What cable or satelite service do you use? - Page 2 - Dallas-Mavs.com Forums

jthig32 · 10-06-2008, 02:22 PM

Other than the sluggishness, I find the interface to be quite functional. I've never used a Tivo on a consistent basis, but by and large I would describe the differences to be mainly cosmetic. Not all, Tivo certainly has some features FIOS DVR's do not, but mostly they just look nicer.

jthig32 · 10-06-2008, 03:41 PM

I have a question users of other brands of DVRs. One of my favorite new features (new as of the new guide rollout) is the auto dual-buffer. Meaning that if I'm not recording anything, both of the tuners are buffering. My current channel is buffering, and the last channel I was on is buffering. Meaning that when I'm watching football Sunday morning, if I'm watching Fox and I flip back over to CBS and have just missed a big play, I can rewind to see it.

Do other DVR's do this? Because I find it to be one of my most used features.

Murphy3 · 10-06-2008, 04:37 PM

You've hit the nail on the head with 'sluggish'. The fast forward, rewind, and slow motion functions are vastly inferior to what I've got with my DirecTV and TIVO. Quite frankly, as far as how user friendly it is, I'd say it's poor at best. Have you ever tried to stop on a nude scene using Verizon's DVR? It's very, very difficult compared to many others.

jthig32 · 10-06-2008, 04:49 PM

Hmm. Have you used it recently? The new guide does much better with the response to fast foward and rewind. I mainly use the skip button anyway, so I don't really notice.

The sluggishness that annoys me is the delays in moving through the menu.

As far as user friendliness, as I've said many times before, if my wife can use it, it's fine in my book.

Murphy3 · 10-06-2008, 04:57 PM

It's not difficult to understand how to use it. It's just slow and not that responsive when compared to what I get with DirecTV/TIVO.

Honestly, I haven't used it in a 2-3 months. I know that there were some big changes that I actually thought it made it even more sluggish.

I suppose when I said 'user friendly', I didn't mean that it was difficult to understand... just meant that it wasn't 'user friendly' in the sense that it was 'sluggish' and irritating. Perhaps I'm not using the term "user friendly" correctly, but oh well.

Flacolaco · 10-06-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jthig32

I have a question users of other brands of DVRs. One of my favorite new features (new as of the new guide rollout) is the auto dual-buffer. Meaning that if I'm not recording anything, both of the tuners are buffering. My current channel is buffering, and the last channel I was on is buffering. Meaning that when I'm watching football Sunday morning, if I'm watching Fox and I flip back over to CBS and have just missed a big play, I can rewind to see it.

Do other DVR's do this? Because I find it to be one of my most used features.

I did not even know it did this.

Thank you sir.

jthig32 · 10-06-2008, 06:18 PM

I just happened to notice it one day. I was flipping between two things, and noticed that the dark green buffer indicator was staying.

Flacolaco · 10-06-2008, 11:37 PM

Finally got back from our little road trip tonight around 8 to find the new HD channels on FiOS...but a lot of them aren't active yet. Is it the same for you thig?

I missed some stuff on the DVR while we were gone because of the switching of channels. I should have realized that before I left. I missed recording Chuck!

jthig32 · 10-07-2008, 07:31 AM

There's quite a few that are inactive, which has been normal according to people at dslreports. FX, Disney, stuff like that. Several of the inactive ones weren't even on the list of channels we were supposed to get.

It's a little confusing right now. Verizon is rolling out two new tv packages in some areas, with a more expensive package including over 50 HD channels, so there's some confusion on what the plan is with existing premier customers.

Flacolaco · 10-07-2008, 08:31 AM

Yeah I saw the Disney ones. That guide is so jacked up right now.

I watched a few minutes of LOST reruns on SciFi last night in beautiful HD.

ESPNEWS HD isn't active yet

MavsX · 10-07-2008, 11:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jthig32

I have a question users of other brands of DVRs. One of my favorite new features (new as of the new guide rollout) is the auto dual-buffer. Meaning that if I'm not recording anything, both of the tuners are buffering. My current channel is buffering, and the last channel I was on is buffering. Meaning that when I'm watching football Sunday morning, if I'm watching Fox and I flip back over to CBS and have just missed a big play, I can rewind to see it.

Do other DVR's do this? Because I find it to be one of my most used features.

so jealous

mnmpeanut · 10-07-2008, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jthig32

I have a question users of other brands of DVRs. One of my favorite new features (new as of the new guide rollout) is the auto dual-buffer. Meaning that if I'm not recording anything, both of the tuners are buffering. My current channel is buffering, and the last channel I was on is buffering. Meaning that when I'm watching football Sunday morning, if I'm watching Fox and I flip back over to CBS and have just missed a big play, I can rewind to see it.

Do other DVR's do this? Because I find it to be one of my most used features.

i've had directv for more years than i can remember and am mostly very happy with the service. i had the mucho $$ (when it first came out) hd dvr for awhile then got a call from directv offering to upgrade to the new hd dvr for free. it was the only way i could get the new hd channels that directv offered, so i jumped at it. well, the old hd dvr had that feature where you could flip from tuner to tuner and keep the 30 minute playback. the new one doesn't and it's been a huge adjustment. i used that feature more than i realized.

Flacolaco · 10-09-2008, 07:48 PM

Hey thig...do you know anything about the new FIOS tv plans?

Apparently I am not getting the Versus HD channel, or the Tennis channel or some of those other new sports ones....I don't know if I'm still receiving FSN SW HD.

I can watch SD Versus, but not Versus in HD....wtf????

Their web site is no help. It says enter your zip code and then the site breaks and loops me back around.

jthig32 · 10-09-2008, 08:31 PM

I referenced this earlier in teh thread. They're doing away with the Primeir package. They'll now have a standard package, with all the SD channels, and local HD channels only, for 47.99. Then the full HD package will be 57.99.

There's no concrete information on what they're going to do with existing customers, but I doubt very seriously they're going to knock everyone down to the basic and make them pay for the upgrade. Not immediately anyway.

You definitely shouldn't be losing HD channels you already had.

Flacolaco · 10-09-2008, 08:39 PM

Well it sure would be nice if they could communicate something to us.

If we're getting grandfathered it, then fine. I'm getting all of the new HD channels right now except for that little contingent of sports channels Versus/Outdoor/Tennis/Mav TV/World Fishing Network...and if they think I'm paying an extra 10 bucks for that, they're crazy. Sure I want Versus HD, but if I'm still getting FSN HD I'm not paying anything else.

jthig32 · 10-09-2008, 10:31 PM

I believe the Extreme HD has a "sports package" so perhaps we're getting grandfathered in but not getting certain new channels.

Flacolaco · 10-10-2008, 09:41 AM

Did you sign a contract with Verizon when you signed up? I don't recall if I did or not.

I saw some chatter online saying that once peoples two year deals were up, they would not be "grandfathered" any longer with the new HD channels.

My two years (if indeed I did sign a contract) would be up in February.

jthig32 · 10-10-2008, 09:58 AM

I don't think I signed a contract. But without a contract I'm still paying 42.99 for the Premier package instead tohe 47.99 that it is now, and I'm still paying the price of the DVR's when I got them.

One thing you may want to look into, when I got to my account online and choose change, I'm given a bundle offer to 20/5 Internet and Extreme HD TV Package for $75. Obviously you have to add more cost for the HD/DVR, but that's an upgrade in both internet and TV for me for less money.

I'm going to call someone about that soon.

Flacolaco · 10-13-2008, 05:28 PM

I AM OFFICIALLY PISSED OFF

mary · 10-13-2008, 08:21 PM

Not that anyone gives a crap, but I finally got Time Warner to fix my cable box problem. They key is to NOT call them up and tell them what your problem is...just tell them what they need to do to fix it. I told them to run both service updates while I unplugged my cable boxes....problem solved. It seems pretty simple, but not simple enough that the problem was solved the first three times that I called.

sike · 10-13-2008, 08:23 PM

I care, mary...I care.

Flacolaco · 10-14-2008, 03:31 PM

thig, and anyone who else is who is rocking FiOS tv, I found this on the DMN web site....

http://techblog.dallasnews.com/archi...izon-fios.html

Quote:

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.
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Upgraded storage capacity: The current HD DVRs have a 160-gigabyte hard drive, which is pretty limiting. Verizon is just now getting ready to roll out new set top boxes with 320-gig drives, as well as upgraded processors and memory to enable more complex software (I believe they said a widescreen menu/guide will finally be possible with the new boxes). While the 320-gig boxes will be given to new customers automatically, existing customers will have to request them and Verizon will mail you the new box.

In addition, sometime next year, Verizon will allow you to connect an external drive to the eSATA and/or USB port on the set top box to extend your storage space. Even better, you'll be able to connect a network drive directly to your Fios router to record shows without having to stow your extra drive in your home theater cabinet or shelf.

Finally, I asked why Verizon can't just let us record shows to a centralized Verizon server and access those shows remotely, given the huge bandwidth available. Then we wouldn't have to worry at all about how much hard drive space is in the set top box. That's something that's technically feasible but prohibited by the broadcasters under the aegis of digital rights management, Verizon said. It does sound like something Verizon is lobbying for. I wouldn't hold my breath, but perhaps someday.

Internet video: Verizon does have an application in public beta to let you watch video from YouTube and other streaming video services directly on your TV through Fios. So that's pretty close to becoming an official app.

Widgets: While there are a handful of widgets available for use now (traffic and weather, basically), Verizon is throwing the platform open to third party developers. For example, we saw a demo of a Facebook app developed by a Fios employee.

Geographic availability: No major news here. Verizon is still promising to make Fios available to 18 million homes by the end of 2010, but the company reps didn't go into many details. If you live in an area served by AT&T right now, for example, it sounds like Verizon doesn't plan to make any major incursions into those regions anytime soon. However, if you live in an urban area where Verizon phone and DSL are available, but Fios is not, you'll probably get the technology in your neighborhood by the end of 2010.

Anything else?

UPDATE: I heard back from Verizon spokesman Lee Gierczynski, and he said the second batch of new channels could come as early as next week.

He wouldn't say exactly which channels are coming, but, regarding the NBA and NHL channels mentioned in the comments by mavsfan and SkippyZ in our previous post, Lee noted that "all I can say at this point is that we we're working on it. Our goal is to offer as much diverse programming as possible and as much sports programming as we can. We recognize what customers want and are working as quickly as we can to meet their needs."

And there are no plans at the moment to adjust the speed tiers on the Fios Internet service.

Sure would be nice to have NHL and NBA networks. I hope they get that worked out soon, and I will give them their few extra bucks a month for the Extreme HD package.

jthig32 · 10-14-2008, 03:35 PM

I'm not holding my breath on the NBA network.

The external storage would be fantastic.

DirkFTW · 10-14-2008, 03:36 PM

!!!!!!!!!! I want that new box!

LonghornDub · 10-14-2008, 04:11 PM

I currently have TW in Austin, but we're contemplating a switch because they are so terrible. For those that don't know, TW down here dropped NBC off its coverage a couple weeks ago. That's right--no NBC at all.

So, we were thinking about switching to Dish Network, but our apartment complex won't let us put a dish on the roof of our 2 story townhome. So we're not sure what to do.

jthig32 · 10-14-2008, 04:12 PM

What's your local phone provider?