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story category Verizon FiOS Remote DVR Scheduling Beta
FiOS TV customers can now manage DVRs remotely...
(old news - 08:53AM Monday Feb 23 2009)
tags: Video · business · wireless · hardware · alternatives · Verizon FIOS
Users in our forums notice that Verizon is slowly making good on their promise to more closely integrate Verizon FiOS TV service with mobile phones, launching a beta portal that should allow users to remotely flag and schedule home DVR recordings while on the go. Dave Zatz of Zatz Not Funny has a few more pics of the service in action. Ultimately, the wireless portal service should work across multiple carriers, as well as integrate home VoIP/voicemail functionality. According to our users, you'll need to be a multi-room DVR subscriber to use this new service.

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Forums » Verizon FiOS Remote DVR Scheduling Beta
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kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY

Why VZ-only?

I smell a nicely groomed, fast-moving, incoming class action suit as soon as this service goes live across the board...

andunn

join:2001-09-06
Linn Creek, MO

Re: Why VZ-only?

I guess this is so they can say they have this as well and not just Directv.

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace

join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
·Sprint Mobile Broa..
·RoadRunner Cable
·BroadVoice

said by kamm See Profile :

I smell a nicely groomed, fast-moving, incoming class action suit as soon as this service goes live across the board...
That doesnt make any sense at all. This is limited to VZ because its a service being provided across their network to their DVRs.
--
When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
-Ronald Reagan-

blue_trooper

join:2007-04-17
Exton, PA

Re: Why VZ-only?

said by wifi4milez See Profile :

said by kamm See Profile :

I smell a nicely groomed, fast-moving, incoming class action suit as soon as this service goes live across the board...
That doesnt make any sense at all. This is limited to VZ because its a service being provided across their network to their DVRs.
As I've said elsewhere around here... This wouldn't be an internet forum if somebody didn't mention a baseless class action suit every few days.
yabos

join:2003-02-16
Ingersoll, ON

Re: Why VZ-only?

It's the American way

kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY
·T-Mobile US

said by wifi4milez See Profile :

said by kamm See Profile :

I smell a nicely groomed, fast-moving, incoming class action suit as soon as this service goes live across the board...
That doesnt make any sense at all. This is limited to VZ because its a service being provided across their network to their DVRs.
Which is a nonsensical argument because you can order their TV service alone and if they would limit some feature to their wireless then FCC would kick the shit out of them for anti-competitive beahviour, rightfully so, I might add.
--
[BQUOTE=[user=bicker]]Waaaa waaaa waaaa. You just want what you want and don't care to factor in what is right or true. Your perspectives are un-American, and deserve far more ridicule than I'm prepared to pile on them.
[/BQUOTE]

wifi4milez
Big Russ, 1918 to 2008. Rest in Peace

join:2004-08-07
New York, NY
·Verizon FIOS
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·BroadVoice

Re: Why VZ-only?

said by kamm See Profile :

said by wifi4milez See Profile :

said by kamm See Profile :

I smell a nicely groomed, fast-moving, incoming class action suit as soon as this service goes live across the board...
That doesnt make any sense at all. This is limited to VZ because its a service being provided across their network to their DVRs.
Which is a nonsensical argument because you can order their TV service alone and if they would limit some feature to their wireless then FCC would kick the shit out of them for anti-competitive beahviour, rightfully so, I might add.
I think you are confused here. This service is FOR people who have Verizon FIOS TV. All it does is allow you to schedule recordings on your Verizon DVR. How can they possibly be sued for offering a service that other carriers have been offering for years???
--
When you can't make them see the light, make them feel the heat.
-Ronald Reagan-


kamm

join:2001-02-14
Brooklyn, NY

Re: Why VZ-only?

I meant if it only works with VZW phones, of course.

dslwanter
Why would I want DSL? I have FTTH
Premium
join:2002-12-16
Lowellville, OH
·Armstrong Zoom In..
·AT&T Midwest

Behind on times

All providers are far behind on the times with this. DirecTV started it already and many DVRs today probably have the functionality to do it, just lazy service providers haven't explored it.

I knew that network jack on the back of my Motorola DVR was there for a reason, and transferring my saved shows and movies to a computer to burn isn't one of them .
--
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jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Behind on times

said by dslwanter See Profile :

All providers are far behind on the times with this. DirecTV started it already and many DVRs today probably have the functionality to do it, just lazy service providers haven't explored it.
DirecTV just rolled this out early last year. This article is about wireless phones, not controlling the DVR over the internet. FiOS has had this ability for quite some time now.

Eat Me

join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
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1 edit

Re: Behind on times

said by jmn1207 See Profile :

said by dslwanter See Profile :

All providers are far behind on the times with this. DirecTV started it already and many DVRs today probably have the functionality to do it, just lazy service providers haven't explored it.
DirecTV just rolled this out early last year. This article is about wireless phones, not controlling the DVR over the internet. FiOS has had this ability for quite some time now.
TiVo has had this capability in 2006, well before FiOS and DirecTV did, from both the web and mobile phones (using a BREW app). Unofficially, people (myself included) have been web-scheduling their TiVos via the TiVoWeb hack.

»www.zatznotfunny.com/2006-03/tiv···eduling/
blue_trooper

join:2007-04-17
Exton, PA

Re: Behind on times

said by Eat Me See Profile :

TiVo has had this capability in 2006, well before FiOS and DirecTV did,
The late, great, ReplayTV had web-scheduling long before Tivo.

I remember Betamax too.

Eat Me

join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ
·PenTeleData
·Future Nine Corpor..
·VOIPo
·Vonage

Re: Behind on times

said by blue_trooper See Profile :

said by Eat Me See Profile :

TiVo has had this capability in 2006, well before FiOS and DirecTV did,
The late, great, ReplayTV had web-scheduling long before Tivo.

I remember Betamax too.
I never said that TiVo was the first, only that they were before FiOS and DirecTV.

Also, since we're staying on topic here, the first DVR with a cellphone app to remote schedule was TiVo.

v35_pilot
Whoops, there goes another AMU
Premium
join:2005-12-12
Fayetteville, NY
·ViaTalk
·Verizon FIOS
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said by dslwanter See Profile :

All providers are far behind on the times with this. DirecTV started it already and many DVRs today probably have the functionality to do it, just lazy service providers haven't explored it.
I agree with you. As a longtime Dish customer, I had been wishing for this feature many years ago.

Now that this Genie is out of the bottle I am hopeful that Dish elevates this feature to the top of their shortlist.

floepie

join:2005-12-01

Isn't this a pay-for service?

I can view listings but can't initiate a recording. I love how you have to specify verizon.net or verizon.com when signing in. (As if they don't have the tech to search both domains simultaneously.)

mystryfiostk

join:2008-07-17
00000

Re: Isn't this a pay-for service?

said by floepie See Profile :

I can view listings but can't initiate a recording. I love how you have to specify verizon.net or verizon.com when signing in. (As if they don't have the tech to search both domains simultaneously.)
you need to be a multi-room customer to access the remote features.

NY Tel
Premium
join:2004-04-09
Smithtown, NY
·VOIPo

Re: Isn't this a pay-for service?

said by mystryfiostk See Profile :

said by floepie See Profile :

I can view listings but can't initiate a recording. I love how you have to specify verizon.net or verizon.com when signing in. (As if they don't have the tech to search both domains simultaneously.)
you need to be a multi-room customer to access the remote features.
That sucks. So I pay for a DVR but because I don't have a need to view things on other TV's......
Oh well why bother complaining.

Steely
Dumped Comcast for FiOS
Premium
join:2000-10-15
Princeton Junction, NJ

said by floepie See Profile :

I can view listings but can't initiate a recording.
That happened to me with my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Curve until I consulted the "Help" section and saw this:

What are the settings to best experience this site on my smartphone.
A: Please ensure that you have HTML tables, Stylessheets (CSS) and Images ENABLED from your smartphone browser settings.


After making the necessary adjustments I was able to initiate recordings.

One beef (or glitch, depending on your point of view) is that it will not let you start recording a program once you are past the start time of that program...even though the guide by default shows you the programs that began at the most recent previous hour or half-hour mark. So if you miss even the first minute of something that you might want to record you're hosed. At home, of course, you can simply hit the "Record" button at any time to catch something already in progress.

jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Isn't this a pay-for service?

said by Steely See Profile :

That happened to me with my Verizon Wireless BlackBerry Curve until I consulted the "Help" section and saw this:

What are the settings to best experience this site on my smartphone.
A: Please ensure that you have HTML tables, Stylessheets (CSS) and Images ENABLED from your smartphone browser settings.


After making the necessary adjustments I was able to initiate recordings.
Interesting as I do not have either HTML tables or support for style sheets enabled on my Sprint 8330 Curve. I had no problem using the mobile portal and setting a recording.

Steely
Dumped Comcast for FiOS
Premium
join:2000-10-15
Princeton Junction, NJ

Re: Isn't this a pay-for service?

That is interesting. Until I made those changes (maybe it was just ONE of those changes that actually made the difference - I didn't experiment) I would consistently get a failure message after clicking on the "Record" link and a slight delay. It said something about not being able to find or access my DVR. I don't remember exactly.

jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: Isn't this a pay-for service?

Here are some screen shots of my BlackBerry and the settings for my browser.

»[Sprint]Re: Remote DVR... via Cellphone

It did work for me. When I logged into FiOS TV Central with my browser I verified that the show I selected was now listed in the scheduled recordings section. It may have something to do with the version of software running on the device.

jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Works on Sprint

Just signed into the beta portal using by Sprint BlackBerry Curve and set my DVR to record a show. Works great!

The program search feature is fair, but not as good as the local DVR search. I was able to look up a few shows and they all came up as expected, provided that I knew the name of the show. American Idol and G4's X-Play were easy enough to find, but a search for "Longhorns" or "Texas Basketball" could not pull up any Horns games like it would with the search feature on the DVR itself. I see there is a game this Wednesday at 9:30pm on ESPN2 HD for my area when I look this up on with my computer's browser. It would be nice if the search was a bit more robust and flexible for the mobile phone version.

Lee GWB
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ

1 edit

It works


On other carriers too

Kloneicle

@omcastbusiness.net

Re: It works

Don't entirely find it too fair that you need a multi room dvr to do this. I have HD-DVR, and not able to do it. I'm wondering it the voice features when they get setup are going to require a Multi Room DVR also for whatever idiotic reason.

jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: It works

said by Kloneicle :

Don't entirely find it too fair that you need a multi room dvr to do this. I have HD-DVR, and not able to do it. I'm wondering it the voice features when they get setup are going to require a Multi Room DVR also for whatever idiotic reason.
I tend to agree in principle; however, if the cost of the Home Media DVR service defrays the overall price of TV service for those that absolutely do not care about these features, I'd rather see it the way it currently stands.

Lee GWB
Yaco
Premium
join:2001-10-13
Allendale, NJ
·Verizon Online DSL

Re: It works

Hi,
Another problem with the MRDVR is it does not work correctly. "I have only heard of 1 maybe 2 people who DID NOT get the "Unable to locate Hub" Nag.
Unfortunately, some on this forum see this as a "Non Issue" and expect you to deal with it.
People MUST call or open a ticet in the Direct Forum and demand a credit. The credit holds true if you are paying for the service. The subscribers with the 6 month trial should ask for an extension. Just my $.02
Thx
Lee


LimoMan
Premium
join:2005-07-23
Eatontown, NJ
Works on my Storm!
jdhampton

join:2007-07-20
Sachse, TX
Just tested it on my Iphone and it worked. I am glad this is a beta, as the experience left a lot to be desired.

You could not see what was already scheduled to be recorded nor, modify those settings. Only record a new show.

jmn1207
Premium
join:2000-07-19
Reston, VA
·Verizon FIOS

Re: It works

Yes, it certainly needs some work, especially with viewing scheduled recordings and the ability to cancel/modify settings.

This is just a numbers game for now. Verizon originally released software exclusive to 3 or so Verizon wireless phones. And these do have the option to cancel and see scheduled recordings. I suppose it came down to whether Verizon could get more people to switch to their wireless phone service with those particular FiOS TV phones, or if it made more sense to offer a solution for all smart phones in an effort to get more FiOS TV subscribers.

In the end, they probably felt that they could get more wireless customers to switch over to FiOS TV rather than have FiOS TV subscribers switch their wireless provider, especially considering the slow implementation and the limited number of Verizon phones that were supported. With the more expensive development costs associated with the exclusive applications, I suppose they are now investigating the option of allowing all phones to access their DVR's. Baby steps, but I believe they will get there soon.
narrowband

join:2006-10-07
Lanham, MD

said by jdhampton See Profile :

Just tested it on my Iphone and it worked. I am glad this is a beta, as the experience left a lot to be desired.

You could not see what was already scheduled to be recorded nor, modify those settings. Only record a new show.
Agreed. I also couldn't figure out how to scroll down or up to the next group of channels. But this is a good start though. Over the weekend, I tried logging in to the full site using Safari on the iPhone with no success.
skrupowies

join:2002-08-22
Wallingford, CT
clubs:

This isn't news!

AT&T's U-Verse has been doing this since it came out a couple of years ago! It's about time DirecTV and FIOS have it.

cypherstream
Looking forward to the future of things.
Premium,MVM
join:2004-12-02
Reading, PA
clubs:

still waiting for comcast

I'm still waiting for something like this on Comcast, America's largest cable operator.
Forums » Verizon FiOS Remote DVR Scheduling Beta


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