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TiVo teases long-awaited HD guide upgrades for fall DVR update
When we originally reviewed the TiVo Premiere DVR back in 2010, one of our laments was that its revamped HD guide style didn't cover all of the screens in its menu system, and the issue still existed when we reviewed the XL4 earlier this year. Finally, that's being addressed, as TiVo VP Margret Schmidt has confirmed the upcoming fall update will bring reworked screens for the To Do List, Season Pass Manager and My Shows (for networked DVRs), and tweeted screenshots. Also of note are a number of Comcast areas recently added to the list of places that support Xfinity VOD via TiVo, so check your zip code to be sure. As far as the update goes, as usual, if you'd like to be first on the list to try it out, go ahead and sign up on the Priority list right away.
TiVo opens up Developer Channel, lets third parties create apps for your DVR
Other than what feels like a very slow pace of updates, one of our gripes with TiVo's Premiere DVR platform has been a relative lack of new apps being released. Hopefully that could change soon, now that the company has opened up its Developer Channel to allow interested parties access to its SDK and tools to build their own apps. Although as our friend Dave Zatz points out, it doesn't guarantee apps will be released even if certified, anyone ready to get down with TiVo's Adobe-based environment should take a peek around. The notes do reveal some interesting details like the fact that only one app can run at a time so when an app is launched the TiVo UI is suspended, and that apps are restricted to 720p resolution only, 32MB of system memory, 20MB graphics memory and 1MB hard drive space quota. We don't know yet what can be constructed with those tools, but go ahead -- surprise us.
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 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 Premiere 4 is official, brings four tuners and 500GB of storage for $250
The TiVo Premiere 4 DVR that broke cover a few days ago has been officially confirmed by the company, with exactly the specs indicated. In case you're not familiar, it's a quad tuner DVR that ships with a 500GB hard drive and standard TiVo remote, slotting in below its big brother at retail -- the 2TB and THX-endowed Premiere XL4. Despite a smaller hard drive the quad-tuner is something that Doug Bieter, director of retail sales, says solves the Sunday night log jam of shows even if it's less of a multi-season archive machine. Thanks to MoCA and Ethernet still coming along for the ride it's particularly ideal for multiroom setups when combined with the extender that's still due to arrive soon. The Premiere 4 will start shipping right away and will cost owners $249 along with a one year commitment to service at $14.99 or lifetime service for $499, check TiVo.com, custom installers and Best Buy Magnolia stores near you to snag one.
TiVo Premiere 4 confirmed early, promises a 4-tuner DVR for the masses
TiVo owners who've wanted to record any more than two shows at a time or use more recent technology like MoCA have had to look towards the wallet-busting Premiere XL4, at least if they didn't happen to rely on a cable provider bundling the Premiere Q. Thankfully, TiVo has told Zatz Not Funny that a more affordable Premiere 4 option is on the way. The new DVR will still require QAM digital cable or FiOS TV for its tuners to sing, but its 500GB of space will likely lead to a significant price cut versus the 2TB-touting XL4 -- if also a whole lot of deleted old shows. MoCA, an eSATA port and a single CableCARD slot will carry over, so there's few other penalties in store for those who pass on the XL4 flagship. We don't have any official word on the launch strategy so far, although one loose-lipped rep has floated the rumor of a release within the next one to two months at $250 price tag. If true, the Premiere 4 will go a long way towards satisfying TV junkies who are more concerned about catching every show in a crowded prime time slot (and a lower cost) than digging through months-old archives.
Comcast VOD for TiVo Premieres expands to Boston, old Comcast TiVos shut off in August
Where we expected, although not precisely when, TiVo and Comcast have expanded their alliance to Boston starting today. That means TiVo Premieres in the area will be able to access the company's cable video on-demand, however it also marks an end to the old Motorola-built Comcast boxes that ran TiVo software. Confirming a note received by one of our commenters, the test units that started rolling out in a few areas back in '08 whill be shut off on or shortly after August 1st, and users are being encouraged to upgrade to a new Premiere unit. Whether you rep New England or are just waiting for an update on your neck of the woods, as usual TiVo's blog has more information or you can sign up at its Comcast portal to find out when Xfinity On Demand is coming your way.
Comcast video on-demand comes to Boston area TiVo Premieres Monday
Now that Comcast has started delivering its video on-demand to TiVo Premieres, the company has now revealed the second area where access will be turned on is Boston, starting Monday. The news was announced in a tweet from Head of Corporate Communications Steve Wymer, and as Gizmo Lovers notes, was likely held back as Comcast announced its own X1 platform would launch soon in Boston as well. We're now more than a year past the original announcement, hopefully this is just the start of the rollout as it picks up the pace, if the two companies work well together maybe Comcast could be on the list for that six-tuner Pace box at some point. Update: And just like that.. it was not announced. Steve has indicated he was actually RTing someone else, and no date has been confirmed for the rollout of Comcast VOD on Beantown TiVos.
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 Premiere XL4 review
With the recent spring TiVo Premiere update we figured it was as good of a time as any to spend some quality time with the newly-renamed TiVo Premiere XL4. The highest model in the TiVo line, the XL4 costs $399 plus $15 a month, or $499 for lifetime service. For the money, it records four HD shows at once with a single CableCARD and offers 2TB of storage. More tuners and space aren't the only things that have changed since we gave the original TiVo Premiere a once-over just two years ago. No, there have been a few notable releases as well as the release of the TiVo Slide Remote and a number of TiVo companion apps for phones and tablets. How all that comes together is exactly what you'll find out should you choose to click on through to the other side.
TiVo Spring update brings new Netflix and YouTube experience
As promised at CES earlier this year, TiVo has released its Spring update with the anticipated new Netflix and YouTube apps, as well as porting parental control options to the Premiere's HD user interface. Netflix is the most intriguing of the additions, but while TiVo Premiere owners can now watch Netflix 1080p programming with Dolby Digital Plus discrete surround sound, like Hulu Plus, it isn't a TiVo experience. The new Google-built YouTube app is also like any other streamer and with the exception of search, there isn't much integration at all. Parental control options can finally be set when using the HD UI, but still isn't as full featured as it was with the old UI and is a far cry from KidZone. What the update doesn't do yet however, is complete the HD interface transformation that some Premiere owners have been waiting two years for. Still, we suspect that caveat won't stop owners from rolling the dice on an update check for their TiVo every day over the next few weeks.
Comcast VOD coming to Boston TiVos, next gen X1 DVR platform could launch there too
Comcast already reported its Q1 results earlier today but on the earnings call CEO of the cable division Neil Smit revealed its next generation X1 cloud DVRs (previously called Xcalibur and promised for a wide rollout to "hundreds of thousands" of customers this year) will launch in a major market in the second quarter. Light Reading cites sources indicating field testing is already under way in Boston and that it could launch in May which fits all too well because The Cable Show will take place there May 21st. In case you've forgotten, the quad-tuner X1 DVRs have an all new UI with support for third party apps and social media tie-ins, and will reportedly precede the company's eventual push towards IP video. While that's the rumor, what we do know is that TiVo has completed the rollout of Comcast video on-demand support to Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area, and also let us know that Boston, coincidentally, will be next. Customers in other areas can sign up on TiVo's site at the link below for notifications when the feature goes live in their neck of the woods.%Gallery-124121%
TiVo quietly rebrands the Premiere Elite DVR as the Premiere XL4 under cover of darkness
TiVo's rebranding its Premiere line of DVRs in order to eliminate customer confusion in the lineup. The range will now comprise of the Premiere, the dual-tuner Premiere XL, and the quad-tuner Premiere Elite is now called the Premiere XL4. The first two are suitable for over-the-air programming, while the latter is limited to those of you with cable or FiOS subscriptions. New livery and branding should arrive in stores soon, although TiVo's website has yet to reflect the changes.
TiVo Premiere DVRs in the Bay Area get Comcast VOD starting today
Just one month shy of a year after we first heard it would happen (not counting the icon flub during the original Premiere announcement) TiVo has announced its DVRs will be able to access Comcast's Xfinity On Demand library. The blog and product page feature several screenshots flashing the Xfinity VOD icon and showing off the TiVo Premiere UI's universal search pulling from Comcast's library alongside other sources like Netflix, Amazon and Hulu Plus. Until now, switching to third party DVRs exclusively meant largely foregoing access to Comcast's VOD, but with this customers who dig the TiVo experience can switch without making compromises. Naturally, to make use of this customers will need to be Comcast TV subscribers, although we hear the video will be delivered via QAM just like on cable company owned boxes instead of IP, which might provide higher video quality than the Xbox 360's recently launched app. The update will be made available to customers in the San Francisco Bay Area to start, delivered "today and over the next few weeks" -- no word yet when we'll see this roll out elsewhere.
TiVo Premiere updates coming with new Netflix and YouTube apps; Bay Area gets Comcast VOD
Waiting for your TiVo to see the upgraded Netflix and YouTube streaming apps we got a peek at during CES a few months ago? How about the ability to access Comcast's video on-demand that we've been waiting for since last year? According to tweets by Vice President of user experience Margret Schmidt we may see all that and more soon, as she mentioned "expecting" the Spring Update with new video streaming apps and parental controls in HD menus to roll out to Premiere and Elite DVRs this month. As far as Comcast Xfinity On Demand, the rollout is targeted to begin in the San Francisco Bay Area, with an update for DVRs there this week before the feature is turned on later this month. This shaping up to be a very interesting year for the smiley faced DVR company with new hardware still waiting in the wings, add in all these new software capabilities and TiVo looks like a winner in more than just the legal battles.[Thanks, Joe, Sebs]
TiVo Premiere 500GB coming Sunday along with lower prices for service, XL and Elite DVRs
The new TiVo Premiere featuring an upgraded 500GB hard drive (65 percent more hours of HD storage than the old 320GB unit) that we spotted this morning is official, and will start shipping March 25th -- but that's not it. As we also noted, it only requires a one year service agreement at $14.99 per month or $12.99 for users with multiple boxes, which is cheaper than last year's $19.99 / month package (Lifetime Service is still available as well). If you need more hard drive space, THX Certification or more tuners then you're also in luck, as price cuts are in order for the 1TB Premiere XL (down $50 to $249) and the 2TB Elite models (down $100 to $399). The new pricing should let multi-TiVo homes compete even better with cable company DVR offerings, and once the new multiroom boxes arrive this summer things should only get better. Stake out various online retailers or your local Best Buy to snag one or three on Sunday, but until then check out the press release after the break for all of the numbers.
TiVo Premiere DVRs may get more storage soon, $149 500GB units appear for preorders
Just like the initial run of TiVo Premiere DVRs two years ago, it appears that a refreshed version has been spotted at retail prior to any official announcement from the company. TiVo may be waiting for its official birthday March 31st to unwrap the new models, but a poster at TiVo Community has dug up listings at Amazon and JR.com showing the new TCD746500 TiVo Premiere with 500GB HDD retailing for $149 (with 1 year service plan at $14.99, of course). That can be compared to the original's 320GB drive that's currently selling at around $80. The listings hint at shipments beginning in the next few weeks, while these drives certainly won't sate the hunger of those pursuing a 1TB Premiere XL or quad tuner Elite model, a claimed extra 30 or so hours of HD recording could be worth waiting for, even at the higher price. We're not seeing indications of any other differences yet, but we'll keep you updated if more information becomes available.[Thanks, @BrennokBob]
Blockbuster On Demand pulls back from TiVo and others, is it on its way out?
From Zatz Not Funny comes word that TiVo owners are being notified their access to Blockbuster On Demand will come to an end March 31st, ending a run originally announced three years before. While this certainly affects TiVo's ability to offer the one box to search multiple services idea introduced with the Premiere, it could be more telling about Blockbuster's plans for the current incarnation of its internet movie service. As forum posters on TiVo Community point out, the list of supported devices is rapidly shrinking, with Vizio and Western Digital WD TV Live owners getting their own Dear John letters only a year or so after the app originally rolled out. Currently, the list of connected TV devices is limited exclusively to Samsung HDTVs and Blu-ray players, plus some cellphones and tablets. Once upon a time, Blockbuster desired an On Demand presence in "nearly every connected device" -- not to mention "major market presence" for the now Redbox-owned Express kiosks -- but after its purchase by Dish Network clearly those days are over. Now the only question is if / when we'll see a new service that better fits with the already announced Movie Pass package and what devices it might work on.
TiVo Premiere updates rolling out to the masses
Knowing an update is coming and actually getting it are two different things entirely and if you were saddened that you missed out the latest build on your TiVo Premiere or Elite early, your wait is over. TiVo has announced via the official TiVo Blog that all TiVo Premieres should be a forced update away from an HD guide and other enhancements. Unlike those lucky few who only got to enjoy a few of the features, like the integrated Hulu search early, the last remaining feature has also officially been enabled, Premiere-to-Premiere streaming. Also of note is that if you pick up a new Premiere or Elite that was shipped with the older software, as soon as you complete the guided setup, your new box will proceed to download the latest and greatest Tivo has to offer.
