The DVR is capable, relatively fast (although others have noted that DVRs they've used are faster, this one is really quick compared to my R15s), very easy to use, and robust (it records what I tell it to). My two nits with the DVR - one is the limited functionality compared to the DirecTV boxes (e.g. there's nothing like a autorecord, there's no bookmarking, there's no caller id, and the searching I find to be pretty limited). The second nit is the size of the harddrive. It only has 160 GB harddrive in it, which isn't expandable. It's respectable for SD programming, but it's just too small for HD.
It seems fast to me but again I have not used any other DVR. I get no complaints from the wife and kids so it must be doing just fine.
And what makes the space even worse is that programming takes up much more room on this box than on the DirecTV DVRs. For example, on my R15, I noticed an average of about 1GB/1 hour of programming for SD. This box uses about 2 - 3 times the amount of space for SD programming (again, never having had HD with DirecTV, I can't compare the programming time for HD). As a result, the box will store at most 80 - 85 hours of SD, and about 20 hours of HD. Now the reason for the extra space is actually a good thing - Verizon doesn't compress their picture nearly as much as DirecTV does.
I don't think they do any compression and that's why it takes up so much more space but I could be wrong. From what I understand Verizon is utilizing very little of what's capable of the fiber optics.
Next up the multi-room capabilities. I have the multi-room DVR, and a standard STB on a second TV. So, answering your question - yes, you can watch what you record on the DVR on multiple TVs. You can hook up up to 6 additional TVs to the multi-room DVR (3 at one time - meaning that you can watch 4 shows all at the same time - one on the TV with the DVR, and 1 each on 3 separate TVs).
I just got the Multi Room feature and all I can say is "Yeah Baby"
The multi-room feature works really well, and I like it alot (with DirecTV I had two R15s, and I really hated having 2 DVRs - the second was just a back-up of the first, allowing me to watch stuff on the family room TV if the kids were on the living room TV - as a result, I just ended up setting up the same recordings on both DVRs - I HATED doing that dual maintenance). And the multi-room DVR gives you access to their Media Manager s/w, allowing you to transfer digital pictures and music from your computer to your TV (and soon to include games).
All that being said, there are some downsides to the multi-room DVR:
1) You need standard STBs on each additional TV you're using to access the multi-room feed. In my case, I have 2 TVs - an HD in my living room (with the DVR), and an SD in the family room (with a standard STB).
2) You currently can't feed out HD programming. In fact, the multi-room feed currently doesn't even work with the HD STB. If you want to use the multi-room capability you HAVE to use standard def STBs on your other TVs. You can record HD, and watch it just fine on the TV that the DVR is hooked to, but you can't currently feed out HD to your other TVs. One note with this - Verizon is well aware of the desire to feed out HD programming, and this is one piece of functionality that they're looking to add in short order.
He's correct on this
3) When accessing recorded content on one of your standard STBs, there's a real noticeable delay when using the "trickplay" functions (e.g. ffwd, rwd, et. al.) - on the order of 4 - 5 seconds between the time you press the button until you see it respond on the TV. The reason is because of how the recordings are accessed. Most of the video feed for your TV comes in via QAM - directly fed to your TVs. Some of the data, however, comes in via IP - via your router. This includes stuff like guide data, video on demand, widgets, and the multi-room video feeds are handled this way too. So, when you press "ffwd", the command goes from the standard STB -> router -> DVR, and the response goes back the same way, in reverse (DVR -> router -> STB).
I haven't really used this feature enough to judge, but the one time I did use it it move fairly fast to me.
4) Even though you get the Media Manager feature, you can only access the pictures and music on the TV that has the DVR.
Maybe I'm reading this wrong, but from what I understand, you should be able to share pictures and music (play music thru the STBs) to all other STBs via the Media Mgr.
5) Once you get a second DVR, I don't think you can use the multi-room features anymore.
Yes, you can have 2 DVRs. I have 2 of them, one in the basement (Multiroom hub) and one my bedroom. They will try to tell you they can't determine which DVR will get to be the Multi Media HUB (if you have more than 1 DVR) but don't buy it. Have the serial number of the box you want to be the HUB and tell them that's the box you want to be the Multi Room hub. My installer put the serial numbers on the the manual for each room.
... Hope that helps. I really loved my DirecTV service (I was a customer for 5 years), but I like FiOS better. Oh, one more thing. If you're on the fence you can always do what I did. DirecTV allows you to suspend your account for up to 9 months. And Verizon gives you a 30-day trial with FiOS. Actually, Verizon doesn't have a mandatory commitment. If you sign up for a one-year commitment, however, you get $5 off/month for the year. And the commitment doesn't kick in for 30 days.
Yep, this is what I did too.
One exception to this, however, is the triple-play packages. Those all vary by state, and the one I signed up for locks me in for 2 years - and (and this is important) the commitment with the triple play kicks in right away. ..
Here in Maryland, you can do the Triple Play for a one year commitment but they charge an extra $10 per month. But if you commit for 2 years they don't charge the extra $10. I, gulp, signed for a 2 year commitment and believe me I do not like committing to anything for 2 years, except of course my marriage, but I think it's that good, plus I do get a 30 day trial period. Also, if you have Verizon wireless, you can combine it with the FIOS bill, get a one-time $25 credit and a $5 credit off your monthly bills as long as you keep the bills combined. Plus, I got one of the boxes installed free and a monthly credit of $4.99 per month(one STB for free)
I just wanted to piggy back off these comments and provide my .02because it pretty much tells the story.