Not that PP, but I think the point is that RCN offers set-top boxes with the tivo software. However, the way most people get tivo is by buying their own tivo box (from best buy or tivo.com), paying a subscription fee to tivo, and then hooking it up the tv. The current tivos will accept a "cablecard"-- a small card that you rent from the cable co. to decode the cable signal in place of renting a set-top box. Tivo gets the tv schedule over the internet if you buy a little wireless adapter (used to be over the phone, but not sure if that's still an option).

Because tivo is selling you both the box and the subscription, they have different price packages, depending on whether you want to pay more for the box or more for the subscription. I think if you pay $50 for the box, then you pay $13/month for the first tivo (and less for a 2d tivo).

Anonymous wrote:You can get TiVO on FiOS.

Cable Card rental for $5-6 per month.

Get your own Tivo, activate account over internet at Tivo.com, and install Cable Card. Viola.

You do need internet access for TiVO to work (for updates, etc.). I got the wireless card for Tivo ($69 at Amazon.com) instead of wiring a network cable downstairs.

Good luck.

PP, can you walk us through what this is, what you get/don't get and how much it costs? Like, switching for dummies. : )

I am a dinosaur and don't want to give up my traditional phone line-- did they cut the copper wire and put you on FIOS phone? How long did they say it lasts in a blackout?

On Demand what? Movies? You can rent them through Amazon/Hulu and you can watch through Tivo via Internet. and/or get Netflix for older movies/series.

Pay per view (like fights and specific games) might the only deal breaker, but I don't watch those anyway. YMMV.

Former RCNer as well. I love FIOS and I love my TIVO, but my main issue is that with the cable card we lose all access to on demand unless we were to pay extra amount for a Verizon dvr in addition to my TIVO. 19:59 am I missing something or do you also skip on demand (or pay extra?)

You can get TiVO on FiOS.

Cable Card rental for $5-6 per month.

Get your own Tivo, activate account over internet at Tivo.com, and install Cable Card. Viola.

You do need internet access for TiVO to work (for updates, etc.). I got the wireless card for Tivo ($69 at Amazon.com) instead of wiring a network cable downstairs.

Good luck.

The customer service at Verizon is so bad, and I had so many traumatic experiences trying to deal with those bastards promising to show up and then not, that I would never go back to them, no matter how much better their technology is.
I have found RCN to be very reliable, and with good customer service.

I stay with RCN because of the TiVo brand DVRs, period! I love TiVo's interface design. The others suck.

I have Fios. And I like it. But I do notice they keep finding ways to pad the bill despite the contract. For example, the rental price of settop boxes just increased.

I moved from Ron to fios when we moved from dc to Maryland, because run was not offered in the area and it was fios ready. Did not notice any significant difference between the two, except for how the channel line up looked like.

Some of you maybe considering this so i thought i would share my experience so at least my pain doesn't go for nothing.

We had HD tv package from RCN, internet and telephone and two Tivos.

With a comparable package from FIOS it was $20 cheaper per month plus offered a $500 gift card for a 2 year committment. Plus they will give us a discount as a verizon wireless customer (take a couple of months to kick in).

FIOS is overall better technology. They can remotely recycle your boxes from support! Huge improvement to me. With RCN I had to go up and down stairs to do and do it manually myself while they were on the phone. Internet is faster. I can do a lot from my verizon account to manage my services. I think this is because it is all digitally based and newer technology.

Downside is I think Tivo is better than Fios' DVR. I program the DVR from my verizon account because i find it too frustrating to work from the remote in from the TV. This feature does work very well. Also we share the DVR so you can transfer in flight watching a show from one room to another (haven't tried it but heard it works well). Tivo is more user friendly and more intuitive - i miss the recording of shows it thought i might like! However my kids like the DVR / Fios just fine so maybe its a learning curve. They like the on demand feature for their shows which does work really well.


Comments:

1. Verizon didn't port our telephone number. People would call and it would go directly VM at RCN. We actually had a new number from verizon. Took a day or two to figure this out. When i contacted Verizon they said it would take a couple of days to fix (and it did). Then on the first bill they charged us $22 for a new number. They removed the charge but yet another mind numbing call to get it fixed.

2. Despite calling RCN about cancelling service, they didn't do it. I had to call again a week later to get it actually cancelled.

3. When you actually get a person at Verizon, they will be helpful but they will try to upsell over and over again. So i am learning to do everything i can online.

4. I asked RCN to keep my webmail account open at $4 per month which they did and sent me a bill for but then a week later i no longer had access so i called and they had wiped out my account. I got back into it but all my emails were gone! Still trying to recover those emails.

5. The voicemail system is better at Fios. Its faster and easier to use.

6. The FIOS channel system is better. More options - more colorful - can sort easier. Can choose to show only the channels you are subscribed too - what an innovation! Can show only HD channels or only movies. nice. I'm still learning here so i'm sure there are other options that are useful.

hope this helps.