Verizon, love em and hate em

After finally getting the new Vizio HDTV and Internet Apps up and running yesterday in spite of a terrible quickstart guide, Verizon proved today that some manual was better than none.

We went to a Verizon store to exchange our standard definition box for a HD box. I was expecting from previous info online to get a cardboard box with a remote, HDMI wire, instruction heets and silver colored set top box. First the guy at the store tried to sell me a $20 HMDI wire which I refused cuz believed it was supposed to be included and figured I would get a better deal elsewhere. He doesn't give us any information written or verbally and the little black set top box he gave us looked nothing like the ones shown online. We did get a card giving us a web address for an online manual but the web address was a dead end and nothing like our little black box was there so I googled its model number and found it but no FIOS related information, just how to wire it which was obvious. Anywho, I hook it all up and nothing happens. The little black box just sat there quietly not responding to anything so I call the store and am told I interrupted the activation process pressing the power button and should call the number for activation on my receipt. Was on the phone for 30 minutes with the person answering the activation number, giving her all sorts of info and then she says it'll take an hour and a tech will call me. In about an hour, I call again and go through the whole question and answer routine again and am told another hour. Meanwhile she explains they stopped giving the customers the cheap HMDI wires because of complaints so now sell the pricier ones. So I figured to wait and see what happens before running out to Walmart for a HMDI wire. Finally, 3 hours after bringing the little black box home, it starts doing some stuff on our tv screen and eventually it is working. The tech calls soon afterwards and advises us of the benefits of the HMDI wire so off to Walmart we go. Walmart's price started at $19 but the clerk there said they had cheaper ones that received so many complaints that they had them removed from their inventory. So I figured I had enough consumer grief and didn't need a faulty wire like Verizon used to giveaway or Walmart used to sell and bought the darn thing. Finally, something happened right and the wire was fine. Everything looks great, even the standard definition channels which are now on a larger screen without distortion.

Ironically, something the techs did during activation of the HD box froze another set top box in another room but luckily, just unplugging it and replugging it unfroze it.