The FiOS DVR is a major disappointment
Gus_Gutz
Enthusiast - Level 3

I should have come here first before I gave up my Directv DVR. I have had FiOS for two days now and I feel as if I was ripped off. I spoke with my sales person on the phone and told him what my current configuration was. He told me I would be able to have all that and more. I have two TV's. He said I could have a DVR on both of them and watch programs recorded in either room on either tv. That didn't happen. He told me I could watch recorded shows on my computer. That didn't happen. I now have a DVR that only records 14 hours before it is full of HD content. The menus are typical Motorola--extremely hard to navigate and almost worthless. 

It is a shame I am stuck with this product for 2 years now. I like the phone and broadband service very much. If you are thinking of getting FiOS tv. please read this... DON'T... DON'T DO IT.. wait till they have decent equipment and at the rate they are going, maybe 5 years.

The remote is horrible. I cannot control the sound and use the drv without having to press a button for the aux device. I think many people have an audio device for their sound and not the TV. Why cant the volume control work the audio device of choice. 

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Re: The FiOS DVR is a major disappointment
ekem015
Specialist - Level 1

Verizon phone employees are there to sell the product, I wouldn't count on them for accurate technical know-how. They will tell you things that aren't true (they wouldn't know either way) just to get you to buy it.

So, to clear things up:

1) You cannot watch recorded DVR programs on your computer.

2) Your home media DVR will only allow you to watch its recorded programs on other non-DVR STBs.

3) Yes, the storage capacity of the DVR is weak, and there is no external storage. However, Verizon is working on external storage (see @FiOSTV on Twitter) and they are planning on releasing Cisco STBs soon.

4) Yes, the menu could use some work. The next release (1.8) of the IMG software, they say, will have a new 16:9 HD guide hopefully with improved features.

5) In the remote manual I believe there are instructions on how to set your volume buttons to control an aux device.

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Re: The FiOS DVR is a major disappointment
Gus_Gutz
Enthusiast - Level 3

You can control the sound of an AUX device but it is only active when you press the aux button on the top of the remote. When in AUX mode you cannot fast forward or rewind. When in DVR mode you can only change the sound on the TV. In my case that is fixed in the off position.

They should allow you to default to one audio device TV or AUX. If you are using that AUX as your sound device, anytime you press the volume button you should be changing the volume on the default device. Seems logical to me.

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Re: The FiOS DVR is a major disappointment
prisaz
Legend

@Gus_Gutz wrote:

I should have come here first before I gave up my Directv DVR. I have had FiOS for two days now and I feel as if I was ripped off. I spoke with my sales person on the phone and told him what my current configuration was. He told me I would be able to have all that and more. I have two TV's. He said I could have a DVR on both of them and watch programs recorded in either room on either tv. That didn't happen. He told me I could watch recorded shows on my computer. That didn't happen. I now have a DVR that only records 14 hours before it is full of HD content. The menus are typical Motorola--extremely hard to navigate and almost worthless. 

It is a shame I am stuck with this product for 2 years now. I like the phone and broadband service very much. If you are thinking of getting FiOS tv. please read this... DON'T... DON'T DO IT.. wait till they have decent equipment and at the rate they are going, maybe 5 years.

The remote is horrible. I cannot control the sound and use the drv without having to press a button for the aux device. I think many people have an audio device for their sound and not the TV. Why cant the volume control work the audio device of choice. 


If you wait I hear the new boxes are going to have 320gig drive instead of 160gig. But then that may change. I have heard that the SATA is supposed to be enabled so you can add an external drive.

I pay $3.99 a month for a Cable Card rental from Verizon, and $12,95 a month to Tivo. I am very happy with the setup. Tivo wants like $500 for the large storage Tivo HDX, but the smaller units can be found for $200. They support external drives, but the internal drive can be upgraded for about $120 if you are good with computers and pay $20 for the software image and $99 for an OEM terabyte drive. That is my setup. I like the Tivo menu structure and guide data. Tivo will let you transfer some of the content to your PC. Also Supports Netfilx, Amazon, and Blockbuster online video. But you lose the online guide, VOD, and Widgets supplied by Verizon. I have heard rumors that Verizon may be changing guide providers and other things, but they will not discuss it unitl it is a done deal.

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Re: The FiOS DVR is a major disappointment
stevefeder
Newbie

Volume control:  Read the remote instructions:  You can set the volume to automatically work on AUX so that the receiver controls the volume without having to push anything extra before after changing the volume.

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