# TiVo Stream vs. Slingbox??



## FatElvis (Apr 29, 2015)

Hey everybody,

Trying to figure out the best option for streaming live t.v. and my recorded programs. 

Currently I have a slingbox 500 and issue is with the quality of the stream, it works perfectly fine and in high quality on my PC (even connected to the tv via HDMI cord) or Samsung s6 edge. However, whenever I try and mirror the video to my Chromecast, the video quality drops to nearly un-watchable and is buffering often. The Chromecast does work in perfect HD quality when streaming HBOGO. Would a Roku work any better for higher quality stream from my slingbox to phone to TV?

I am trying to decide if I should swap out for a TiVo stream. My questions for this device are, does TiVo stream have Chromecast capability from my S6 Edge or PC? If so, will the video quality be better than the slingbox?


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## imrobe01 (Apr 28, 2015)

TiVo stream apparently only works with iOS devices to stream remotely. I have both a Slingbox and TiVo Romeo and prefer to stream with my Slingbox. I hope this helps.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


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## FatElvis (Apr 29, 2015)

When viewing video on your tablet/phone/computer from your TiVo Romeo are you able to sling/mirror to devices like Chromecast, AppleTV or Roku?


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

What's the Wifi strength the Chromecast reports?

The Roku 3 has wired ethernet and might better if the trouble is due to reception limitations.


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## FatElvis (Apr 29, 2015)

Chromecast is reporting full strength and works with all other casts: hbogo, netflix, youtube... read on a slingbox thread that many people are having the same issue and it is an issue with the slingbox /chromecast functionality that slingbox needs to fix.

So that leaves me waiting or buying roku or tivo stream. Need to know if tivo works with chromecast and what kind of quality tivo stream displays in?


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

Some people have reported using the Tivo Android app and screencasting to chromecast from a couple of models of newer Samsung Galaxy.

Both products, the stream vs sling, have different features and limitations.
If you're otherwise happy with sling, than a Roku might meet your needs.

You could also wait for the slingbox to chromecast compatibility to be fixed unless they indicated it's impossible to fix.
The Roku is an old platform, so it's not surprising that chromecast has bugs until Sling gets around to fixing it.


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## Bytez (Sep 11, 2004)

imrobe01 said:


> TiVo stream apparently only works with iOS devices to stream remotely. I have both a Slingbox and TiVo Romeo and prefer to stream with my Slingbox. I hope this helps.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk


Works with Android too.


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## aaronwt (Jan 31, 2002)

Bytez said:


> Works with Android too.


Yes. After many, many months of waiting for them to add android streaming.
I use my Slingbox 350 to stream in low bandwidth situations and I use the TiVo app on my Anddoird devices when I have higher bandwidth available. The TiVo app doesn't seem to do well with sub 1Mb/s speeds while the SLingbox does a great job at low speeds.


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## altern8545 (Mar 23, 2015)

they both have their plus and minuses but if i had to buy a streamer (instead of already owning a pro or plus roamio), i would go with the slingbox. the biggest drawback for me is the inability to "surf" channels on the tivo stream. it requires you to record the show before you can begin viewing.


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## Bytez (Sep 11, 2004)

aaronwt said:


> Yes. After many, many months of waiting for them to add android streaming.
> I use my Slingbox 350 to stream in low bandwidth situations and I use the TiVo app on my Anddoird devices when I have higher bandwidth available. The TiVo app doesn't seem to do well with sub 1Mb/s speeds while the SLingbox does a great job at low speeds.


Very true, I wish they let you "retry" the connection (like on ios) rather than kick you back to the main screen when it's a poor connection.


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## steelersruleman (Aug 29, 2014)

what is the minimum speeds needed for a slingbox 350 or 500? I know it depends on where you are located, and what their speeds are.

I have my TIVO Roamio(4 tuner OTA and Digital Cable), connected with a Powerline adpater for a hardwired ethernet connection. Connected to my tv with HDMI.

I have 15Mbps DownLoad, and ONLY 1Mbps upload speeds at home.

Can you DOWNLOAD with the Slingbox like a TIVO Stream to a IOS or Amazon Kindle HDX?


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## dsnotgood (Aug 26, 2010)

Slingbox because the stream sucks and doesn't work right 90% of the time, no exaggeration.


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## telemark (Nov 12, 2013)

steelersruleman said:


> Can you DOWNLOAD with the Slingbox like a TIVO Stream to a IOS or Amazon Kindle HDX?


Slingbox doesn't support downloads. There's some hacks to record a Slingbox stream going to a PC is the closest.


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## steelersruleman (Aug 29, 2014)

telemark said:


> Slingbox doesn't support downloads. There's some hacks to record a Slingbox stream going to a PC is the closest.


I went and got a TIVO Stream CHEAP on EBay. Connected it up, downloaded latest software, and all is working well.

So far, I like it alot.

The only thing missing(and this could be me, i will look again) si that my Kindle Fire HDX, which runs on an Android/Amazon app, does not have downloads.

I can download on my Iphone 4S/Ipod 5th gen but not the Kindle HDX.

But I read somewhere that the new version, coming within months or weeks, is "supposed" to have that ability, which would be great.

I like the stream without it, but would like it more with it.


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## Dan203 (Apr 17, 2000)

Android doesn't have download support yet, only streaming. We're told it's coming, but who knows when.


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