Verizon’s Fios TV service is growing increasingly popular as it becomes available in more areas. More people are coming to discover that the picture quality and speed towers over both cable and satellite by far. While the service has proven to be a viable alternative to traditional TV mediums, there are still a few consumers who are reluctant to make the switch. These are primarily those who have invested in a TiVo and do not want to part ways with their super-functional DVR. TiVo lovers will be happy to know that America’s favorite DVR does indeed work with Verizon Fios TV.
Why TiVo?
If you are familiar with Fios, you probably know that Verizon has its own version of the DVR in the Motorola QIP series. This receiver offers all the basic functionality but TiVo it is not.
For starters, the interface on the Verizon DVR isn’t as intuitive as what you get with TiVo, making it a bit more confusing to navigate the program menu. The lack of user-friendliness makes something as simple as recording your favorite series a cumbersome task. When factoring in the clunky remote control and costly leasing fees, you have a DVR the not only underperforms, but fails to compliment what is otherwise a quality television service. Needless to say, the recent integration of TiVO and Fios TV was refreshing news to many frustrated subscribers.
TiVo offers the comprehensive interface, ease of use and rich feature set the Verizon DVR lacks. On top of that, this receiver has been around long enough to become the face of digital video recorders, the preferred choice for many customers. In order for integrate the technologies, you will of course need a TiVo receiver, preferably the HD the Series 3 model, and two cablecards, which are provided by Verizon and installed by a technician. Although this integration has enhanced the television experience for numerous subscribers, a large number have reported that TiVo and Fios don’t always work in perfect harmony.
Limitations and Pixel Problems
The problem with TiVo and Fios TV is mainly associated with the limitations of the cablecards installed into the receiver. For example, one-way digital cable-ready television sets are not able to receive two-way interactive services. Therefore, advanced features of the Fios TV service such as the interactive programming guide, pay per view, video on demand and various Fios widgets are not provided to the viewer. Subscribers are required to purchase and install a set-top box in order to enjoy these features.
According to a number of subscribers, the biggest issue related to the Tivo/Fios integration has to do with picture quality. Several have reported pixel distortion where the digital images on their screen breaks up into large blocks and totally ruins the program they’re viewing. Issues of sound clarity have also been mentioned. Some customers have resorted to inserting video Di-plexers and low-pass filters only to find that these additions only momentarily solved their problems.
Conclusion
As it stands now, the relationship between Tivo and Fios TV can’t be considered a happy marriage. Cablecards are only a temporary solution and the tuner built-in the TiVo HD receiver prevents you from getting the most out of DVR. Until cablecards are phased out by a more reliable technology and TiVo fixes their tuner bugs, Fios TV subscribers are probably best suited with the default Motorola DVR. Besides, unless you’re a diehard TiVo fan, there is a great chance that you won’t even notice the vast difference in the two receivers.
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