# How to prove that you (Tivo) still matter



## malverde (Mar 13, 2007)

Mr. Bahr,

As a loyal and sometimes rabid Tivo fan, I can say that for years, Tivo has been the lead in the DVR market. Far superior to any cable box my cable provider has tried to force down my throat. But I must warn you, the barbarians are at the gates. The Genie and the Hopper are excellent products operating in your direct marketspace. Roku, Fire TV, AppleTV, ChromeCast, etc. are providing excellent sources of alternate content. You are in danger of being out innovated.

At the risk of being too bold, may I please make some suggestions:

1) Clean up your house; 
a) Finish converting all of the UI to HD.​b) Update your Amazon app (allow streaming and support Prime)​c) Finish the Android streaming App.​d) Do something about your way way outdated Tivo desktop software.​You are giving everyone the sense that you can finish what you have started.

2) Build an ecosystem that supports and promotes alternate streaming sources. There appears to be little interest on Tivo's part to support or promote developer efforts. To remain relevant, you need a strong ecosystem similar to Roku. It's not all about Cable & Satellite TV now.

We need apps; Vudu, Plex, Crackle, HBO Go, etc. (I can go on for pages).

Even FCC head Tom Wheeler recognizes that third-party content providers are effectively eating broadcasters' lunch. Please don't bank on their broken model for your future.

If you want to sell more consumer boxes. Please take this under consideration. From my person point-of-view, I would love to ditch my Roku and just use one box.

3) Develop streaming Apps for devices other than Android and iOS. For example, develop a streaming App for Samsung TVs or the Roku (or AppleTV or Vizio or...). Effectively providing the Tivo Interface on the TV without the need for a Tivo Mini.

ok... I will hop down off my soapbox.


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## bradleys (Oct 31, 2007)

Why would they provide a streaming app for the large screen to negate the mini?

What business logic does that bring?


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## WhiskeyTango (Sep 20, 2006)

The OP may as well be writing a letter to Santa Claus. This isn't a Tivo owned site and the intended recipient is likely to never hear a word about this.

As for the content of the post, Genie and Hopper are not operating in the Tivo marketplace as the newer Tivos don't work with satellite anyway. As for Amazon, that is not a Tivo issue but a matter of Amazon developing a new app to work with Tivo, not the other way around.

And this...


bradleys said:


> Why would they provide a streaming app for the large screen to negate the mini?
> 
> What business logic does that bring?


Enabling streaming on other devices at the expense of their own product does nothing to help the bottom line.


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

WhiskeyTango said:


> The OP may as well be writing a letter to Santa Claus. This isn't a Tivo owned site and the intended recipient is likely to never hear a word about this.


TiVo is watching/monitoring this forum. Scroll to the top and read! 

TGC


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

malverde said:


> Mr. Bahr,
> 
> As a loyal and sometimes rabid Tivo fan, I can say that for years, Tivo has been the lead in the DVR market. Far superior to any cable box my cable provider has tried to force down my throat. But I must warn you, the barbarians are at the gates. The Genie and the Hopper are excellent products operating in your direct marketspace. Roku, Fire TV, AppleTV, ChromeCast, etc. are providing excellent sources of alternate content. You are in danger of being out innovated.
> 
> ...


I agree to some degree about what your saying. They do need to do "A", "B" is up to amazon mostly. "C" there are many threads in here about why that isn't happening as soon as we hoped. "D" They do need a major update to that software as well.

More streaming apps, I would love to see more. I would love to have a "ONE BOX" setup to my home theater system. Even a one box system for the rest of the TV's in my house. There are two problems with this. As an Example HBO Go, You have to get HBO to write the app for the TiVo, and then it requires a major software upgrade on TiVo's part. Currently TiVo's software isn't as user friendly to those apps, Not like the XBOX or Roku, where you simply download the app. This is where TiVo could make a great improvement in their software.

I also agree with you. "Linear" Television is on it's way out. TV Broadcast (OTA or cable or Satalite) is Linear. Even FCC head Tom Wheeler has proposed that we eliminate OTA TV by 2040, and is in favor of pushing all TV to Cable, Satalite or Internet by then.

TGC


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## nooneuknow (Feb 5, 2011)

TexasGrillChef said:


> TiVo is watching/monitoring this forum. Scroll to the top and read!
> 
> TGC


TiVo is monitoring their own forum. I misread the announcement in the same way, a while back.

EDIT/ADD/INSERT: (TiVoMargret is actively involved here on TCF, and on her twitter feed "tivodesign").

That forum (in the announcement) is found on TiVo's own website. Be warned in advance, that TiVo (or a 3rd party image management service, like brand.com) actively removes posts that they don't like (negative ones, or ones they perceive as damaging to their image).

That is why I (sometimes) don't bother with TiVo's own forum. Here, you can post things that wouldn't last an hour in TiVo's forum, and it will remain here (so long as it doesn't break the forum rules). I'm not saying that I'm out to stomp TiVo, cast them in a bad light, or ruin their image.

This is an un-affiliated 3rd-party forum.


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## lpwcomp (May 6, 2002)

Multiple TiVo personnel _*used*_ to actively participate in this site. However, that ceased due to the abuse they received. I do not wish to get into a discussion about whether or not said abuse was real or imaginary, deserved or undeserved.

TiVoMargret still occasionally posts about the content of new releases and I think monitors the relevant threads.

As to whether or not TiVo regards the TCF as a "thorn in (their) side", I think at least _*some*_ of the TiVo people recognize that it takes a bit of the strain off of their CS personnel. Probably quite a bit, but that is just IMHO.


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## nooneuknow (Feb 5, 2011)

lpwcomp said:


> Multiple TiVo personnel _*used*_ to actively participate in this site. However, that ceased due to the abuse they received. I do not wish to get into a discussion about whether or not said abuse was real or imaginary, deserved or undeserved.
> 
> TiVoMargret still occasionally posts about the content of new releases and I think monitors the relevant threads.
> 
> As to whether or not TiVo regards the TCF as a "thorn in (their) side", I think at least _*some*_ of the TiVo people recognize that it takes a bit of the strain off of their CS personnel. Probably quite a bit, but that is just IMHO.


Points taken. Nothing I didn't know already. I was trying to be brief.

As far as the "thorn-in-TiVo's-side" comment I made, it was yet another thing that nobody but TiVo could say if it is, or not, so that should've probably gone unsaid. I'll fix it.


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

lpwcomp said:


> As to whether or not TiVo regards the TCF as a "thorn in (their) side", I think at least _*some*_ of the TiVo people recognize that it takes a bit of the strain off of their CS personnel. Probably quite a bit, but that is just IMHO.


TiVo's CS personnel still routinely suggest people to come her for extra help.


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## TexasGrillChef (Sep 15, 2006)

nooneuknow said:


> EDIT/ADD/INSERT: (TiVoMargret is actively involved here on TCF, and on her twitter feed "tivodesign").


Aha... see if she is actively involved here on TCF, then She is TiVo's rep, and they are getting a general feel for the TiVo environment.

For Various reasons I don't use Twitter. So I am not on her Twitter feed. And I don't call Twitter a "forum".

TGC


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## nooneuknow (Feb 5, 2011)

TexasGrillChef said:


> Aha... see if she is actively involved here on TCF, then She is TiVo's rep, and they are getting a general feel for the TiVo environment.
> 
> For Various reasons I don't use Twitter. So I am on her Twitter feed. And I don't call Twitter a "forum".
> 
> TGC


I never called twitter a forum.

http://twitter.com/tivodesign - to view her feed as a web page, no account, or app, required.

As far as her being active here... I'd call it more of a courtesy, than a job requirement (IMO, and best guess), and am both thankful and grateful, that she puts up with the place and some of the people in it.

For you to state what she "is" or "isn't", as well as what she is or isn't doing, and state conclusions on that, based on things you don't know, is just inviting a steaming heap of bickering.

The announcement about TiVo monitoring forums was (and still is) for http://forums.tivo.com/pe/index.jsp . TiVoMargret's active role here doesn't change that announcement to mean what you decide it means.


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## malverde (Mar 13, 2007)

malverde said:


> Mr. Bahr,
> 
> As a loyal and sometimes rabid Tivo fan, I can say that for years, Tivo has been the lead in the DVR market. Far superior to any cable box my cable provider has tried to force down my throat. But I must warn you, the barbarians are at the gates. The Genie and the Hopper are excellent products operating in your direct marketspace. Roku, Fire TV, AppleTV, ChromeCast, etc. are providing excellent sources of alternate content. You are in danger of being out innovated.
> 
> ...


Tivo,

First let me say thanks for the recent updates. Well done! Thanks to the success of the new update, I feel compelled to follow up on my post and see where we are today...

_1) Clean up your house; 
a) Finish converting all of the UI to HD.​_The movement to HAXE was awesome! Great move. We still could use getting all the menus into HD. *B+*​
_b) Update your Amazon app (allow streaming and support Prime)​_Love the new app. *A*​
_c) Finish the Android streaming App.​_I haven't had a chance to use the app yet but we have it! *A*​
_d) Do something about your way way outdated Tivo desktop software.​_Ouch! Nothing! *F!* Seriously. This is a big deal. If you are not going to support Plex or DLNA, you are leaving a huge whole in your offering.​
Overall, a pretty good rating. I am not sure if Ira Bahr is driving these updates or Thomas Rogers. Either way, I am loving it!!

_2) Build an ecosystem that supports and promotes alternate streaming sources. There appears to be little interest on Tivo's part to support or promote developer efforts. To remain relevant, you need a strong ecosystem similar to Roku. It's not all about Cable & Satellite TV now.

We need apps; Vudu, Plex, Crackle, HBO Go, etc. (I can go on for pages)._

Vudu!! This app works great. And I have none of the issues I have seen on Roku (where some videos don't show up in the list because of incompatible audio settings). *A*

Plex is still missing. Although it is rumored to be in the Opera Store. Come on Tivo, enable the app. Crackle, HBO Go, etc. are still AWOL. *F*

The Opera Store is pretty cumbersome. The number of steps to access Opera apps is far too many. We all would be better served with native apps. A wise move would be to open up the build environment for apps and start porting. Maybe even do an app development contest that awards prizes for app development.

Internet channels are coming. The Federal Communications Commission is proposing a technical rule change that will make it easier for the Internet to compete with traditional TV and cable channels. This is huge and you know every "broadcaster" will have their own app.​_3) Develop streaming Apps for devices other than Android and iOS. For example, develop a streaming App for Samsung TVs or the Roku (or AppleTV or Vizio or...). Effectively providing the Tivo Interface on the TV without the need for a Tivo Mini. _

Rumor has it this is coming. Maybe we will see some more of this at CES. I look forward to it. I will be swinging by your booth to check out the latest and greatest. See you there! *C*​
Tivo, you have been on a roll lately and I am truly excited. Please keep up the pace and keep the good news coming. It is great to be excited about Tivo!

P.S. Did I mention that you need to open up the build environment for app development? It is a good idea


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## jrtroo (Feb 4, 2008)

Your opinions are fine, but did you need to kill my screen space quoting your entire OP?


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