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Verizon catches up to the pack with on-the-go DVR streaming
Heads-up, FIOS fans: Verizon (which, through a bizarre turn of events, now owns our parent company AOL) is now letting all of its FIOS subscribers stream the contents of their DVRs to their smartphones and tablets. Well, most of that content, anyway -- the company's official statement says users can stream "nearly all" of their recordings to their mobile devices, and we're trying to figure out where exactly Verizon is drawing the line.
Startup promises a legal alternative to Aereo's TV streaming
TiVo may have dreams of becoming the next Aereo and giving you access to over-the-air TV in the cloud, but one startup isn't willing to wait that long. FreeAir.tv is crowdfunding CloudAntenna, an attempt at recreating Aereo's TV streaming model (it even copied the signature "A" logo) without angering broadcasters. As before, you're streaming free-to-air TV shows that you can save to the cloud for later -- the big difference is that you're buying an antenna box that sits at home, rather than access to a company-owned, legally dodgy antenna like Aereo's. You can even pay for a World TV package that gives you 600-plus international stations, in case local programming just isn't enough.
TiVo's QuickMode viewing feature hits all Roamio DVRs
Tivo's QuickMode option, which lets you speed up recorded shows with pitch-corrected audio, is available on every Roamio DVR as of today. The feature arrived last week for the TiVo Bolt, the company's latest set-top box, but it is now officially expanding to the entire Roamio family. TiVo says that, along with the release of QuickMode, it's also making other goods available in today's update. There's a refreshed look and feel in the TiVo Guide, as well as a new setting designed to make it easy for cord-cutters to get access to their content. Of course, the main attraction here is QuickMode -- TiVo says it can "shave a month of time each year" for people who want to watch shows at a faster pace.
TiVo's ad-skipping tech is coming to its older Roamio DVRs
It looks like TiVo Roamio owners won't need to buy an upgraded box for the new SkipMode feature. Zatz Not Funny points out info on TiVo's website promising SkipMode will come to older Roamio DVRs on December 10th, which the company confirmed in a statement to Engadget. Starting today, a software update is going out that enabled QuickMode sped-up viewing on the Roamio. Meanwhile, a limited test will only let older boxes in the Bay Area and Chicago access SkipMode, for now (it's available nationwide on the Bolt). In case you're not familiar, SkipMode lets users bypass ad breaks on selected shows (prime time broadcasts on certain national networks) just by pressing the green button on their remote. At least so far, it has avoided any legal issues seen by Dish Network's Hopper technology, and hopefully will continue to work as advertised. When I reviewed the Bolt, I found my favorite way to use it was skipping any stray seconds recorded before a show starts, so I could leap to the actual beginning. Update: TiVo has informed us that the SkipMode rollout for Roamio will start November 30th.
TiVo Bolt review: Getting smaller and faster has a price
TiVo has been in the DVR game for the better part of two decades, and even in the slow-paced TV world, that's enough time to see lots of change. Surprisingly, with the introduction of its Bolt DVR (excuse me: Unified Entertainment System) TiVo grabbed a feature from one of its oldest competitors in order to do battle with newer rivals. The company seems to have realized it's not just trying to beat your cable or satellite company's half-assed excuse for a set-top box, as Apple, Google, Roku, Amazon and others join game systems and Blu-ray players in a fight for living room dominance. Now, TiVo has a new design and, for the first time, a solution for easily skipping commercials. Still, that might not be enough to make the Bolt (starting at $300) a good buy.
TiVo exec explains Bolt strategy, Fire TV app and new Pro next year
When the TiVo Bolt was unveiled earlier this week, most of the questions (that weren't about its odd shape) came from long-time enthusiasts wondering why it doesn't cater to them? Many aren't willing to downgrade from a Roamio Pro's 6 tuners and 3TB storage just to add 4K and commercial skipping. Dave Zatz points out that today TiVo Chief Marketing Officer Ira Bahr has faced the company's most dedicated fans in a thread on TiVo Community, and says not to worry. According to Bahr, "we already have a roadmap plan to bring you something you'll like way better in 2016 (more on this shortly)." As I figured during our Bolt preview, this device is an attempt to connect with new users, among the millions of people buying streaming boxes as they use internet video services to replace or add to traditional TV. As far as the look of the Bolt, Bahr said "my view is that we have to look different."
TiVo's 4K-ready, commercial skipping Bolt hints at the future
This new Bolt DVR may not totally remake the recording technology TiVo is famous for, but it introduces a sharp departure in design and adds features customers have asked for since it started in the late 90s. Just like the leaks suggested, the Bolt is a funky arc-shaped white box that looks different from anything else near your HDTV. Despite being smaller than TiVo's older DVRs -- or whatever cable box you probably have -- it's eye-catching enough for visitors to stop and ask what you're watching TV on. Looks aside, Bolt's main claim to fame will definitely be its ability to bypass commercials with a new SkipMode (No more hidden 30 second skip! We've been asking for this since 2009). That's actually an old trick, and while it's appreciated, where I see evidence of TiVo looking towards the future is the way it's connecting the DVR to Amazon's Fire TV.
TiVo owners can finally download recordings on Android
About a year ago TiVo added video streaming to its Android app, and now the app can also download recordings for offline viewing. It's something TiVo DVR owners with iOS have been able to do for nearly two years, but better late than never (we guess). As noted by Dave Zatz, if you have a Roamio Pro or Plus, the necessary hardware to convert TV shows and movies (that aren't flagged by your cable company to prevent transfers) is built-in, while owners of a Roamio Basic, Roamio OTA or Premiere box will need a TiVo Stream add-on to make the magic happen. We tried it and it worked without a hitch, and you can even choose what quality to download the recordings in, if you need to keep an eye on available storage space. The only bad news, is that if your space is mostly on an SD card, there's no way to select a different download location at this time. [Thanks, Dan]
EE TV's getting new mobile features and on-demand apps
EE TV is a tough sell at the moment because, in exchange for the rudimentary set-top box, you have to sign up for both EE mobile and home broadband. Freeview DVR, multi-device streaming and some on-demand services are a nice bonus if you happen to be signed up for both anyway, but it's hardly a reason to switch. EE seems to have recognised this, because today it's announcing a software update which puts further emphasis on the mobile part. From August 25th, you'll see a new section in the EE TV app called "My TV," which personalises the guide by showing your favourite shows, channels and recordings. You'll even be able to "Flick" your photos and videos to the TV Chromecast-style.
Leaks point to a new TiVo 'Bolt' DVR on the way
So what's next for TiVo? After the company successfully kicked off the DVR era with its boxes, the world is now changing into one where cable TV isn't quite as important. Purchasing the remnant of Aereo is one way to get cord-cutters attention, but fusing what's left of traditional TV with the internet is going to be an interesting problem to solve over the next few years. Dave Zatz has tracked down a mess of filings and even mentions on TiVo's own website pointing to a new "Bolt." Based on the recent CableLabs certification of two new boxes July 1st and a trademark application, the Bolt definitely seems like a new DVR, possibly a replacement for the current Roamio.
Xbox One will be a 'full-featured' DVR for TV
We'd heard rumblings for some time, but today at Gamescom, Microsoft announced that Xbox One would get its own DVR. The new functionality works from the OneGuide and streams over-the-air TV recordings to any Windows 10 device with the Xbox app or SmartGlass on iOS and Android. And you'll also be able to watch offline, too. With those two apps, you'll be able to schedule shows to record when you're away from OneGuide in your living room. Recorded content stored on an external DVR was viewable on the Xbox One's TV option, but now, the console itself will pull double duty. The console also has the ability to stream over-the-air television channels thanks to a pair of digital TV tuners, so adding in the recorder offers a complete package for game and TV viewing. Xbox One's DVR will arrive in 2016 and won't command any additional fees.
Comcast's X1 box automatically records extra-long events
There are few things worse for DVR-toting sports fans than to realize that a game is going into extra time that they can't record -- just ask Red Sox and Yankees fans, who may have missed 10 innings this April. Thankfully, Comcast might save you from similar TV tragedies in the future. It's planning an upgrade to its X1 set-top box that can automatically extend recording in half-hour increments when a live event runs past its scheduled end. The extension feature is currently only useful for major sports leagues (MLB, NASCAR, NBA, NCAA basketball and football, NFL, NHL and soccer), but it should be reaching other live events in the future.
TiVo's iOS app now sends video to your Apple TV
Have one of TiVo's DVRs in the living room, but would rather not get another one of its devices just to watch recordings in the basement? If you use Apple devices at home, you no longer have to. TiVo has updated its iOS app with (long, long overdue) AirPlay mirroring support, so you can send your recorded shows to an Apple TV as long as everything is on the same local network. You'll need a Premiere, Roamio Plus, Roamio Pro or Stream device for AirPlay to even be an option, so don't get your hopes up if you're hanging on to old hardware. Still, this a big step forward -- you now have an easy way to catch up on missed episodes without having a TiVo-based set-top attached to your TV of choice.
Comcast 'Co-Pilot' is tech support screen sharing for your DVR
Comcast's X1 DVR platform is pretty powerful, but with more moving parts comes the chance for more things to go wrong. As PC tech support users might know, sometimes the easiest way to describe a problem isn't to speak at all, but to give someone remote access to your computer so they can see what's what. Comcast is trying that with "Co-Pilot" which allows customer service reps to take control and walk you through any fixes. You shouldn't have to worry about anything nefarious going down, though: the techs can only access your DVR after being given a special code. Currently Co-Pilot is in a limited trial phase but Comcast plans to go wide with it later this year. Not too shabby for one of the most-hated companies in America, eh? [Image credit: Getty Images]
TiVo gives ex-Aereo customers a break on its cord-cutter DVR
TiVo made no bones about wanting to scoop up Aereo's former cord-cutter TV business, and that apparently includes many of its viewers. The DVR provider has launched a promo for ex-Aereo customers that gives you a Roamio OTA box, a TiVo Stream and two years of service for no money down and $20 per month. It's not the hugest deal in the world, and it won't exactly match what you got under Aereo, but it could help if you're still hunting for an easy way to watch over-the-air broadcasts on your own terms.
TiVo Online has some web TV for everyone, more if you have a TiVo
We still haven't progressed to TiVo's cloud DVR future, but the company is jumping ahead with the launch of TiVo Online. That is the name of its new web portal that collects video from cable channels, internet sources and even your TiVo DVR (if you have one), to put TV on your computer easily. The interesting part is that it's usable by anyone, but you'll get a lot more out of it if you have cable, and/or a TiVo DVR. Also, TiVo just launched upgrades bringing Plex, iHeartRadio and Yahoo Screen to its boxes. We took TiVo Online for a spin and on the plus side, it's a welcome improvement from the web features TiVo has offered so far, but it has a few drawbacks.
TiVo said to be launching Cox video on demand
You're forgiven if you forgot that TiVo and Cox were once best buddies. They formed a partnership years ago, but that alliance quietly fell by the wayside. However, there are signs that it could come roaring back. Tipsters tell Zatz Not Funny (which has a good record with such leaks) that TiVo is close to launching Cox On Demand services. It's not clear whether this will simply rehash the DVR maker's Comcast technology or try something new. If the rumor is true, though, this could be heartening news -- you could spring for one of TiVo's nicer video recorders without having to sacrifice all the on-demand content that comes with your Cox TV package.
Plex brings photos, music and video streaming to TiVo June 8th
After a number of leaks and hints, this week Plex and TiVo announced their products will start working together soon. Plex media server gives users a way to easily stream photos, music or video files to devices like Roku and Chromecast, and pulls content from local hard drive or the cloud all the same. Mixing up its abilities with TiVo gives people who like traditional TV and their own media libraries an easy way to enjoy both (on an unrelated note -- the HDHomeRun DVR Kickstarter added Plex support as its $250,000 stretch goal).
HDHomeRun Kickstarter wants to build the perfect DVR for you
Now that Microsoft has announced it's through with Windows Media Center, what options do you have left to build your own machine for recording, organizing and watching TV? A new one ready to enter the scene is SiliconDust's HDHomeRun DVR, which recently launched on Kickstarter and is scheduled to arrive this fall. SiliconDust made a name for itself among home theater PC builders by bringing the devices they need to plug in cable or antenna TV, and with the DVR it's making the software too. Diving into the crowdfunding effort now will get you early access to software that promises TV how and where you want, all without needing to build a computer to run it. [Thanks to everyone who sent this in]
Xbox One rumor claims DVR is coming to replace Media Center
Even as Microsoft buries Windows Media Center, there's a rumor that it actually does have a plan for a replacement. According to Paul Thurrott's sources, the Xbox One will gain the ability to record live TV "probably this year." That's the kind of feature Microsoft originally envisioned for its all-in-on game console, but so far does not offer. The live TV tuner that's available in Europe and coming to North America offers some trick play pause/rewind support, but full DVR functionality would be a big shift. The PlayStation 4 has a DVR for subscribers of to the Vue TV service, but that's relatively expensive and only available in a few areas so far. Proper DVR support combined with that antenna (and hopefully, cable TV access for the people who haven't cut the cord yet), could provide a more flexible option. Of course, if anyone has the technology prepared to roll out it should be Microsoft, but we'll have to wait and see when/if it comes to fruition. [Image credit: Stephen Brashear/Invision/AP]
