Uses for FIOS boxes?

[d***@gmail.com]

I have HD FIOS cable service, three boxes, all without DVR. I had been using VCRs since the mid-1970s and kinda miss it that they achieved some very advanced specs before (with the obvious exception of Tivo) companies stopped producing them. I toyed with Archos before discovering (the expensive way) the ugly secret they dont tell you, - that they only record in 640x480!

Someone yesterday gave me a 500GB Verizon QIP7216 P2 box.

Is there any way this box can be connected? Either instead of one box in my system or in parallel to record programs entirely manually please? Or will this box never work unless provisioned by Verizon? Is there any way of getting Verizon to provision it without charging monthly as if I had just rented one of their boxes from them?

[Ant]

Post by d***@gmail.com
I have HD FIOS cable service, three boxes, all without DVR. I had been using VCRs since the mid-1970s and kinda miss it that they achieved some very advanced specs before (with the obvious exception of Tivo) companies stopped producing them. I toyed with Archos before discovering (the expensive way) the ugly secret they dont tell you, - that they only record in 640x480!
Someone yesterday gave me a 500GB Verizon QIP7216 P2 box.
Is there any way this box can be connected? Either instead of one box in my system or in parallel to record programs entirely manually please? Or will this box never work unless provisioned by Verizon? Is there any way of getting Verizon to provision it without charging monthly as if I had just rented one of their boxes from them?

Don't they have to be returned to Verizon?
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[Wes Newell]

Post by Ant
Don't they have to be returned to Verizon?

Once you end a contract with someone where they provide equipment for the
length of the contract, it's usually their responsibility to come get it.
If they fail to do so, the equipment is deemed abandoned after a certain
amount of time. I canceled my fios contract with verizon over 30 days ago
and they have not come out and removed their equipment. I consider it
abandoned and may do with it whatever I wish. I only had internet from
them so it's just the interface, power supply, and a router. None of
which I have any use for now. I've also got a dsl interface from them
from many years ago that they left here when I switched to fios. I;m not
sure what the time limit is in every state, but I don't think any would
be more than 90 days.

[UCLAN]

Post by Wes Newell

Post by Ant
Don't they have to be returned to Verizon?

Once you end a contract with someone where they provide equipment for the
length of the contract, it's usually their responsibility to come get it.
If they fail to do so, the equipment is deemed abandoned after a certain
amount of time. I canceled my fios contract with verizon over 30 days ago
and they have not come out and removed their equipment. I consider it
abandoned and may do with it whatever I wish. I only had internet from
them so it's just the interface, power supply, and a router. None of
which I have any use for now. I've also got a dsl interface from them
from many years ago that they left here when I switched to fios. I;m not
sure what the time limit is in every state, but I don't think any would
be more than 90 days.

You may be mistaken about this. Cox and most other cable companies have
sections in their contract concerning unreturned equipment. From Cox's contract:

"Equipment: All Cox Equipment and embedded Software (Equipment) provided to You
by Cox or its agent will remain the property of Cox. Cox shall have the
unrestricted right, but not the obligation, to install or modify the software in
any of the Equipment. It is a material breach for You to copy, duplicate,
reverse engineer or in any way tamper with or interfere with any Software
provided to You by Cox. You also agree:
1.To use the Equipment only for receiving Services ordered from or through Cox.
You will only use any modem embedded in a digital video box for the receipt of
Cox video Services.
2.To promptly return the Equipment to Cox in good condition and without any
encumbrances, except for ordinary wear and tear resulting from proper use,
immediately upon discontinuance of Service.

If You do not promptly return the Equipment or if it is damaged or encumbered,
(“Unreturned Equipment”), the damages Cox will incur will be difficult to
ascertain. Therefore, You agree to pay, and Cox may charge Your account, a
liquidated damages amount equal to Cox’s reasonable estimates of the replacement
costs and incidental costs that Cox incurs; provided, however, that such amount
will not exceed the maximum amount permitted by law (the “Unreturned Equipment
Charge”). This provision and any other provision that by its nature should
survive shall survive the termination or expiration of this Agreement."

So, read your contract.

[John McWilliams]

Post by UCLAN

Post by Wes Newell

Post by Ant
Don't they have to be returned to Verizon?

Once you end a contract with someone where they provide equipment for the
length of the contract, it's usually their responsibility to come get it.
If they fail to do so, the equipment is deemed abandoned after a certain
amount of time. I canceled my fios contract with verizon over 30 days ago
and they have not come out and removed their equipment. I consider it
abandoned and may do with it whatever I wish. I only had internet from
them so it's just the interface, power supply, and a router. None of
which I have any use for now. I've also got a dsl interface from them
from many years ago that they left here when I switched to fios. I;m not
sure what the time limit is in every state, but I don't think any would
be more than 90 days.

You may be mistaken about this. Cox and most other cable companies have
"Equipment: All Cox Equipment and embedded Software (Equipment) provided
to You by Cox or its agent will remain the property of Cox. Cox shall
have the unrestricted right, but not the obligation, to install or
modify the software in any of the Equipment. It is a material breach for
You to copy, duplicate, reverse engineer or in any way tamper with or
1.To use the Equipment only for receiving Services ordered from or
through Cox. You will only use any modem embedded in a digital video box
for the receipt of Cox video Services.
2.To promptly return the Equipment to Cox in good condition and without
any encumbrances, except for ordinary wear and tear resulting from
proper use, immediately upon discontinuance of Service.
If You do not promptly return the Equipment or if it is damaged or
encumbered, (“Unreturned Equipment”), the damages Cox will incur will be
difficult to ascertain. Therefore, You agree to pay, and Cox may charge
Your account, a liquidated damages amount equal to Cox’s reasonable
estimates of the replacement costs and incidental costs that Cox incurs;
provided, however, that such amount will not exceed the maximum amount
permitted by law (the “Unreturned Equipment Charge”). This provision and
any other provision that by its nature should survive shall survive the
termination or expiration of this Agreement."
So, read your contract.

Absolutely!

So reassuring to see they state they won't charge more than what's
permitted by law. Poor draftsmanship.

[Andrew Rossmann]

Post by d***@gmail.com
I have HD FIOS cable service, three boxes, all without DVR. I had been using VCRs since the mid-1970s and kinda miss it that they achieved some very advanced specs before (with the obvious exception of Tivo) companies stopped producing them. I toyed with Archos before discovering (the expensive way) the ugly secret they dont tell you, - that they only record in 640x480!
Someone yesterday gave me a 500GB Verizon QIP7216 P2 box.
Is there any way this box can be connected? Either instead of one box in my system or in parallel to record programs entirely manually please? Or will this box never work unless provisioned by Verizon? Is there any way of getting Verizon to provision it without charging monthly as if I had just rented one of their boxes from them?

Those boxes are the property of Verizon. Odds are they won't provision
it, as it will probably show up as stolen in their database. At best,
you could 'keep' it, but it would still be their property, and you would
have to pay any rental fees and costs.

[d***@gmail.com]

That was what I suspected, in practice

in theory, they arent all property of Verizon, which is how they are commonly sold on ebay. They arent stolen, what happens is that they are end of contract items which arent returned and Verizon charges the user some large amount of money 'to keep them'.

But the practical situation is the same if Verizon can just refuse to provision your box