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Alternative DVR Options

Fairfax

Is it possible to connect a 3rd party DVR solution to my Fios STB? I have Verizon's HD DVR now, but a friend was telling me that it may be possible to to connect a PC with Microsoft Media Center which would probably be cheaper in the long run and offer a lot more storage. If so, do I need a TV which accepts a cable card for this to work?

Accepted answers

KenAF

@Fairfax wrote:
How do the costs for each of these compare? I am trying to save some money in the long run, so if Tivo HD is roughly the same (or more) than Verizon, then that is not really an option.

Did you not see the prices in the comparison table linked above?

The dual-tuner TivoHD is $220 (subsidized) + monthly/yearly fees, or $550-620 without fees. The dual-tuner Moxi is $499 without fees, or $799 for the triple-tuner version with bundled extender. The quad-tuner Ceton PCIe card is $399, but then you have the cost of a PC with Windows 7. All of these solutions require a single CableCard from Verizon ($3.99/mo) to support all tuners.

Generally, no box will save you money in the short run, because there's substantial upfront cost. Some boxes will save you money in the long-run, if you are willing to wait a few years.

@Fairfax wrote:
The Microsoft Media Center route seems like it would have a fixed cost up front for the PC and then $3.99/month for the card which does not seem to be that bad, especially if I have more storage space and can burn the content to a DVD.

TiVo also makes it easy to download recordings from the DVR, which can then be burned to DVD. Moxi does not offer that feature.

@Fairfax wrote:
Do these options allow you to watch a program and record on a different channel? That would be a requirement. Are there decent instructions available online for getting all of this setup? Do any/all of these options allow me to eliminate the Verizon STB completely?

All of the options eliminate the need for the Verizon STB if you don't mind losing VOD. None of these solutions support Verizon's On Demand, so you would still need a box if you want that. Many find little need for VOD once they've got storage for hundreds of HD hours, however.

The comparison table (link) provides a full feature breakdown. As far as DVR functionality, all are superior to the Verizon DVR in both reliability and functionality. For example, the triple-tuner Moxi allows you to record three different programs simultaneously while you watch a fourth, previously recorded program; it also allows you to watch one liveTV channel while you record two other channels. The Ceton PCIe solution will record four different channels simultaneously while you watch a fifth, recorded program.

Beyond the ability to download and burn recordings, TiVo and Windows7 Media Center also provide a number of recording options not available with the FiOS DVR. Click here for an example.

All comments

Hubrisnxs

There are a couple things you can do. If you don't like the VZ DVR, you can buy a third party dvr like TiVO or MoXI

Both are acceptional and there are some comparison's out there on the net, I think all in all TiVO wins that, but Moxi is a Strong contender, so take a look at a comparison of the two and see which best suits your needs.

you can also use a PC with MS Media center, but you will need a PC Video card that accepts a cable card. Verizon leases these cable cards for 3.99 a month and you will need to get one to run a tivo, moxi or a PC DVR.

Your tv only needs a cable card access if you're not doing a dvr and instead are plugging the coax cable straight to the TV. but you won't have a dvr if you do that. so your DVR in the end will need to have the cable card access, not your tv.

Hubrisnxs

I Found a great comparison by Ken AF a regular contributor here, that outlines the differences between tivo and mosi, and he's also super upto date on the windows media center and dvr -

you can find his post by clicking here

that post was talking about comcast, but the part you want to pay attention to is the tivo and the moxi detailed comparison and demo video's.

KenAF

@Hubrisnxs wrote:
I Found a great comparison by Ken AF a regular contributor here, that outlines the differences between tivo and mosi, and he's also super upto date on the windows media center and dvr -
you can find his post by clicking here
that post was talking about comcast, but the part you want to pay attention to is the tivo and the moxi detailed comparison and demo video's.

That TiVo and Moxi comparison is out of date, although the demo videos are still representative of the current software. A newer feature comparison in table format is right here (link).

@Fairfax wrote:
Is it possible to connect a 3rd party DVR solution to my Fios STB? I have Verizon's HD DVR now, but a friend was telling me that it may be possible to to connect a PC with Microsoft Media Center which would probably be cheaper in the long run and offer a lot more storage. If so, do I need a TV which accepts a cable card for this to work?

The three basic alternatives to the FiOS DVR are: (1) TivoHD, (2) Moxi, and (3) Windows Media Center. All three solutions allow use of a CableCard -- basically an access card -- from Verizon to support all FiOS SD and HD channels without the need for a Verizon box. The CableCard plugs into a front or rear slot on these devices; you don't need a slot on your TV.

Generally, the TiVo is better if you record most of what you watch, as it provides more recording options. Moxi tends to be better for those that watch a lot of liveTV; Moxi is also better for multi-room, as it supports extenders for viewing liveTV and recordings in other rooms. The TiVo software is more mature (i.e. fewer bugs, more responsive) as a digital cable platform, although Moxi is working on that. Windows Media Center isn't much of an option now, due to the limited PC CableCard tuner availability, but that will change in a few months.

If you already have or plan to get an Xbox360, then you should consider Windows7 Media Center after the Ceton 4-tuner CableCard PCIe card is released in March. Every Xbox360 will act as an extender for this platform, so you could have a HTPC with the Ceton tuner card and mass storage in your office, and one or more Xbox360s in other rooms could access liveTV with a program guide, schedule recordings, and play recordings. You could have multiple Xbox360s in different rooms watching different liveTV channels and/or recordings at the same time. Demo video here.

tsauter1

Also keep in mind that you can place the PC between the Verizon box STB and TV, but in that senerio you will only be able to record what you watch.

Fairfax

How do the costs for each of these compare? I am trying to save some money in the long run, so if Tivo HD is roughly the same (or more) than Verizon, then that is not really an option.

The Microsoft Media Center route seems like it would have a fixed cost up front for the PC and then $3.99/month for the card which does not seem to be that bad, especially if I have more storage space and can burn the content to a DVD.

Do these options allow you to watch a program and record on a different channel? That would be a requirement. Are there decent instructions available online for getting all of this setup? Do any/all of these options allow me to eliminate the Verizon STB completely?

KenAF

@Fairfax wrote:
How do the costs for each of these compare? I am trying to save some money in the long run, so if Tivo HD is roughly the same (or more) than Verizon, then that is not really an option.

Did you not see the prices in the comparison table linked above?

Generally, no box will save you money in the short run, because there's substantial upfront cost. Some boxes will save you money in the long-run, if you are willing to wait a few years.

@Fairfax wrote:
The Microsoft Media Center route seems like it would have a fixed cost up front for the PC and then $3.99/month for the card which does not seem to be that bad, especially if I have more storage space and can burn the content to a DVD.

TiVo also makes it easy to download recordings from the DVR, which can then be burned to DVD. Moxi does not offer that feature.

@Fairfax wrote:
Do these options allow you to watch a program and record on a different channel? That would be a requirement. Are there decent instructions available online for getting all of this setup? Do any/all of these options allow me to eliminate the Verizon STB completely?

Beyond the ability to download and burn recordings, TiVo and Windows7 Media Center also provide a number of recording options not available with the FiOS DVR. Click here for an example.

spacedebris

down and dirty, none of these options are going to save you any money in the short term. The cost of the 3rd party equipment plus any subscriptions to their services actually make them MORE expensive in the short term. Now depending on the system that you choose and the types of services you select. You could see some savings in about a year of so. In many cases though, you will not see any savings for 18-24 months. No, these options are for performance gains, not for money savings.

Fairfax

Thanks for the usual input and commentary. Since I really don't use VOD or things like Widgets it looks like Tivo might be my best alternative. While the HTPC route has some nice capabilities, this creates more opportunity for my wife to really mess up our home theater (my hope that a Harmony One would reduce the number of panic phone calls when she cannot get the DVD to work after changing the settings on the AV receiver remote did not really pan out). Being able to burn a movie to DVD works, although the 1TB storage option could be satisfactory. 3 tuners would be nice, but 2 seems to work fine. If this option is better than what Verizon offers then I am OK if the price is basically a wash.

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