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Verizon originally released its Fios TV One box in 2018. Their new box for 2022 introduces an impressive range of features for a smarter TV viewing experience.
If you’re a current Verizon subscriber, you might be wondering if it’s worth it to switch to the Fios TV One box. New subscribers should also research this TV box since not all Verizon plans come with this equipment.
Here’s what you need to know about the Verizon Fios TV One box and any reasons not to switch to this impressive TV box.
What is the Verizon Fios TV One Box?
The TV One box is a wireless device that connects to your TV. It’s a small box that looks like a modem or DVD player.
You can connect this device to up to five TVs at once and watch your favorite channels from anywhere in your home. Some customers even report setting up a TV outside to watch content on their patio since the box works as long as you have a TV within the range of your Wi-Fi network.
Compared to older TV boxes from Verizon, this device is smaller and uses less power. And, of course, you’ll get a lot more features.
See Pricing for Verizon Fios TV One
Who Can Get a Fios TV One Box?
Verizon offers different TV plans. You should know that not all these plans come with the Fios TV One box. However, you can contact Verizon and ask for an upgrade to get this device if you don’t mind paying an additional fee.
Here’s how you can get the Verizon Fios TV One Box:
- Verizon’s entry-level plan, the Your Verizon Fios TV plan, comes with 125+ channels. You will not get the TV One box with this plan unless you call Verizon and ask for an upgrade. You’ll end up paying an additional fee for renting the TV One box on a monthly basis.
- The TV One box comes with the More Fios TV and the Most Fios TV Plans. These plans respectively include 300+ and 425+ channels. It’s the most interesting way to get the TV One box since you won’t pay any upgrade fees for the box.
- If you have a legacy plan with Verizon, you can get an upgrade to get the TV One box. Some users report paying an upgrade fee of $50. Note that your monthly bill might go up since Verizon will charge you a fee for renting the TV One box.
If you’re a new subscriber who is hesitating between a Verizon Fios plan and another option, you should know that Verizon is currently offering a $150 gift card and a one-year Amazon Prime membership if you open a new account. These special offers can offset the cost of subscribing to one of the more expensive plans that include the TV One box.
About the Verizon Fios TV One Box
The TV One box is a small set-top box. It measures roughly 10x7x1.5.” We like the compact design because it doesn’t take up much space on your TV stand.
The box comes with 1TB of storage for your DVR recordings. It features a sleek and discreet black design that blends in easily.
The wireless feature allows for a tidy installation process. You won’t need to run cables from this box and you can install it in any spot where it will be in range of your Wi-Fi network. There is an HDMI output if you want to connect the box to your TV directly, but it makes more sense to use the wireless connection feature.
Let’s take a closer look at the features that make the TV One box interesting.
Wireless Setup
The wireless connectivity of the box makes it a whole-house solution for watching TV. Instead of having to run a cable between your TV and your box, you can use your Wi-Fi network to pair your TV One box with up to five TVs.
It eliminates the need for channel splitters and other complicated solutions for watching TV on more than one device. It also helps reduce clutter from cables in your home.
The setup process is very easy. You can download the My Fios app on your phone to set up your TV One box and connect it to your different TVs.
Voice Control
A growing number of tech companies offer smart assistants, including Amazon, Google, and Apple. With 20% of Google App searches being voice queries, more people are getting used to voice commands.
Voice commands make sense when you watch TV. We have access to more on-demand content than ever before, and TV interfaces are often not convenient for browsing through shows and movies.
Voice search is a solution that creates a more modern TV viewing experience. The Verizon Fios TV One box comes with a remote that has a voice search button.
You can press this button and speak to your remote to change channels or access your DVR recordings. It’s a convenient feature that will help you save time when you watch TV.
The remote is also noteworthy because it uses Bluetooth connectivity. Traditional TV remotes use infrared light to send a signal to a device. It means you need to use your remote within a certain range of the device you pair it with, and obstacles can prevent the signal from reaching the device.
With Bluetooth connectivity, you can use the remote from anywhere in your home and not have to worry about obstacles blocking the signal.
4K Resolution
Verizon introduced a major upgrade with the TV One box compared to previous boxes. You can use this device to watch content in 4K resolution.
TVs with 4K resolution are more affordable than ever. Between 2014 and 2018, the percentage of households with a 4K TV jumped from 1% to 31%.
However, you can’t take advantage of everything your 4K TV has to offer unless you have access to content in 4K resolution. Platforms like Netflix offer 4K streaming, next-gen consoles support gaming in 4K, and TV providers give you access to HD or 4K versions of your favorite channels.
With the Verizon Fios TV One box, you’ll get access to 4K channels and will have equipment that supports this resolution.
App Integration
The app integration is a feature that is unique to the TV One box. Instead of navigating to an app to access Netflix, you can ask the box to play channel 838 and it will take you to Netflix.
The One TV box also supports YouTube and Pluto TV. You can access YouTube with channel 837, and channel 839 will take you to Pluto TV. Pluto TV is a platform with over 200 channels with shows and movies you can watch for free if you don’t mind the ads.
App integration is an interesting feature because it expands your TV viewing options. It also simplifies your TV interface since you don’t have to switch back to the home screen of your smart TV to select the streaming app you want to launch.
DVR Recording
DVR recording is one of the features that set Verizon Fios TV plans apart from the competition. The TV One box supports multi-room DVR.
You’ll get 1TB of storage with your box. You can access your recordings from up to five TVs connected to your Wi-Fi network. You can also watch your DVR recordings from other devices if you use the Fios TV app.
You can record up to six different channels at once. You can also watch a channel and record another one at the same time.
This feature adds value to your Verizon Fios TV plan because you’ll never miss a show or movie you want to see. Plus, you can store your recordings on your TV One box and watch your favorite content again.
The DVR recording process is very intuitive. It’s easy to start recording and manage your existing recordings with the app.
Smart Home Integration
Smart home integration is another innovation you’ll get with the TV One box. You can pair the box with a Google Home or Amazon Alexa device.
Once you pair the TV One box, you’ll be able to control it with your smart home device. You can issue voice commands to an Amazon Echo Dot, a Google Home Mini, or another smart home speaker.
Your favorite smart assistant can start recording DVR content, switch channels, look for content, and more.
See Pricing for Verizon Fios TV One
What Does the Verizon Fios TV One Box Do Better Than its Competitors?
Verizon isn’t the only TV provider to offer a DVR box. However, some of the features listed above make the TV One box a more attractive option compared to what other TV providers offer.
Verizon Fios TV One Box vs Xfinity X1
Xfinity X1 plans come with a number of devices. The device you get will vary depending on the plan you choose, and it seems that Xfinity upgrades its devices more often compared to Verizon. Xfinity also uses boxes from third-party manufacturers like Samsung.
Not all boxes offered by Xfinity come with a DVR feature. Those who have this feature only have 500GB of storage.
Compared to Verizon, Xfinity offers an experience that is closer to the interface of a smart TV. You’ll get a home screen with large tiles for the different apps you have downloaded to your box. You can access a wide range of streaming apps, including Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max, and more.
The TV One box from Verizon doesn’t let you download apps. Instead, you can access Netflix, YouTube, and Pluto TV with three dedicated channels but you’ll have to go to the home screen of your smart TV if you want to access more streaming options.
Another area where Xfinity X1 shines is parental controls. There is a Kids Zone that provides your children with an age-appropriate streaming experience. Children can browse through on-demand titles and choose what they want to watch.
Verizon offers parental controls, but you won’t find a kid-friendly interface. Instead, you’ll have to choose which channels or categories you want to block.
Verizon Fios TV One Box vs AT&T TV Device
AT&T offers a TV device with a voice remote. The main difference with the Verizon Fios TV One box is that the AT&T TV device supports the Google Play store. As a result, you can download a wide range of streaming apps directly to the TV device.
Another difference is that AT&T offers cloud storage for your recordings. The downside is that you can’t watch this content offline and your TV device will erase your recording after 90 days. If you like to save movies and shows and watch them again, Verizon is a better option.
Are There Any Reasons Not to Switch to the Verizon Fios TV One Box?
The Verizon Fios TV One box offers a modern TV viewing experience. However, there are a few small drawbacks you should be aware of.
Output Options
Because of the Wi-Fi connectivity feature, Verizon didn’t design the TV One box with a lot of output options. You’ll get an HDMI port, analog ports, and a composite output. However, you won’t find a coaxial port, which means you can’t use the TV One box with old TVs.
The limited number of ports isn’t a major drawback since you’re supposed to use the box wirelessly. However, it could be an issue if you have a slow Wi-Fi network. You’ll be able to connect the box to a TV with an HDMI cable, but you might not be able to watch TV on up to five devices due to the limited number of ports.
Audio Channels
There is a small flaw in how the TV One box handles sound channels. By default, the TV One box sends all audio channels as Dolby 5.1 channels. However, not all TV channels broadcast audio in this format.
It means that some TV channels will broadcast audio in stereo but your TV One box will not transmit all these channels to your TV and you’ll be missing some audio channels.
You can fix this issue by going into the settings and choosing L-PCM output when you watch a channel that broadcasts sound in stereo. If you have an advanced home theater setup and often use your TV to listen to music, this issue can become a major drawback.
Set-Top Box Design
The TV One box is a compact box with a simple design. However, some people don’t like the design because there aren’t any buttons to control the box and it doesn’t have a display to show the time or box status.
It’s not a major issue, but seeing a display that confirms that the box is recording a show or movie after you program it is a nice feature.
Can’t Transfer Your Old DVR Recordings
If you already have a box from Verizon, you won’t be able to transfer your old DVR recordings when you switch to a Fios TV One box.
However, you can connect your old box to a computer and save your old recordings manually. You will be able to watch the content you recorded on your computer but won’t be able to access it from your new box.
Pricing
The TV One box is worth it if you want to subscribe to the More and Most plans since you will only pay equipment rental fees for the box. However, you need to ask yourself if you can justify paying additional fees if you subscribe to any other plans.
App Support
While Verizon’s competitors favor interfaces that copy smart TVs and let you download apps directly onto your TV box, Verizon took a different approach by giving you access to three streaming apps via channel codes.
It’s an interesting approach and it facilitates navigation. However, the TV One box only gives you access to Netflix, YouTube, and Pluto TV. The number of streaming platforms keeps growing and it’s easier than ever to personalize your TV viewing experience by choosing the services that have content tailored to your interests.
You can still access any streaming app you want by closing Verizon Fios and going back to the home screen of your smart TV. However, competitors offer a more convenient experience where you can access a wide selection of streaming apps and your TV channels from a single interface.
Availability
Verizon TV isn’t available everywhere. You should check availability in your area to make sure you can get the TV One box.
Pros and Cons
Going over the pros and cons of the Verizon Fios TV One box will help you figure out if switching to this device is worth it for you.
Pros:
- Easy wireless setup.
- Watch TV on up to five devices at once.
- DVR recording on up to six channels at once.
- Smart home integration.
- Remote control with voice commands.
- Built-in streaming with Netflix, YouTube, and Pluto TV channels.
- Watch DVR recording anywhere with the Fios TV app.
- Included with the More and Most Fios TV plans.
- Compact design.
Cons:
- Doesn’t support as many streaming apps as competitors.
- Limited outputs.
- Need to tweak audio settings manually every time you watch something in stereo.
- Upgrade fee for legacy customers.
- Not included with the Your Fios TV plan.
Final Thoughts: Who is the Verizon Fios TV One Box Right for?
We think the TV One box is a great device for families who watch TV in multiple rooms. The wireless setup makes it easy to connect up to five TVs, and everyone can watch and record content simultaneously.
The DVR recording feature also stands out because you get plenty of storage space and you can keep the movies and shows you record forever. Being able to access this content from the Fios TV app is convenient.
We also recommend the TV One box to those who use smart home devices. You can pair the TV One box with your Google Home or Amazon Alexa device and control your TV from your smart speaker for a convenient experience.
Getting the TV One box makes sense if you watch a lot of TV and can justify subscribing to the More and Most Fios TV plans. Otherwise, you’ll have to pay extra for the box and have to ask yourself if you watch enough TV to justify this additional fee.
Lastly, the TV One box has a few built-in channels for streaming, but you’ll have to go back to the home screen of your smart TV to access more apps. This feature makes the TV One box ideal if you mostly watch live TV channels or only watch Netflix. Those who use different streaming platforms and want a more seamless integration with live TVs might want to look into other options.
