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Verizon Lets You Use Your Phone As FiOS Remote Control
Your Motorola Droid or HTC Imagio can now control your IPTV set top

Verizon today announced on their blog that the telco is letting owners of select Android-based Verizon Wireless phones use the devices to control their FiOS TV service. According to big red, users of the Motorola Droid or HTC Imagio can download the new application that will mimic all the usual controls for Verizon's HD set-top-box. Verizon says they'll ultimately expand the lineup of phones that can be used as remotes, but they're not specifying which ones just yet. It also only works for high definition set tops.

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Reaction among users who've tried the service in our forums is positive so far, aside from complaints of a few initialization snags. Judging from comments, this works over Wi-Fi -- not over 3G (just what users need, getting charged per megabyte for channel surfing). That of course lets you to use the service from anywhere in the house, allowing you to drive your loved ones crazy as an added bonus.

The application actually appears to do more than your remote ever did. The "My Photos" allows users to "flick" a single picture at your set top so it can be viewed on the TV screen. Users can also set the application up to mute or pause your program when the phone rings, then resume when your call ends.

As the phone companies try to differentiate themselves from cable, integrating smartphone functionality is an obvious next step. AT&T allows general U-Verse TV DVR control via smartphones, but it has long been rumored they're working on a mobile place-shifting solution that ties your iPhone to U-Verse TV service. This is a particular niche that's only just starting to take off, but will get truly interesting when users are able to watch home DVR content from anywhere via smartphone.
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tubbynet
reminds me of the danse russe
MVM
join:2008-01-16
Gilbert, AZ

tubbynet

MVM

unless..

As the phone companies try to differentiate themselves from cable, integrating smartphone functionality is an obvious next step.
unless of course, you live in markets served by an anaemic lec (such as qwest in my neck of the woods).
of course, this is a niche thing (and one that i can only assume is available to fios users who *also* have v* cell service), but its neat to see what can be done. of course, the question is, could users on different networks (sprint, a*, tmo) eventually get their hands on applications that mimic this functionality as well?

q

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: unless..

Yeah I'm more interested in where this goes (place shifting) than where it is now. But I do think it's the start of something interesting...
Automate
join:2001-06-26
Atlanta, GA

Automate to tubbynet

Member

to tubbynet
Boxee has a iPhone remote »blog.boxee.tv/2009/03/15 ··· p-store/
BlitzenZeus
Burnt Out Cynic
Premium Member
join:2000-01-13

BlitzenZeus

Premium Member

For those too lazy to look for the remote?

For those too lazy to look for the remote, or too lazy to lean forward to grab the remote as it might actually burn calories?

At least it only works via wifi so when they are on 3G you can't mess with the people at home. Sending photos to be viewed on the tv is one thing, but muting the tv? If you're the only one watching tv fine, but if others are watching tv you're not that important.

If it can't control your real audio system via IR then I wouldn't use it anyway, due to the emergency broadcast system I have the box at max volume so when they blast that sound it's not louder than what you were watching, as they actually lower the volume from max when it's triggered.

You can get universal learning remote controls for as cheap as $20. This is more like a fluff feature to send photos to your tv, but they needed to make it do something else to make it seem more useful.

Carioca_FL
join:2000-11-30
Fort Lauderdale, FL

Carioca_FL

Member

Is DSLR hiring for editors?

If so, I'd like to drop my resume in...
quote:
Verizon today announced on their blog that the telco is letter owners of...

Jimmy304054
@rcn.com

Jimmy304054

Anon

Re: Is DSLR hiring for editors?

Agreed! Lately I've noticed a lot of random spelling errors and formatting errors--- premature line breaks, etc. Just because it's the internet doesn't mean you're except from writing properly.

Karl Bode
News Guy
join:2000-03-02

2 edits

2 recommendations

Karl Bode

News Guy

Re: Is DSLR hiring for editors?

Just because it's the internet doesn't mean you're except from writing properly.
I think you mean exempt. And yes, I occasionally have spelling errors. It happens. I'm one guy, writing thousands upon thousands of news articles over the course of a decade, by myself. Even on my very best days I'll statistically have a few screw ups. If you see spelling errors, just message me.
b10010011
Whats a Posting tag?
join:2004-09-07
united state

b10010011

Member

Big deal I have been able to do that with my Tivo for years

Using an iphone or computer and this program

»tivocommunity.com/tivo-v ··· =7054269

Noah Vail
Oh God please no.
Premium Member
join:2004-12-10
SouthAmerica

Noah Vail

Premium Member

Done This

I brought a TV home for the kids to console game and discovered it didn't have a remote. Nor was the 'input' channel pre-programmable in to the tuner list via the on front menu controls.

I dug my ancient Sony Clié out of a drawer, downloaded an IR TV remote control for Palm, installed Palm Desktop and sync'd. Once we found the TV code online, it worked.

Battery only lasted 10 minutes, off the cradle, good enough for our needs.

NV

Toadman
Hypnotoad
join:2001-11-28
Mystery

Toadman

Member

Re: Done This

said by Noah Vail:

I brought a TV home for the kids to console game and discovered it didn't have a remote. Nor was the 'input' channel pre-programmable in to the tuner list via the on front menu controls.

I dug my ancient Sony Clié out of a drawer, downloaded an IR TV remote control for Palm, installed Palm Desktop and sync'd. Once we found the TV code online, it worked.

Battery only lasted 10 minutes, off the cradle, good enough for our needs.

NV
I about posted the same thing, back in 2000 I was using my Palm as an IR transmitter, whoo wee!
jjeffeory
jjeffeory
join:2002-12-04
Bloomington, IN

jjeffeory

Member

Boxee does this

...with an iphone. I wonder if that's where Vz got the idea?
fiberguy2
My views are my own.
Premium Member
join:2005-05-20

fiberguy2

Premium Member

Re: Boxee does this

uh huh!! and hey... according to all the commercials these days, on VZ, if you're on a call, can you use your phone while you're on a call like you can a 3G phone on ATT? :P

Still.. if I'm trying to control my Tivo with my phone and I get a call.. ummm.. what's the point? I'll personally stick with a good old fashion remote control.

I kinda see this as totally pointless. I'm fine with remote programming of the DVR tho..

Shack
join:2002-01-17
Bloomington, IN

Shack

Member

Cool, but pointless

Seems mostly pointless, once the Gee that is cool wears off. i would rather just use my Harmony remote than a smart phone.

Gixxer
join:2008-08-27
St Catharines, ON

Gixxer

Member

El Oh El

Haha, it would be pretty funny if I walked by someones house who had this service and started changing their channels from my phone.

fifty nine
join:2002-09-25
Sussex, NJ

fifty nine

Member

Fios tv is not iptv

Fios tv is not iptv.

Also the concept of a phone as a remote definitely isn't new. TiVo users have had this for a while and I think windows mce users had it too.
sameshtdd
join:2006-01-04
Teaneck, NJ

sameshtdd

Member

Only Imagio??? Why?

I'm confused...why is it that the Imagio is the only WinPhone they say works? If its a app for WinPhone, shouldn't it work on ALL phones that have Wifi...i.e. Omnia, and Omnia II?
nevtxjustin
join:2006-04-18
Dallas, TX

nevtxjustin

Member

Bad move on Verizon's part

They missed the opportunity for another cash cow.

Remote control emulation plan for $2.95 per month for unlimited clicks (capped at 200 clicks).

Or pay as you go...Change channels 10 cents per click

djrobx
Premium Member
join:2000-05-31
Reno, NV

djrobx

Premium Member

Guide surfing good, DVR control not so much.

I've worked for a business that has tried to use mobile phones and/or PDAs as remotes for a while.

It seems good in theory, but I've never seen it work well in practice.

Do you really want to unlock your phone / start the remote application at each commercial break? Do you really want to drain your cell's battery on this when you already have a perfectly good remote?

Fast forwarding and rewinding at best, sucks. If your phone doesn't have hard buttons, it's very frustrating to focus on the screen but touch a soft button. You can't look at both at the same time. If real buttons are available, it's better, but a cell just isn't laid out as intuitively for this purpose as a real remote.

Admittedly, it can be a nice thing when you can fully browse the UI on the phone. Any on-screen lists (Picking a recording to play back, guide, etc) need to be moved to the phone's screen to be effective. Just emulating the IR presses is not enough.
DarnellP
join:2004-10-12
Las Vegas, NV

DarnellP

Member

Small correction

Verizon today announced on their blog that the telco is letting owners of select Android-based Verizon Wireless phones use the devices to control their FiOS TV service. According to big red, users of the Motorola Droid or HTC Imagio can download the new application that will mimic all the usual controls for Verizon's HD set-top-box.

The HTC Imagio is WinMo based, not Android based.

Cheese
Premium Member
join:2003-10-26
Naples, FL

Cheese

Premium Member

Re: Small correction

said by DarnellP:

Verizon today announced on their blog that the telco is letting owners of select Android-based Verizon Wireless phones use the devices to control their FiOS TV service. According to big red, users of the Motorola Droid or HTC Imagio can download the new application that will mimic all the usual controls for Verizon's HD set-top-box.

The HTC Imagio is WinMo based, not Android based.
The original article linked notes this as well, so.......................