in Technicolor® wrote:
>
> "Alan F" <afiggatt1@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> wrote in message
> news:eNGQj.1891$e26.187@[EMAIL PROTECTED]
>> in Technicolor® wrote:
>>> Does anyone here use the FiOS Cable Service in the ****tland, Oregon
>>> Area? I'm currently a Dish HD user, but with the offers right now
>>> from Verizon, I may be able to save a whole lottta loot if I switch
>>> to the light pipe. I just wondering if they have a decent HD DVR and
>>> good image quality on both the SD and HD channels. If I can get the
>>> same or more channels with the same or better quality for a better
>>> price, then I will probably jump ****p.
>>>
>>> TIA
>>
>> At this point, you will have fewer HD channels with Verizon Fios.
>> Verizon is expanding the distribution system to provide a lot more HD
>> channels from their Super Head End (SHE) to the VHOs to the Central
>> Offices. But at this time, Verizon has 16 national and 5 premium HD
>> channels along with the local HD channels. The latest rumor is that the
>> long awaited HD expansion will start in June. Since the ****tland market
>> is already all digital with no analog channels, it is likely to be in
>> the first group of markets that will get the additional HD channels.
>> Verizon has stated they intend to have the capacity for 150 HD channels
>> by the end of 2008, but they have slipped in their announced schedules
>> for HD VOD and the software updates to the STB & DVRs.
>>
>> Dish has the HD Voom channels. Verizon does not and is unlikely to any
>> time soon as the Voom channels are controlled by the Dolans &
>> CableVision. Verizon Fios is in direct competition with CableVision in
>> the New York area markets. Check the Fios channel line-up and options
at
>> http://www22.verizon.com/content/FiosTV/.
>>
>> The picture quality on Verizon is as good it will get. Verizon p*****
>> through the signal they get from the source - local stations and
>> national cable channels - without additional recompression. If the
>> national cable channel provides a 18-19 Mbps HD feed, that is what you
>> get at the TV. Coming from Dish, you will see better picture quality
for
>> the SD and HD channels.
>>
>> The Verizon HD-DVR is the 160 GB Motorola QIP 6416 DVR. The guide
>> accuracy and the software are still being improved, but now work ok -
>> in my opinion anyway. The DVR has only a 160 GB drive with a total
>> capacity of 20-25 hours of HD recording. It does not sup****t an
external
>> HD and there have been no re****ts when or if it ever will. The limited
>> capacity of the DVR, IMO, is one of the biggest limitations with
Verizon
>> Fios and one that they should fix. However, TivoHDs will work fine with
>> Verizon Fios and a number of people have gone that route. You have to
>> lease two cable cards (or a single M-card whenever Verizon finally
>> carries it) for each TivoHD.
>>
>> You get a lot more info on Verizon Fios and read all the complaints at
>> http://www.dslre****ts.com/forums/54.
avsforum.com is also a very useful
>> resource for info.
>>
>> Alan F
>>
>
> Alan
>
> Thanks for your very informative reply. I now have more research to do
> before I jump. Right now I would hate to give up the Voom Channels as
> they are, I think, the best part of Dish HD.
>
> All the best,
>
> Morgan
Morgan, you are welcome. I am a Verizon Fios subscriber and am pretty
happy with the service. But I switched from Adelphia (now a Comcast
franchise) some 18 months ago and got more HD channels & better picture
quality. The internet speeds you get with Fios match the specs you pay
for; none of this system slows to a crawl in the evening that many
encounter with their cable company.
Since I have never gotten the Voom channels, I don't miss them. The
only two service providers that have Voom are Dish (which uses the old
Voom satellite transponders as I understand it) and Cablevision. As I
wrote, because the Dolans control Voom, they are not expected to let a
company that is cutting deep into Cablevision territory to have the Voom
channels. But once Verizon adds 30-40 more HD channels, including some
non-premium movie channels, the usefulness of the Voom channels is
likely to go down. Just been a long wait for Verizon to add more HD
channels, but the rumors are that they will start adding them in June.
The limited recording capacity of the Fios DVR is really the biggest
irritant. The TivoHD is a solution, but it does add up in purchase costs
& monthly fees.
Alan F
|
