Author Topic: Must See TV Thread (2009-2011) (Read 116442 times)

I watched the BBC version of the office and really loved it. Gave up on TV for a while and caught a couple of episodes of the US version at the hotel and really liked it. It hasn't jumped the shark has it?

Coladar · « **Reply #1432 on:** February 23, 2011, 11:54:36 pm »

Quote from: imref on February 23, 2011, 10:01:05 pm

FiOS just notified Northern Virginia subscribers that the new 500 GB box is now available for a $39.99 one-time exchange fee.

I hadn't heard anything about this yet, but I thank you for the info. I'll be giving them a call tomorrow. I'm so, so, so ****ing over having only three days of shows I watch and anything older deleted due to the insanely limited amount of HD it holds. And I refuse to watch anything in SD anymore. It's pretty freaking lame they are charging $40 for something they should have offered years ago, and should be part of doing business, particularly since they've charged me a hefty box rental fee for three boxes in my house for the past several years. But I'll be so glad not to lose 30-50% of what I record, that I don't care at this point.

Nathan · « **Reply #1433 on:** February 24, 2011, 01:32:14 am »

So. $40 fee to switch to a 500GB DVR? Do you pay a monthly fee already to lease the DVR in the first place? Because if so, that's a rip off. Hell, I can buy a 500GB drive off of newegg for $35, I'm sure manufacturers get them for much less.

Coladar · « **Reply #1434 on:** February 24, 2011, 02:44:14 am »

Quote from: Nathan on February 24, 2011, 01:32:14 am

So. $40 fee to switch to a 500GB DVR? Do you pay a monthly fee already to lease the DVR in the first place? Because if so, that's a rip off. Hell, I can buy a 500GB drive off of newegg for $35, I'm sure manufacturers get them for much less.

Yeah, it's something like $15 per box, and as I said, I've got three in my household. Them charging $40 for this, upgrading a box that has been totally outdated for HD content since the day it was released is a definitive slap in the face, but likewise, FIOS is still the best thing ever. It is slightly insulting that not only was the 160gb outdated when it was released considering HD sizes at the time, but this 500gb is equally a joke. Just let me rent the damn box and pay for the size of HD I want. There's no reason I shouldn't be able to have a 2TB drive in this puppy. Cripes, I replaced my last 500GB drive in my PC with all 1TB+ about two or three years ago. With HD content taking up the space it does, and drive sizes being what they are, and at the cost they are, Verizon *finally* updating the 160GB drive to a measly 500GB in 2011 is kind of insulting. That said, having three times more space after dealing with 160GB for years, I'll take what I can get.

But I definitely don't appreciate the $40 charge. I thought that was the entire point to "renting" boxes. I didn't have to blow a ton of money on a box when mine became outdated. Never mind two points... When I owned the box with DirecTV, I could open up my DirecTivo and put whatever HD I wanted in that puppy. And secondly, $15 a month for five or six years (I forget how long I've had it, but I'll go with five years)? So let's see... 5x12=60 60x15=900.

I've spent $900 on this one single freaking DVR. My DirecTivo was $200 back in 2001. The entire point of renting, according to Verizon, is to not have to buy "expensive" equipment and then spend a ton of money again when a newer model came out. When you had to buy the equipment, they continually came out with newer and better models to keep you buying it. Meanwhile, Verizon has kept the same outdated DVR up until now since they released the service, 5-6 years ago. So not only have I blown $900x3 on an outdated piece of equipment, but it's kept them from releasing a better model because they have no reason to, indeed, it costs them money. So after all that, $900+ for my current DVR, they want me to spend $40 for the privilege to not have a 160GB piece of junk? Yeah, you can understand why I felt the need to just write a three paragraph rant on spending $2700 over five years, and now being blackmailed into spending $120 to get a 500GB DVR along with my continued $15 a month. But FIOS is still the best thing out there, and I'm sure Comcast, Cox and all the other corporate jackasses pull the same con.

Nathan · « **Reply #1435 on:** February 24, 2011, 03:04:47 am »

For all the love people seem to have for FiOS, they sure seem to be just as much of an ass rape as cable to me. 160 GB? I haven't had a computer (Mac or PC) with that or lower since the first computer I ever built, which was at least a decade ago.

I wouldn't at all mind seeing cable and similar TV providers dying off. On demand, streaming content is where it's at. Instead of shows being aired at a certain time, they become available to stream at a certain time.

Lintyfresh85 · « **Reply #1436 on:** February 24, 2011, 03:10:24 am »

I like FiOS because the damn thing is near indestructible due to being buried and thus not really hurt by weather... and the internet speeds are fantastic.

Coladar · « **Reply #1437 on:** February 24, 2011, 04:04:41 am »

Quote from: Nathan on February 24, 2011, 03:04:47 am

For all the love people seem to have for FiOS, they sure seem to be just as much of an ass rape as cable to me. 160 GB? I haven't had a computer (Mac or PC) with that or lower since the first computer I ever built, which was at least a decade ago.

I wouldn't at all mind seeing cable and similar TV providers dying off. On demand, streaming content is where it's at. Instead of shows being aired at a certain time, they become available to stream at a certain time.

I agree, the day where on demand and streaming put these companies out of business can't come here soon enough. But let's face it, that won't change a thing. You need the inter web to stream, and guess what companies you have to deal with for that? Yeah, the same cable and telcos.

And FIOS is so well loved because it is unbeatable. The Internet speeds are insanely fast. Service is never interrupted. The quality of the HD is incredible. The channel selection is, by and large, remarkably broad. That's the only area where FIOS isn't the undisputed champion, as it is missing a few HD channels. But when it comes to the quality of the service, both Internet and television, FIOS just can't be beat. No one can compete with fiber to the house except by doing the same thing and going fiber, and then they'll only be as good as FIOS is and has been for years. It's the best out there, but unfortunately they pull gimmicky crap like this. So long as the service is unbeatable, I don't ever see myself switching, despite infuriating crap like this.

PANatsFan · « **Reply #1438 on:** February 24, 2011, 07:10:10 am »

Quote from: Lintyfresh85 on February 24, 2011, 03:10:24 am

I like FiOS because the damn thing is near indestructible due to being buried and thus not really hurt by weather... and the internet speeds are fantastic.

Ha, that's what you think, mine comes in from a telephone pole.

Lintyfresh85 · « **Reply #1439 on:** February 24, 2011, 11:30:07 am »

Quote from: PANatsFan on February 24, 2011, 07:10:10 am

Ha, that's what you think, mine comes in from a telephone pole.

Well, I guess I'm lucky that mine comes from an underground wire.

PANatsFan · « **Reply #1440 on:** February 24, 2011, 11:42:55 am »

Quote from: Lintyfresh85 on February 24, 2011, 11:30:07 am

Well, I guess I'm lucky that mine comes from an underground wire.

The big storm a couple weeks ago took down the copper phone wire, but my power and FiOS were fine. It took Verizon FOREVER to come out and fix a phone wire that wasn't in use.

ronnynat · « **Reply #1441 on:** February 24, 2011, 10:41:51 pm »

The Office kind of sucked tonight.

imref · « **Reply #1442 on:** February 24, 2011, 10:52:43 pm »

Quote from: Nathan on February 24, 2011, 01:32:14 am

So. $40 fee to switch to a 500GB DVR? Do you pay a monthly fee already to lease the DVR in the first place? Because if so, that's a rip off. Hell, I can buy a 500GB drive off of newegg for $35, I'm sure manufacturers get them for much less.

Yeah, there's a rental fee, I think its $16 per DVR per month. The new boxes also allow you to connect a 1TB eSATA external drive. You can still use a TiVo with FiOS, but you don't get access to OnDemand/PPV, and once Verizon shifts over to an IP-based system in the next year or two, the TiVos will be useless.

imref · « **Reply #1443 on:** February 24, 2011, 10:56:48 pm »

Quote from: ronnynat on February 24, 2011, 10:41:51 pm

The Office kind of sucked tonight.

Quote from: PANatsFan on February 24, 2011, 11:42:55 am

The big storm a couple weeks ago took down the copper phone wire, but my power and FiOS were fine. It took Verizon FOREVER to come out and fix a phone wire that wasn't in use.

i learned the hard way that the battery backup they installed (by drilling through my living room wall) only keeps the phone line alive. I had to put my battery backup on a battery backup to keep Internet/TV when there is a power outage.