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TiVo Premiere's RCN VOD menu is based on the classic interface
Oh TiVo we'd really beat you up about this one if the new HDUI wasn't so painfully slow. We'd love to go on and on about how lame it is to be upconverting a UI even though HD has been around for years and how sick we are of that 10 year old TiVo interface. But no, instead we're just happy that at least some cable viewers will have access to VOD on a 3rd party device, and no matter how bad it looks, we wish every provider made the effort that RCN did to bring all of its services to every device on its network. We're also happy to read that no matter how bad it looks to us, it is an upgrade from the existing RCN VOD interface and is much more responsive than the TiVo Premiere's HDUI -- RCN does expect to roll out a version with the new UI in the 3rd quarter of this year.
TiVo Premiere is updated and expanded, but is it ready?
It's not streaking through downtown Dallas remaking Matt & Kim videos just yet but after an uneven start the TiVo Premiere continues to evolve, this time towards something with even more capacity and (hopefully) less lockups. ZatzNotFunny mentions a new software update to version 14.1c has gone live this weekend which is intended to fix lockups some customers are experiencing with more revisions promised over the coming weeks and months to address various performance and stability issues. Forum reactions are mixed, with some dropping back to the old UI for more stability and speed but if you're living the Premiere lifestyle let us know how things are going for you. Those still on the outside looking in who haven't been scared off by the growing pains can also consider a few new larger capacity options courtesy of longtime modder/reseller WeaKnees, now ready to deliver units with up to 2TB of storage internally or even externally for those who like it like that -- you know who you are.
TiVo Premiere unearths hidden power: USB keyboard functionality
One of our bigger gripes with the TiVo Premiere was the lack of an included QWERTY remote and how cumbersome it was to use search with the directional pad. Fortunately, while we wait for the official peripheral, it seems our old friend Dave Zatz has been snooping around the internet searching for alternatives -- and best of all, he's found 'em. Turns out even a wireless keyboard will do the trick, with the directional pad and alphanumeric keys working as expected and the function keys serving as shortcuts. Some other hidden functionality should pave the way for Android and iPhone apps to do the trick, but in the meantime, our run-of-the-mill USB keyboard worked just fine. Watch Zatz's proof of concept with an off-the-shelf Arc Keyboard after the break.
TiVo Premiere now on sale, will you pick one up?
From first leak to our review, the TiVo Premiere has finally progressed to "officially on sale." So, is a slimmer package and new UI enough to make you pull the trigger, or are the reports of slow speed and some remaining rough edges keeping you on your current TV watching setup? The only possible way to know this is through a poll, choose your answer wisely. %Poll-43584%
TiVo Premiere review
When we first heard rumors of new TiVo hardware back in April of 2009, our imaginations started racing. The current TiVo HD and HD XL have been the best DVRs on the market for their entire three-year run, and while they've received significant feature updates in that time, the overall experience of using a TiVo simply hasn't kept up with the explosion of online content and the revised viewing habits of consumers -- in fact, the interface has remained largely unchanged for nearly a decade. So while the actual TiVo hardware has actually gotten smaller and simpler, it's the software that's received a substantial makeover this time around -- it's migrated to Flash, and the main elements have been totally redesigned for HD displays and the invisible integration of online video services. Is it enough to keep TiVo afloat in a sea of cheap cableco DVRS? It is worth upgrading from an existing TiVo HD? There's only one way to find out -- read on for our full review. %Gallery-88972%
TiVo Premiere spotted in Best Buy with March 28th retail date
If the miniature box doesn't give it away then the word "Premiere" certainly does. That's the first in the wild shot of TiVo's inaugural Series 4 shifter riding the shelves of Best Buy. We're told that the units are definitely in-house but are being withheld from shelves until March 28th (not the 27th as originally rumored but ahead of the official "early April" date) with a list price of $2,000 to prevent enthusiastic clerks from breaking the street date. So don't go in demanding a $149.99 take home price (MSRP is $299) this morning just 'cause you saw it on Engadget, ok? [Thanks, DS]
Switched On: Thumbs up, thumbs down at TiVo Premiere
Each week Ross Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about consumer technology. TiVo's announcement of TiVo Premiere represents the most significant user interface overhaul for the device in years. Based on Adobe Flash and optimized for the high-definition screens that are likely to be paired with CableCARD programming, the new user interface blends together live, recorded, and broadband content. That presentation is more akin to what we've seen from Windows Media Center, and less like TiVo's Series3 that segmented programming sources by type. TiVo has also beefed up its search capability, bringing it up to par with that of its only significant retail DVR competitor, Digeo's Moxi. The new interaction widens the user experience gap between TiVo and your average cable or satellite DVR, and TiVo has two other features that set it apart. First, no doubt reacting to the Moxi competition, TiVo long ago reinstated its lifetime service option that was so popular in the product's early years. However, those who have opted for this plan through TiVo's major platform upgrades over the years have endured more lifetime sentences than many a felon.
TiVo returning to the UK thanks to partnership with Virgin Media
It looks like TiVo's freshly minted Premiere hardware will soon be setting sail eastwards as The Daily Telegraph is reporting Virgin Media's next generation set-top box will be built around it. Loyal readers of Engadget HD will already be aware that TiVo and Virgin hooked up last November and this latest news relates to the first hardware to be spawned from that relationship. According to TiVo CEO Tom Rogers, the Premiere will "heavily inspire the development work" going into Virgin's next TV appendage, which may or may not mean that the cable company will simply rebadge the well-received new boxes. What's assured though is much greater integration with online content, with search linking you out to Amazon, BBC's iPlayer, YouTube or good old standard broadcast channels. The whole thing's about unlimited choice, apparently, and should be showing up on the Queen's isles by the end of this year. We can wait, but we'd rather we didn't have to.
Engadget HD Podcast 181 - TiVo Premiere
A new TiVo isn't something that happens everyday -- in fact the last time was almost three years ago -- and because so many love and hate their TiVo at the exact same time, these same people get very passionate about the changes they expect. This is a task we weren't willing to take on our own, so we invited Engadget Classic Editors Nilay and Paul (one is a die hard TiVo user and the other actually went to the event) and just for a little outside perspective, we also had TiVo expert Dave Zatz. Who's been following the company as long as anyone we know. We went a little long and deviated off topic into the land of Media Center a few times, but overall there is some podcast gold in here -- if we can say so ourselves.Get the podcast[iTunes] Subscribe to the Podcast directly in iTunes (MP3).[RSS - AAC] Enhanced feed, subscribe to this with iTunes.[RSS - MP3] Add the Engadget HD Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator[Zune]Subscribe to the Podcast directly in the Zune Marketplace[MP3] Download the show (MP3).Hosts: Ben Drawbaugh, Richard LawlerGuests: Nilay Patel, Paul Miller and Dave ZatzProducer: Trent WolbeProgram00:02:05 - TiVo Premiere and Premiere XL usher in a brand new interface, optional QWERTY remote00:23:15 - TiVo Premiere hands-on (update: video!) 00:47:00 - Oops: TiVo Premiere won't have Comcast On Demand01:33:10 - Poll: So what's your reaction to the TiVo Premiere? LISTEN (MP3)LISTEN (AAC)LISTEN (OGG)
Oops: TiVo Premiere won't have Comcast On Demand
This TiVo Premiere screenshot with a large Comcast On Demand logo on it certainly set a few hearts aflutter yesterday when it was released from the company, but our dreams have turned into bitter, bitter ashes: TiVo tells us this screenshot is actually just a mockup and not indicative of any actual partnership. And double-oops: that other interesting screenshot with "Friends Recommend" on the Browse screen is also a mockup, meaning our hopes for some social-media integration have also been dashed, at least for now. Oh well. Let's hope our forthcoming Premiere review units can somehow turn these frowns upside-down.
Poll: So what's your reaction to the TiVo Premiere?
March 2 has come and gone and we finally have the answer to what TiVo has been up to. After scouring the specs and hands on information, are you a disappointed Series 3 owner because you won't be getting the upgraded UI, in a rush to unload your old units on eBay to make room for a new Premiere XL or feeling something else entirely? The company has focused on integrating internet video alongside traditional TV sources in its guide, if that's what you were looking for in your next DVR let us know. Of course, you can also roll back around at 6 p.m. for our live podcast and let us know what you think, but first, check one of the options below. %Poll-42433%
TiVo Premiere hands-on (update: video!)
We've gotten our first look at the new TiVo Premiere interface, and it sure is shiny. You sure wouldn't see that it's running in Flash at first blush, since the UI is quite responsive and "native" feeling, with live streams of video playing without a hitch. The biggest hint that there's a big amount of reliance on the internet is the fact that the choked connection here was causing thumbnails and even some UI icons to take a little while to pop in. The rep we spoke with said that TiVo is still considering what elements exactly they'll be caching. The new ways to find and promote relevant content are pretty intuitive and helpful. Everything is "connected," so it's easy to start from a category like the "Oscars" or an actor like "Jack McBrayer" and end up on the other end of the universe, IMDB style. There's a certain amount of dumbing down, to be sure, and nothing's going to beat your laptop for speed or comprehensiveness in bopping around this sort of information. Although, TiVo helps out a bit in this department with the optional QWERTY remote. Unfortunately, while we appreciate the full QWERTY input, the sliding mechanism is utterly cheap and shoddy -- we're assured that it's a couple revisions away from a final design, and we certainly hope so! The QWERTY buttons themselves are rubbery and not very clicky, but perhaps they'll helped along as well by this promised revision. Update: We've got video. It can be found after the break, though unfortunately you can't hear a single thing our helpful guide says because she's drowned out by the "fist pumping" good times of the party that TiVo's event devolved into. %Gallery-87052% %Gallery-87053%
TiVo Premiere and Premiere XL usher in a brand new interface, optional QWERTY remote
Over three years after the original Series3 launched, TiVo's back with Series4 -- say hello to the new TiVo Premiere and Premiere XL, which will arrive in early April. The new slimmer hardware is nice, but the big news is the totally revamped HD interface built on Flash -- yes, Flash -- with all kinds of new options for discovering content from recorded, on-air, and internet sources. The new UI is only for the Series4, and TiVo's pitching the Premiere line as a single-box solution for getting content on your TV, so although there's long been support for services like Netflix and Amazon Video on Demand, it's now being pushed to the front -- content will show up in searches and be exposed on the main screen. There are also new partnerships with Pandora and FrameChannel, both of which will also come to Series3 boxes. And yes: there's finally a capacity meter. We could kiss the ground. Both models will do up to 1080p output and have single multistream CableCARD slots and eSATA jacks for storage expansion; the $299 Premiere will do 45 hours of HD recording on the 320GB internal drive, while the $499 XL will do 150 on 1TB and adds in THX certification. The bad news? There's still no support for tru2way, so you still won't have access to your cable company's video on demand service -- although one of the screenshots has a Comcast logo on it, so we're intrigued. There's also a new optional Bluetooth slider QWERTY remote, which will ship later this year for an undisclosed price -- we played with a hush-hush prototype at CES and we can say that it'll be a must-buy for Premiere owners. We're actually a little miffed that it's not packed in the box as the standard remote -- all that searching almost demands it. Same with the new Wireless N Adapter, which will be $90 and go on sale with the Premiere; it should at least be included with the Premiere XL. We're okay with the omission of the new optional phone line adapter, though, it'll be $30 and only sold online. Press release after the break, a full set of pics in the galleries, and PDF spec sheets at the read links. %Gallery-87041%
TiVo Premiere, XL DVRs show up in Best Buy systems for $299, $499; due March 27
It's not March 2 yet, but we do have another early indication of what TiVo's big announcement will be as a tipster spotted two new DVRs in Best Buy's intranet. Other than the shocking revelation that the two SKUs would allow users to record, pause and rewind live TV and pack in HDMI cables, they went on to mention pricing information and ship dates not seen in this screen grab pegging the new Premiere at $299 and THX Certified XL edition at $499 with an expected arrival of March 27. No word on any subscription fees, features or hard drive sizes, we guess there's a few secrets left to be revealed next week in New York. %Gallery-86518% [Thanks, anonymous]
New UI, tweaked hardware in store for TiVo's March reveal?
We already know all of you have more than a few ideas about what TiVo should or will bring to the table March 2, but an anonymous tipster claiming knowledge of recent developments in the beta program let us know what may be coming. Although it began as simple bug fixes for the Series 3 now an all new user experience is on the way that the company expects to perfect the DVR. The UI is speedy again, rising to the level of the older Series 2 but with new high res, crisp widescreen elements designed to look great on your HDTV. Other fixes that should have the faithful drooling are a capacity meter for add-on drives and Tivo Desktop enhancements including "Sling-esque" features. Naturally, add-ons like Netflix, Amazon, Blockbuster and even Facebook lead the app charge with faster and easier program access. No real details on what's new on the hardware side, but that QWERTY remote seems to be a sure bet, we'll be counting down the next 19 days until we know for sure.
TiVo has... something to announce March 2 in NYC
Saying "Inventing the DVR was just a warmup" raises our expectations quite a bit for TiVo's upcoming event in New York City. From the locked down nature of the company's CES presence there's definitely something in the works, but save for some leaked TiVo Premiere manuals and a curious shortage at its own store our imaginations are left wide open to assume how far we can go. While our DVRs will only reveal the final answers at the end of May, TiVo will only have us on the hook until March 2 at 6 p.m., consider our calendars marked.
TiVo HD showing out of stock on TiVo.com
Good luck buying a standard TiVo HD at the moment, currently perusing the site only reveals a sold out message and a tip to check for either the XL, a refurb, or to check Best Buy (which, at least in our area, is showing sold out too.) So, is this confirmation of a new Premiere model on the way or a minor supply chain hiccup? Only time will tell.
TiVo planning a new "Premiere" DVR?
A packaging mixup may have revealed the next DVR coming from TiVo. Unfortunately this doesn't appear to be the Series4 we were looking for, but the "TiVo Premiere" (or Premiere XL) instructions sent along with a new TiVo HD to self-described Chicagoland geek Patrick McCarron show a slimmed down box with one (multistream only) CableCARD slot instead two and no S-video or phone jack. The prevailing speculation is this is a lower cost revision of the existing Series3 hardware that could be on shelves very soon, but we're still hoping for updated internals and UI to make TiVo fresh for the next decade. The full instructions are scanned and posted over at Infinite Shamrock, for confirmation and any real details on what's next we'll probably be waiting until next week in Las Vegas.