4 questions about the the top boxes - SD box and Home media DVR
gjkiii
Enthusiast - Level 2

Hello. I am going to be getting Fios soon and I have some questions about the boxes. I will be getting the Home Media DVR and 4 SD boxes.

1) Do these boxes have timers on them to set so the box can turn off at a certain time?

2) Do these boxes have parental control and if so is it good enough to block things that I do not want my child to see?

3) How many people can access the home media dvr at the same time to watch already recorded programs

4) If the Home Media DVR is in the family room can a record be started from the bedroom over the SD set top box (even an hd show)?

Thanks for any help.

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Re: 4 questions about the the top boxes - SD box and Home media DVR
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

1) No.

4) No.

Don't know exactly about the other two. There are parental controls, but I've never used them.

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Re: 4 questions about the the top boxes - SD box and Home media DVR
Hubrisnxs
Legend

@gjkiii wrote:

Hello. I am going to be getting Fios soon and I have some questions about the boxes. I will be getting the Home Media DVR and 4 SD boxes.

1) Do these boxes have timers on them to set so the box can turn off at a certain time?

2) Do these boxes have parental control and if so is it good enough to block things that I do not want my child to see?

3) How many people can access the home media dvr at the same time to watch already recorded programs

4) If the Home Media DVR is in the family room can a record be started from the bedroom over the SD set top box (even an hd show)?

Thanks for any help.


1.  No on/off timers.  non dvr's have show reminders, so it auto tunes to a selected channel but will not auto turn on and off the tv, u must rely on your tv for that functionality.

2. Yes parental controls can block by individual channel, channel content rating (tv-ma, r, xxx, etc....) or you can also set up a purchase pin so that no purchases can be made from the remote control without the use of a pin.

3.  3 people can access hmdvr at the same time.

4.  at this time you can only schedule recordings from the actual dvr itself or from the internet using Verizon's TV Central webpage.  From another room that is not DVR, I simply go on my laptop and log in, schedule my recording.   but I can't do it from the remote control of a non-dvr.

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Re: 4 questions about the the top boxes - SD box and Home media DVR
jumpin68ny
Master - Level 2

There is also a blackberry FIOS app available to schedule recordings, delete recordings, etc.  

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Re: 4 questions about the the top boxes - SD box and Home media DVR
johnldove1
Newbie

I have been using two Standard Set Top Boxes for about a year. I have Parental Controls on and all channels locked. When I want to watch a channel, I tune to that channel, note the LOCKED message, which tells me to press the OK button to enter ther Parental Controls PIN and unlock the channel for viewing.

This has worked flawlessliy for the last year -- ON THE Standard STB's.

I just ordered the Home Media DVR STB to replace one of my Standardt STB..

On the Home Media DVR:

I can set the Parentals Control PIN and lock the channels, in the exact same way I did o nthe Standard STB's. However, when  tuen to ANY channel, I still ge the LOCKED message and instructions to press OK to unlock the channel -- BUT no matter how I press the OK button, the Enter your Parental Conlrols PIN dialog box willl NOT open. Nothing happens -- you CAN NOT view any channel.

Again, it is the EXACT setup as for the Standard STB, but the OK button will NOT unlock any of the channels.

If you unlock all channels and LOCK the Ratings, the same problem recurs: OK buitton will never open the "enter your PIN" dialog box.

I have received two replacement boxes and have spent hours on the phone with some very capable and helpful Techs -- no luck.

Has anyone else had the same problem? Here's how to test your Home Media DVR:

1. Menu-Settings-Parental Controls.

2. You will be prompted to CREATE youre Parental Controls PIN

3. Enter you PIN twice.

4. Use the > button to scroll to Enable On/Off and set it on.

5. scroll down to Control Channels

6. Press > button to See Locked Channels

7. Scroll down to Add/Remove Channels

8. Scroll right to choose LOCK ALL

9. Press OK and then scroll to YES to lock all channels

10. Press EXIT to get out of settings.

11. All channels are now locked.

12. Go to any channel

13. A black screen will appear with a lock silhouette with the word LOCKED below, followed by instructions to Press OK to enter PIN and unlock this channel. (plus how to change locks...).

14.Press the OK button and, if it is working, you will see a dialog box at the bottom of the screen that is titled: UNLOCK, with the channel listed and the instructions to "Enter your PIN using your numeric pad on remote to naje this channel availabe for all users." THere's a PIN box, which shows asterisks for each number entered, with "Press Exit to Cancel" below.

15. On the Standard STB, it works exactly as described in steps 1 thru 14. On the Media Center DVR, it works up to step `13, but in 14, no matter how you press the OK button, the UNLOCK dialog box never pops us. The Remote STB light flashes on the remove and the REMOTE yellow light flashes on the DVR,  but nothng happens.

If you have a Home Media DVR, can you please try this and see if it works?

Thanks,
John

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Re: 4 questions about the the top boxes - SD box and Home media DVR
jumpin68ny
Master - Level 2

Keep in mind that if you record an HD show on the DVR you will NOT be able to view it on an SD box.

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