Comments on: A review of Verizon FiOS, overall good – but not so for their STB

By: MegaZone

MegaZone — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:26:57 +0000

MoCA is just a carrier specification, like Ethernet. I’m not sure if the tuner hardware in the TiVo can ‘tune’ MoCA signals or not, so I don’t know if it would mean new hardware or just a software update.

But they’d still need to know the interface Verizon uses for ordering and billing for VOD/PPV – the communication protocols to talk to the Verizon head end. MoCA is like Ethernet. Anyone can implement Ethernet, but you still need to know how to speak HTTP to talk to a web server.

By: Ben Drawbaugh

Ben Drawbaugh — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:05:54 +0000

Since FiOS uses MoCA for VOD, couldn’t TiVo just choose to support the standard? I do know that FiOS’s waiver ends July 1st 2008, so at that time M-Cards and OCAP should be a reality.

By: Matt David

Matt David — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 00:00:10 +0000

I like that option better and since I am using an Aeros universal remote that process would be seamless. You have been very helpful.

By: MegaZone

MegaZone — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:55:47 +0000

Another option is to use a TiVo for all the normal linear DVR functions, but to keep a Verizon STB to use for VOD. But that would increase the costs because you’d have two boxes.

By: Matt David

Matt David — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:46:13 +0000

Thanks that was very helpful. I never thought about Amazon Unbox. I will look into that. I hate the idea of leaving Tivo. I have had Tivo since the days of 12 hour boxes.

By: MegaZone

MegaZone — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 23:42:34 +0000

Yes, that is true. The TiVo cannot order VOD/PPV on cable or FiOS. And while that may change on cable next year, FiOS is unclear as they use IPTV to deliver VOD and not standard cable signaling. While, in theory, the TiVo could handle IPTV via the network, Verizon would have to work with TiVo to enable that.

Of course, you can always use Amazon Unbox to rent movies on TiVo.

By: Matt David

Matt David — Sun, 09 Dec 2007 19:27:04 +0000

It is my understanding that with a cable card you can use TIVO with FIOS but you will not be able to order VOD. So if you like to watch movies on demand this is not a good option. Can anyone confirm this.

By: Ben Drawbaugh

Ben Drawbaugh — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 05:35:27 +0000

I’ve had FiOS for about 4 months now and while I’ve never tried their DVR, I can say I really like their router. At first I wanted to avoid using it, but it really is a full featured router and even includes a few features I’ve never seen on any router (like DDNS) and it eliminates one box from my setup as.

As for CableCARD support, FiOS is one of the only providers that I know of that doesn’t support M-Cards, so even if you have a TiVo HD, you’ll need two cards.