Fibe, Questions..

410497 Views 1146 Replies 247 Participants Last post by elyk, 7 mo ago

Boavista

Discussion Starter · Aug 2, 2010

Im thinking of ditching bell tv after 5 years. Love the service, prices are good but sick of satellite tv losing signal in bad storms. The new Fibe tv service is available in my area.I currently have the fibe25 internet. Ive read that its a max of 4 set top box's. My question is i have 5 tvs. I want to change to fibe tv and i obviously want to watch my 5 tv's so i need 5 set tops. The most set top box's that will ever be on at once is 4 ( 3 sd and 1 hd). Now is it possible to get a 5 box install in this case? the 5 tvs will NEVER all be used at once. Unfortunately this is a deal breaker for me.. I need the 5 tvs or ill have to either settle for bell tv or make the swap back to robbers. I'd call be all ask but i already know ill call 5 times n get 5 different answers so i always come here first

Thanks in advanced folks.

101 - 120 of 1147 Posts

McPatrick

· #101 · Mar 21, 2011

question about FibeTV PVR

hello everyone

i have been a bell sat sub for a very long time and the fibeOP looks good but i got too much sat equipment like i have 2 3100 a 9200 using both tuners and a 6131 and using it as another PVR. now i checked fibeOP website and it said you are only able to have 1 PVR and i think are only able to get HDTV on 2 TV's? (can't remember right now). now if i am only able to get 1 PVR would i be able to control it using the other receivers? like telus PVR anywhere feature?

sorry if this sounds confusing

Dr.Dave

· #102 · Mar 22, 2011 (Edited)

Welcome McPatrick. Bell Fibe TV and Telus Optik TV both use Microsoft Mediaroom and have the same core features including the Whole Home PVR feature.

You will need a VIP1232 PVR and 3 VIP1200 STBs to replace your 4 satellite boxes. All the Fibe boxes are HD capable and will downgrade the signal for SD TVs if necessary.

You can record or watch up to 4 channels at once, but only 2 can be HD. Any of the TVs can play recorded programs (including pause, rewind, etc.), erase programs and schedule future recordings. The only thing the VIP1200s can't do is pause live TV - that feature will be available when Bell upgrades to Mediaroom 2.0.

Most people set up series recordings and use time-shifting on the networks or repeats on the specialty channels to avoid conflicts. You can watch recorded HD programs on all 4 of your TVs without affecting the number of streams you are recording.

McPatrick

· #103 · Mar 25, 2011

thanks.now the only thing left for me to think about is the 2 HDTV limit

jhollington

· #104 · Apr 28, 2011

It's also worth pointing out, however, that the 2 HD stream limit is for different streams. You can watch the same HD programming on all of your TVs as only one stream is being received in this case.

I have three TVs here in a three-person household and have almost never run into the HD limitations -- there are still enough non-HD channels out there that it's rarely become an issue that all three of us want to watch something different in HD at the same time (to be fair, the third person is my toddler, so she only watches what we put on for her, and with the exception of PBS, all the kids' channels are only SD anyway

).

maxlyt

· #105 · Jul 17, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

FibeTV questions

I am going to order FibeTV next week, so I just want to double-check some assumtions. Please let me know if my info is correct or if I'm missing something:

1. Fibe Internet is required to with FibeTV. I was planning to get Fibe 16 - does it make sense or are there any caveats? I am not sure how internet shares bandwith with TV though - will I get what Fibe 16 promises only when TV is off (not recording) or all the time? Also, I've read somewhere that with FibeTV you get same internet speed no matter what internet package you ordered (supposedly, what's unused by TV) - that does not make sense to me. Is it true?

2. Internet modem can be on a different floor of the house than receivers, right?

3. Each receiver has an Ethernet port - does it connect to internet and or house LAN?

I'd want to use receivers and internet modem as hubs for home network to switch from wireless to wired and have the fastest possible internet connection. Is that possible?

Thanks a lot!

See less See more

secotton

· #106 · Jul 18, 2011

re: FibeTV questions

Many of these questions have already been covered, but to answer your questions:

1) Yes - Fibe Internet is required with Fibe TV. If you get any internet package EXCEPT Fibe 16, then you get a maximum speed of that package. If you get Fibe 16, you are given what they call Fibe 16+. This means you get typically at least 16Mb down. When you're not watching TV, there is available bandwidth - typically in the area of around 20 - 25Mb, so you get up to that much. Each unique TV stream usually occupies about 4Mb for SD, and 7Mb for HD, so as you start watching TV on your receiver(s), the internet speed will drop as TV takes priority.

2/3) The internet modem (DSL Modem) can be anywhere you want, however, you must be able to connect the receivers via CAT5e or CAT6 (network cabling) or via COAX (typical TV type cable). If you have an existing network in place, you should be able to connect to this, however - some switching equipment will not work as they do not pass through multicast packets, which is what is used to send from the modem to the receivers.

I'm not entirely sure what you're talking about where you say you want to use receivers and internet modem as hubs. Essentially, you get a DSL modem, and this plugs into a typical phone jack. From this, you need to run network cabling or typical TV cabling to connect to the receivers (STB's). Some have said that if you use COAX, you can plug a network cable into the STB, and access the internet that way, but it's not recommended as it can shorten the lifespan of the STB - probably due to the chipset handling the network and COAX port heating up too much.

See less See more

CanadianYankee

· #107 · Jul 25, 2011

Do I need the PVR?

I've gotten a letter from Bell saying that my current TV/internet service (ExpressVu for Condos) is going away and I have to switch to Fibe.

Presently, I route all of my TV through a media PC that does all the PVR stuff that I need through Windows Media Center and controlls the receiver with an IR blaster. Can I set up something similar with a Fibe HD receiver and completely forego the Bell PVR, or do I need to get the PVR in order to get Fibe service?

secotton

· #108 · Jul 26, 2011

I'm pretty sure with Bell FIBE TV, you need to have one PVR.

I think it's because this is where content is stored. This is one area that I'm not too familiar with. Almost every setup I've seen so far always has one PVR.

I'm sure someone else will chime in and let you know if it's possible to have no PVR with Fibe TV.

upsdriver

· #109 · Jul 27, 2011

I have seen Optik TV commercials and the Guide has actual icons for channel listings, is bell ever going to get that too? it just seems that Bell is taking a little too long to introduce new things to the Fibe TV, such as Remote PVR and the Call Display, all this is already available on Rogers Cable tv. even Remote TV is available through rogers now, I just dont see why bell is being too slow, also I am not too keen on the Facebook application, if I want to be on Facebook I have a computer that I log on to, If i am watching TV I want to watch TV only.

Coasterdon

· #110 · Aug 5, 2011

Where is the Fibe TV Connection?

Hello

I am having issues with my Rogers Cable. They came and said the line to my house is not good enough to support what I have so I need a new line drop. As a temporary measure they put a temp line in. I am in a townhouse 7 houses down from the Rogers box so they draped a line along all 7 rear balconies. There is no grass at the back only garages and a road. I know my neighbours are not going to like this even though they tried to hide it under the flashing. It will be 6 - 8 weeks till they fix this. I called to rush them up.

This is not the first time this has happened. When I first moved here 4 years ago I had a temp drop also. They don't seem to do a permanent fix. The line must be under the rear driveway to the garages so I don't know how they replace it.

Anyway 2 days after I got the drop line I got a notice that Bell Fibe is available in my area. My question is where does it come from? The same area that the Rogers box is? WIll I have the same issues getting a line to my house? Will they have to go under the pavement? I'm seriously considering this.

Thanks

See less See more

Dr.Dave

· #111 · Aug 5, 2011

@Coasterdon, Fibe TV uses your existing copper telephone line.

Fibe TV uses Fibre to the Node (FTTN), which are those Bell boxes every km or so. The "last mile" uses your existing phone line, so no external rewiring should be needed.

reddwarf

· #112 · Aug 9, 2011

So my Rogers contract has ended and there's a Bell promotion for Fibe TV currently available. I haven't read the fine print yet but I'll do that tonight.

I'm currently using Bell DSL on a grandfathered plan 5Mbps+ at unlimited bandwidth. I see that to get Fibe TV you have to get the Fibe Internet service. The Fibe 25 has a bandwidth cap of 75GB. While I am usually under that amount currently, such a low figure at a high rate of speed makes me nervous of overages. Has anyone successfully talked to Bell about getting a higher cap or even better maintaining their unlimited bandwidth for switch from Rogers cable TV to the Fibe TV service? As I stated I currently am with Bell on DSL but also am with them for home phone and mobility too.

wm_cheng

· #113 · Aug 9, 2011

I had the same grandfathered plan as you and unfortunately, they did not allow that to carry over (at least in my case - I even switched from Rogers!). It's a bummer!

thomsonr

· #114 · Aug 12, 2011 (Edited by Moderator)

Some Questions before Fiberop Install (Sept 7 unfortunately)

Hi all,
I presently have in my front room a Plasma Tv, HDMI Reciever, Blu-Ray player, Xbox 360 and for now Bellvu's HD PVR. There are no other present TV's in the house though I may think about the Master Bedroom in the Future. For Internet I have Rogers coming into the Guest Room and directly hooked to my Gaming Computer. Four other computers in the house are connected with a wireless N router. Phone wires (land line not presently in use) enter the other end of the house.

So does the Fiberoptic connection enter the house near the TV and hook directly to Bells Fiberop PVR? And then is the signal transmitted by their modem wirelessly to all your other computers and phone? Will I need a wireless N adapter for the gaming computer I presently have directly connected to Rogers Internet? Also is it possible to watch TV shows on the computers or control the PVR (MS Mediaroom)?

Thanks for any feedback and advice, any details you could give on the Fiberop System would be appreciated.

See less See more

pshine

· #115 · Aug 12, 2011

@57, Shouldn't the above thread be in the Bell Alliant FibreOp forum ?

hugh

· #116 · Aug 12, 2011

thomsonr, where are you located? Are you looking at FibreOP or FIbeTV?

classicsat

· #117 · Aug 12, 2011

Bell Fibe is mostly FTTN, where fibre connects to a box in or near your neigbourhood, and goes to your home on copper wire. In your home you have a gateway modem/router, which provides your phone service, and coax/Ethernet networking for the Fibe STBs and your computers and such.

Aliant uses FTTP mostly, where fibre goes to your home, to an ONT which provides your phone and networking. You have a custom router to manage networking. The ONT usually gets installed in your basement, or outside your home where other services are, with the ONT power supply in the basement or garage.

In either case, the gateway/router is usually installe in living space next to jacks or equipment.

MCIBUS

· #118 · Aug 20, 2011

Although Fibe TV still hasn't arrived in Ottawa, I'm just curious as to what they'll offer?(channel wise), when "IF"

they do finally arrive?

Where not nearToronto nor are we in Quebec, so not sure which US feeds we'll get?

Budakhan

· #119 · Aug 25, 2011

Call Display w/ Bell Home Phone and Fibe TV

if i get both Bell Home Phone with call display and Fibe TV will it display on both on my phone and my tv screen when someone calls?

Dr.Dave

· #120 · Aug 25, 2011

Call Display will display on phones and TVs.

101 - 120 of 1147 Posts

This is an older thread, you may not receive a response, and could be reviving an old thread. Please consider creating a new thread.