Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
MetroBOS
Newbie

I currently have 3 DVR boxes where each box has it's own separate list of recordings and scheduled recordings.

If I switch to Fios Quantum TV (either Premium or Enhanced), I am told that all boxes will have shared recordings.  I'd like to continue to have separate recordings per box.  Is that not an option?  I really don't want to have to scroll through all of the recordings that my roommates have.

Also, do I need to get the new boxes by mail or can I simply go to my local Verizon center and exchange them right away?

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
mfizzy
Specialist - Level 1

Quantum TV works a little different based on the recording level you choose.

Fios Quantum TV Enhanced Service is able to:

  • Support up to 5 TVs (1 VMS and up to 4 IPC's)
  • Record up to 6 shows at once
  • Store up to 100 hours of HD programming (or up to 500 hours of standard-definition programming)

Fios Quantum TV Premium Service is able to:

  • Support up to 10 TVs (2 VMS and up to 8 IPC'S)
  • Record up to 12 shows at once
  • Store up to 200 hours of HD programming (or up to 1,000 hours of standard-definition programming)

Enhanced has one vms box and Premium has 2. Each VMS is independent. The VMS does all of the recording and tuning of stations for all the other boxes. The other boxes are IPC's . They do not have tuners in them, the get all of its tv service thru the VMS it is paired to. You can pair up to 4 IPC's to a VMS. The recording feature you choose (Premium or Enhanced)  determines how many vms boxes you have. Each VMS has it own recording list and schedules. These lists are separate and can be viewed from the other boxes. The boxes are named so you can tell them apart. The VMS boxes are the only ones that show in your recording list and schedule since they are the only ones with tuners (6 tuners per VMS).  Quantum TV is limited to a max of 2 VMS boxes.

FYI you can also do a basic dvr service with Quantum TV with the VMS only have 2 of the 6 tuners available to be used for recording and storage limited to 500 gigs.

Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
MetroBOS
Newbie

So if I am understanding this correctly, the Premium version would have 2 VMS boxes and 3 DVR/Cable boxes?

Does this mean that I could use one VMS box for my DVR/Cable box and then the other VMS would be used for the other 2 DVR/Cable boxes?  Which would mean that my recordings would be separate from the others?

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
mfizzy
Specialist - Level 1

I dont know how many tv you need service on, but yes Premium starts with 2 vms boxes. You can add on as many 8 IPC's. You should not thing of them as dvr/cable boxes because they really work totally different. They work as a server (VMS) client ( IPC) relationship. The vms are more like a dvr and IPC could be considered a cable box. The recording will he in 2 folders by the vms they were recorded on.

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
MetroBOS
Newbie

I currently have 3 TVs.  Each TV has it's own DVR box so all recordings are separate - meaning what's recorded on one box is not available to watch on either of the other boxes.

If I switched, could I have 2 TVs share 100 hours of recordings, and then have the 3rd TV have it's own separate 100 hours of recordings?

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
MetroBOS
Newbie

Bump - I'm still confused on how this works and if it will work the way I need it to.

Also, still trying to find out if I need to order the new equipment by mail or if I can pick it up at my local Verizon office.

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

You would have to order premium service.

You would get 2 VMS and 1 IPC.

IPC and one VMS would share 1tb and other VMS would have the other.

But all 3 would see all recordings.

Stop by your local Verizon store and ask if they have equipment.

Not sure if you can create an order there, but they should be able to tell you.

Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
BurtonRW
Newbie

Sorry to resurrect this thread, but I'm looking at upgrading myself and want to be clear about this.

Currently, I have a 50/50 connection with whatever the best available STB was back in 2010 or so.  2 tuners and I guess 500GB of recording space?  I added a 1TB external HDD as soon as that upgrade rolled out a few years back.

If I upgrage to the Quantum 75/75 and go for Premium TV service, 2 boxes will give me 12 tuners TOTAL and 2TB of recording space TOTAL, but with no ability to add additional external storage?  So I'd be looking at a grand total of only 500GB of additional recording space for my trouble?

What good are 12 tuners if you can't watch your programs as fast as you can record them??

Am I missing something?  Seems it would be better to maybe upgrade the speed and stick with the old box.  Perhaps try to put a larger external drive on there and see what happens?

-Rob

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
CRobGauth
Community Leader
Community Leader

You can just go with 6 tuners and have 1 TB.

DVR is not intended to be long term storage.

If it fails, you lose everything.

Even on external drive.

1 TB can give you upwards of 100 hours of HD storage on quantum.

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Re: Questions about switching to Fios Quantum TV
juxta
Enthusiast - Level 3

It's been more than 2 years since Quantum TV arrived and still no larger storage option. Right now I have 2 legacy high def DVRs (each 500GB with 1TB external drive) so 2 TB total is a downgrade by a third. 

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