TiVo to release Apple TV app later this year for streaming live and DVR content

AppleInsiderAppleInsider
Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV edited January 2019
In a surprise move that answers a longstanding request from many end users, TiVo at CES 2019 announced plans to release a tvOS app that will allow Apple TV users to watch live and recorded content without investing in multiple TiVo set-top boxes.

TiVo
TiVo app for Roku seen at CES 2019. | Source: Zats Not Funny


TiVo demonstrated the app, which will also debut for Roku and Amazon's Fire TV, at its booth ahead of an anticipated launch in the second or third quarter of 2019, reports Zats Not Funny.

The app enables access to TiVo accounts from third-party hardware, meaning users can watch live programming and content stored through TiVo's DVR system. This added flexibility will allow users to run the service on multiple televisions without purchasing a first-party device like the TiVo Mini VOX. A software client solution also makes portability possible through third-party streaming sticks.

Currently, the only option to transport TiVo services to a second or third TV is through TiVo's own devices. The aforementioned TiVo Mini is the cheapest offering, but at $180 the solution is hardly ideal for houses with TVs in every room.





According to the report, the forthcoming TiVo apps will be free, with no monthly fees or charges added to TiVo's usual rates.

Users who elect to go the app route will have to cede a few features like 5.1 surround sound audio output and "SkipMode," which fast forwards through commercials. For many, however, the potential savings outweighs those creature comforts.

TiVo did not provide a firm launch date and instead provided an estimate between the second and third quarters of this year. A Fire TV app will arrive first, followed by a version for Roku and finally Apple TV, the company said.

Comments

  • Reply 1 of 10
    applesauce007applesauce007 Posts: 1,698member
    This TiVo app also looks very nice.

    Between DirecTV Now, Spectrum, TiVo, Google TV, Hulu TV, Sling, PlayStation Vue, cord cutters rejoice with lots of options.
    This will put pressure on all major cable companies to provide Streaming Apps.
    Time will tell.
  • Reply 2 of 10
    dix99dix99 Posts: 12member
    I’m not sure how this will work. TiVo just loves you to push lots of buttons to navigate their box. It takes 6 clicks, just to put it asleep & with that AppleTV remote, that’s gonna be real fun. 
    cpsro
  • Reply 3 of 10
    libertyforalllibertyforall Posts: 1,418member
    Day late and a dollar short?  
  • Reply 4 of 10
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,198member
    dix99 said:
    I’m not sure how this will work. TiVo just loves you to push lots of buttons to navigate their box. It takes 6 clicks, just to put it asleep & with that AppleTV remote, that’s gonna be real fun. 
    TiVo's UI designer is a numbskull. The "new" UI is hideous, hideously complex, and inconsistent. It's also so much more difficult to read for the sight-impaired that an "upgrade" to the new UI essentially renders the box useless.
    edited January 2019 Samr
  • Reply 5 of 10
    cpsrocpsro Posts: 3,198member
    But will the tvOS app support out-of-home streaming like the iOS app does? (The TabloTV app for tvOS doesn't support out-of-home streaming, to its detriment.)
    edited January 2019
  • Reply 6 of 10
    wigginwiggin Posts: 2,265member
    cpsro said:
    dix99 said:
    I’m not sure how this will work. TiVo just loves you to push lots of buttons to navigate their box. It takes 6 clicks, just to put it asleep & with that AppleTV remote, that’s gonna be real fun. 
    TiVo's UI designer is a numbskull. The "new" UI is hideous, hideously complex, and inconsistent. It's also so much more difficult to read for the sight-impaired that an "upgrade" to the new UI essentially renders the box useless.
    cpsro said:
    But will the tvOS app support out-of-home streaming like the iOS app does? (The TabloTV app for tvOS doesn't support out-of-home streaming, to its detriment.)
    Your comments are comparing the tvOS apps to the iOS app, but they server different purposes. I agree with you that the TiVo iOS app is by far the worst upgrade to an iOS app in the history of iOS. So much so that I downgraded back to the previous version, and I will stay on that version until they fix the abomination they created.

    As for the out-of-home streaming, that is also a function of the iOS app. The tvOS app is meant to be a replacement for purchasing a TiVo mini, which also does not do out-of-home streaming as it's not intended to be a portable device.

    I will be curious to see exactly how they are implementing this. Is lack of support for 5.1 audio an indication that they are transcoding the video on your main TiVo box before sending it to the app (vs sending the native data stream recorded on the main box)? Or are the simply not including that feature to differentiate it from (and encouraging continues sales of) the TiVo mini? Also, will you be able to stream all content? For example, you can stream content to your Mac/PC on your home network, but not content from some pay channels.
  • Reply 7 of 10
    backstabbackstab Posts: 138member
    dix99 said:
    I’m not sure how this will work. TiVo just loves you to push lots of buttons to navigate their box. It takes 6 clicks, just to put it asleep & with that AppleTV remote, that’s gonna be real fun. 
    Nice job with the copy & paste.
    (not so good using a TiVo though)
    edited January 2019
  • Reply 8 of 10
    gatorguygatorguy Posts: 24,213member
    cpsro said:
    dix99 said:
    I’m not sure how this will work. TiVo just loves you to push lots of buttons to navigate their box. It takes 6 clicks, just to put it asleep & with that AppleTV remote, that’s gonna be real fun. 
    TiVo's UI designer is a numbskull. The "new" UI is hideous, hideously complex, and inconsistent. It's also so much more difficult to read for the sight-impaired that an "upgrade" to the new UI essentially renders the box useless.
    So far I've refused their upgrade to the "new UI". I've read so many complaints about it being a downgrade instead. 
  • Reply 9 of 10
    reciprocityreciprocity Posts: 19member
    This is appealing to me as it would eliminate the need to switch back and forth between sources on my TV (between Apple TV and TiVo). That said, I would miss the TiVo remote, SkipMode, and precise fast forward/pause/rewind features—they're all better on TiVo. Now if TiVo would license their best-in-class play/pause/rewind capabilities to Apple and allow pairing the TiVo remote to the Apple TV, I'd be very interested! (Hah!)
  • Reply 10 of 10
    docno42docno42 Posts: 3,755member
    dix99 said:
    I’m not sure how this will work. TiVo just loves you to push lots of buttons to navigate their box. It takes 6 clicks, just to put it asleep 
    Why the hell would you ever put your Tivo "to sleep"

    You realize all that does is turn off the front lights, right?  Tivo couldn't serve it's primary purpose - recording shows - if it is sleeping now, could it?  

    Their new interface did introduce some more steps to get to some features, but reduced the number to get to many others so it's mainly a wash.  At least with Tivo I can jump forwards and backwards quickly and smoothly, unlike streaming from any other provider where buffering turns anything other than moving forward in time in a linear fashion an extreme PITA.

    If streaming from any service ever is as smooth as playing back content recorded on my Tivo then I may finally consider ditching it.  Unfortunately Netflix, Amazon, Hulu and others I have tried are a complete joke when it comes to either seeking backwards or forwards while watching content.  It's nuts what people put up with or consider good.  Maybe ignorance is bliss?
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