Verizon Fios: What Else Is Missing?

You thought Verizon sucked as a telco? As a tv a source they will sink to new lows. They want to control the content. They want to control what you think and how you vote.

Also, the billing sucks. its been months, they can't seem to build it out.

As usual, lasermikey imagines a nefarious anti-liberal plot behind every change.

But mikey (and welcome back again!), you've stated before on this site that you don't have cable TV. So you're non-involved here.

And nobody but nobody, laserchap, can surely tell the strong-willed likes of thee how to vote.

That is true, I do not have cable. TV doesn't do the news. If I want the news there are newspapers. If I want to watch a program I can always download it from itunes.

Mikey, you remain eminently quotable - "TV doesn't do the news.... - even as you also remain crazed. There you are in your damp burrow, downloading old Billy Jack movies or episodes of "The Defenders" (can you really do this sort of thing from iTunes? and do you at least pay for whatever you download or is copyright just a right-wing plot?), keeping your heart inviolate and your politics unsullied by stuff like "South Park." I love the imagery here!

I heard that when they install FIOS, they remove the copper line connecting you to the street and you can't switch back to a plain old telephone line.

Can anyone confirm that?

Well, without MSNBC I'm definately not switching. Don't know what I would do without Countdown

One of the main reasons worth getting FIOS is NO MSNBC! Now there's no chance of accidentally surfing past Keith Oberdouche.

And yes, they will remove the line from the street to the house. But why would you need it? Once go you FIOS, there's no looking back. They will not cut it upon request though.

Is this line replacement business why Verizon's been in most of the manholes lining Claremont for the last couple of weeks?

If so, that might explain why my usually reliable DSL seemed to go so slow for a few days.

I'm curious to hear how FIOS installers have handled HDTV and home theater setups. The last Comcast crew to enter my home to hookup my HDTV insisted the reduced-size picture I was looking at was normal for certain channels and could not produce a manual for the new box they installed .... hours later, I downloaded the correct manual from Comcast's website and discovered they needed to connect a composite cable and switch the tv to the composite input to view the HD feed correctly, which I did myself in a few minutes. While the scope of proper training is daunting and expensive, I also think it is unacceptable to permit said installers to make isolated changes to expensive and finicky home theater systems and be able to walk away before all is working properly.

I stopped watching what passes for news on television six years ago (after 9/11.) I get my news from newspapers and NPR. And yes, I do have cable and a humongous tv.

Brian Williams (NBC) has a really great sense of [dry] humor ... Jersey guy ... have you seen the "big head of Brian Williams" on Jon Stewart's show? ... come to think of it, my best source of daily national/global news is The Daily Show ...

Other than PBS and the BBC TV is useless. The telcos make it worse.

Other than PBS and the BBC TV is useless. The telcos make it worse.

And here come the Sesame Street jokes...

"hours later, I downloaded the correct manual from Comcast's website and discovered they needed to connect a composite cable and switch the tv to the composite input to view the HD feed correctly,"

That can't be correct. I have HD through Comcast also. Composite is the lowest of the low followed up the line by S-Video, Component video and then digital DVI/HDMI. HD is only carried through analog component or digital DVI/HDMI. The newest boxes from Comcast have Component and HDMI. You should be using one of these or you aren't really getting HDTV. You are only getting some type of stretched out SDTV/480i.

The mistake they made at my house was never going into the setup menu and changing the output to HDTV (either 720p or 1080i). I've found they've also never done this correctly on friend's setups.

Get the correct cable, make sure the Comcast set top box is set to output HDTV (720p/1080i) in the setup menu, then make sure your HD TV is set up to display the signal in it's correct aspect ratio and make sure it is not using a stretch, zoom, or some other similar mode.

"Other than PBS and the BBC TV is useless. The telcos make it worse."

So shut up and pick up a book and leave the rest of us alone. Nothing I hate more than those holier than thou TV haters.

There's so much great stuff on USA, FX, SciFi and other channels that to say otherwise shows ignorance.

And yes, they will remove the line from the street to the house. But why would you need it? Once go you FIOS, there's no looking back. They will not cut it upon request though.

I don't know about other alarm systems, but ADT definitely requires copper. But if Verizon left it in place, maybe that would still be acceptable to ADT/others...

I think I will.

"One of the main reasons worth getting FIOS is NO MSNBC! Now there's no chance of accidentally surfing past Keith Oberdouche."

Amen and LOL, Steve. And, Generic Mike: for about three weeks before I signed up for FiOS my DSL got slower. I wonder if they weren't doing that on purpose...

"The mistake they made at my house was never going into the setup menu and changing the output to HDTV (either 720p or 1080i). I've found they've also never done this correctly on friend's setups."

Likewise. And to display the internal box menu you have to turn the TV on and the box off, then press "Menu" on the box remote (or on the box itself). There are all sorts of settings there that you cannot find on screen if the box is powered up.

I don't know about other alarm systems, but ADT definitely requires copper. But if Verizon left it in place, maybe that would still be acceptable to ADT/others...

I have ADT and my alarm is not connected to copper. My alarm is digital, cellphone based. First thing thieves do is cut the copper outside anyway to disable the phones and alarms. Call ADT, switch to the digital alarm and get your FIOS on.

I've got some nice ADT stickers on my windows. The alarm system, however, has been turned off for years.

If you want the copper just don't get FIOS phone. Then make sure they don't try to pull a fast one. You can always get local service from another telco, so they can't remove your copper just because you get FIOS TV and/or internet.

I have ADT and my alarm is not connected to copper. My alarm is digital, cellphone based. First thing thieves do is cut the copper outside anyway to disable the phones and alarms. Call ADT, switch to the digital alarm and get your FIOS on.

Thanks! Obviously I didn't know that. (Well, I knew about the thieves, but.) Now, if only Verizon had any plans to install FIOS in outer-outer-outer Baristaville (W. Caldwell).

Thanks! Obviously I didn't know that. (Well, I knew about the thieves, but.) Now, if only Verizon had any plans to install FIOS in outer-outer-outer Baristaville (W. Caldwell).

I'm in baristaville, and I'm still waiting. I'm I correct to understand Verizon does not offer local channels?

I currently pay for and love the NFL Ticket through Comcast, which requires a contract. When the FIOS guy standing on my doorstep suggested that I take that cost on the chin for a year, and sign up with him for parallel service, I basically dismissed absolutely everything he had to say.

And I too have noticed my DSL service running slower.....

Thank you Baristanet, I just got Fios and without you, I would have NO idea I didn't have MSNBC. They have SNY HD (GO Mets!!) and more kids stuff.

Fios has local channels (in HD too) but no hyper-local (re: Montclair) channels.

Like it so far, internet is superfast!! So I can comment on even more stuff here!!

Hey Mistaluke...there is no NFL Ticket through Comcast. It's Direct TV only.

BUT, the NFL Network is included in FIOS and not on an extra paid sports tier like Comcast.

Steve from Yellowstone, you misread laserlad's post to the effect that he doesn't watch TV. It's not because he's an intellectual snob. (He's not that smart.) It's probably really because USA, SciFi, Lifetime and even ESPN2 regularly use words that are too big for him to understand.

I HAVE FIOS. Its better than Comcast. The initial installation takes about 13 hours, so be prepared to spend some time at home. The channels are grouped together like Premium channels are. All the News channels are grouped within 10 consecutive channels. All the music, Food, entertainment, etc. The LOCAL CHANNELS are ALL there! Its the DISH that has the local channels missing. If you dont know for sure, dont guess!!!!! As far as the copper line.... They wouldnt pull it unless you paid them to do it. They have enough work to line up that Fiber optic light to play games with your other providers. And no, I dont work there!

I HAVE FIOS. Its better than Comcast. The initial installation takes about 13 hours, so be prepared to spend some time at home. The channels are grouped together like Premium channels are. All the News channels are grouped within 10 consecutive channels. All the music, Food, entertainment, etc. The LOCAL CHANNELS are ALL there! Its the DISH that has the local channels missing. If you dont know for sure, dont guess!!!!! As far as the copper line.... They wouldnt pull it unless you paid them to do it. They have enough work to line up that Fiber optic light to play games with your other providers. And no, I dont work there!

Posted by jimmytown | August 14, 2007 11:27 PM

I have Direct TV and have local channels in standard and HD format. Has anybody switched from DirectTV to FIOS? Direct TV bows away comcast (in more ways than one)but I'm curous to know what the differeces are between satellite and FIOS.

Oops, my bad STEVE, you are correct.

I haven't switched to Verizon and didn't know until now that they are missing MSNBC.
That's not exactly a national emergency but we do a lot of stuff--e.g. Keith Olbermann--that Montclairians like.

So repeat after me (and tell Verizon): I WANT MY MSNBC!!!

Hey, it's Mr. Alter himself. Love your stuff! It would be great to have you as a regular poster here.

Now if we could just Colbert to tune in.

And no Countdown = no FIOS for me thanks. I need my daily dose of Keith.

Posted by Steve from Yellowston: "One of the main reasons worth getting FIOS is NO MSNBC! Now there's no chance of accidentally surfing past Keith Oberdouche."
And Steve again: "So shut up and pick up a book and leave the rest of us alone."
Fine line between joking and trolling. I'm new here, so I'll give Steve the benefit of the doubt.
I've had Comcast's Triple Play for about 9 months. All three services drop out several times a day for brief periods. Comcast is easy to get on the phone and eager to send technicians and engineers out to the house, but no improvement yet.
Verizon is impossible to get on the phone and they seems as dumb as a bag of hammers when I talk to them. A neighbor on my street has Fios, but Verizon keeps telling me it's not available in my area.
As it turns out, that's a good thing, because MSNBC is my favorite cable channel and Countdown is a "can't miss" show. Until Verizon carries MSNBC, I'll stick with Comcast's over-compressed TV picture, slow Internet and dropped phone calls. -- Mark from NJ

"Steve from Yellowstone, you misread laserlad's post to the effect that he doesn't watch TV. It's not because he's an intellectual snob. (He's not that smart.) It's probably really because USA, SciFi, Lifetime and even ESPN2 regularly use words that are too big for him to understand.

Posted by cathar | August 14, 2007 9:36 PM"

Yes, we ALL know that you fall asleep in front of the TV each night - only getting up to get another beer and - tap your kidneys.