Substituting a TIVO for a Verizon FIOS DVR

ThAbtO

17,524 posts · Joined 2000

#2 · Dec 242022

You need to get another cable card from VZ and re-run Guided Setup to use it. the card needs to be paired properly to work. You cannot just take the cable card out of THEIR DVR.

 

krkaufman

18,764 posts · Joined 2003

#3 · Dec 252022

What ThAbtO said. So it would make sense to get the TiVo working before returning the FiOS box — plusperhapssome additional time to confirm the TiVo as an acceptable substitute.

 

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rm5419 Discussion starter

4 posts · Joined 2022

#4 · Jan 62023

Thanks to ThAbtO and krkaufman for your responses.

Has anyone recently successfully set up a new TIVO service with Verizon FIOS? Below I explain why I’m asking.

Verizon support tells me they do not support TIVOwhich is plausible because I understand the FCC no longer has a rule requiring that cable companies support TIVO (or other third-party cable card devices). But it is difficult these days to get competent help when phoning 800 numbers and I wonder if the Verizon person I spoke with is mistaken. So I will ask if anyone reading this message has recently successfully set up a new TIVO service with Verizon FIOS. (I suspect Verizon continues to support TIVO services that were set up prior to the change in Verizon policy but rejects new services.)

BTWafter being spurned by Verizon supportI called a Verizon FIOS store directly and was told they could give me a cable card and do all the paperwork necessary to set up my TIVO. But when I got to the storethey gave me a cable card but said they could not do any of the paperwork. (They said they normally give cable cards only after a customer has set up an “order” by either calling or chatting with Verizon support.) The store employee said to install the cable card in my TIVOconnect it to my Verizon cable lineand follow the setup instructions. I did that and the TIVO detects no digital signal from Verizon and there are no options to set up a cable service. I believe the Verizon store employee was mistakenand that Verizon must somehow register a cable card before it can receive a Verizon digital signal.

Thanks in advance for your help.

 

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302481

4,428 posts · Joined 2015

#5 · Jan 62023

CableCARDs | Verizon TV Support

Learn more about CableCARDsactivatinggetting access to certain digital programs without the need for a Set-top Boxand frequently asked questions.

www.verizon.com

 

cwoody222

13,369 posts · Joined 1999

#7 · Jan 62023

Verizon 100% supports CC for new and existing customers.

Any statements to the contrary are just plain wrong.

Order service. They send you a card. You insert the card and either call or use self service website to activate card.

It couldn’t be simpler.

Fios is the model of how cc was meant to work all along.

 

MScottC

4,444 posts · Joined 2004

#8 · Jan 72023

I had FIOS installed in my new home back in Junewith a cablecard in my TiVo... the installer took three tries to get a working cablecardand when he finally got one that he could activatehe left the rest to me... I called a FIOS tech support number specifically for cablecards and managed to get it paired to my TiVo. So YES they do itat least as recently as last June.

 

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rm5419 Discussion starter

4 posts · Joined 2022

#9 · Jan 82023

Thanks all for your help. I was able to get the TIVO connected to my Verizon servicebut it required a lot of persistence and that I pay for a Verizon in-home service visit.

For others’ referenceI chronicle my experience here:

• Two different online Verizon chat representatives told me incorrectly that Verizon does not support TIVO or any other third-party cable card devices.
• Because I got contrary information from this forumI called a Verizon FIOS store and was told they could give me a cable card and could do all the paperwork necessary to get the TIVO up and running.
• Once I got to the Verizon storeI was told they normally only give cable cards out to customers who have set up an order by calling and chatting with Verizon. But they gave me the cable card anywaybut they said they could not do any of the necessary paperwork. (They didn’t even ask that I prove I was a Verizon customer.) They told me to insert the cable card in the TIVOconnect the TIVO to the cableand follow the instructions.
• When I tried to set up the TIVOno instructions for setting up the cable card came up on the TV screen. But on this thread someone shared a link telling me what to do. I was able to navigate the TIVO interface to get the necessary information on the cable card (cable card IDHost IdData IDand serial number). I then shared all that information with Verizon on a chat session and was told the card was successfully activated. But while the TIVO told me the digital signals received were strongthe TIVO could not tune any channels (error V53).
• I had another disappointing chat with Verizon to try to fix the problem. I ended up asking to set up a service visit in the hope Verizon would send a competent technician. The visit would have cost $99but the chat representative signed me up for a $15 per month service plan that could be terminated after 3 monthsso if all goes according to plan the service visit will cost me $45.
• The Verizon technician who visited was competent. Turns out the cable card was not properly activated; Verizon had the correct cable card IDbut the incorrect host ID and Data ID. After correcting that errorI was able to tune only unscrambled channels with the TIVO because Verizon hadn’t yet set me up to pay $10 per month for the cable card. The service technician wasn’t aware that I had to rent the cable card but I assured him that I did. He then contacted a Verizon colleagueand the service was then properly set up.

On the wholethe competence of the Verizon representatives is incredibly poor.

 

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videobruce

590 posts · Joined 2012

#11 · Jan 152023

It could of been worse; Spectrum with their 'Tuning Adapters'.

I have Verizon Fios and couldn't be happierbut that is Internet onlythey don't offer TV in the city. In 2 1/2 years I only had to reboot my Router oncea far cry from TWC/Spectrum.
What's the current rental for one of their DVR's?

 

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bluelinex

58 posts · Joined 2007

#12 · Feb 12023

I have two DVR's my TIVO & Comcast for years. Never had a problem all you need is a splitter and an extra cable to plug in to the TIVO. You don't save that much without the cable DVR and you'll always have a back up if the TIVO breaks down.