Thinking to get FIOS. Need Info on DVR

[BlackBeanie]

I have been renting a TiVo Premium with my RCN cable tv service. I am leaving RCN and thinking to get FIOS which is finally available in my neighborhood. But I love the TiVo. Anyone has any hand-on experience wth Verizon's DVR?
In particular, I am most concern with 3 things:

1 With the TiVo, using their software I can transfer recorded shows to my PC. Can the Verizon DVR do that?

2 The RCN TiVo has 2 turners, so I can record 2 different shows at the same time. I chat online with the Verizon sales people, they say all their DVR's are single turner but then they said I can "watch one show while recording another. It even allows for recording two shows while watching a previously recorded show." I asked him how that's possible with only 1 turner in the box but they didn't know the answer.

3 Can I expand the capacity with an external hard drive?

[armond_in_nj1 · Accepted solution]

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@BlackBeanie wrote:

... I am ... thinking to get FIOS ...

1 With the TiVo, ... I can transfer recorded shows to my PC. Can the Verizon DVR do that?

2 The RCN TiVo has 2 turners ...

3 Can I expand the capacity with an external hard drive?

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Question 1:  No, not directly.  You can however copy material recorded on the DVD in real time to another recording device (e.g., a DVD-R device).

Question 2.  The VZ DVRs also have 2 tuners, not one.  They operate in the same way as the TiVo you described.

Question 3.  The latest VZ DVR units support an eSata external drive (evidently 2 TB max).

[BlackBeanie]

Thank you for the info. Much appreciated.

[tns]

And note you can use your TIVO with Verizon if you wish.  You will have to pay a monthly charge for a Cablecard ($3.99 I think).

[SidR]

Don't get FIOS.  They will rip you off.

Sidd