Sweet!! I just found this article
»www.homemediamagazine.co ··· pp-28006

That says VOD is included with the FiOS embedded app in the Smart TVs and connected BD players.

Now I need to see what models are available. If there is a low end model I will get one. It will be much cheaper than paying $12 a month for an HD STB rental just for VOD access.

Of course as soon as I buy it they will probably announce FiOS VOD as being available on the Xbox 360.

Not to rain on everyone's parade, but note this line from the article:

"The app allows subscribers of Verizon’s fiber-optic network direct access to 26 FiOS TV channels and more than 20,000 Flex View on-demand movies and TV shows without the need of a set-top box. Verizon has more than 4.5 million FiOS TV subscribers."

Sounds like this only applies to Flex View. While that's nice... it's not the same thing as having access to all of Verizon's VOD library. This is just for stuff you rent/buy, and that you rent/buy AS FLEX VIEW. It wouldn't include free stuff, or stuff you get with a channel subscription.
hubrisnxs
join:2009-12-30
Fountain Valley, CA

hubrisnxs

Member

can you get VUDU on the tivo?

Between vudu netflix and hulu, that is a pretty comprehensive vod.


aaronwt
Premium Member
join:2004-11-07
Woodbridge, VA
Asus RT-AX89

aaronwt to JPL

Premium Member

to JPL
said by JPL:

said by aaronwt:

said by DBLClick:

From what I'm reading is Samsung Smart Device does have VOD capability. I will be getting one for sure to complete the puzzle.

Sweet!! I just found this article
»www.homemediamagazine.co ··· pp-28006

That says VOD is included with the FiOS embedded app in the Smart TVs and connected BD players.

Now I need to see what models are available. If there is a low end model I will get one. It will be much cheaper than paying $12 a month for an HD STB rental just for VOD access.

Of course as soon as I buy it they will probably announce FiOS VOD as being available on the Xbox 360.

Not to rain on everyone's parade, but note this line from the article:

"The app allows subscribers of Verizon’s fiber-optic network direct access to 26 FiOS TV channels and more than 20,000 Flex View on-demand movies and TV shows without the need of a set-top box. Verizon has more than 4.5 million FiOS TV subscribers."

Sounds like this only applies to Flex View. While that's nice... it's not the same thing as having access to all of Verizon's VOD library. This is just for stuff you rent/buy, and that you rent/buy AS FLEX VIEW. It wouldn't include free stuff, or stuff you get with a channel subscription.

Yes, this is what I found out when I checked further into it. Most of the Flex View content you have to pay for. While most of the free content is still only available from a FIOS STB.

If all of the content were available from the Samsung devices I would not hesitate to buy one.
aaronwt

aaronwt to hubrisnxs

Premium Member

to hubrisnxs
said by hubrisnxs:

can you get VUDU on the tivo?

Between vudu netflix and hulu, that is a pretty comprehensive vod.

VUDU is not available on TiVo.
PJL
join:2008-07-24
Long Beach, CA

PJL to hubrisnxs

Member

to hubrisnxs
said by hubrisnxs:

can you get VUDU on the tivo?

Between vudu netflix and hulu, that is a pretty comprehensive vod.

...that you have to pay for with regards to the pay VOD that Verizon offers, but you also have to pay to get any of the "free" VOD that Verizon provides along with the FiOS TV subscription and a Verizon STB.