Multi-room DVR question

[Bob]

I currently have six televisions in my home and already have FIOS interent connectivity.  I am very interested in replacing my DirecTV system with FIOS TV and like the sounds of the capabilties of the multi-room DVR.  My question is, is it possible to have two multi-room DVR's in the same home so that both my wife and I can "own" one of them to record what we each want, and then view the programs we have recorded on any other set in the house.

Regards,

Bob

[mobius]

Very good question!  I'm also a newbie and very curious.

Actually, I had FiOS Internet installed last week and I'm getting FiOS TV installed tomorrow, but with a single TV and HD DVR instead of the multi-room DVR.  I'll ask the installer and let you know.

BTW, which part of the country are you located?

Bruce

[ratbert]

Actually Verizon only offers one DVR. The multi-room feature is additional software that is enabled when you order it. I have the service and it supposedly works with only two stbs. I only have two right now so I'm not sure if the nim would support more than one DVR for the multi-room feature.

Rick

[pfh]

The tech that installed mine said it only supports one and the nim will choose it's own priority when establishing the multi-media dvr.  In other words, if it installs the software on the dvr in the wrong room you have to physically change the location afterwards.

So far it's working great but I still had to keep another dvr because I presently have 4 tv's.  However, all 4 tv's can now view recorded shows.

[pkuz]

How do the non Fios DVRs record the channels you want? We don't yet have FiosTV in our area (so I'm less than a newbie), but I thought you had to have a tuner/decoder in each room.

We were going to try to do this with our satellite service, but there's no way for the DVR to change the channel on the satellite receiver without programming both units - and I'm too lazy for that.

[techron]

You can only set-up a program to record or delete from the Master DVR. You can view the recorded programs from the other rooms using a regular STB. 

[Mposadastx]

I currently have six televisions in my home and already have FIOS interent connectivity.  I am very interested in replacing my DirecTV system with FIOS TV and like the sounds of the capabilties of the multi-room DVR.  My question is, is it possible to have two multi-room DVR's in the same home so that both my wife and I can "own" one of them to record what we each want, and then view the programs we have recorded on any other set in the house.

Regards,

Bob

let me answer your question in a very blunt manner

its is IMPOSSIBLE
atleast for the moment
verizon has not yet implemented anything that would allow otherwise
i won't go into talking french but yeh
sorry...maybe in the future

[hicksticks]

I currently have six televisions in my home and already have FIOS internet connectivity.  I am very interested in replacing my DirecTV system with FIOS TV and like the sounds of the capabilities of the multi-room DVR.  My question is, is it possible to have two multi-room DVR's in the same home so that both my wife and I can "own" one of them to record what we each want, and then view the programs we have recorded on any other set in the house.

Regards,

Bob

Bob, you probably already know the answer by know.  But I have noticed that no one has answered the question properly.  Verizon FiOS TV offers two different box tops.  The standard and the DVR with HD capabilities.  If you subscribe to the Media Center, which is about $8 more, then your other set top boxes can access what you have recorded, as long as it is recorded in Standard Definition, not High Definition.

You can connect up to six standard boxes to the DVR with Media Center enabled.  That gives you a total of 7 TVs.  Only 2 can connect to the DVR at the same time.  However, those two as well as the DVR box can be watching three separate recorded programs at the same time.  The other four boxes can only view live television, and can not access the DVR until one of the two connected boxes releases it's connection.

Now, you are asking if you can have two media centers, the answer is no.  You can order as many DVR's as you want from Verizon, but you can only choose one as the Media Manager that your regular set top boxes can access.

[CAFiosTech]

The tech that installed mine said it only supports one and the nim will choose it's own priority when establishing the multi-media dvr.  In other words, if it installs the software on the dvr in the wrong room you have to physically change the location afterwards.

So far it's working great but I still had to keep another dvr because I presently have 4 tv's.  However, all 4 tv's can now view recorded shows.

The Tech actually decides which DVR will become the HomeMedia "hub" as you would call it. When he activates them he sets which dvr is set to do MultiRoom  Home Media capabilities.

[Scamp]

Can I tag on a couple of extra questions about the Multi-room DVR?

1. I have young kids.  If I record a show like "24" or "Hot martian babes from outer space"  can I block them from viewing it or is any show recorded by anyone visible on any set top box?

2. Do I have to physically go to the Multi-room box to setup recordings or can that be done remotely from each STB?

[Scamp]

Can I tag on a couple of extra questions about the Multi-room DVR?

1. I have young kids.  If I record a show like "24" or "Hot martian babes from outer space"  can I block them from viewing it or is any show recorded by anyone visible on any set top box?

2. Do I have to physically go to the Multi-room box to setup recordings or can that be done remotely from each STB?

Excellent questions Scamp.  Let me answer them for you.

1. Sort of.  You cannot hide from the kids that you recorded something called "Vampire Vixens From Venus" however can block them from viewing it.  The parental controls you set to limit what shows can been viewed also apply to shows recorded with the DVR.   

2. Yes.  You can only setup recordings at the TV to which the DVR is attached.   

I visited the Fios kiosk in our local mall today where the helpful Fios guy explained all this.   I should have the Fios TV service in about two weeks.