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Zero5
join:2009-07-01
Collegeville, PA

Zero5

Member

List of CableCARD equipment MPEG-4 support status

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.

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

aaronwt

Premium Member

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.
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

They might be more incented now that a big cable provider is moving over to MPEG-4.
knarf829
join:2007-06-02

knarf829

Member

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.

nycdave
MVM
join:1999-11-16
Melville, NY

nycdave to aaronwt

MVM

to aaronwt
Verizon was told by TiVo Engineering about a year ago that the S3 was not going to get an upgrade to decode MPEG4.....

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

aaronwt to knarf829

Premium Member

to knarf829
said by knarf829:

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.

wmcbrine
join:2002-12-30
Laurel, MD

wmcbrine to nycdave

Member

to nycdave
said by nycdave:

Verizon was told by TiVo Engineering about a year ago that the S3 was not going to get an upgrade to decode MPEG4.....

TiVo Engineering talks to Verizon?

Where's my Fios VOD app for the TiVo?
knarf829
join:2007-06-02

knarf829 to aaronwt

Member

to aaronwt
The Series 3 was discontinued in January 2008.

»www.gizmolovers.com/2008 ··· 648250b/

»www.engadget.com/2008/01 ··· tivo-hd/

birdfeedr
MVM
join:2001-08-11
Warwick, RI

birdfeedr to Zero5

MVM

to Zero5
Moxi HD DVR and Moxi Mate, although no longer available, do support MPEG-4, according to tech specs.
OwlSaver
OwlSaver
Premium Member
join:2005-01-30
Berwyn, PA

OwlSaver to Zero5

Premium Member

to Zero5
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?

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

aaronwt to knarf829

Premium Member

to knarf829
said by knarf829:

The Series 3 was discontinued in January 2008.

»www.gizmolovers.com/2008 ··· 648250b/

»www.engadget.com/2008/01 ··· tivo-hd/

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.
knarf829
join:2007-06-02

knarf829

Member

That's what I said: Series 3. Didn't mention HD or Series 4.

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

aaronwt

Premium Member

said by knarf829:

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 ‘End 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..."

mackey
Premium Member
join:2007-08-20

mackey to OwlSaver

Premium Member

to OwlSaver
said by OwlSaver:

Does the Silicon Dust unit need to decode MPEG-4 or does it just decrypt it and pass the bits on?

It merely decrypts the bits and passes them on otherwise unchanged. Whatever device you use to view them is what needs to support MPEG-4.

/M
BiggA
Premium Member
join:2005-11-23
Central CT

BiggA

Premium Member

I.E. a PC so you just install a codec pack.
knarf829
join:2007-06-02

knarf829 to aaronwt

Member

to aaronwt
said by aaronwt:

said by knarf829:

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 ‘End 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.

This is a "Series 3 TiVo"
»www.amazon.com/TiVo-TCD6 ··· 00I661J0

This is a "TiVo HD"
»www.amazon.com/TiVo-TCD6 ··· 00RZDBM2
Dissonance
join:2007-03-26
Floral Park, NY

Dissonance to Zero5

Member

to Zero5
Thanks for this info I was wondering about this since I got the email from Verizon. Glad to see my Windows media center rig is good to go!

HarleyYac
Lee
Premium Member
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

HarleyYac to Zero5

Premium Member

to Zero5
PS3 should work with Silicon Dust HD Prime.

rickcb1066
@bellatlantic.com

rickcb1066 to Zero5

Anon

to Zero5
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.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf to nycdave

Member

to nycdave
said by nycdave:

Verizon was told by TiVo Engineering about a year ago that the S3 was not going to get an upgrade to decode MPEG4.....

That's probably why TiVo put out special pricing rewards for Verizon FiOS customers to upgrade to Premieres »www.tivocommunity.com/ti ··· t=503128
Mike Wolf

Mike Wolf to birdfeedr

Member

to birdfeedr
said by birdfeedr:

Moxi HD DVR and Moxi Mate, although no longer available, do support MPEG-4, according to tech specs.

This is because the Moxi was released as competition to the Premiere.
Mike Wolf

Mike Wolf to rickcb1066

Member

to rickcb1066
rick, found a post here you might be interested in. »[HD] FIOS Moving to MPEG-4 HD
Mike Wolf

Mike Wolf

Member

I'm confused because this rep says TiVo doesn't use MPEG4. He right?

»youtu.be/q6t-EpRB6aI?t=2m35s

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

aaronwt

Premium Member

said by Mike Wolf:

I'm confused because this rep says TiVo doesn't use MPEG4. He right?

»youtu.be/q6t-EpRB6aI?t=2m35s

The rep must be confused. FiOS currently has around a dozen or so MPEG4 channels. The TiVo Premiere(Series 4) has no problem with them.

More Fiber
MVM
join:2005-09-26
Cape Coral, FL

More Fiber to Mike Wolf

MVM

to Mike Wolf
said by Mike Wolf:

I'm confused because this rep says TiVo doesn't use MPEG4. He right?

»youtu.be/q6t-EpRB6aI?t=2m35s

The rep is referring to the transmission of video between Tivo's, not the ability to receive MPEG4 video.

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

aaronwt

Premium Member

said by More Fiber:

said by Mike Wolf:

I'm confused because this rep says TiVo doesn't use MPEG4. He right?

»youtu.be/q6t-EpRB6aI?t=2m35s

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.

wmcbrine
join:2002-12-30
Laurel, MD

wmcbrine to Mike Wolf

Member

to Mike Wolf
said by Mike Wolf:

I'm confused because this rep says TiVo doesn't use MPEG4. He right?

»youtu.be/q6t-EpRB6aI?t=2m35s

Since you dual-posted this to TCF, I'll link to my answer there:

»www.tivocommunity.com/ti ··· t9626720

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

Thanks. Hopefully TiVo will get wind of this and either retrain him or dispatch of him.

wmcbrine
join:2002-12-30
Laurel, MD

wmcbrine

Member

said by Mike Wolf:

Thanks. Hopefully TiVo will get wind of this and either retrain him or dispatch of him.

It's really not that big a deal. For their purposes, I'd say he was doing a good job. Remember, this presentation wasn't aimed at you or me.

Mike Wolf
join:2009-05-24
Tuckerton, NJ

Mike Wolf

Member

Who was it aimed for. I thought for installers and technicians.