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TiVo Stream transcoder review: TiVo is bringing streaming to mobile devices, starting with iOS
More Info Updated TiVo Netflix, YouTube interfaces and iPad streaming hands-on TiVo Stream DVR-to-iOS transcoder box pops up for $129 pre-orders early TiVo Stream transcoder officially set to go on sale September 6th for $129 Back when we first reviewed the TiVo Premiere for iPad app, there were folks who complained about not being able to stream content. It seems, though, that TiVo was one step ahead of us: back at CES the company teased a transcoder -- a device that would later be known as the Stream. As its name suggests, this little box streams recordings from your TiVo Premiere to as many as four iOS devices with the help of your local network. You can also use it to transfer shows for on-the-go viewing. So is it worth the additional $129? Let's find out.%Gallery-163753%
Wall Street Journal goes hands-on with TiVo Stream
Earlier this week, TiVo confirmed it will start selling its TiVo Stream transcoder box in early September. Announced at CES 2012, the TiVo Stream connects to a TiVo Premiere set-top box and streams both recorded and live TV to your iPhone, iPod touch and iPad. The Wall Street Journal got a review unit and ran the TiVo Stream through its paces. You can get a quick rundown of the device and a brief look at the iPad app by watching the WSJ's video review.
TiVo Stream iOS transcoder box due September 6th
Earlier this year, TiVo unveiled the TiVo Stream, a streaming media device that sends TiVo content to your iPad and iPhone. TiVo had a prototype of the device at CES 2012 and later confirmed the Stream would land this summer. Now that the summer is over, the company is ready to kick off sales of the device in early September, says a report in AllThingsD. The TiVo Stream is an external device that connects to your TiVo Premiere or Premiere Q DVR and streams content to a mobile device, which currently is the iPhone and iPad. Customers can watch recorded content and even download shows to their iOS device for offline viewing. TiVo Stream also serves up the channel guide and lets customers watch their favorite TV show live. According to AllThingsD, the TiVo Stream will be available starting September 6 for $130. The device will initially go on sale at Tivo.com and then land at Best Buy in the following weeks. It requires a TiVo Premiere set-top box and a TiVo subscription.
TiVo Stream transcoder officially set to go on sale September 6th for $129
A bit of early access for pre-orders blew the surprise, but TiVo has officially announced that its Stream transcoder device will hit stores on September 6th. Priced at $130 the feature set should be familiar by now: plug it into a home network that also has a TiVo Premiere series DVR connected to it, and it takes in live or recorded programming and reformats it for viewing on a mobile device. Currently those mobile devices are limited to the iOS family, but TiVo says Android access is coming. According to the company, the Stream is the first device to allow streaming and recording to as many as four devices without interrupting what's currently being viewed on the TV. Comparing it to the others, live streaming or VOD in and out of the home on mobile devices is a feature several cable / satellite companies offer, Dish Network has tight Sling integration for streaming in multiple locations, and both DirecTV's Nomad and the Monsoon Vulkano boxes do place-shifting, the a combination of features plus a familiar TiVo UI puts the Stream in the lead, at least on paper. We're testing one now and should have a better handle on its strengths and weaknesses soon -- we'll have a comprehensive review for you soon.
TiVo Stream DVR-to-iOS transcoder box pops up for $129 pre-orders early
We haven't heard a lot about TiVo's Stream transcoder since it was officially unveiled in May, but today emails went out to winners of a Facebook contest informing them they can pre-order one for $129 (plus shipping) and receive it on September 5th. In case you've forgotten what its capabilities are, the notice shown above from Zatz Not Funny also includes a description of its capabilities which include streaming shows to up to three different mobile devices (iPhone, iPad or iPod Touch) in the home at once, streaming a show to your mobile as it's recorded, or wirelessly transferring shows to the device to view them on the move, TiVoToGo-style. Those interested will of course need a Premiere series DVR that's hard-wired to a router, but with that it's just a one time fee to easily cut the tether on TV content. Interestingly, a few TiVo Community posters report being able to preorder from the listed number without being in the contest, so if you're already intending to jump just pick up the phone and give it a shot. [Thanks, @BrennokBob, Joe]
TiVo planning iOS streaming for this summer
Here's some good news for TiVo users: The DVR company is planning to follow the lead of other broadcasting services, and provide for streaming of recorded TiVo content to iOS devices later this summer. To do so, you'll need to have a TiVo Premiere, which is the company's web-connected DVR streaming device, as well as an external box called the TiVo Stream, which will take recorded content on the DVR, and set it up to stream through the Internet to your mobile device. And by "mobile device," we mean the iPhone or the iPad -- TiVo has only mentioned the capability for Apple devices so far, so Android users are out of luck for now. There are already plenty of ways to watch TV or movies on your iPhone (from Netflix and Hulu to full cable services and even add-on accessories), but if you already have a TiVo grabbing content for you, a device like this should make it easy to watch that content anywhere.
TiVo's Stream transcoding box and IP connected extender make their debut at Cable Show 2012
Now that TiVo has delivered updated software for its Premiere boxes its focus is turning to some new hardware accessories, including the TiVoToGo-style transcoder we saw at CES, now dubbed Stream (top), and the IP extender set-top box mentioned earlier this year (bottom). According to TiVo's press release, both boxes will be available at retail and via the various cable operators that are offering its DVRs to their customers, while availability will be announced "in the coming months". The Stream transcoder reformats live and recorded video from a Premiere DVR for viewing on mobile devices or tablets (including sideloading for offline viewing away from the home), and TiVo says it's the first to stream or download shows simultaneously to multiple devices like iPads or iPhones without interrupting what's being watched. The IP box on the other hand is all about multiroom, designed to pull in either live or recorded video from a Premiere Q plus cable VOD and internet content, similar to the existing Preview but without the CableCARD tuner. A press release follows after the break, while Zatz Not Funny has a few pics of them on the floor at this week's 2012 NCTA Cable Show.
