Verizon's Internet TV service may arrive in 2016

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Scallica

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Verizon's Internet TV service may arrive in 2016

#1

Post by Scallica » Mon Apr 18, 2016 4:58 pm

"Verizon is reportedly preparing a new TV service this year, one that’s vastly different from the current Fios TV offering. Beyond the new interface, Verizon’s service would also swap the underlying QAM video delivery technology for an IP-based solution. "

http://www.pcworld.com/article/3057981/ ... -year.html
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#2

Post by ike301 » Tue Apr 19, 2016 12:26 am

I'm a FiOS customer who currently uses a cable card, so this would definitely be the end of that, but I'm not so sure this would be a bad thing. Reports are that they will allow 3rd party boxes such as Roku, Android TV players and Amazon Fire Devices. I just purchased 2 Nvidia Shield consoles to began replacing my HTPC's.

At the moment, I'm using my HDhomerun Prime to watch live television using Google's Live Channels and it's very impressive, with working and accurate guide data. I installed Kodi and the Emby add-on for my movie and TV library and it's a thing of beauty, actually.

I can now do all of my streaming from the Shield, so if Verizon lets you use your own device, it may be a better option, depending on what your recording options are. I'm going to keep an eye on this. Thanks for posting.

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#3

Post by Space » Tue Apr 19, 2016 2:34 am

I wouldn't hold your breath.

AT&T Uverse has been IP-based since it's inception, it's been 10 years now, do you think after all this time that they let you use your own TV reception device? I'll give you a hint, the answer starts with "n".

If they mention that the service "could" allow third party devices, they are just saying that to gain acceptance, it is highly unlikely that they would give up their "hidden-fee" cash cow of renting set top boxes for every TV unless they were forced to.

Of course I could always be proven wrong... But I doubt it.

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#4

Post by adam1991 » Tue Apr 19, 2016 10:44 am

In 1997 when cable broadband started, Time Warner (among others) were adamant: you may not use a router to share your internet access to more than one computer. The old cableco mindset was hard at work: one connection, one computer. Period. To do otherwise meant going to cableco jail.

Everyone actively ignored that, and within due time the cablecos stopped saying that nonsense.

Cablecos will continue with nonsense until they just can't. In the case of broadband routers, they were out of the loop on those completely and were forced into their current course of action of not caring (and not charging a fee for every computer that connects to their broadband).

They will not make that mistake again, if at all corporately possible. They will fight any effort that forces them to cede any control of their signal, even if it's within your own house. It would make sense to put a single access control mechanism in the house, then let the homeowner own his own in-house distribution/recording/viewing system. But that won't happen without a fight that makes the teacher's unions efforts look like a playground spat.

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#5

Post by Scallica » Tue Apr 19, 2016 3:22 pm

adam1991 wrote:In 1997 when cable broadband started, Time Warner (among others) were adamant: you may not use a router to share your internet access to more than one computer. The old cableco mindset was hard at work: one connection, one computer. Period. To do otherwise meant going to cableco jail.

Everyone actively ignored that, and within due time the cablecos stopped saying that nonsense.
Yep, I remember those days. Linksys routers were just starting to come out. I used an old computer running Windows 98/ME with two network cards and WinRoute to split the connection using NAT.
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#6

Post by STC » Tue Apr 19, 2016 9:06 pm

14.4Kbps modems anyone? I used to share that over a coax 10base2 half dupe network.
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#7

Post by adam1991 » Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:22 pm

Anyone want me USR HST Dual Standard 33.6? Even has fax.

It's such a superior unit, I can't stand to just throw it away. It's been on the shelf for coming up on 19 years now. Hasn't moved since I put it away when the cable guy came to install broadband.

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#8

Post by ike301 » Tue Apr 19, 2016 11:50 pm

Space wrote:I wouldn't hold your breath.

AT&T Uverse has been IP-based since it's inception, it's been 10 years now, do you think after all this time that they let you use your own TV reception device? I'll give you a hint, the answer starts with "n".

If they mention that the service "could" allow third party devices, they are just saying that to gain acceptance, it is highly unlikely that they would give up their "hidden-fee" cash cow of renting set top boxes for every TV unless they were forced to.

Of course I could always be proven wrong... But I doubt it.
FiOS is allowing me to use my own device now, via cable card, so I guess that ends that debate. Just curious, are you a FiOS customer? Uverse and FiOS are not comparable. AT&T is a mismanaged mess, and trust me, Verizon is far from perfect, but the FiOS end of the business is damn near flawless. We disagree obviously, but when they go public about anything FiOS related, they deliver.

They told us 3 years ago that upload speeds were going to match download speed. The announcement was met with immediate talk of how this wasn't going to happen. A month after the announcement, my upload and download speeds were matched. I'm speaking from experience with them.

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#9

Post by Space » Wed Apr 20, 2016 3:00 am

It only ends the debate if you have no knowledge of what CableCard is all about.

FiOS allows you to use your own device with a CableCard because they are forced to do so by the US government. It is the law. If it wasn't for the law, I guarantee you that Verizon would not be offering you the option to use your own equipment (in fact they don't "offer" it really, you generally have to know about it already and inquire about it, they certainly don't advertise it and the CableCard option is non-existent when signing up for service on-line).

There is no such law that forces IP-based TV providers to allow you to use your own equipment and is why AT&T does not have to do it. Verizon will probably not have to do it either on their IP-based system, and it is highly unlikely they will without a law forcing them to do so.

I have FiOS service, and it works well, but you are fooling yourself if you think Verizon will be any "nicer" than AT&T or any other cable company in the US.

As far as FiOS and "delivering"... tell that to the thousands of people who were promised FiOS service years ago and are still waiting. Promises Verizon made in order to get government subsidies.

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#10

Post by ike301 » Wed Apr 20, 2016 4:43 am

Space wrote:It only ends the debate if you have no knowledge of what CableCard is all about.

FiOS allows you to use your own device with a CableCard because they are forced to do so by the US government. It is the law. If it wasn't for the law, I guarantee you that Verizon would not be offering you the option to use your own equipment (in fact they don't "offer" it really, you generally have to know about it already and inquire about it, they certainly don't advertise it and the CableCard option is non-existent when signing up for service on-line).

There is no such law that forces IP-based TV providers to allow you to use your own equipment and is why AT&T does not have to do it. Verizon will probably not have to do it either on their IP-based system, and it is highly unlikely they will without a law forcing them to do so.

I have FiOS service, and it works well, but you are fooling yourself if you think Verizon will be any "nicer" than AT&T or any other cable company in the US.

As far as FiOS and "delivering"... tell that to the thousands of people who were promised FiOS service years ago and are still waiting. Promises Verizon made in order to get government subsidies.
If I own a cable card, and have set it up myself using my Prime, I have more than enough knowledge of what a CableCard is all about. My original post was to thank someone else for posting this and waiting to see what happens next. You took this to a whole another level. I'm not interested in a back and forth. Verizon has already stated that allowing 3rd party devices is going to be an option. If you choose not to believe that, fine. Verizon not rolling out Fiber to thousands of customers is not germane to the conversation. I"m done with this conversation.

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#11

Post by Space » Wed Apr 20, 2016 3:28 pm

Just because something is an option does not mean it will be exercised.

I'm not sure what "level" you are talking about; you stated you were going to wait and see and I said not to hold your breath. That's pretty much it.

Anyway, there is nothing wrong with being optimistic, but historically, cable companies have been very protective of their rental income, and it is unlikely they would abandon that if not forced.

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#12

Post by Sammy2 » Mon May 02, 2016 5:53 pm

ike301 wrote:
Space wrote:It only ends the debate if you have no knowledge of what CableCard is all about.

FiOS allows you to use your own device with a CableCard because they are forced to do so by the US government. It is the law. If it wasn't for the law, I guarantee you that Verizon would not be offering you the option to use your own equipment (in fact they don't "offer" it really, you generally have to know about it already and inquire about it, they certainly don't advertise it and the CableCard option is non-existent when signing up for service on-line).

There is no such law that forces IP-based TV providers to allow you to use your own equipment and is why AT&T does not have to do it. Verizon will probably not have to do it either on their IP-based system, and it is highly unlikely they will without a law forcing them to do so.

I have FiOS service, and it works well, but you are fooling yourself if you think Verizon will be any "nicer" than AT&T or any other cable company in the US.

As far as FiOS and "delivering"... tell that to the thousands of people who were promised FiOS service years ago and are still waiting. Promises Verizon made in order to get government subsidies.
If I own a cable card, and have set it up myself using my Prime, I have more than enough knowledge of what a CableCard is all about. My original post was to thank someone else for posting this and waiting to see what happens next. You took this to a whole another level. I'm not interested in a back and forth. Verizon has already stated that allowing 3rd party devices is going to be an option. If you choose not to believe that, fine. Verizon not rolling out Fiber to thousands of customers is not germane to the conversation. I"m done with this conversation.
In the context of Verizon keeping promises made it most certainly is germane.

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