Can I get FIOS signal into my computer's TV tuner card?
azrielmordecias

I just got Verizon's FIOS Triple PLay. Previously I had Comcast. With Comcast I could split off a line to my computer's TV Tuner card so I could TIVO programs directly to my computer. Does anyone know if I can do this with Verizons FIOS signal once it has been communicated to the RG-6 cable inside my house? I figured I'd ask here first as tech support may not know the answer.

 Thanks in advance!

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Re: Can I get FIOS signal into my computer's TV tuner card?
Hubrisnxs
Legend

@azrielmordecias wrote:

I just got Verizon's FIOS Triple PLay. Previously I had Comcast. With Comcast I could split off a line to my computer's TV Tuner card so I could TIVO programs directly to my computer. Does anyone know if I can do this with Verizons FIOS signal once it has been communicated to the RG-6 cable inside my house? I figured I'd ask here first as tech support may not know the answer.

 Thanks in advance!


so how is the hook up.  your tv tuner card plugs in with what, going to your tivo which then plugs into what?

There are some ATI TV Tuner cards and older tivo's aren't getting the update they need from the manufacturer and may not get all the encrypted channels.    

a lot of the newer tivo's, and ceton cards will work just fine, and moxi dvr's.   but older legacy cards and legacy tivo's may have a problem.   

how are you going to hook it up though, are you getting a verizon cable box, and then running it into your Tivo and then the PC?  

that might work without a hitch.. 

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Re: Can I get FIOS signal into my computer's TV tuner card?
lasagna
Community Leader
Community Leader

If you're talking about plugging the RF output of a STB (set top box) into the input of your computer TV interface, that would work just like it would have with Comcast.

However, I suspect you are living in an area where Comcast still broadcasts a portion of their channels in the clear and in analog format.   So, if you plugged in an old TV (pre-HD digital conversion), you could just flip around the non-premium channels using the tuner built into the TV.   If this is what you are asking, the answer is no.   FiOS (and actually many cable providers) broadcasts almost all of their programming in encrypted QAM format which needs the STB or a CableCard capable device to decrypt and display the channels.   Comcast has been rolling thru the country doing the same thing to their network as well.    This prevents people from stealing TV services and allows carrying more channels on their networks since they can get do everything in digital format.   FiOS does deliver a few channels in clear QAM -- but you need a tuner card capable of receiving QAM, not the old NTSC cards that pre-date the digital switchover.

There is supposedly a TV card for PC's coming out soon that will take a CableCard and do the necessary decoding on board and allow direct viewing on a PC, but from what I've seen and heard so far, it's going to be fairly expensive -- to that point that buying a Tivo with CableCard capability or subscribing to the DVR service will be cheaper in the short run.

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Re: Can I get FIOS signal into my computer's TV tuner card?
GaryDoug
Specialist - Level 1

Ditto as lasagna said. I used to use my PC to "media center" analog prgms from my old BH account; not anymore with Verizon. Like was said, the local broadcast channels (ABC, NBC, Fox, CBS, PBS) should be available in HD on clear QAM. A few more too probably (not likely ones you want though). Got a good QAM tuner card? One that does a good job scanning cable channels (some don't)?

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