Verizon FiOS DVR Manager ensures you'll never miss an episode of iCarly... 'evar'
By Joseph L. Flatley 
posted April 19th 2010 10:14AM
posted April 19th 2010 10:14AM
America has spoken (at least the TV-addicted, iPhone owning segment) and the cry is being heard: they want to control their DVRs from their handset! The Verizon FiOS DVR Manager sounds pretty straightforward: set your DVR! Set parental controls! Bookmark, browse, search TV programming, and more! And all from your iPhone. (Of course, plenty of Android users have been doing this for a while now.) Kind of makes that old iTunes-based media management system seem a little weak sauce, doesn't it? Of course, if you're out at dinner or in a meeting and you're being driven to distraction trying to remember if Ninja Assassin is a video-on-demand selection this month, you probably have much bigger problems than on-the-road DVR management. But that's none of our business. Compatible with your iPhone, iPod touch, and iPad sportin' OS 3.0 or later. Hit the source link to download now!
It kind of sucks I have Verizon Fios but their DVR is TERRIBLE. Only gets 20 hrs of HD, no expansion capability, and to make matters worse it wasn't capable of receiving most of my HD Channels, stuttered and crashed ALL the time. I had them replace the box 3 different times until I finally got fed up and went to Tivo with a cable card and now I don't get any of the interactive stuff that I'm paying for and now my Tivo has been acting a bit flaky the last week. I wish ReplayTV was still around.
@malexandria1 I will agree that the storage size sucks, but what you mean it can't get most of your HD channels?
The only thing I don't like about the fios DVR is that they recently reverted the guide back to non wide screen. I know the guide was just stretched before, but I still liked it better.
@Mackworth There were about 10 or 12 HD Channels that it wouldn't receive, all it displayed was "Call to subscribe to channel." Even though I was already paying for and subscribing to these channels. I had the technician come out 3 or 4 times, swapped the boxes several times and those channels never came in. Then when I activated my Tivo Box, all of a sudden I was able to receive these channels with no issue. These were the channels I actually watch too like SYFYHD, TNTHD, USAHD, etc.
@malexandria1
I have none of the problems you're talking about with my FIOS DVR. I have the multi-room DVR and I love it. I've never had any problems getting any HD channels on FiOS. My ReplayTV's sucked compared to this DVR. I can watch a show while it is recording from the beginning in any room of the house. Love the FIOS boxes. Storage space is the only legitimate complaint.
Now this iPhone app on the otherhand kind of sucks. It offers very basic functionality and doesn't let you set any options for recordings. It also only lets you search the paid Video on Demand movies and not the dozens of free VoD channels that I get for free with my subscription.
@cool8man Maybe the iPhone app will get a little easier to use after VZW actually can sell an iPhone for use on their network?
Here in the isolated UK, we can control our SKY+ set top boxes using a nice iPhone app from Sky.
@Oflife
well...........we get hulu.... *runs away*
Not a problem as long as there are proxy servers.
@New Reformation
Damn, In the Netherlands, the connection speeds are almost the highest in the world, but still we only get a handfull of HD channels, almost NO DVR/on-demand services and no Hulu. It sucks!
What about other TV shows? Just iCarly is useless!!! :P
@jjasper123
I have to admit that the character "Sam" on iCarly is hilarious :-)
@jjasper123
Obviously you have no taste! I'm sending Sam in to kick your ass! :-)
That's my favorite kids show on the air right now. The best Dan Schneider has made yet.
Kudos to Engadget for the shout out!
-Pie
iPad please. So I can set my recording from my couch which is ~6 feet from my DVR. PLEASE MAKE MY IPAD FEEL USEFUL!!!
@Jones Johnson
Read the article... this is a universal app that also runs on the iPad.
@MFfan310
Not a universal app. Just an iPhone app that can be run on the iPad (sort of).
It doesn't work on the iPad. The confirmation screen keypad is missing the Done button, so you can never enter a confirmation code.
You can only register one device, so no registering an iPad and an iPhone or two different iPhones.
Other than that, it seems like a useful app.
I've been controlling my DirecTV DVR (with the attached 1.5TB drive in the eSATA enclosure) from my iPhone for some time now.
Of course, if Verizon would run a FiOS line to my house, I'd happily switch over. Too bad my lack of neighbors makes this unlikely...
not to mention that, in general, their guide really sucks to start with.
Hey, the Android app has been in the wild for a few months now... just sayin' :)
@NaterGator
I was about to say... would be kind of ironic if you could only use the app on an At&t phone
@NaterGator
yes indeed, I have been using it for at least 2 months! a very nice app, you can set to record, bookmark on demand stuff, even delete recorded programs off of your DVR. now if only it had remote streaming...
@accure
I've been controlling my Fios DVR on my LG Chocolate for about a year now. It doesn't have as many features as the iPhone and Android apps, but I can set something to record when I'm out, and can delete old stuff from my phone.
this will never affect most of us as Verizon has no further plans to extend their FiOS network to new markets. at all. ever.
Man,I hope you're wrong!
FIOS rocks the download/upload speeds! I've been jonesin' for it since it was launched.
-Pie
Now if they would only implement Place shifting, so I can take advantage of my 25Mb upload speeds.
How useful is this if iPhone users aren't on Verizon's network? Why invest the money on a phone that's no on their network, when they already have a web app?
Looks like Verizon is getting some kind of iPhone...
I wish Verizon would cover more markets, as Fios is amazing. The great part is that with their bundles, it's a LOT cheaper than having DirecTV plus a phone line plus a cable modem. If you hate their DVR (which you should), they use cablecard, so there's nothing stopping you from using a TiVo or a Ceton quad-tuner card with MCE to make a monster DVR-server.
Oh, the irony (unless of course the iPhone is coming to Verizon)
The app sucks. Can't register. When I run the app and get to the confirmation screen, it brings up the number pad which obscures the login button. Once you type in your confirmation number, there is no way to actually login and continue. URGGHH
@bennythekid Yeah - WTF Verizon? WTF Apple for approving this? Engadget - Verizon and Apple won't listen to their customers on this one, perhaps you can pull some strings on our behalf?
@bennythekid Are you running a Dev device? I am iPhone OS 4.0 (8A230m) but I did just get it to work on a non-development iPod Touch running OS 3.1.2 (7D11).
On the non-dev iPod Touch, the key at the bottom-left of the NumPad says "Done" and hides the numeric keypad. On the iPhone it's blank and does nothing.
@nixta That makes sense, but sucks too. Guess those of us running 4.0 will not see a fix till 4.0 goes GM.
I've been using this feature on my Droid for a while and I love it. Even better is the FiOS remote which allows me to control my DVR with my Droid while watching TV. The thing has a better response time than the actual remote!
So this means a verizon iphone right
I know it seems kind of old school, but I control my DVR through my Slingbox.
Now if only Verizon would extend their free Wi-FI for FiOS and DSL customers (that us in areas soon to be sold to Frontier can't use anymore). to more than just Windows lappies and netbooks.
People use smartphones for Wi-Fi, too! Including a popular product running Android OS called the DROID... ever heard of that, Verizon?
That's great, so I can manage my DVR from my iPhone (if I had one, screw AT&T) but I CAN'T manage my DVR from any other set top box in my house!! WTF!?!? And please, don't get me started about the lack of disk space...
TiVo had this ability from third-party hacks, and then they killed ability to add on. Way to go TiVo!
iCarly ain't bad :D
Ms. Cosgrove, now never ever will I miss you!
Hi. I'm Jason, and I'm a Mac. I hate Verizon with all that is within me, but in my market, they provide the most cost-effective and STUNNING HD programming. Just installed this iPhone app and it is working marvelously.
Now I can hang out with my friends. Previously I couldn't because I just had to see iCarly
On a second thought; I don't have any friends
@24hourpartypal
Yeah we don't have friends, but we have the internet.
And a powerful ally it is...
I've had this for about a year now for U-verse. Hopefully, version 1 of the FiOS app works better than the U-verse tool did at launch... It's a decent app now, but MAN did it stink at first.