[somewhat off-topic] Comcast and Verizon

[Jarod Wilson]

On Oct 26, 2009, at 11:56 AM, R. Luoma wrote:

> After all this time, I am finally moving.  At present, I do not have  
> "high-speed" internet, but I will now have the choice of Verizon  
> (fios - what is that?)

_Fi_ber _O_ptic _S_ervice. Or something like that.

> and Comcast... or I could stick with the POTS dialup (as I do now).
>
> First the linux-y questions:
>
> I do not have any MS-Windows desktops (only linux ones).  If I  
> choose to get "high-speed" internet from Verizon-fios or Comcast  
> cable, will this lack be a problem?  If it is, how have people dealt  
> with it?

Wasn't ever a problem here, had Comcast, now have FiOS.

> next the Vidiot questions:
>
> Both Verizon and Comcast offer various flavors of TV.  I only have  
> the old television sets (and no converter -- I watch DVDs and  
> such).  Can the old sets be used with these piped-in TV services?

With FiOS, you'll need a cable box or a 'digital to analog adapter',  
which is really just a very bare-bones cable box. There is NO analog  
on FiOS anymore. Of course, Comcast is slowly dropping all analog  
across the country as well, not sure if they've made it here w/that  
change yet or not.

> If so, how do I verify this before signing up for the service?

Call them up and ask?

> How does MythTV come into the mix?

MythTV can record whatever they send in clear QAM, and whatever you  
can pipe into a capture card from a cable box (including the digital  
to analog adapter things). FireWire might also be an option, if you  
get an HD-capable cable box.

> finally, the phone-y questions:
> I would like to get a land-line telephone (I realize that some of  
> you gentle readers use wireless phones).  Again, both V and C offer  
> these options.  Do people have experience with these land-line  
> phones?  What about long-distance calls?

I have no experience here, sorry.

> I gather Verizon FIOS will involve a loss of the copper wire to the  
> house.  How serious a problem do people think this will be?

You can tell the install guy to leave the copper alone. If you don't,  
they'll cut it, but there's really no reason for them to do so, other  
than it lets them lock you into fiber-only service...

-- 
Jarod Wilson
jarod-ajLrJawYSntWk0Htik3J/w at public.gmane.org