FiOS DVR choice paralysis

July 10, 2011 12:43 PM

FiOS DVR options - should we take the standard FiOS DVR or get a TiVo? Something else?

We are considering adding a DVR to our single TV (no multiroom DVR needed here!). We have Verizon FiOS service. Should we go with the standard-issue FiOS DVR for $15.99/month, or CableCARD+TiVo? Something else (XBMC)?

• We are of hacky/techy ilk, and would consider homebrew or mod options if that will improve our experience. I've built a DVR before, but it only hooked up to standard cable, and this was in 2005 (and I sadly forget the name of the site that helped me so, something like pvrforum?).
• We have:
  • Playstation 3
  • Wii
  • Roku XDS


• We would not mind adding an Xbox 360 to the valiant legion of decvices; we may do so anyway.


• Here's our TV, a 40-in. Samsung 1080p LED.

FiOS DVR users of MeFi, what do you recommend we do? Specific TiVo model suggestions very welcome, if that route is recommended.

Thanks for your advice!

caution: rant. grr wtf nested unordered list spacing?!

posted by xiaolongbao to technology (6 answers total)

We did fios and TiVos with cable cards and honestly if I had to do it over again I'd just get the Verizon device. I think TiVo has really dropped the ball on features and quality and it's not the value it once was.
posted by phearlez at 1:36 PM on July 10, 2011

I consider our Verizon DVR expensive, but before we got it I had a nice Panasonic DVR that also recorded DVDs. It was a fantastic machine but only lasted about a year. It was almost $400, so the Verizon is cheaper than that and if anything goes wrong, you just go get a new one. The thing I miss most is being able to make chapters. We recorded all 7 seasons of STV and edited out all the commercials, The DVR we have is the HD version so you can see some HD channels for free just by having the HD DVR. Really makes VOD worth more
posted by Redhush at 5:02 PM on July 10, 2011

I can't speak to alternatives, but once you get v. 1.9 of the dvr software (if your area doesn't have it already), the guide is pretty and reasonably quick, the dvr has a set of options I'm happy with (ie record all new episodes of X on this channel) and you can add a generic esata drive.

Aside: if your router isn't by the tv and you don't already have cat5/6 strung, pick up an extra router (MI424WR) from ebay so you can set up MOCA networking. It's faster and more stable than the wireless from the router. The wireless is fine, but stuff like netflix or streaming from another pc is just another level of smooth and solid over coax.
posted by ROU_Xenophobe at 6:02 PM on July 10, 2011

I left fios a year and a half ago when I moved out of their coverage area, but I had the CableCard+TiVo at the time and was really really happy with it. The only thing I really felt like I missed was OnDemand, and there are one or two other ways of streaming TV online, so I didn't miss it too badly.

At the time, I liked the Tivo interface/experience way, WAY more than the FiOs one. But since then, it seems like Verizon stepped up their game and has a much improved interface for their DVRs, and my new Tivo premiere is feeling dated and sllloooowwww. I'm probably going to continue with Tivo when I move back into Fios range, since I (foolishly) signed a 2 year contract, but they've burned through a LOT of my goodwill over the last couple years.
posted by frankdrebin at 9:33 PM on July 10, 2011

Haven't tried the FIOS DVR since Dec 2009, but at that time it was a massive pile of suck. I told them to come get it, and replaced it with cablecards and a Tivo HD, which was a huge improvement.

I've since updated the Tivo HD to a Premiere, which wasn't really worth the effort (I don't use any of the "'net aware" features, since I use an HTPC for that stuff already).
posted by nonliteral at 8:13 AM on July 11, 2011

Hi y'all, appreciate your input. We're going to go for the FiOS DVR, at least at first. There doesn't seem to be any great upside to the TiVo investment.

Thanks!
posted by xiaolongbao at 8:40 AM on July 12, 2011