FiOS Mobile app comes to Android
By Ben Drawbaugh 
posted January 17th 2010 12:05PM
posted January 17th 2010 12:05PM
Every decent DVR today supports remote scheduling via the web -- well except Windows 7 Media Center -- and Verizon's FiOS TV DVR is no different. But of course web apps don't compare to real apps like this new one for Android users. The new FiOS Mobile app features a guide for remote scheduling as well as VOD browsing so you can mark what you want to watch later, as well as parental controls and a free space indicator -- something TiVo doesn't even offer on the DVR itself. Of course there's no way to actually watch content from your DVR, and we're not surprised. Now before you get too jealous of Android users with Verizon's FiOS TV DVR, we'd like to remind you that the FiOS DVR has a measly 160GB hard drive and no external disk support, and as you can see from the screen shot, FiOS users don't have any free space left for new recordings anyway.
they have an android app, why doesn't engadget?
@jmhalder
Patience, young padawan
@jmhalder
yeah, engadget loose marks !
@qlimax
I hate it when marks come loose.
@jmhalder Engadget are biased against Android, everyone knows that.
@jmhalder
FIOS. Love the fiber... hate the DVR.
160 Gb = about 10 hrs HDTV programming.
Why not an external Disk then?!?!
That USB 2.0 port is just sitting there... MOCKING me!!!
@jmhalder
B/c having an app for every damn website is a waste of space, when a simple shortcut to m.engadget.com will do. Junk like this is why Apple's AppStore has so many apps - most of them are junk. But everyone wants numbers, so the Android Market is going to end up the same way.
-bZj
Comcast does not support remote scheduling of it's Scientific Atlanta / Cisco DVRs.
@Onazuka Read it again, he said "every decent DVR". I only have experience with their Motorola DVRs, but I'm sure they use the same software, which is AWFUL.
@mattcoz No, the Scientific Atlanta SARA OS/UI is much worse.
@davezatz Ha, ok then.
I really love my FiOS service... but yea they need to update the specs on their boxes... plus the new 7216's are more buggy and unreliable that the older 6416... smh
I've been wrangling teevee shows with a 40GB RCA Scenium 7000N DVR since 2003, so all of these features read like pie-in-the-sky sci-fi to me!
Shouldn't that be "including current recordings?
The new cisco DVRs due this quarter are supposed to add external disk support and possibly transfer to computer a'la Tivo
@10nisman94 Unfortunately, that doesn't matter. Only thing that matters is when the carrier decides to deploy that box. Cisco/SciAtl and Motorola have had better boxes available for some time now, but all the cable companies I've run into are still deploying the ones from 2-3 years ago.
@Jf I'm almost certain that they will be deploying the new Cisco branded boxes that were announced at CES 08, along with the corresponding router that was announced at the same time. I can dig around for the links but, the dvr is the 8600HDC and the HD box will be the 4600HDC.
"FiOS users don't have any free space left for new recordings anyways."
For new recordings anyway.
What no iPhone app? That's racist.
@WJKramer
Nah it's up to apple to rush an iphone droid version out.
@WJKramer You have to be a Verizon Wireless subscriber to use it, so No iPhone and no Nexus One. Just Droid and Droid Eris get the Android app and, IIRC, there was already a Blackberry app, too.
@drathos
You have to be a FiOS subscriber, but the app works on any Android device - I just put it on my G1.
-bZj
Someone has a case of soar grapes
@k2001
Gapes have developed a mode of flight? ZOMG!
@ChazClout
"@k2001
Gapes have developed a mode of flight? ZOMG!"
Oh dear...grammar Nazi fail. You look quite the fool now.
@Tes I was joking earlier but i do agree...
EIPC FIAL!
(Intentional misspelling this time) :P
Not sure you can call noticing the use of a completely different word a case of 'spelling nazi'.
Also it was done in a funny way and that also isn't in line with the term spelling nazi.
Don't mean to flame or anything, but my U-Verse Cisco IP4320 STB has 320gigs of NETWORKED space, that is, I can watch it on any STB in the house.
Thus, U-Verse is better... IMO.
@foxh8er2
This makes me happy, b/c I just ordered U-verse to replace my craptastic Comcastic service.
-bZj
Misleading title...
I thought I would finally be able to watch my fios tv over my android phone..
Dang..
If the FiOS DVR doesn't have external hard drive support, what's that eSATA port on the back for?
@(Unverified)
The port is there but is non functional, which is the real kick in the head. Especially since the same model Moto boxes from other providers do have a functional eSATA port.
@(Unverified)
Its all for show...
That sucks! Thanks for the info. I was going to buy a hard drive for that because I thought it was functional. I'm always scrambling for space.
@(Unverified) Their excuse is that the hardware can't handle both multi-room and external hard drive functions reliably, so they had to choose.
@10nisman94 That's a lame excuse! If they made the multi-room function workable between two DVRs instead of just between a DVR and a set-top box, then I might not need the option of an additional hard drive.
@10nisman94 That was a very bad decision, but I understand why they made it -- assuming it is true. The problem is that a multi-room DVR is useless if it only has a 160GB HDD.
I do question this though because I've asked a few FiOS PR people why it is so small and none of them shared this tough design decision.
@BenD I read it somewhere on dslreports :P
@10nisman94
The sad thing is that DSLReports would know better than most PR people -- present company excluded of course.
@BenD Yep, they are the same people that hinted at cisco DVR's when the FiOS people wouldn't say a thing.
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps8612/ps8613/7015625A.pdf
and
http://www.cisco.com/en/US/prod/collateral/video/ps8611/ps8612/ps8620/7016861.pdf
are what I am expecting as the new set-tops due this quarterish
@10nisman94
Very interesting, I'll have to dig around DSLReports and see what I can find. Although 2 tuners for the entire house is still unworkable for me.
I wish the HD channels were put together with the regular channels instead of in a seperate place in the guide... DirecTV had better HD channels in my opinion, anyway.
@Lucas
I agree 100%, but there are plenty of other things to hate more like the 4x3 guide.
@BenD To be quite honest, I like it. I despise 16:3 picture. It's really abnormal, and the only ways on the tv to get it to look good is to either zoom in and you miss some of the stuff at the bottom (Important for channels such as CNN) or get everything stretched out.
"Every decent DVR today supports remote scheduling via the web." I wish you'd tell this to Time Warner cable.
For a while MS offered a remote record service through TV.msn.com. I happily used this for a few years until MS decided to pull the plug. It required that I installed a add-on app to my MS Media Center, then log on my PC using my hotmail account. I could remotely see what my PC was scheduled to record and I could change or add new shows. I guess that I have not accepted that it is gone. On demand is a better option anyway. However, I like live TV for sports and some news.
@MLamont
there was a 3rd party app called webguide. Dont think its active anymore so not sure if it will work with WMC7
Remote desktop should work to see GUI stuff remotely right? That's free from MS and pre-installed.
@Wwhat
Media Center won't load from a Remote Desktop session, but you can use other 3rd party remote tools. Still not the same as a real web guide via a web app or a phone's app.
@MLamont
Crap, my MCE machine has been out of the loop for so long, I hadn't realized this service was gone!
I was just about to get it going again. But, I have AT&T Uverse getting installed at the end of the month, so I'll have a free DVR. I wonder if their DVR can stream from PCs?
-bZj