Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
infinitempg
Enthusiast - Level 3

We just had our Fios TV upgraded to the new Quantum from a recomendation at a Verizon store we recently visited.  We were told a couple things that were not exactly true, such as this would not require cables to each TV, only power (not true, needs coax or network cable to each box) and answered a synchronization question we had.

The new Quantum has a "server" or main DVR unit that has six tuners built in.  The sub-boxes are kind of dumb boxes that just communicate to the server, the tuners are all in the server.  We were told since the sub-boxes use the same tuner the server uses, when watching the same channel it would be in synch with each other with possibly a barely noticeable delay because of the communication.  This really sold us as we often have the same show on several places and currently they were all out of synch and not in repeatable ways.  And during things like Superbowl Parties with the game on several TV's around the house it's really annoying.

Well..... NOT TRUE AT ALL.  The "barely noticeable" delay turned out to be 15-20 seconds or more and all the time.  This is MASSIVELY WORSE then when we had individual tuner boxes.  Totally terrible!!!   

With the tuners all in the server, HOW can we get all the sub-boxes to be in synch??? Even our home theater system has a programmable delay so we can perfectly synch our audio and video.  With all this high tech stuff this seems like it should be a no-brainer and something that would really be a GREAT selling point as I have seen many posts about synchronizing multiple TV's.

Any help????????????

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Re: Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
infinitempg
Enthusiast - Level 3

So how do we synch up our secondary tuner boxes with the main Fios Quantum server?????

Honestly, if you can't then we were talked into upgrading on false pretenses... we were told by Verizon they would be in synch or very, very close, they're NOT.  We were told the boxes did NOT need to be hooked up to a cable, they could be placed ANYWHERE there is power.  They CAN'T.

We were told to post this in the forums to get Verizon help in how to synch the boxes... still waiting.

Smiley Sad

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Re: Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
infinitempg
Enthusiast - Level 3

Wow, so glad we popped into the Verizon forums as suggested to get an answer to how to resolve a Fios problem...  

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Re: Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
sangs1
Specialist - Level 2

I don't think you're going to get much traction here as:

1) It's a User-to-User forum, not really a Verizon Technical Support forum

and

2) Your situation is likely one that 99.9 percent of the viewers and posters here aren't likely to encounter.

My suggestion is to follow this link - https://secure.dslreports.com/forum/vzdirect - and post your issue there. That is monitored by Verizon tech support employees and they're very good at assisting users. Good luck.

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Re: Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
PJL
Master - Level 3

I believe one tuner (and a stream of that video) is allocated for each box that requests a channel.  This makes sense in that live pausing on one box but not another would not be possible if the same tuner was allocated to multiple assets.  And timing differences between viewing a channel on a screen directly connected to a VMS server versus through a VMS client will always introduce a delay because it takes time to transcode the signal, send it to the VMS client, and then decode it and display it.  Buffering also factors into the timing differences.

The only way to get to the point where you have the same video on multiple screens in synch (or close to it) is to use the same STB and provide signals from its outputs to the multiple screens.  For example, we have the HDMI output connected to one TV and the compononent to another.  But even this is not precise in that different models of TVs decode and display the digital signal at different speeds due their respective processing characteristics.  Slower processing TVs will display the signal after a faster processing TV.  Another method other than using multiple outputs of the STB is to use some sort of splitter (HDMI, component) from a signal output and feed the TVs that way.

I fully agree with you that Verizon should explain this time of thing when specifically asked about full-simultaneous viewing using multiple VMS clients.  Further, it would be nice if there was a way that the VMS could be set to provide the identical stream to multiple VMS clients -- but apparently that option is now how the architecture works now.

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Re: Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

Compared to the older DVR and STB combinations the Audio signal going to the VMS and IP boxes is much closer to being in sync.  But their will always be a delay.  Actually some delay is always caused by the TV's themselves, I.e. I noticed differences before between two identical STB going to different model TV's.

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Re: Fios Quantum - Single Tuner but not in Synch- HUH?!?!
tns2
Community Leader
Community Leader

In my testing i had the IP boxes sometimes earlier sometimes later then the VMS.  But not more than a couple seconds.

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