somewhere on misplacedkeys I detailed my Verizon FiOS Internet installation. Still smoking along just fine and dandy. Recently got a flyer in the mail that FiOS offers TV service now in my neighborhood.
Did the cost/benefit analysis, saved about $25 a month for basically what I had with TimeWarner (nee Comcast) so I booked and install, and today they came and installed.
The savings was enough that I put on some addons (the $25 savings is AFTER all the addons). Added the HDTV DVR and the MultiRoom DVR, and two extra set-top boxes. The MultiRoom allows the kids to watch recorded shows on their TV in the other room, while we watch what we want on our TV. The other extra STB drives the ReplayTV that still is capturing away.
The HDTV DVR is a dual-tuner DVR that can record two shows at once. It is a different dual-tuner setup, in that the TV actually either shows live TV or a recorded show, you can’t switch back and forth between the two tuners (if you are recording two shows, you can move back and forth between them)
So we can now record that third ‘must see’ show and catch up on somethings that we miss. If we do that at all. The things we lose, is mostly in usability. The old DVR could use a reprogrammed remote to have a 30sec advance, as well as the quick 15-sec review. That is gone on this system, FFW and REW, but no single button skip, and so moving through the commercials will be a skill building exercise.
The program package is fairly complete, with more HD channels that TimeWarner, and they are grouped ‘intelligently’ you want kids shows, 200-220, HD starts at 801, etc… Picture quality is excellent. Programming the DVR is a snap, and will basically record w single shows, or series, with a lot more options than the TimeWarner DVR. Not as great as the ReplayTV, but very close.
Also the MultiRoom package enables a MediaManager that can serve up music and photos from a Windows Computer. Â Which is gimmicky.. but kinda neat.
Video On Demand has some good choices, in both Free and PPV. Bring on the television shows!