Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer

[MacRumors]

TiVo owners can control their devices via an iOS app on the iPhone and iPad, but -- for the moment -- can only watch shows on their television.

But that's all going to change in a few months. According to a report from ZDNet, TiVo is launching an external decoder box that would plug into the TiVo Premiere set-top box and would deliver content to an iPhone or iPad.

The unique part is that the company claims that the TiVo Stream is the first product to enable streaming (or downloading) shows simultaneously to multiple devices without interrupting what's playing on the television. The Verge tested a prototype in January and wrote that it "streamed a show from the TiVo across the room without any hiccups."

TiVo says they will release the TiVo Stream box "in the coming months", but didn't share any details about pricing.

Article Link: Video Streaming from TiVo to iOS Devices Coming This Summer

 

[AlphaVictor87]

Holy crap TiVo still exists?

 

[GSPice]

I'm guessing this is a wi-fi paradigm, or tivo thinks AT&T customers enjoy watching 1 or 2 shows a month..

 

[flipshot]

Virgin Media Tivo customers will probably be left out, all because Virgin Media think their customers are too thick to be able to plug their Tivo into a router. Let alone a separate streaming box.

We still don't have the Tivo buddy app despite a VM ready version being ready for months.

 

[ryanmcv]

I'll believe this when I see it. TiVo is notorious for announcing products/services and then taking years to finally release them (example: Xfinity On Demand & Cox On Demand).

 

[yetanotherdave]

Virgin Media Tivo customers will probably be left out, all because Virgin Media think their customers are too thick to be able to plug their Tivo into a router. Let alone a separate streaming box.

We still don't have the Tivo buddy app despite a VM ready version being ready for months.

I'm getting VM installed tomorrow, I read about that and am confused about one thing, doesn't TV and internet come down the same Fibre optic cable? In which case the TiVo already has a connection, right? No?

 

[flipshot]

I'm getting VM installed tomorrow, I read about that and am confused about one thing, doesn't TV and internet come down the same Fibre optic cable? In which case the TiVo already has a connection, right? No?

It does, however the Tivo buddy app is designed to be run on your local network.

So to communicate with the Tivo box, to change a channel or view the guide your iOS device would need to go out onto the internet, to the Virgin media headend that would then talk to the Tivo box. This is apparently how they are planning on doing it eventually, however I think there are probably reasons it is taking so long (i.e they can't get it to work). It just adds additional complexity and latency that is unnecessary when everything could just run through the local network.

It might work for streaming as it would need to connect to the internet anyway. However I don't know what the Upload speed is in Tivo's internet connection and they already have enough issues with Upstream utilisation on broadband.

 

[Nermal]

Virgin Media Tivo customers will probably be left out, all because Virgin Media think their customers are too thick to be able to plug their Tivo into a router. Let alone a separate streaming box.

We still don't have the Tivo buddy app despite a VM ready version being ready for months.

We might be in the same boat in NZ; I wasn't aware of the existing app and can't find it in the local App Store. I might grab it using my US account and see whether it works with an NZ TiVo though

 

[TonyC28]

Sounds cool and all, but unless you're on wifi this is only good for a couple hour long shows or a movie. Then your data plan is gone. And like some others have said, in TiVo's world "coming soon" means any time in the next decade.

What would be awesome would be a quick way to transfer a TiVo recording from the box to an iOS device for later viewing. It can technically be done now but TiVo Desktop kinda sucks.

 

[balamw]

Love my TiVo HD XL on FiOS, but a feature like this might make me finally upgrade to a Premiere.

What I really want is a thin client like ATV2 without monthly sub. for the second/guest TV.

B

 

[foodog]

I'll believe this when I see it. TiVo is notorious for announcing products/services and then taking years to finally release them (example: Xfinity On Demand & Cox On Demand).

I think this is more to do with the cable providers than TiVo. Netflix and Blockbuster have been on there for a long time, Hulu plus was added in the last year.

 

[neuromajor]

hmm... there may be some potential for TiVo... only if it is better than Slingbox's iOS app.

 

[jmsait19]

I think this is more to do with the cable providers than TiVo. Netflix and Blockbuster have been on there for a long time, Hulu plus was added in the last year.

You're right. We're going through it now with Charter. They keep messing around and pushing it back... Buts it's more their deal than TiVo's.

 

[MacDav]

Yes, it does exist

Holy crap TiVo still exists?

I switched from a Time Warner cable box to a Tivo Premier about a year ago. Best thing I've done in a long time. I have a good TV antenna in the attic and you should see the HD I get for free over the Antenna, way better than the HD from Time Warner. I A/B switched while I still had cable and there was no comparison. Tivo is $20.00 a month and after 2 years you own the box. Right now I have a 2 Terabyte drive in it and can time record any over the air programs. I have access to Netflix and Amazon for Movies on it also. The remote and menus are far better than Cable boxes and I can transfer shows directly to the TIVo from my Mac, or from the Tivo to my Mac with Toast 11 for archiving or editing. Of course you have to live close enough to the TV station broadcasts to get good reception. Probably 100 mile or less radius. Less is better.

 

[tiptopp]

It's possible!

Virgin Media Tivo customers will probably be left out, all because Virgin Media think their customers are too thick to be able to plug their Tivo into a router. Let alone a separate streaming box.

We still don't have the Tivo buddy app despite a VM ready version being ready for months.

I'm also in the UK on Virgin Media. I was frustrated that I couldn't control the Tivo better, and annoyed that both the Virgin Media and Peanut apps have serious issues. So I googled, and came up trumps.

Some clever person has created a bonjour script which fools your Tivo into thinking it's in the US. So combine that with the Tivo app from the US app store, and you've got all the control you need - from your iPhone or iPad (and yes, it's a proper iPad implementation - beautiful!). You need to plug your Tivo into your router as well - I've done this with homeplugs.

Here's a link to the VM forum where it's discussed. Click here Page 5 (I think) contains a link to the .dmg. It's worth reading the whole thread before you start - there are some instructions to follow, and the conversation is a little confused, but work at it and you'll never look back (except when the app occasionally decides that it won't open and has to be reinstalled - small price...).

Once you've got it, it's much, much better than using the physical remote. You can do lots on the app without messing about on the TV, so while you're watching something full screen you can be managing recordings, setting up new ones, deleting old ones, browsing what's on, etc. It's great - and IF Apple launch a TV sometime, they'd do well to learn from this app.

Have fun with it!

Tiptopp

 

[UnseenLlama]

Virgin Media Tivo customers will probably be left out, all because Virgin Media think their customers are too thick to be able to plug their Tivo into a router. Let alone a separate streaming box.

We still don't have the Tivo buddy app despite a VM ready version being ready for months.

At least Virgian Tivo customers had the HD guide a year before it came to the US Tivo...what the hell is taking Tivo so long updating their UI to full HD menus?!

 

[CWallace]

Comcast / Xfinity have been testing the Tivo Guide for close to 6 years now, and I still believe it hasn't left the original Northeast zone. I imagine it will never be released fully, but will quietly be terminated like the Microsoft guide they tested here in Seattle for a number of years.

 

[DavidTheExpert]

I recently got a Slingbox to stream to my computer, and it is brilliant. I can't really imagine a TiVo branded device working any better than the slingbox, but still a cool idea.

 

[cadboury55]

Virgin Media Tivo customers will probably be left out, all because Virgin Media think their customers are too thick to be able to plug their Tivo into a router. Let alone a separate streaming box.