Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
basicuser
Newbie

We subscribe to FIOS local broadcast channels only service in Maryland.  It is about $14 per month.   It had been analog signal but in July we got the small box and now it is apparently digital, or else digital converted to analog.  We are considering buying an HD television set.

Is there a way to subscribe to FIOS local channels only and get local broadcast channels in High Definition without upgrading to the basic cable type package and or renting the more expensive FIOS box?

Are there any televisions with special tuners that can pull in broadcast HD signals from FIOS without the rented box?   I thought I read that the broadcast channels were not scrambled, so shouldn't this be possible with the right television?

Thanks for any input or guidance you can provide. 

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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
Keyboards
Master - Level 3

Most new televisions have a QAM tuner - this is what you would want to look for to get any signals from Verizon without a box.  You should then be able to get your local SD channels, your local digital channels (what most people call the HD channels), PEG channels (public, education and government), and the music channels.

Be aware that there have been some issues with tuners not handling the digital signal for the "HD" channels  properly (has to do with the remapping function) - but generally that issue has been resolved by Verizon.

Hope that helps.

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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
basicuser
Newbie

Thank you for the input.  Interestingly, when I ask Verizon personnel, none of them tells me that this is possible.  They all claim you need a box, and not just any box but the high end rental box.

You mention that there have been some technical problems with QAM reception on FIOS; if I run into a problem, who might I call? 

Is there any sort of how-to manual on setting up a new set with FIOS?

Do any brands of televisions not work well with FIOS?

Finally, is there any way to keep a VCR recorder in the loop for very occasional recording?  Or is that a lost cause.

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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
Keyboards
Master - Level 3

@basicuser wrote:

Thank you for the input.  Interestingly, when I ask Verizon personnel, none of them tells me that this is possible.  They all claim you need a box, and not just any box but the high end rental box.

You mention that there have been some technical problems with QAM reception on FIOS; if I run into a problem, who might I call? 

Don't know who to call as Verizon considers the issue fixed.

Is there any sort of how-to manual on setting up a new set with FIOS?

There is a FAQ about Verizon TV HERE

There is also a FORUM on that site for Verizon FiOS that you may find helpful.

Do any brands of televisions not work well with FIOS?

I know some people have said the QAM scans for Olevia's have had trouble, but I don't know which models and don't want to condemn any particular brand.

Finally, is there any way to keep a VCR recorder in the loop for very occasional recording?  Or is that a lost cause.

A VCR could be used, but it would require being hooked up to an STB to record a different show.  Without a separate STB for the VCR (assuming it doesn't have a QAM tuner) it could only record what was being output by the TV's STB.


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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
basicuser
Newbie

So....can you use something to split the incoming FIOS cable/signal to divert part into the TV and part into a VCR with a QAM tuner (or converter)?  Let's assume that you don't expect to watch a different channel then you are recording.  

 Or is the best way to do this to tap the output of the television straight to the VCR (and in that case do you need a digital converter?)  Thank you for all your guidance and sorry if these are dumb questions.

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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
KenAF
Specialist - Level 2

@basicuser wrote:

So....can you use something to split the incoming FIOS cable/signal to divert part into the TV and part into a VCR with a QAM tuner (or converter)?  Let's assume that you don't expect to watch a different channel then you are recording. 


Yes, you can.

I don't know of any VCRs with QAM tuners, but there are several DVD recorders with QAM tuners.  You could watch one channel with your TV's QAM tuner while recording a different channel with the QAM tuner in your DVD recorder.  Note these DVD recorders with QAM tuners can record from high-definition channels, but none record in actual HD; all of these DVD recorders downconvert HD channels to SD for recording, playback, and liveTV output.

If your TV doesn't have a QAM tuner, you could [obviously] buy a new TV, or you could buy a QAM tuner for your existing TV.   If you did want a separate QAM tuner with actual HD output capability, here is one of the most popular models.  The alternative would be to simply use the QAM tuner in the DVD recorder to watch liveTV when you aren't recording a program, but again, you won't get HD or anything close to HD quality with a DVD recorder.

If I were you, and was only interested in locals, I would probably drop FiOS TV service and buy yourself a Dish DTVPal DVR.  The Dish Network DTVPal DVR is a dual-tuner HDTV DVR that will support SD and HD channels from an antenna. Cable / QAM is not supported.  It will allow you watch one local HD channel while you record another; it will also record two different HD or SD shows while you watch watch a third, previously recorded show.  It will allow you to pause live programming for up to 60 minutes, and then resume where you left off, skipping commercials.  Recording capacity on the DTVPal DVR is 30 HD hours and 150 SD hours with a 250Gb hard drive. The bundled IR remote includes buttons for pause, 30sec [commercial] skip, 10 second replay, and supports four speeds of fast forward and reverse, slow motion, and frame-by-frame advance.  This product costs $249 and has no monthly fees.

@Basically, you can think of this DTVPal DVR product as a "lite" version of the TivoHD ($199 @ Costco) for off-air signals only, without the comprehensive program information, without the ability to record only new episodes and ignore repeats, without the extensive search capabilities....but also without the $129/yr DVR fee.  Note that unlike DVD recorders, the DTVPal DVR records and outputs the original high-definition signal; it will output full HD to HDTVs, but it will also downconvert to SD for output to older TVs.

Message Edited by KenAF on 11-30-2008 11:36 AM
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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
darcilicious
Newbie

@Keyboards wrote:

Do any brands of televisions not work well with FIOS?

I know some people have said the QAM scans for Olevia's have had trouble, but I don't know which models and don't want to condemn any particular brand.



It seems there's always a model of any particular brand that doesn't work well. My Olevia 247 works a charm with Verizon's QAM -- did a channel scan and found all the expected clear QAM channels (and one unexpected 😉 )

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Re: Local Channels Only FIOS Service - HD?
Keyboards
Master - Level 3

@darcilicious wrote:

@Keyboards wrote:

Do any brands of televisions not work well with FIOS?

I know some people have said the QAM scans for Olevia's have had trouble, but I don't know which models and don't want to condemn any particular brand.



It seems there's always a model of any particular brand that doesn't work well. My Olevia 247 works a charm with Verizon's QAM -- did a channel scan and found all the expected clear QAM channels (and one unexpected 😉 )


And hence my statement that I didn't want to condemn any particular brand Smiley Tongue  I could probably mention every brand out there for some wart with a specific model on a specific provider based on forum reports Smiley Wink

BTW - welcome darcilicious.  I'm sure your comments will be appreciated here as much as they are over at BB Reports.

Message Edited by Keyboards on 11-30-2008 05:17 PM
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