Going to Verizion FIOS

[mike1961]

So I've been running DTV almost flawlessly for a year now. But, I'll be switching to Verizon FIOS tomorrow for many reasons including a nice 15 mbs internet download speed. The Verizon FIOS has a deal with the phone/internet/tv special all in one over one cable but somehow one does not affect the other as I understand it. So, your phone or TV does not affect your internet download speed. It will be nice not having to wait endlessly for downloads when trying to watch the Online HD Videos through Sage.

Anyways - I'm really getting excited and worried at the same time as I'm just not sure what setup to choose or how to do all this with the pending changes.

I was actually told by one of the knowledgable Verizon techs that if I could get their Verizon cable card (which is only $3 or $4 a month compared to $5 or $10 for a STB either SD or HD) then I could buy an ATI TV Wonder Digital Cable STB and I could then save all HD video through the USB. Does anyone know anything about this? Otherwise, he said it's going to be difficult to save HD through firewire as that has all kinds of encryptions. Also, there is the issue of changing the channel. I'm not going to do IR as I have been using Serial channel changing with DTV and have loved that but I have to figure something out. The HD DVR QIP 6416 motorola box is the one I currently have on order (because I think they made a mistake so it has a hard drive in it that will be useless to me) but they are backed up on their HD boxes except possibly for cable cards. I'm just not sure of the best way to get that HD to record.

All ideas and help appreciated.

Thanks,
Mike

[mechling-burgh]

Cable card would work but you have to buy a preconfigured computer from Dell or some else. It will also only work in windows vista media center. Check out this thread http://forums.sagetv.com/forums/showthread.php?t=29780 there is component capture device coming out soon that may solve your problems.

[mike1961]

So you are saying it definitely won't work on XP Pro? What is this new capture device that should solve my problems?

In the meantime, does anyone know if I can change the channels through the serial port on the Motorola SD 2500 box?

Thanks,
Mike

[mattdcknsn]

Originally Posted by mike1961

In the meantime, does anyone know if I can change the channels through the serial port on the Motorola SD 2500 box?

I havent been able to get serial connection to work on the Verizon boxes, but one other person has. It all depends on your local area. I am using UIRT to change the channels. I have had success with firewire on their HD boxes to change channels. Their QAM listings are the locals in SD and HD.

The mythical HD encoder card I'll be getting (whenever it comes out) that would solve everything.

[sandor]

Originally Posted by mike1961

The Verizon FIOS has a deal with the phone/internet/tv special all in one over one cable but somehow one does not affect the other as I understand it. So, your phone or TV does not affect your internet download speed.
Thanks,
Mike

FIOS is fiber optic to the home, so all that data - tv phone and internet - come into your house over one big fat fiber optic pipe - much in teh same way as cable companies offering phone tv and internet. Locally, Comcast is already digital to the street, and copper into the house, which is almost as capable as fiber to the house.

i had FIOS for about 9 months before i moved into a neighborhood that didnt have it. FIOS rocked.


tv or phone affecting internet is all about available bandwidth - the more bandwidth available, the easier it is to make sure there is no degradation. I hear that verizon is testing 100 mbps full duplex internet in some neighborhoods with no problems, and with fiber, they can probably go much higher.

[mike1961]

I would not think that your neighborhood would have anything to do with changing the channels. I would think it has to do with the box and if you have the serial cable set up right. I know with DTV the box only needs two pins to change the channel, cable simply needs one for data and one for ground of the 9 available.

Mike

Originally Posted by mattdcknsn

I havent been able to get serial connection to work on the Verizon boxes, but one other person has. It all depends on your local area. I am using UIRT to change the channels. I have had success with firewire on their HD boxes to change channels. Their QAM listings are the locals in SD and HD.

The mythical HD encoder card I'll be getting (whenever it comes out) that would solve everything.

[mattdcknsn]

Originally Posted by mike1961

I would not think that your neighborhood would have anything to do with changing the channels. I would think it has to do with the box and if you have the serial cable set up right.
Mike

I meant your local Verizon company. It varies state by state what is open on QAM and if you serial connection is active.

[mike1961]

Appears the serial connection is not working here and I think from research it is due to the Verizon firmware in the STB.

Thanks,
Mike

[mike1961]

Matt - serial does work on the Verizon boxes. I finally got it to work after some 6 hours. You can test it at the command prompt with DCT.exe I have heard that you may need to have the verizon send an initialization code to the box if you can't get it to change serially at the command prompt. But, after hours I finally got it working.

Mike

[mattdcknsn]

Originally Posted by mike1961

Matt - serial does work on the Verizon boxes. I finally got it to work after some 6 hours. You can test it at the command prompt with DCT.exe I have heard that you may need to have the verizon send an initialization code to the box if you can't get it to change serially at the command prompt. But, after hours I finally got it working.

Mike

I gladly stand corrected. Whenever I get a free moment I'll definitely give it a shot.

Was there anything you had to do to get it to work? Thanks

[mike1961]

First you have to be sure you are using the right software. Once I got the dct to test everything worked perfectly. After scouring some of the Tivo forums it appeared if the box did not work then they just needed to call the Verizon and talk to the computer and it will send a reset code to the box which then activated the serial port.

Mike