As many of you already know, Verizon sent out an email the other day informing us on the switch to MPEG-4 from MPEG-2 on/after April 15th for certain existing HD channels. The CableCARDs themselves support MPEG-4 just fine, as VZ claims in their email, but what they fail to mention is that some user devices don't support MPEG-4. For the devices that don't support it, those VZ customers will actually lose channels on the unsupported devices. This is all so VZ can make room for future HD channel additions. The list is a working list as there are multiple 3rd party devices out there on the market. Feel free to add to this list if there's a device that's not on here and you know if it can or cannot support MPEG-4 with FiOS TV. I've started with the top 3 most used and popular devices.
MPEG-4 incompatible:
1) TiVo Series 3 devices including HD & HD XL
2) WMC Vista-era extenders including the HP MediaSmart TVs and x280n, Linksys DMA2100 and DMA2200, D-Link DSM-750, and Samsung MR-00EA1
3) Some CableCARD equipped HDTVs that are not capable of MPEG-4 (check with your manufacturer to verify and please post your model number with your findings)
MPEG-4 compatible:
1) TiVo Series 4 Premiere devices including XL, 4, & XL4
2) WMC CableCARD tuners including the Ceton InfiniTV 4 (PCIe and USB), HDHomeRun Prime, and Hauppauge WinTV-DCR-2650 - using Windows 7 and Windows 8
3) Xbox 360 MCE and Ceton Echo MCE
There are also various ClearQAM tuners on the market that are MPEG-2. However, since they are ClearQAM and only receive unencrypted channels (mostly local channels) they will remain unaffected unless VZ migrates them over to MPEG-4 too. That's unlikely to happen soon, if they ever, and logically ClearQAM channels would be the very last to migrate to MPEG-4.
The goal of this list is to be a reference to inform anyone with the affected equipment so that they can either upgrade to newer MPEG-4 equipment, rent a new STB from VZ, or just be aware that they'll lose the channels VZ announced and more in the future if they can live without them on their device.
The Series 3 TiVos are actually compatible with MPEG4. But it would require a software update which probably is not going to happen.
Overseas(I think it was Australia) there are some cable systems that use MPEG4 and the Series 3 software was updated to support it in those areas.
So it could work if there was an incentive for TiVo to provide a software update. But I would think it is extremely unlikely since they would want people to upgrade to a Series 4 TiVo. Or hopefully soon Series 5 TiVo.
There is almost no chance Series 3 will get that update. Series 3 has been past EOL for a long time (Discontinued more than 5 years ago). That Australia update happened a long time ago. They don't even update the Series 3 apps when they go incompatible with their services (Rhapsody) anymore.
There is almost no chance Series 3 will get that update. Series 3 has been past EOL for a long time (Discontinued more than 5 years ago). That Australia update happened a long time ago. They don't even update the Series 3 apps when they go incompatible with their services (Rhapsody) anymore.
Five years ago? The Series 4 only came out 3 years ago this month.
Will the Silicon Dust CC units work with MPEG-4? My guess it is actually whether how you view it supports MPEG-4. So, I use Media Center and XBOX 360. Does the Silicon Dust unit need to decode MPEG-4 or does it just decrypt it and pass the bits on?
That was the original Series 3 box that was discontinued. The one with the OLED display.The TiVoHD is also a Series 3 box and was still being made after the OLED series 3 box was stopped being manufactured. I had three of the OLED Series 3 boxes and six of the Series 3 boxes(TiVoHD) without a front panel display.
That's what I said: Series 3. Didn't mention HD or Series 4.
The TiVoHD is a Series 3 TiVo.
Here is a quote from one of your links
"...We are nearing the end of production on this particular model of the Series3 hardware. However, we are not âEnd Of Lifing the product (EOL). Development continues on new features and capabilities for all Series3 platforms, including this specific model. There is no impact to current or future customers of this model, they can continue to expect and enjoy the TiVo Service on their DVR. Availability of the 250G model will vary from retailer to retailer throughout the year, and as a result we are currently recommending the TiVo HD model as an alternative solution for their customers..."
That's what I said: Series 3. Didn't mention HD or Series 4.
The TiVoHD is a Series 3 TiVo.
Here is a quote from one of your links
"...We are nearing the end of production on this particular model of the Series3 hardware. However, we are not âEnd Of Lifing the product (EOL). Development continues on new features and capabilities for all Series3 platforms, including this specific model. There is no impact to current or future customers of this model, they can continue to expect and enjoy the TiVo Service on their DVR. Availability of the 250G model will vary from retailer to retailer throughout the year, and as a result we are currently recommending the TiVo HD model as an alternative solution for their customers..."
I said the Series 3 TiVo was discontinued in January 2008. The Series 3 TiVo was indeed discontinued in January 2008. I didn't say anything about the platform on which it was built or about the TiVo HD.
I never received that notification, is there some where I can go to see what the channels are that will be impacted. I have three TiVO series 3 devices, and an old Sony DHG-HDD250, which surely is not compatible.
The rep is referring to the transmission of video between Tivo's, not the ability to receive MPEG4 video.
And if I stream or transfer an MPEG4 recording between TiVos, it will be sending it in MPEG4. The same format it was recorded in. If it was recorded in MPEG2, it streams/transfers it in MPEG2.