Any chance Verizon will put the Motorola QIP 71001 out to pasture?

Hi,

Is there any chance that Verizon will put the QIP 71001 out to pasture and roll out a new STB that has less HDMI issues?

It's kind of a shame that for all the money we spend, many of us have to use component video rather than HDMI with our Sony HDTV's.

The HDMI is also a little buggy when driving an Insignia NS-L26Q-10A LCD TV. The box takes about 5 -10 seconds sometimes to switch channels.

There has to be a better FiOS compatible HD box out there that Verizon can offer.

What are the plans to offer a "next generation" of STB's?

Accepted answers

10nisman94

New Cisco boxes are due sometime this year. They were supposed to be out by the end of Q1, but word on the street is that they could be another 3-6 months as they supposedly have not entered large scale testing yet. The new Boxes will most likely be the Cisco 4642 HDC

Cisco Explorer 4642HDC and 4652HDC High-Definition Set-Tops with ...
And the Cisco 8642 HDC Cisco Explorer 8642HDC DVR with M-Card Interface - 7015625
Another possiblility is that, in place of the 8600HDC, all 4642HDC boxes would be able to record to a NAS built into a new router, the DRG 2800.
Cisco Takes Consumers Beyond Connectivity to 'Visual Networking ...
DRG2800 (Picture)

All of of this is currently up in the air, so all we can do is wait, or buy a tivo/moxi/cablecard HTPC.

All comments

10nisman94

All of of this is currently up in the air, so all we can do is wait, or buy a tivo/moxi/cablecard HTPC.

Hubrisnxs

there are also new motorola boxes coming out too. QIP7232

10nisman94

I'm 99% sure that Verizon has committed to using Cisco boxes over Motorola ones in the future. Ordering both would make no sense. Cisco has been named periodically over the past two years as the supplier for the next round of set top boxes.

prisaz

@10nisman94 wrote:
I'm 99% sure that Verizon has committed to using Cisco boxes over Motorola ones in the future. Ordering both would make no sense. Cisco has been named periodically over the past two years as the supplier for the next round of set top boxes.

We may even see something new if everyone straightens out the video timeshifting patent fight with tivo. Verizon and AT&T are in a lawsuite with Tivo right now. Latest is Microsoft sues Tivo.

ClarksonCote

Any chance these new boxes will be more power efficient when not actively being used?

ekem015

Maybe, but I doubt that's too high on their list.

prisaz

@ClarksonCote wrote:
Any chance these new boxes will be more power efficient when not actively being used?

What this means is difficult to tell. How do you power down a DVR that must be running to get guide updates and record?

Quoted from the document in the previous posting above.

See Note 3.

http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps8612/ps8620/7016861.pdf

"ENERGY STAR® Tier 1 qualified set-top box must meet strict energy-efficiency guidelines
set by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and the US Department of Energy
(DOE), see Note 3

3. In order to use the ENERGY STAR name or marks in association with this product deployed to
subscribers, service providers must first sign a Partnership Agreement with EPA and abide by
all of the conditions set forth in the ENERGY STAR Program Requirements for Cable, Satellite,
and Telecom Service Providers. ENERGY STAR is a registered mark owned by the U.S.
government and its use is reserved for partners. Service providers that have not signed an
ENERGY STAR Partnership Agreement are not to distribute boxes labeled with the
ENERGY STAR."

ClarksonCote

@prisaz wrote:
What this means is difficult to tell. How do you power down a DVR that must be running to get guide updates and record?

Well, the assumption that the DVR must be running at or near max power for that functionality is no longer true. There's technology available (e.g. http://pdfserv2.datasheetpro.net/3228-collateral-pb-7410-PB01-R.pdf ) that can allow for 1W standby powers while still being able to keep track of shows to record and turn on additional functionality when it's time to record.

Beyond power saving, I'm just hoping their new STB's will have a "no signal" output option so if you're screensaver isn't on, you don't just see black screen and accidentally leave your TV off. Also hoping the multitude of lip sync issues that seem prevalent get resolved with a new rollout too.