# Community Quick Chat with TiVo's CMO Ira Bahr!!!



## David Bott

Hey All...Happy to say that TiVo Community has scored a chance at asking questions directly to TiVo here in this thread for the next two days.

TiVo's CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), Ira Bahr, would like to provide information on new initiatives TiVo will be doing in the near future. They would love, and they actually said "love", to have an Ask Me Anything chat with the community! So be it about the new TiVe Bolt and how the subscriptions would work or even the product, or where TiVo may be heading, ask away.

Ok, so here is how this will work seeing we are not a "live" realtime chat site....

- From now until 12 Noon PDT this Friday, Oct 2, you can post your questions on in this thread.

- We ask you place ONE question per post. (You can ask more than one, but please one per post.)

- On Friday at 12 Noon PDT, we ask that the questions STOP. (Any post made after 12 Noon PDT, will be removed so not to disrupt replies that will start.)

- Ira will start to answer the questions using the QUOTE function so his reply can show up under the question. (Thus the one question per post request.)

- Ira will stay on-line, monitoring the site, until end of work day Friday fielding follow up questions, in the same format, if any. (Only if time allows.)

- When all is done, we will delete all of the "question" posts and leave only the posts with quotes and replies to clean up the thread for others that may find it later.

As you know, this is a very unique and rare opportunity to be able to do this. Even though they said "Ask me anything", we very much ask you to keep your questions on point to the TiVo company, product, and offerings. So no funny stuff please as we may like to do this again at some point. So any question we feel is not on topic, will be removed.

BTW...This is NOT a gripe session either! 

We would like to thank TiVo and Ira Bahr, for this opportunity for our community.


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## David Bott

**** QUESTION POST TIME HAS NOW ENDED - Time For Some Answers ****

Great questions all, thanks for taking part.

We thank TiVo, and Ira, for taking the time to join into the conversation with the community.

Ira...Please be so kind to take it away and welcome to TiVo Community Forum...


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## Ira Bahr

David Bott said:


> Hey All...Happy to say that TiVo Community has scored a chance at asking questions directly to TiVo here in this thread for the next two days.
> 
> TiVo's CMO (Chief Marketing Officer), Ira Bahr, would like to provide information on new initiatives TiVo will be doing in the near future. They would love, and they actually said "love", to have an "Ask Me Anything" chat with the community! So be it about the new TiVe Bolt and how the subscriptions would work or even the product, or where TiVo may be heading, ask away.
> 
> Ok, so here is how this will work seeing we are not a "live" realtime chat site....
> 
> - From now until 12 Noon PDT this Friday, Oct 2, you can post your questions on in this thread.
> 
> - We ask you place ONE question per post. (You can ask more than one, but please one per post.)
> 
> - On Friday at 12 Noon PDT, we ask that the questions STOP. (Any post made after 12 Noon PDT, will be removed so not to disrupt replies that will start.)
> 
> - Ira will start to answer the questions using the QUOTE function so his reply can show up under the question. (Thus the one question per post request.)
> 
> - Ira will stay on-line, monitoring the site, until end of work day Friday fielding follow up questions, in the same format, if any. (Only if time allows.)
> 
> - When all is done, we will delete all of the "question" posts and leave only the posts with quotes and replies to clean up the thread for others that may find it later.
> 
> As you know, this is a very unique and rare opportunity to be able to do this. Even though they said "Ask me anything", we very much ask you to keep your questions on point to the TiVo company, product, and offerings. So no funny stuff please as we may like to do this again at some point. So any question we feel is not on topic, will be removed.
> 
> BTW...This is NOT a gripe session either!
> 
> We would like to thank TiVo and Ira Bahr, for this opportunity for our community.


Thanks so much for having me. I've been lurking here for 18 months and waiting for the appropriate time to get more involved. You guys are truly the heart and soul of the TiVo franchise. For the entire history of the company, your group, perhaps more than any other single element has driven design and feature innovation at the company.

I am going to answer your questions as best as I possibly can. (Though if the conversation veers towards capacitors -- I'm out.) Some of your questions are easy and I think you're going to like what you hear. Other topics are more challenging. Quite honestly we don't have the universe all figured out *just yet. If we thought we DID have it figured out, it would probably be cause for worry.

As an overarching thought for this whole conversation I would emphasize what many of you have already inferred. And that is, that the Bolt product was not really designed for the TiVo enthusiast. So your lukewarm reaction is not unexpected. Bolt is low on Tuners, light on storage, doesn't fit into your racks and really doesn't offer this group much more than 4K and software features you figure we'll roll-down anyway.

So this leads to "why the hell did you NOT design for the TiVo enthusiast?" First, we already have a roadmap plan to bring you something you'll like way better in 2016 (more on this shortly). This product is on the already established 3 year product cycle which you're used to. Second, there just aren't enough of you to sustain the company's retail business alone. If there were, I assure you we'd have a way different approach. TiVo is simply unable to build its business on the backs of its ever diminishing group of loyalists. We did 150,000 activations in our last fiscal year. Compare that to the millions of streamers out there, and the tens of millions of DVRS out there and you see that we've got a lot of ground to make up. In order to win for the the company, and for YOU, we need to expand our market. If we fail to do this, we're not going to be able to do much of anything, We think we've got a plan for both the mass market AND for enthusiasts. So snuggle up with a warm multi-meter, walk through the answers and we'll try to talk more when you're done.


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## Ira Bahr

David Bott said:


> Hi Ira, thanks for being here for the community...
> 
> Where does TiVo see itself in the future as digital needs change like HBO wanting to cut the cord?


Hey Dave. I actually don't think HBO actually cares whether you cut the cord or not. They just want to be sure they retain you as a subscriber. For TiVo we just want to make sure that we give you a great interface to access content any way you choose: OTT, OTA, or via cable.


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## Ira Bahr

sangs said:


> Hello Ira,
> 
> The TiVo Bolt design is certainly unique. Why such a hard left turn from previous models? Thank you.


If TiVo wants to be noticed (and we do) my view is that we have to look different. Fact is if you were to stack all 10 or so TiVo models and stand back a bit you would have a hard time seeing any difference. We thought it was about time to begin exploring more than just a front bezel treatment on a square metal chassis. This, as well as the updated branding is also a nod to a new and refreshed direction for the consumer part of our company. Design is a difficult thing and can be polarizing. Hopefully our Pro version will appeal to those who don't love Sal Dali.


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## Ira Bahr

Dan203 said:


> I would like to know if there are plans to release a "pro" version of the Bolt with 6 tuners and a bigger hard drive?


Yes. We are working on products that I believe will finally hit on many of the items that have remained over the years. There will be no Pro line product that has any fewer than 6 tuners or storage sizes that don't excite you. We probably could've delivered a BOLT with two more tuners and a larger HDD and called it a family, but we knew that the market--and especially our loyalists--deserved much more. Look for something new next year, right on our normal three year cycle.


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## Ira Bahr

NashGuy said:


> A larger and larger portion of American TV viewing is now via streaming. Can you share any information about what TiVo is doing to draw more streaming apps to your platform in order to compete with Roku, Apple TV, etc., both OTT apps such as HBO Now, Showtime, Crackle, CBS All Access, Sling TV, etc., and MSO-authenticated apps such as Showtime Anytime, Starz Play, HBO Go, Watch ESPN, etc?


TiVo wants partnerships with all content apps. The challenge is a simple numbers game. He who has the largest base gets in line first for development and certifications of apps.This, however, does not deter us. While our Universal Search is the most robust in the industry, we have to increase our ability to add these apps and do it faster. Several strategies are being discussed and nothing is off the table.


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## Ira Bahr

WTFover said:


> Hello Ira, thanks for taking the time to do this Q&A. My question is as follows:
> The Bolt appears to be a giant step as a content aggregation platform, however it lacks a couple of features of previous models, such as higher density storage, and 6 tuners. Was the decision to leave these out based on usage data from customer telemetry, or are we simply waiting for premium model replacement to emerge in the coming months/years?
> Kind Regards,
> Jason


Answered this to Dan203 who asked the third question. Please see HERE.


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## Ira Bahr

moyekj said:


> Will QuickMode and SkipMode features eventually become available on the Roamio series? If not, why not?
> Thanks.


No hardware reason not to. Not part of our current approach but continually under review. Lots of dimensions to this.


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## Ira Bahr

tonya.anton said:


> I just recently became a TiVo owner because of the supersale on the roamio basic with lifetime for a total of $300. I only view OTA content, so could never justify paying more than that for a DVR. It looks like with the recent shift of lifetime pricing that TiVo has given up on cordcutters like me. Is it TiVo's intention to essentially quit offering reasonable lifetime service?
> 
> Sent from my SM-P600 using Tapatalk


Hey Tonya: more a question of product life cycle. You got a great product at a great price, and I think that the pricing for our brand new BOLT product is similarly attractive. That said, we DO have to find a way to get our prices down overall. I hope you've already seen the moves we've made here. The $299 all-in OTA is an example of that.


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## Ira Bahr

thefisch said:


> Thanks for the opportunity to ask a question. Since the Bolt has come out about 2 years after the roamio debut, what does this mean for future product release timelines? For example, is there a goal to deliver a new line every 2 years?


Our Goal is to develop amazing products faster and with more meaningful features akin to when TiVo first invented the DVR. We are pressing ourselves to break the molds and rules of the past and regain our fighting spirit. We are very proud that our engineers not only met that challenge but delivered the best 4K player on the planet. Imagine Holiday 2015 where Fire TV, Roku, and ShieldTV all offer a superior picture to TiVo. Not acceptable. We recognize that every company in the valley is trying to crack the code of TV's future. We must stay on our A game, and speeding up our cycles is only the beginning of this new change.


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## Ira Bahr

thefisch said:


> What does the complete Bolt family look like? Perhaps an OTA version, a mini with 4K and Bolt inspired styling, and a 'pro' model with larger capacity and more tuners. When do you all expect to complete the lineup? Or is the only new DVR/UED for the near future?


Revealing details of a look in text seems a disservice to the art of the design, so I will hold until you can see visuals. What I can tell you is that there is a lot of thought and detail going into it. Our goal is to deliver sophisticated, modern devices that will continue to breathe new life into this brand.


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## Ira Bahr

Dan203 said:


> Does TiVo plan on releasing a cloud based service, akin to Sling TV or Playstation Vue, in the near future?


Don't know. Right now we want to be the best gateway to everyting, and be economically indifferent to what you watch.


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## Ira Bahr

HeadsUp7Up said:


> Are there any plans to incorporate VOD for other cable providers such as Time Warner Cable?


TiVo will incorporate content from any service that is willing. We continue to meet with several operators in the hopes that we can expand our VOD reach for our customers beyond just Comcast and Cox.


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## Ira Bahr

filovirus said:


> TiVo has a user experience that is superior to a Cable leased DVR. How do you plan to market to those cable subscribers who are content with leasing cable hardware or are unfamiliar with what you offer?
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


We think BOLT features, especially SkipMode command attention. Our business doesn't yet support a large media investment, but I'd be surprised if you didn't see us around starting next week. We have some prettty cool videos we've produced. Eager to hear what you guys think.


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## Ira Bahr

redbeard25 said:


> Generally, with new product releases, Tivo has had an upgrade path for legacy customers. With the new Bolt product and elimination of the MSD, it seems like there is zero benefit for having been (in my case, for fifteen years) a Tivo customer.
> 
> If I don't have a 4K TV, no need for Moca, and don't watch the 20 auto-skip channels, what incentive is there for me to spend $900 upgrade to the lifetime Bolt from my lifetime Roamio?


Red, we love that you've been using TiVo for 15 years. But as you point out, as I have in other comments, the BOLT product is really not what you want. I can't imagine that any discount short of free would incent you to buy. Would it? That said, we would only start building discounts on a new product if sales were well below our expectations. Typical CE pattern.


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## Ira Bahr

Jed1 said:


> Hi Ira,
> 
> I am a fairly new TiVo customer who purchased two Premiere 4s with lifetime service for full price in the summer of 2013.
> I am now wondering if the Premiere line will be "end of life" now the Bolt has been released?
> If so could there be some type of buy back program for those who have relatively new Series 4 units in which credit for the remaining lifetime service can be used to purchase new Series 6 Bolts?
> 
> Thanks for the time to answer these questions.


We have no plans to change any of our support rules on Premiere. My guess is that we won't consider this until the next platform release. That said, some of you have noticed that we are beginning to limit certain support functions for S1 - S3. For example, under some circumstances we will not re-activate these boxes for new subscribers. Specifically, if a box is on a monthly plan, AND the account gets cancelled, we will not re-activate it. PLS boxes are exempt of course. And yes, we will transfer account ownership on these. Just give us a call.


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## Ira Bahr

davezatz said:


> *Fire TV App*
> 
> When will it be available?
> Will it work both at home _and beyond_?
> Will it work for both live and recorded content?
> Will it include commercial skip capabilities for Bolt owners?
> Will it require an ongoing service fee or app purchase?
> 
> Thanks for taking questions!


Zatz. I feel like I know you.

The Fire TV app is expected to launch NEXT WEEK, and it will work both in and out of the home. At this time we are supporting recorded content, but as you know as soon as you start recording live content on your DVR you'll be able access it within your MyShows folder.


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## Ira Bahr

atmuscarella said:


> Do you foresee a premium 4K/UHD DVR that will include a 4K/UHD Blu-ray player?


Our expertise lies in interfaces and storage. Probably not something that's going to be on our road-map.


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## Ira Bahr

atmuscarella said:


> Thanks for taking Questions. Do you see a Cable Card replacement coming any time soon and if so how will that effect TiVo's product line (will TiVo be able to build DVRs that can access DirectTV, Dishnetwork, & AT&T Uverse)?


We are working with our partners on a downloadable-type security that would improve on the PCMCIA cards that we have today. We announced this back in 2014 and do not have any timelines to share at this point.

Part two-- We'll work with anyone who'll work with US. Who knows what can happen over time.


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## Ira Bahr

nemloc said:


> Does the Bolt support playing locally networked media? (local kids DVDs that we've saved over the years on our home drive) If so, what kind (formats) and other requirements. If not, are there plans for it in the near future.
> 
> Thanks for your time.


Currently two great ways to share this type of content.
1) Netgear ReadyNAS devices have TiVoServer built into them and allow for sharing of content between the boxes and for archival or TiVo recordings.
2) The Plex app, recently added to TiVo, is a great companion for storing multiple formats of both video and audio files, as well as images. That said, our team is not 100-percent satisfied with the current solution of personal content sharing and utilization with our boxes, so the work continues. This is an area of deep interest that we hope to have a better solution for in the future.


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## Ira Bahr

atmuscarella said:


> Like others I hope you keep adding more streaming options. However for many people bandwidth still causes streaming issue even more so for 4k/UHD streams. Do you see TiVo making deals with any of the companies that are or will offer a download option for 4K/UHD content?


We are certainly open to deals that would involve downloading. While most services have moved to a streaming-only type ecosystem, we love adding value to the HDDs that are inside our products.


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## Ira Bahr

reneg said:


> How does SkipMode compare to Dish's AutoHop and why is Tivo's implementation superior to Dish?


TiVo is WAY better. DISH only does four nets; DISH only does PrimeTime. DISH's feature is not avaialble until 24 hours after a show airs, and in some cases as long as a week after. SkipMode covers almost all of the most watched shows in America, and gives you the feature within minutes of the show's conclusion.


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## Ira Bahr

dmurphy said:


> Hi Ira! Thanks for taking the time to spend with us.
> 
> Are there any plans to allow out-of-home streaming on 4G networks? Currently, one must be on Wi-Fi; is that a "content provider" limitation or a technical one? As 4G LTE technology matures (and it is doing so rapidly) - I'd love to be able to stream my TiVo from anywhere.
> 
> Thanks!


I love it that you want to access your TiVo from everywhere. Dan203 has already pointed out that this is something you can do today with Android devices, so I'm guessing you're on iOS. Today you can download on iOS. Streaming coming next year.


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> Several months back, there were reports that TiVo was working with Comcast to develop a replacement security standard for CableCards. What is the current status of that effort?


See the answer to "atmuscarella's" question above. Click Here


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> Thanks for taking the time to field our questions.
> 
> Streaming apps are clearly the future, and TiVo made the decision to go with HTML5 and the Opera Store. But the market for streaming apps/platforms seems to me moving towards Android-based systems. Are there any discussions or preliminary plans to move towards Android streaming apps on the new Bolts (or the Roamios/Minis) to try to broaden the number of stream apps available on TiVo devices?


While I can tell you is that there's no short term plan for Android type apps or ecosytem integration. We work together with them on our mobile apps and are open to discussing other ideas.


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> Looking over the new TiVo website that has been redesigned for the Bolt, it appears that TiVo plans to keep the Roamio Pro around for a while to "fill the gap" for a 6-tuner model with a 3TB hard drive. How long does TiVo anticipate that it will continue to sell new Roamio Pros (as well as the other Roamio models) on their website alongside the Bolts?


We'll fulfill demand for Pros until our newer Pro line is introduced.


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## Ira Bahr

dmurphy said:


> TiVo is branding itself as a "Unified Entertainment System". As someone who just setup 3x Roamio's and 4x TiVo Mini's, I found it painful to manage all of the various online logins and services across all 7 boxes - I had to go enter my username and password for each service in each location.
> 
> I guess this is a suggestion more than a question, but to be a truly Unified platform, it would be great to have a way to enter that information exactly once. Entering passwords for Amazon, Hulu, Vudu, Netflix on all 7 boxes -- that's 28 different username/password pairs -- is a real pain in the neck. My fear is that somehow it'll get logged out on one box somewhere; I just see a future having to run between boxes reentering passwords over and over.
> 
> Truly Unify the Unified Platforms! Make this super, super easy to make TiVo the gold standard!


Couldn't agree more. And wouldn't it be even cooler if you could configure the box when you bought it so that when it arrived it was ready to rock?!? That's our goal.


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## Ira Bahr

kbmb said:


> Will Roamio get the updated flatter UI look from Bolt? ie. white highlights instead of yellow?
> 
> -Kevin


We do not plan to make the BOLT-specific changes to the Roamio line--namely the flat icons, changed highlight color, and other subtle cues. You will, however, be getting the new channel logos in the guide--a deficiency that was there too long.


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> Are there any plans to introduce "user profiles" that could segregate recordings for different members in a household?


As someone on this forum pointed out on another thread this week, there was a screenshot of profiles mocked up back in 2009 when Premeire came out. Sadly, TiVo left this on the cutting floor and has yet to find a way to deliver on that. Netlix proves that profiles can be meaningful, especially when personalizing content to the viewer. With shared experiences like TV, it's much harder to personalize in the same way that you can on an iPad or smartphone. We are working hard on finding a great way to not only deliver profile-like expereinces, but also to personalize content to whomever is in the room. Stay tuned.


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## Ira Bahr

dmurphy said:


> One more, and then I'll stop.
> 
> As companies like Verizon move to become both content and delivery providers, does TiVo see them as an opportunity or threat? How would you approach a Verizon, or even a Netflix of the world as they become both the distributor and producer of content? Do you see the ability to partner (i.e. I'd love access to FiOS On Demand from TiVo) or are they trying to keep TiVo out?


We are neither content nor delivery -- we are the interface. Our goal is to create VOD integrations with any operator that supports CABLEcard. Note that we just recently launched COX VOD. No one's trying to keep us out. Just a matter of engineering resources. The more we grow, the more important we become.


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## Ira Bahr

innocentfreak said:


> TiVo has toyed with community development, but it never seems to get off the ground.
> 
> Does TiVo have any plans to return to this? Or at the very least would TiVo offer support and documentation to the developers of the well established and popular community software tools like KMTTG, Streambaby, and PyTiVo which fill a hole in TiVo's offerings?
> 
> I must say I can't imagine using TiVo without KMTTG and PyTiVo.


I believe the industry has proven that when you can develop a healthy and vibrant developer community, both parties profit and the end user benefits. TiVo will need to grow its size and influence before community development can really take off, but at a minimum we should support our long-term supporters like PyTivo and KMTTG.


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## Ira Bahr

alexofindy said:


> I have a Tivo Premiere, which I really like. It has one wonderful feature which your newer models, the Roamio and now the Bolt, lack: the ability to record both cable and OTA concurrently. Are you planning to come out with new models that have this functionality? There are a lot of reasons a customer would want to do both, for example, some channels are only available OTA, cable companies now charge an extra fee to receive OTA stations over their cable (hopefully, as unbundling catches on, these stations and the fee will become optional, and the fee avoidable by those with an antenna), and cable stations sometimes "go dark" due to the all too frequent contract disputes between cable companies and content providers, leaving OTA as the only option for receiving one network or another.
> 
> I, for one, will keep my trusty PLS Premiere until it dies and the geniuses at weaknees cannot not repair it, and then buy a Roku or something similar. I would love to stick with Tivo, but only if there is a model that, like my Premiere, can do both OTA and cable at the same time. Will there be such a beast?
> 
> Thanks!


Alex, we often hear this request on comment sections and at the trade shows that we attend. We're engaged with our engineers on this. Having six or more tuners poses a number of challenges you don't have to face when you have just two, but we are exploring several options to address this very important need.


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## Ira Bahr

innocentfreak said:


> As Windows 10 takes off, has TiVo looked at offering a Windows 10 desktop app that is comparable to their IOS app that would also run on Microsoft phones and the Surface?


We, like many other companies, are not actively developing for the Windows platform. Our TiVo Online product is available on all the older flavors of Windows.


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## Ira Bahr

innocentfreak said:


> One of my gripes with streaming is it is never on par with a local recording when it comes to trick-play such as slow motion, fast forward, and rewinding. TiVo got this right with multi-room streaming.
> 
> Since Amazon has now rolled out offline viewing to other platforms, has TiVo reached out to Amazon about offering this on the TiVo even just as a way to improve streaming quality? Or at least to bring in on par with MRS? TiVo has a hard drive so I don't get why streaming apps don't write to it to give a great buffer unless this is a TiVo limitation.


Amazon used to use the download as a mechanism for the titles that you would rent or purchase on the TiVo Box using our local storage. When they moved to the Prime library and their new HTML5 app they moved toward only streaming rented, purchased, or Prime content. Amazon is a great partner. We continue talk about developing great customer experiences and how to leverage both of our platforms to the benefit of customers. We will definitely bring this up with them.


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## Ira Bahr

alexofindy said:


> What kind of expansion drive can be connected to the eSATA port? Just the expensive and hard to find WD, or more choices?


TiVo certifies the Western Digital external drives because they're reliable are built for A/V and work seamlessly with TiVo products. TiVo product are constantly caching whether you are recording or not. We are looking for way to expand the certification and engineering needed to support a much great hosts of OTS drives.


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## Ira Bahr

reneg said:


> With Comcast's migration from MPEG2 to MPEG4 essentially rendering Tivo HD's useless, will Tivo provide any incentives to long time Tivo HD customers to migrate to a newer Tivo platform?


Yes. We've been doing this in all Comcast upgrade markets. Sometimes it's hard for you to see our offers because a lot of customers have not updated their email address. Update those addresses, we make lots of interesting offers. Give us a call, and if you're in a Comcast MP4 market, we think we have some solid offers for you.


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## Ira Bahr

Jrr6415sun said:


> Are there any plans for a twitch app or a WWE app on tivo?


We launched WWE last month. Twitch is on the list, as are lots of others. Can't say when.


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## Ira Bahr

BigJimOutlaw said:


> As it is currently structured, Lifetime (All-in) customers don't get the free year, they don't get an MSD, they don't get a Continual Care warranty, AND they are now asked to pay more than ever.
> 
> Shouldn't they at least get the same respect as annual/monthly subscribers and get a year or two of Continual Coverage for the $200 increase over what they were eligible for a week ago?


Not a question of respect. Just a question of a company trying to build a sustainable business model. As some have noted we've made lots of really aggressive pricing moves in the past year. Most notable is the removal of a service fee on Mini. To get this done, we made a trade on MSD. The idea of Continual Care was to add value for customers who were paying a recurring fee. That's why we didn't put it into PLS. However, I think your idea of putting it in, but for a finite time is a good one. Wish I could say we could do it tomorrow. Stay tuned.


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## Ira Bahr

ajwees41 said:


> does the all in one plan have any perks or just a new name and higher price for product lifetime service?


Agree. New name and a higher price. In all seriousness though, my view is that both the fact of this pricing option and its name was killing TiVo. Tivo should have ten million cusomters today. IMO, one reason we don't is because of the way we've priced it. "Lifetime" was already way more than most people wanted to pay, AND actually reduced the value ascribed to our monthly product. Does Verizon offer a Lifetime plan? But even with the price hike, you gotta admit; our products last a LONG time. We should do a poll here on TiVo product ages, and I think we'd all be very impressed.


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## Ira Bahr

bradleys said:


> Thanks for answering our questions!
> 
> Any chance the Roamio will get Skip Mode sometime in the future? Is there a hardware reason?


bradleys - see question 6 from moyekj for my previous answer. Click Here


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> In the past, TiVo has hinted at the possibility of a TiVo app on streaming players like the Roku or Amazon Fire TV that would allow you to use a Roku or Fire TV similarly to a TiVo Mini. Any chance we see something like that in the near future?


Answered above. See Here - Fire TV


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> When is TiVo planning to release the Bolt Aereo Edition?


You should hear something by end of the year. May or may not be called "Aereo."


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## Ira Bahr

Sixto said:


> Hi Ira, thanks for your participation at TCF.
> 
> I was very much looking forward to the Bolt, currently having 3 Roamio's with 4 Mini's, on FiOS.
> 
> 4K, triple the memory, and 3-4x speed increase would have been a compelling reason to upgrade, and an awesome upgrade, but just can't afford to lose 2TB and 2 tuners per DVR.
> 
> Is TiVo still committed to the high-end user? of which I'd say 3TB and 6 tuners is critical.
> 
> Praying that a Bolt Pro is in our future ... SOON!
> 
> Thanks again for the opportunity to ask a question, please restore our faith in TiVo by hinting that our desire for 6 tuners and lots of storage will be met someday.


TOTALLY COMMITTED Sixto. We know what you guys want (It's impossible to miss) and you should have it next year.


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## Ira Bahr

jgbrown54 said:


> As of yesterday 9/29/15 I can no longer view TV Listings, view my ToDo List, view My Programs, or schedule recordings online because I have 2 older Series 3 HD DVRs. How do you justify abandoning your legacy customers, the ones that made you what you are today, simply because our equipment is getting older without offering upgrade incentives?


 Tech companies just can't support everything forever. Your boxes are still going strong, just like my iPad1. But yes, there's some stuff it doesn't do. On offers, we do them all time -- with special love for S3. Update your email address and give us a call. We're not abandoning anyone. We're just marching forward.


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## Ira Bahr

Bytez said:


> When will be able to finally disable the proxy that is the bottleneck in the streaming? It's still no where close to the reliability of Sling box for OOH streaming.


We are currently working on the architecture for the proxy to increase reliability amongst other technologies that will ultimately improve the OOH mobile experience. We know we can do better.


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## Ira Bahr

AlaniFL said:


> Hi Ira.
> 
> Will there be any special incentives/promo codes for current/loyalty customers to upgrade to the Tivo Bolt?
> 
> Do I buy today and get my Bolt in a few days, but risk an offer appearing in the next few days or weeks.
> 
> BTW, the Bolt product announcement caught me by surprise: no tivo.com teaser, no email to current customers to watch for a new product announcement (and get $$$ ready). I participate in Michaela Logan's Tivo Advisory Panel, and no mention of any new product launches. (at least I can't remember seeing any of these things mention a new model is coming.
> 
> Maybe next time you can stream a live product announcement to the press and general public? Or better yet, slap a promo video right on our Tivos!
> 
> Loyal customer since 2001.
> 
> Alan Z.
> 
> TiVo Premiere 03/03/2013 (in use)
> TiVo Premiere 04/28/2008 (inactive)
> TiVo Series2 rev.2 DVR 80hr 02/22/2003 (retired)
> Sony 30 Hour PTV Recorder 12/16/2001 (gifted)
> Sony 30 Hour PTV Recorder 07/30/2001 (retired)


It's a new product, so no, we don't have any plans to discount it in the short term. You guys know Consumer Electronics better than anybody. The only time you shouldn't have to discount is at launch. I certainly would not expect discounting this year.

On pre-launch communications, we were really trying to keep the lid on this. What happens is that we brief key analysts and journalists in advance and then embargo the news until our launch date. When the news leaks it makes everyone unhappy. In this case, despite some solid gumshoe reporting by DZ, we kept most of the key features secret.

Interesting idea on the live stream. Trouble is we really like to do extensive private briefings -- and once you do that, no one shows up for your event.


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## Ira Bahr

tarheelblue32 said:


> When can we expect to see the first TiVo commercials featuring Tim Tebow and Usain Bolt?


You'll have both as soons as Teebs is starting in the NFL.


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## Ira Bahr

1larryw said:


> Long time TiVo customer (2001!) Very dismayed with new pricing structure regarding lifetime service cost that more than likely prevent me from upgrading from my Premiere.
> 
> What has kept me with TiVo recently is the newer units don't work with DirecTV, and the DirecTiVo currently offered is old technology and OS. I would really love to go back to DirecTV. Are there any plans on an updated TiVo NATIVE model that will work with satellite providers?


We would LOVE to work with DISH and DTV. It's not only cheaper for them to deploy their homegrown STB's, there's also a strong internal corporate bias in favor of technologies they've built themselves.


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## Ira Bahr

pritch55 said:


> I recently saw this on the PLEX media format webpage.
> 
> The TiVo Roamio OTA & BOLT devices are capable of 1080p playback of H.264 videos and even 4K playback of HEVC content.
> 
> 1080p Video:
> 
> *Container: MP4 or MKV
> 
> *Resolution: 1920x1080 or smaller
> 
> *Video Encoding: H.264 (level 4.1 or lower)
> 
> Does this mean that the Roamio OTA can direct play 1080p video trough the PLEX app? If so are there any plans to include the Roamio, Plus and Pro?
> 
> Thanks,
> -Brandon


While the Roamio line is capable of playing 1080P files the BOLT is the only box capable of decoding the resolution for 3840 or UHD. It requires HEVC or VP9 encoding and the processor in the BOLT just to decode the file. No Roamio's will support UHD content.


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## Ira Bahr

Blakeintosh said:


> Hi Ira,
> 
> What is the status of the TiVo Mega and will it have the upgraded hardware/software features of the TiVo Bolt? That may partially explain why there is no Pro version of the Bolt. If the Mega is indeed still in the product pipeline, has there been any consideration on lowering the orignally-annouced suggested retail price? I know the price shocked many of us here in the community. Perhaps a model with just a few drives in it when it ships, and a customer could plugin additional drives over time. That could help to get the unit cost down.
> 
> Thanks for taking questions.


TiVo Mega was an interesting experience. What started as an exercise to see just how much we could stretch the boundaries turned out to spur excitement in our teams. When we were first discussing the BOLT product line, we determined that releasing a professional, rack-mounted appliance would be silly to do in 1080p when we knew we were following up shortly with 4K. We did not kill Mega, but we've put in a pause. Stay tuned.


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## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> Will the Bolt record all 4k cable tv content?
> 
> Please explain the limitations if any.


Absolutely. The BOLT was specifically designed to record 4K content off the air or on cable. While no QAM or ATSC signals exist with this resolution we are locked and loaded when they do.


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## Ira Bahr

Blakeintosh said:


> With Apple's recent announcement of the Apple TV App Store, will TiVo develop an Apple TV app? Considering you have a well-developed iOS app, it doesn't sound like it would take a lot of resources to port it over to the Apple TV.
> 
> I'd also like to know when online.tivo.com will get OOH streaming support?


We are very interested in expanding our platform to the Apple TV. An app for their STB would be the next step in our iOS offering.


----------



## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> IN what ways, if any, does the Bolt improve the Mini experience?
> 
> For example, are audio/video still dropped if you return to the menus?
> 
> OR does it still take more steps to record a show from the guide on the Mini than when using the dvr directly?


First, BOLT is an improvement because our introductory line has never had MoCA built-in. We felt it was time to have the entire line support coax for networking. I think the thing you'll notice right off the bat is faster performance if you're on a MoCA network. BOLT has MoCA 2.0, which offers significantly faster response times. I always thought the Minis offered remarkably fast response times, but the BOLTs make that even better. But in terms of navigation I think you'll find it to be more evolutionary than revolutionary. We've tried to make the navigation at once refreshed and yet familiar.


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## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> What are Tivo's plans to give the user back the ability to automatically record repeats of a tv show on our Tivo without worrying that the new episodes will get overwritten?
> 
> WE used to be able to set up 2 different season passes to do this. One for repeats and one for new shows. It was very useful when the viewer kept up with new episodes and yet regularly enjoyed watching old episodes or when the viewer was catching up with old episodes as they watched the new ones (like when a current show is also in syndication.) Now we have to resort to far less desirable work arounds.


 I'm sure you know that TiVo lets you choose whether you want to see just the new episodes or both new and repeats. One of the things I do when I want to watch something again is select the "Keep Until" option, which lets you select a date, or just keep it until you manually remove it. My hard drives have more than a few shows that have taken up permanent residence. OnePass also allows you to manage these. Please refer to the other answer where I note OnePass and how to switch between "My Episodes" view and "All recordings" view.


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## Ira Bahr

zubinh said:


> My Question is regarding the Plex app and the Opera browser. Currently, the Plex app on Tivo only supports resolution up to 720P. Are there any plans on increasing this to 1080P? Thank you!


The most important part was to get Plex out the door earlier in the year so that you all could enjoy all the goodies it offers. We are continuing to work with their engineers to increase the experience, not only resolution limitations but other things.


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## Ira Bahr

Dan203 said:


> Uh I still want the padding even if I am recording back to back shows. Sometimes I watch shows way out of order. Like say watch show #2 right away, but wait for show #1 to build up 5-6 episodes before I watch. I don't want to have to keep all episodes of show #2 just because it has the last 1 minute of show #1.
> 
> A better question is will we see the return of the feature that was on the original Roamio release where back to back shows could share a tuner and copy the overlapped portion to both programs?


Not familiar with the Roamio feature of which you speak to merge shows. As for the precision of the recording, this has always proved challenging given that programers are always adjusting their timing and promotions. All I can say is that we continue to find way to hone our precision in these matter and please be patient as we improve.


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## Ira Bahr

faulkton said:


> Thanks for doing the AMA, feel free to answer all or none of my questions
> 
> 1. What makes Tivo's upscaling to 4K better than Samsung's? It's not like my cable company delivers any real 4k programming and my Samsung already does an excellent job upscaling to 4K.
> 
> 2. If the Bolt truly beats Samsung's excellent 4k upscaling and I have a Roamio hooked to my 4K TV in the bedroom and decide to add a Bolt for the living room, could i stream/transfer shows recorded on my Roamio to the bolt and output at 4K on my second 4k set in the living room?
> 
> 3. Any plans for a 4K mini?
> 
> 4. Will the commercial skip feature eventually be rolled out to the Roamio models in a software update?
> 
> PS I really hope you answer this, as it is my personal biggest disappointment about the Roamio.
> 
> Is there any hope of EVER getting the PBS streaming app? It's a great app on my Amazon fire and if Tivo had it i would cancel my preorder for the new Fire TV. PBS has great content and the fire TV app is awesome. I think it'd be an excellent addition to the streaming apps and additionally they are investing heavily in 4k production techniques and I wouldnt be surprised at all to see them be one of the first stations to start broadcasting native 4K content.


We do not have a performance claim where we say that the BOLT out upscales Samsung. It may or it may not. The value is in having a unified system. Certainly you can find point and shoot cameras and GPS that might have 1-2 features more than your smartphone but you lose the ease of use and integration. With your smartphone you can ask Siri to access your contacts and find something in Google maps and navigate you there. Much like that, TiVo is not only scaling video or passing it through if that's your preference, but it also integrates with so many other things.


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## Ira Bahr

waynomo said:


> What is in the future for TiVo and TiVo users? I would like both a short term and a long term vision. What types of improvements or new technologies is TiVo looking at.


TiVo is interested in the best media experience that anyone can dream up. This encourages us to explore ways to control and interact with touch, voice, and motion. It also spurs us to explore more modern ways to surface relevant and amazing content to our users in the fastest way possible. We are seeking out the latest in hardware features, not just the newest processor or largest tuner set. As you know, we have no dog in the content fight. We seek to be content-agnostic, which allows us to be on the side of our viewers. In the short term, we are seeking to regain the excitment and passion that surrounded the invention of the DVR. We're evolving from developing DVRs to what we're calling Unified Entertainment Systems and other devices that make it simple to access content no matter where it is. In the long term, our hope is to continue to use this new energy to grow an ecosystem that users will feel at home evey time they turn their screens--any kind of screen--on.


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## Ira Bahr

krkaufman said:


> A related preliminary question might be "Can you provide an estimate when the BOLT will be able to bridge Ethernet and MoCA, similar to the Roamio Plus & Pro, so that it can be used to create a MoCA network?"
> 
> (see here)


Ethernet-to-MoCA bridging is built in and operational in BOLT.


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## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> Can you swap out the hard drive in the Bolt as easily as you can on the Roamio?


We don't support the swapping of the internal hard drive. Doing so will void the TiVo warranty. That said, I'm sure you'll quickly know once a teardown is done what can be done with the HDD internally.


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## Ira Bahr

Dan203 said:


> Does the Bolt allow MoCa to Wifi bridging? So that Minis can connect to the TiVo over MoCa but have them all connect to the internet via Wifi. The Roamio does not currently allow this. It will bridge MoCa to Ethernet, but not to Wifi.


Our engineers are working on the ability of the host unit (BOLT) to connect to the Internet via Wi-Fi and then bridge that to the MoCA to share Internet for guide data, SW downloads and OTT streaming as well as the ability to MRS between units.


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## Ira Bahr

jonw747 said:


> If I was to buy a Bolt it would be because I want a 4K DVR to pair with a 4K TV. What can you tell us about how the Bolt will support this in the future when there isn't a 4K broadcast standard and cable providers are still at the very early stages?


At launch the BOLT supports 4K OTT streams. While trends indicate that VOD libraries will also be IP rather than QAM feeds we do not anticipate a short term 4K linear channel. However, BOLT is prepared to record that if and when it makes its way to market.


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## Ira Bahr

Welshdog said:


> Has Tivo talked with Google about a deal to allow Tivo to work with Google Fiber either via new Tivo hardware or installation of Tivo OS on Google hardware?


Interesting idea. We would absolutely love to have Google open their platform to allow us to develop STB's for fiber they deliver. On the other question, anything's possible over time.


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## Ira Bahr

Sixto said:


> If the question as to whether there will be a 6 tuner 3TB Bolt (Bolt Pro) can't be answered because it relates to the future, then a follow-up question would be ... will the Roamio Pro continue to be available for high-end users indefinitely until a future product is announced? There needs to be a platform for the high end user.
> 
> Also, for me, simply adding 2 tuners (6 total) and 2TB (3TB total) is all I need. No need for anything pricier then that.


Roamio Pro will continue to be available until we can get you at a minimum 6 tuner 3TB replacement with 4K, or maybe more.


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## Ira Bahr

innocentfreak said:


> Are there any commonly requested features that TiVo knows the chance it will ever offer them is slim to none? If so what are they and maybe a brief why?


 None that come to mind other than free TiVos. Innovation is thriving here more than ever.


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## Ira Bahr

Cavalier240 said:


> What is the timeline for releasing a 4k capable Mini?


Looking at next year


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## Ira Bahr

Jrr6415sun said:


> I want to ask this question again because it really is a huge issue for me.
> 
> Will there be a way to record repeats of a show that is in syndication without deleting the new episodes that come out for that show? There used to be a way to do this with 2 season passes but not with the one pass system.


We are not currently looking at restoring this.


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## Ira Bahr

CoxInPHX said:


> What are the Specs on the Bolt's Integrated Stream device?
> How many simultaneous Streams can it support and transcode to iOS and/or Android devices?
> Does it also have the ability to Stream recordings from other Premieres and base Roamios on the same subnet?
> 
> Both the Stand-alone TiVo Stream and the Roamio Plus/Pro Integrated Stream device are capable of four (4) simultaneous Streams, Does the Bolt also support four (4) simultaneous Streams to iOS and/or Android devices?


We are using the new built-in Broadcom chip to do all of the transcoding where the previous Roamio and Roamio OTA had no transcoding and required the stream accessory. The stream accessory and Roamio Pro relied on a Zenverge co-processor to do all of the transcoding for mobile streaming. The BroadCom chip supports up to two simultaneous transcodes at once. One will be supported at launch and two will be supported shortly thereafter.


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## Ira Bahr

innocentfreak said:


> TiVo now includes the ability to transcode content in all of the current models. Has TiVo considered using this hardware feature to convert recordings from Mpeg2 to Mpeg4 when not in use? This seems like it would be extremely helpful in saving space especially considering the Bolt didn't gain any storage capacity.


We aren't currently working towards this as we seek to deliver the highest quality in picture which would require further compression and loss of quality. We will discuss our options with our engineers. We are however looking to fix the issue of where you wouldn't feel the pain of the 98% full icon. One Pass was the first step in this initiative by allowing you to rely more on streaming for binge watching purposes and allowing you to save the HDD space for new recordings.


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## Ira Bahr

HerronScott said:


> Hi Ira,
> 
> Thank you for taking the time to respond to questions here.
> 
> Why is new activation support on S1-S3's being dropped (see following quote from TiVo Support) and what is the impact for transfers if you buy or sell an S1-S3 with lifetime service?
> 
> "However, if this TiVo device is a Series1, Series2 or Series3 DVR, then once your TiVo service on this device is cancelled, it no longer will be possible to reactivate service on this device."
> 
> Someone earlier also asked about the TiVo web scheduling/management for these earlier models as well which I feel is a related question.
> 
> Scott


Answered this earlier. Here's what I said -- Tech companies just can't support everything forever. Your boxes are still going strong, just like my iPad1. But yes, there's some stuff it doesn't do. On offers, we do them all time -- with special love for S3. Update your email address and give us a call. We're not abandoning anyone. We're just marching forward.


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## Ira Bahr

LI-SVT said:


> Hi Ira,
> 
> I understand older TiVo models, Series1, Series2 and Series 3, can longer sign up for new service. For those units that are currently active will TiVo continue to supply guide data and for how much longer?
> 
> Thanks you


We presently have no plans to discontinue the TiVo Service to any active TiVo device.


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## Ira Bahr

waynomo said:


> Regarding SkipMode:
> Who creates the data necessary for this to work?
> Approximately how long after a show airs will it be available?
> Are there plans to expand this to work with a larger selection of shows and if so, what are they?


The Skip Mode feature should be available about five minutes after the broadcast is complete. We are using a mixture of human and machine technology to provide this feature. We will continue to work to expand the channel count of supported shows based on how the feature is used and what we hear from our customers.


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## Ira Bahr

DanielTB80 said:


> Currently on the Roamio and earlier models, there is not an easy way to migrate/transfer existing shows to a new Tivo, except via a manual one-at-a-time show transfer. Are there any plans to include this capability in future models to give your customers an additional incentive to upgrade? This also applies to removing a eSATA hard drive as well (without losing recordings).


I am currently unhappy with our platform's inability to enable a simple way to transfer content between boxes. Though, this would exclude copy-once protected recordings. We need to be better at tools that allow you to be on our latest boxes.


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## Ira Bahr

Dan203 said:


> If you use a Bolt to stream a show from a Roamio will Skip Mode be available? Or does it only work with shows recorded on the Bolt? If the later will actually transferring a show from the Roamio to the Bolt enable Skip Mode on that show?


Only works on shows recorded on the BOLT. I will have to get back to you on the MRV situation


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## Ira Bahr

chicagobd said:


> I was told by Tivo support that only the Bolt and the Tivo mini will support "skip Mode" and that a software update will be sent to the mini to support this. Why would they send a software update to the mini and not the main Tivo Roamio DVR ?


SkipMode only for Bolt systems is the present plan, but as I indicated earlier, still under discussion.


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## Ira Bahr

innocentfreak said:


> While TiVo has made advances with the Season Pass with the implementation of the OnePass, it also feels like TiVo has taken a step back with the ability to let the user dictate what actually gets recorded. For example OnePass is either one channel or all, and you can't dictate only specific channels. You also lost the ability to have settings specific for each channel a show airs on. Will we see the return of the ability to create multiple passes per show or at least more advanced settings for OnePasses?
> 
> This way a user could not only set a OnePass for new shows on one channel and a OnePass for repeats on another but also with their own specific keep until setting and padding settings.


It's a tough problem. On one hand you want to be able to deliver the control and customability to evey customer. On the other hand it can have the effect of creating far too many "in the weeds" features and a mess of the menus and options. The TiVo UI has become far to complex and require too many button presses to get what you want. We need to be better at knowing what you will want and getting it to you in the quickest way possible. The mobile platform on the other hand might be a nice compromise where one could have controls to customize certain things and have added menus. On the TV and with the remote the goal is to simplify.


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## Ira Bahr

Blakeintosh said:


> Western Digital has offered a 2 TB DVR Expander for a couple of years now. It's specifications are identical to the 1 TB model, except it has a 2 TB drive in it. I know this because I own one. The packaging even says that it's compatible with TiVo. Why won't TiVo support using the 2 TB model? It doesn't appear to be a technical reason, considering the custom solutions that WeaKnees sells with 6 TB internal/external drives paired together.


Great info here. We'll speak with our engineers about this. Not sure if we just need to update our support documentation to accomodate this or if there is a technical reason.


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## Ira Bahr

foghorn2 said:


> Ira Bahr,
> 
> Can we get something like Kodi on the Tivo. Flex is lackluster and problematic, and I can stream ISO's off a sever with Kodi, Plex cant.
> 
> Can you guys work with Kodi on this as you did with Plex?
> 
> Thanks


Plex is a great partner to have and we are very happy with its growth in the enthusiast community. But as you point out, even Plex does not meet every need. We're actively seeking to improve and grow here, and the state of this conversation at TiVo is better than its ever been.


----------



## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> Are you planning to release a new Bolt Mini in the next year that can output 4k?


The Mini product is coming up on its 3 year anniversary. While we have added some changes since the original model (Dynamic Tuner allocation, RF remotes, $149 all in pricing) This product is well due for a refresh. Besides, the BOLT certainly needs some help around the house to spread the 4K goodness. Stay tuned next year.


----------



## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> The tick marks in the playback bar are too far apart for longer recordings. It takes way too long to fast forward between the tick marks when they are spaced 1 hr apart.
> 
> What are Tivo's plans to let the user more quickly navigate longer recordings?
> 
> Here's an example, 2015 US OPen Tennis. Those are sometimes 8 hr long recordings. A OnePass is set up to record the tournament. It's a relative chore to fast forward through those long recordings to find the match or parts of a match you want to watch.


The reality is that creating a product and a service like TiVo has complexities. Mistakes certainly happen when dealing with hundreds of cable operators and a multitude of shows in a given week. We're doing everthing we can to continually reduce the error rate and we're making progress.


----------



## Ira Bahr

trip1eX said:


> Does Tivo have any plans to give users the option to treat 2 Tivos on their network as 1 bigger Tivo?
> 
> In other words, 2 Bolts would combine into 1 virtual Tivo that has 1 My Shows list, 8 tuners and 2x500gb of hard drive space.


Unified My Shows across all networked TiVo's is a feature we want to be able to deliver. No timing yet.


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## Ira Bahr

jcthorne said:


> Is there a new feature remote coming for the Bolt that includes voice search?


The BOLT has some HW features that we have not yet taken advantage of yet with such a short development cycle. One of those is BLE. Clearly, the industry is moving more towards voice and it's reasonable to expect a TiVo implementation of this over time.


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## Ira Bahr

krkaufman said:


> TiVo has offered a great many enhancements over the years that focus on personalization, and TiVo looks set to continue that trend this Fall, according to recent reports, updating their mobile apps with social media sharing and personalized "What to Watch" lists based on stated hobbies and interests.
> 
> In the above-referenced report, TiVO President and CEO Tom Rogers is quoted as saying, *"The clear demand of consumers is for a TV experience that quickly delivers them exactly what they want the instant they turn on the screen."*
> 
> How can TiVo truly personalize the user/viewing experience in a product ecosystem lacking any user awareness -- where a single login is used to control access to a home's TiVo account and mobile apps, and where the core product is an inherently single user device?
> 
> -----
> 
> We were teased with the possibility of user profiles over 5 years ago, when the "Now Playing List" was renamed as "My Shows" with the roll-out of the Premiere series, yet a truly personalized viewer experience remains elusive, even as TiVo adds more functionality making it ever more necessary:
> 
> 
> *Personalized 'My Shows' listing ::* "My Shows" could finally become *my* shows!, displaying only those shows to which a given user has "subscribed."
> 
> *Personalized "watched progress" ::* The addition of viewing progress bars was great, but actually adds confusion as more viewers use a given DVR, which is increasingly more likely as TiVo correctly shifts to a server/client whole home solution (whole globe, when considering mobile).
> 
> *Personalized 'Partially Watched' subgroup ::* Same as for progress bars, the value of this subgroup is diminished in a multi-viewer home, especially with the shift towards whole home solutions; this filter should only list shows that a given user has partially viewed.
> 
> *Personalized Favorites channel list(s!) :: *Aside from expanding what's generally allowed by increasing the number of Favorites channel lists beyond one, each viewer should be able to customize their own Favorites listing(s).
> 
> *Personalized Suggestions filtering ::* Each user should have the ability to tune their TiVo experience by providing personalized Thumbs Up/Down ratings, and these per-user preferences, including personalized Favorites channels, would result in a filtered, more personalized Suggested Recordings experience.
> 
> *Personalized 'Discovery Bar' :: *Very much similar to what has been mentioned as coming in a Fall update for the mobile apps, the Discovery Bar should be personalized, customizing the content based on the OnePass shows to which a given user has subscribed, and further tuned based on personal ratings for shows, channels and genres.
> 
> *Personalized streaming app authentication ::* Individual viewers need rapid access to their own profiles on the available streaming apps, from Netflix or PLEX user profiles to individualized YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, etc. accounts.
> 
> *Personalized social media integration ::* Same as for streaming apps, any social media integration needs to be customized on a per-viewer basis.
> ... to list but a few areas where personalization is needed.


You're right. We are WAY behind on this -- and we're probably behind in ways you haven't even mentioned. What I can tell you is that Personalization is an enormous priority at TiVo. I'm optimistic about progress next year.


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## Ira Bahr

krkaufman said:


> Does TiVo have any plans to offer add-on tuning capabilities for their whole home DVR solution, allowing the customer to purchase or lease additonal USB- or network-connected tuners to supplement the built-in tuners of a given TiVo DVR?
> 
> This would be handy in alleviating tuning conflicts, in general, but especially for those families who like watching live TV on their connected Minis, and it would be a boon for those customers whose cable provider fails to carry or provides poor picture quality for a few select channels available OTA.*
> 
> (* p.s. ... obviously, as an alternative to having to purchase additional DVRs and the associated increase in "whole home" complexity.)


Interesting idea. We're looking at ways to expand the tuner count and will not degrade the experience for the customer. With that comes certain challenges but we are actively looking at it.


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## Ira Bahr

Blakeintosh said:


> Regarding the new Skip Mode feature on the Bolt. I'm curious why TiVo chose to take the approach of manual commercial marking by humans, instead of a software algorithm, similar to the "Commercial Advance" functionality that ReplayTV utilized? I had a ReplayTV and Commercial Advance was pretty accurate at detecting commercial breaks. I realize manual marking is much more accurate, however a software algorithm can analyze all channels in realtime, instead of just 20 of the most popular cable channels, marked after the fact.
> 
> What is the timeline for adding additional channels into the mix, beyond the current 20 channels included at launch?


We use a combination of man and machine and the mix will change over time. We will add channels in response to feedback we get from users.


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## Ira Bahr

dredwing said:


> To what extent does TiVo test software in an offline environment, where internet connectivity is not currently available? While it is obvious that certain functions like OTT streaming and online scheduling cannot work offline, it does seems that there are some operations which should not be impacted by lack of internet connection, but are not as robust as they could be.


Much like the rest of CE devices today (iPhone) included we are dependant on internet connectivity almost as much as battery life or a power plug. We do offer our customers certain offline experiences such as downloading of recordings to mobile devices when off-line.. As for SW screens still being able to function sans a live signal, when it comes to our partners apps we are beholden to the policies of the respective app developers.


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## Ira Bahr

krkaufman said:


> Can you tell us if TiVo is working on enabling storage capacities beyond 3TB? (6TB? 8TB?)


Yes.


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## Ira Bahr

dredwing said:


> Will TiVo continue to support HME applications like pyTiVo and kmttg that greatly enhance the TiVo's capabilities? Can we be assured that any required features like certificates needed for access will be provided to HME developers?


I don't know how HME apps will be affected by our platform software work. Will look into this since we have a solid solution ourselves and we need to continue to support partners who help to enhance our experience.


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## Ira Bahr

Blakeintosh said:


> Regarding the new Skip Mode feature on the Bolt. I'm curious why TiVo chose to take the approach of manual commercial marking by humans, instead of a software algorithm, similar to the "Commercial Advance" functionality that ReplayTV utilized? I had a ReplayTV and Commercial Advance was pretty accurate at detecting commercial breaks. I realize manual marking is much more accurate, however a software algorithm can analyze all channels in realtime, instead of just 20 of the most popular cable channels, marked after the fact.
> 
> What is the timeline for adding additional channels into the mix, beyond the current 20 channels included at launch?


We use a combination of man and machine and the mix will change over time. We will add channels in response to feedback we get from users.


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## Ira Bahr

AtlantaDad said:


> Does the Bolt upscale all content to 4k or just the streaming content. And a related question, what is the scaler it uses?


BOLT will upscale all content to 2160p60 if that video output format ("2160p") is the only one selected. Other formats such as 2160p24 or 2160p30 are only used for source content with a compatible frame rate, and may be enabled by checking the box labeled "2160p passthrough" on the Video Output Formats screen.


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## Ira Bahr

aaronwt said:


> I would like to know if the Bolt will downscale 4K(2160P) streaming content to 2K(1080P) for playback on current 2K(1080P) sets?


BOLT is technically capable of downscaling 4K streaming content to 1080p (or lower). Some streaming providers have business logic that will not stream 4K content to a set top box that is not connected to a 4K TV.


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## Ira Bahr

Ive run marathons that were easier than this. Hope my answers were informative and somewhat helpful. Eager to read the discussion that follows. Very much appreciated this experience overall.

Thanks again. 

One thing  may I ask this group if it might change its logos to conform with our new identity? Were evolving from the older TiVo guy to what we think is a more modern, masculine, and streamlined look. The new ID is what we call Blankman and its what we want TiVo to look like going forward. Were going to send David a file for all to use. 

Good weekend!


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## David Bott

Thank you Ira. What a great thread...but the thread is now closed for posting. Please use the normal forum sections for discussion.

We hope your question was answered. If missed, we are sorry. All in all, Ira made 92 replies to questions.

Sorry there was not time for followups.

Thanks to all that took part!!!

Here is a link to what I would call a members commentary thread on Q&A session... Commentary Thread


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